To say the first half at Hearts was lacklustre from Dundee is probably an understatement.
They were miles off it.
The Dark Blues didn’t give themselves a chance really and it was so frustrating after such a good win against Motherwell just a few days before.
Manager Tony Docherty cited that midweek game as a possible reason for the flat display.
He knows his players better than anyone and will have seen how they trained after the ’Well victory.
Regardless of the league table, going to Hearts is always a tough ask and Lawrence Shankland showed his class.
He’s been off the boil this season but there’s a reason he is a Scotland striker and he demonstrated that on Saturday against Dundee.
Welcome break?
The Dark Blues now, though, have a break next weekend.
Usually after a bad result you want a game quickly so you can get the defeat out of your system.
However, I think this weekend off may turn out to be really nicely timed for Dundee.
There is time for injured players like Scott Fraser and Clark Robertson to get back to fitness.
Or at least to get ready for the busy festive period.
That’s also a factor why a little breather right now could help. It is game after game after this break.
A little rest before getting flung into the busiest time of the season isn’t the worst thing in the world.
The challenge now is to come back better after the break than how they have gone into it.
Conversation