Just like Tony Docherty, I was taken aback by Dundee’s attitude at Hibs on Sunday.
I wasn’t expecting that after the way they’d approached games recently.
There had been real attitude, determination and everything about their demeanour was top notch.
That’s why they had been getting results.
So to see none of that at Easter Road was a big surprise.
As bizarre as it sounds I think they took their foot off the gas.
Nobody at the club will admit that but that’s what I saw.
It was a team that is thinking more about the five games to come after Hibs and how important they will be rather than the here and now of winning points at Easter Road.
The results on Saturday probably added to that – the pressure was not on in the same way with the other teams around them losing.
They went to Hibs not expecting to win, and it came out in their performance.
They weren’t at it. They didn’t believe in themselves. They didn’t believe they could win that game.
That can’t happen.
Problem all season
Tony Docherty was clearly disappointed in the mentality of his team, calling them “timid”.
They didn’t believe they could win and so the intensity just was not there.
That is the main problem in this squad I think.
The amount of goals going in is the result of the inability to stay switched on, whether it’s across an entire season or even just one half of football.
They’ve not been consistently mentally tough. Conceding 71 goals in the Premiership tells you that.
People concentrate on the defence because of the goals conceded but there are more problems than just the backline.
They clearly have good players in the team but the balance just isn’t right.
It’s not right in midfield and it’s not right in attack.
Just as they were unable to keep Hibs out at one end, their usual attacking intent was missing as well.
For me, the balance isn’t right up front either.
Simon Murray can’t do it all on his own, he needs service and there was none of that on Sunday.
Changes needed
But Hibs scored four goals and didn’t have to work hard to do so. All they did was play the ball into areas where Dundee players didn’t match them.
This is where I look at the midfield – it has to be harder to get the ball into the area.
Dundee are an attack-minded team, you’ve got midfield players wanting to burst forward at every chance.
Look at the final goal conceded. Dundee players burst forward but the attacker doesn’t have comfortable possession of the ball.
Then he loses it and they have five men beyond the ball. That then leaves the defenders with too much to do.
They did that at Aberdeen and it cost them. It happens too often.
There need to be changes before we head into the post-split fixtures.
I don’t think the formation needs changed but alterations are necessary. The balance has been wrong all season.
We’re now at the crunch time in the campaign – they have to sort it out and sort it fast.
Conversation