Saturday at Rugby Park was a strange game for Dundee United and the 4-0 final score showed up some flaws.
The main one for me is the absence of a plan B or even C with the squad of players at Micky Mellon’s disposal.
I’ve said before that they need to add a couple of players at least to the squad if they want to be mixing it near the top six.
And Saturday’s thumping demonstrated that.
It was a strange game because it was United who had the majority of possession but Killie who romped to victory.
That’s because Alex Dyer’s side were quite happy to see United’s defenders passing the ball across the back and then trying a hopeful ball forward.
They might have had more of the ball but the Tangerines weren’t hurting Killie with the possession.
And that’s where I think they need to add a couple of options.
Maybe a physical presence up top to get hold of the ball at the right end of the park or some pace to have opponents worried about United getting in behind.
I’m sure Mellon is working on more options on that front.
Now, with the international break, too, he’ll have a bit of time to think about who he wants to bring in.
Crucially, there will also be time to work on his team during the next couple of weeks.
He’ll be drilling into his squad that they’ve made a very good start to life in the Premiership and that they shouldn’t forget that.
Matches like Saturday’s where nothing goes for you happen. Next up is as tough as they come, though – Rangers at Ibrox.
Steven Gerrard’s men are top of the tree right now and it’s probably not the fixture anyone would choose following a heavy loss.
But, if the players can show something like the performance they did against Celtic a couple of weeks back, they’ll give themselves a chance. And that’s what Mellon will be working on over the next week-and-a-half.
Killie definitely deserved their win at the weekend but there will be small positives to focus on during that time.
There were chances for the Tangerines and, had United got one back early in the second half, it could have been a different game.
They didn’t take their chances, however, and Mark Connolly had his nightmare moment.
I felt for him but he, like the rest of the team, should be happy with the majority of their work already this season.
I was like every Dundee fan when I heard the possibility of Charlie Adam signing for the club – yes please.
What a superb capture that would be for the Dark Blues. Adam has said a few times he wanted to finish his career at Dens Park. What a career it has been, by the way.
He’s obviously a big fan of the club so fingers crossed the deal gets done.
It would be a massive signing ahead of the Championship season.
Dundee will have to be careful, though. Adam will be well aware of how the finances are at the club right now. And I’m sure he’ll not be asking for a fortune to pull on the dark blue strip.
But the club have just paid people off. I know there are different budgets for different parts of the club and I’m sure there’s some leeway in James McPake’s first-team kitty.
But it’s a situation where they’ll have to tread carefully in.
Maybe, like has happened at other clubs, someone else might step up and foot the bill for the player.
Because Charlie Adam at Dundee would be wonderful to see.
It’s probably been the worst preparation ever for an international double-header for Scotland thanks to coronavirus.
The good news is it’s the same for everyone else.
I’m optimistic of good results against Israel and Czech Republic in the Nations League but there’s no real way of knowing what to expect with few players match fit.
With a shortage of striker options Steve Clarke may have to rejig his tactics, too.
I’d love to see Lionel Messi turn up in the English Premier League after asking to leave Barcelona. It sounds like a mammoth deal but re-uniting with Pep Guardiola at Man City seems like it could happen.
Watch this space . . .
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