When Dylan Levitt danced through a static Hearts defence to give Dundee United the lead on Sunday, it should have provided the perfect platform for a crucial victory.
The Jambos’ first-team stars had been given additional time off following their Scottish Cup semi-final win over Hibs. They only reported for training on Thursday.
Stephen Kingsley, Andy Halliday and Craig Halkett all missed out through injury.
Ellis Simms was only fit enough for the bench — albeit he would make a match-winning contribution.
Even United boss Tam Courts candidly confessed after the 3-2 defeat that he had felt conditions were ‘begging for us to go and put them [Hearts] to the sword’.
Instead, United blew their advantage. Goals from Liam Boyce and Josh Ginnelly turned the game on its head. Although Ryan Edwards levelled with a scorcher from distance, Simms sealed the victory for the capital club.
Another three points dropped from a winning position. All too familiar. And Courts knows it.
Devastating deja vu
When the Tannadice boss made reference to a ‘recurring theme’, he wasn’t kidding.
The frequency with which United have thrown away leads over the past two months has been little short of remarkable.
Taking the Tangerines’ 1-1 draw with Rangers on February 20 as a starting point, United have opened the scoring within the first half-hour in six of their last eight Premiership matches.
Ross Graham against Rangers; Marc McNulty against Aberdeen; Liam Smith against Livingston; Ross Graham against Hibernian; Nicky Clark against Dundee; Dylan Levitt against Hearts.
That is to be applauded.
The Terrors have shown an ability to burst from the blocks, create opportunities and break the deadlock.
They have held the lead at some point in all eight of those games.
Yet, the only victory Courts’ charges have to show for their endeavours in that time is a stirring 2-1 triumph at St Mirren. On that occasion, McNulty’s 96th-minute winner left little scope for the Buddies to recover.
Sixteen points have been dropped from winning positions in those eight games.
That is more than twice as many as any other side, with Dundee (seven), Hibernian and St Mirren (both six) coming next.
It should, however, be noted that many teams — particularly those at the wrong end of the table — would struggle to get near United’s tally because they have not found themselves in winning positions with the same regularity.
The Million Dollar question
It is a maddening pattern for watching Arabs and, while his tone can rarely be described as anything other than measured, one that Courts is clearly aware of.
The Tannadice gaffer has sought to clarify that he is not telling his players to sit back and protect slender advantages.
He has repeatedly lamented a failure to go for the jugular and put games to bed.
Following defeat against the Jambos, he rued an inability to ‘be brave, fearless, take some risks’ and ‘push home our authority’.
So, is the issue mental? Tactical? A self-fulfilling prophecy as history repeats?
Asked directly why United find it so tough to press home an advantage, Courts added: “That’s the million dollar question.”
Indeed.
And, as the race for Europe reaches its denouement, finding an answer has become a pressing priority.
