In this week’s Talking Football, The Courier’s sports writers discuss the impact of Dundee United’s top-of-the-table win, St Johnstone’s midfield main man and a potentially worrying defeat for Dundee.
Q The weekend’s football started at Tannadice. How big a statement have Dundee United made?
Ian Roache: It is a very big statement. The significance is psychological as much as anything for me, in that the United players will now be completely convinced they can win the league and Hibs will be a bit more worried than they were before the game regardless of what they say in public.
Eric Nicolson: For all that the United camp were downplaying the importance of this match in the build-up, they were kidding no-one. It was key milestone in the campaign. The gap between the big two and the rest will grow, so head-to-heads will be pivotal. Mind you, to use a tennis analogy, it’s only a proper break of serve if you hold your next game (ie United need to beat Ayr on Saturday).
Q If you had to pick a player who is the most crucial to United’s revival and the rest of the season, who would it be?
IR: This may be a bit leftfield but my pick would be goalkeeper Cammy Bell. You got the feeling as early as the day he signed that he would be the glue to stick the squad together.
He is not infallible but he brings a calmness to the defence when they are under pressure and his penalty heroics at Dunfermline provided me with my highlight of the season thus far.
EN: Ian’s got in first. It has to be Bell. Second is William Edjenguele. Between the two of them (and Willo Flood) United have a spine in their team that could improve a few Premiership sides.
Q Hibs were a bit average weren’t they?
IR: They were but it must be remembered they were minus some real talent, with John McGinn and Fraser Fyvie both sidelined through injury. Even taking that into consideration, though, United don’t look inferior to them and it’s worth noting that it is the Tangerines who have come out on top in the head-to-head count so far, with a draw at Easter Road and Friday’s crucial win to their name going into the January 6 third match.
EN: I was distinctly unimpressed. My worry for United, though, would be the money that will be thrown at improving the team in January. Hibs simply can’t afford to not go up.
Q Dundee have suffered a set-back at Kilmarnock. A blip on the road to safety or a return to the sort of form that got them in trouble in the first place?
IR: That result was a disappointment, especially considering the Dark Blues’ fine record down at Rugby Park. I have heard reports from people who were there that it was back to square one but they can put it behind them when they host Ross County on Saturday.
EN: It might not have been good, but it certainly wasn’t as bad as the likes of the loss to Partick Thistle and St Johnstone a few weeks ago. People always underestimate the significance of these plastic pitches as well. They really are a huge – and unfair – advantage to Killie and Hamilton.
Q Saturday’s another of those biggies against a team in their part of the table. Predictions for the Ross County game at Dens?
IR: I strongly fancy this to be a home win. I just think that, despite the loss to Killie, the Dens men themselves think they can pull away from danger and that self-belief will get them through.
EN: I’m not as confident as Ian. I think County are probably the least likely of the bottom seven teams to go down. They were decent at McDiarmid when I watched them recently and hung in there against Hearts on Saturday. And Liam Boyce is scoring. It will probably be a draw but an away win wouldn’t shock me.
Q Is there a team who is looking most likely to finish bottom?
IR: It is easier to predict the content of Donald Trump’s next Tweet than guess who will go down this season but if pushed I would go for Hamilton. Mind you, people tip them every season.
EN: Hamilton or Inverness Caley Thistle. Ask me next week and I’ll probably have changed my mind again, though.
Q Tommy Wright was full of praise for Murray Davidson after St Johnstone’s win at the weekend. Where does he rank as far as Premiership midfielders are concerned?
IR: It must be a joy for the other Saints players to have Davidson in their side and it’s no wonder that Wright admitted he had been missed. He gives you goals, guts, drive and determination. At times, he would not look out of place in the Celtic midfield.
EN: Ian’s right with his Celtic point. They don’t need him but he wouldn’t be out of his depth either. And, as for the rest, Davidson would improve any midfield in the Premiership.
Q Ian Cathro is a man well known in these parts. Everybody seems to have an opinion on his appointment as Hearts manager….what’s yours?
IR: I would like to congratulate Hearts on the appointment of their manager – I think Craig Levein will continue to do a great job (only kidding)! What we should not do is write Cathro off because he has never managed or played football. The “football person” mentality is too prevalent in Scotland and even encompasses the national coach. However, Cathro’s track record can be inflated by those who see him as some kind of ground-breaking guru. Oh and just because he looks like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg doesn’t mean he’s the first coach to use a laptop.
EN: The Levein factor is an important one. Whatever title he gives himself, he’s the main man at Tynecastle. I don’t think Cathro is any less qualified than Robbie Neilson was when he was made first team coach. With the players Hearts have, and a decent youth structure, this would be a hard job to make a mess of.
Q Was Robbie Neilson right to jump ship for the glamour of Milton Keynes?
IR: As opposed to the glamour of Gorgie? It is disappointing that one of our top clubs have lost their coach to a League One side down south but MK Dons do have a magnificent stadium that even puts our old favourite Tynecastle in the shade. There is also a pathway out of the club to better things, as taken by Paul Ince and Roberto Di Matteo in the past.
EN: I think it’s a pretty good move for him. MK Dons are probably as low as they’re likely to fall. You can make a name for yourself pretty quickly down south and it will only take a promotion out of League One for Neilson to be considered for some very attractive jobs.
Q And, we’ll finish off back in the Championship, if that’s OK. When do you think Dunfermline will next score a penalty?
IR: If they are really good, Santa will bring them one for Christmas. He might even take it, just to make sure.
EN: I can’t better that answer, so I’ll not even try.
