Questions keep getting thrown at Dundee United but time and again they are coming up with answers.
We saw that at Raith Rovers on Saturday.
Yes, it wasn’t a win.
But falling behind to a strong team like Rovers, expectant title challengers in rough conditions and on astroturf requires a bit of mental strength, a bit of togetherness, to come back from behind.
Jim Goodwin’s Dundee United have shown that.
They showed it at Inverness not so long ago, winning with 10 men late on.
Good result
Ideally, they’d have wanted to win this one – and they could have with the chances created late on.
But, in the grand scheme of things, a draw is a good result.
They kept their unbeaten start and, more importantly, stay top of the table.
Raith Rovers really needed the win more than the Tangerines did, they are the ones doing the chasing right now.
Look at the rest of the division and nobody else managed to make up any ground.
Ayr were the only team to win and are at the wrong end of the table.
If you can’t win, that’s not a bad weekend for a team that’s top of any table.
Could have been more
It was a tough game. I always feel the home side has an advantage on a plastic pitch, purely because they are more used to the surface. That shouldn’t be forgotten when assessing United’s display.
And, as I say, it could have been an even better day for them – Kevin Dabrowski pulled off an unreal save late on.
Rovers had chances of their own and it was a really decent top-of-the-table clash.
What made the difference for United, though, was Louis Moult.
That’s clear to see.
Goodwin said he didn’t really want to risk his star striker.
But the gamble paid off.
As I say, United had chances but didn’t take them – Moult did and that’s what he brings to this side.
We’re seeing that he’s too good for this level really.
Without his injury past, he’d have been snapped up by a Premiership side or someone down south.
The rumour is Motherwell passed on him, if that’s the case I think they’ll be kicking themselves.
Moult could be the difference between United going up and not this term, he’s that important.
In the end, his arrival was the difference between United being second had they not equalised and where they are now – top of the Championship.
Pondering Peterhead
I do think he’ll probably not be used by Goodwin this weekend when United take on Peterhead in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
To me, that’s a chance to give any knocks or injuries a wee break and to give some fringe players an opportunity.
The league is everything for United.
The ideal for Goodwin is they add another win to keep up the momentum but do so with minimum effort.
Promotion is the be all and end all this term.
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