Dundee United slipped to a 3-1 defeat against Dunfermline on Friday night but remain top of the Championship after Raith Rovers failed to take full advantage.
A clinical strike by Matty Todd on his 100th Pars appearance and a brace by the outstanding Kane Ritchie-Hosler did the damage, with a second half own goal by Kyle Benedictus counting for nothing.
Courier Sport was in FIfe to analyse the United talking points.
The worst 45 minutes of the season
Spartans, Falkirk, Queen of the South, Morton, Airdrie; there have been a few afternoons to forget this term.
However, Friday night’s first half was arguably the worst performance this group has produced.
It was a showing so disjointed and below-par that it was difficult to ascertain what the Terrors were even trying to achieve in possession.
The strategy in wide areas was particularly confounding. With Tony Watt and Alex Greive effectively playing as inverted wingers, it left Scott McMann and Miller Thomson with acres of space to run into.
But, instead of bombing forward, the full-backs regularly took one touch and shelled innumerable hopeful deliveries into the box, while leaving themselves isolated.
As such, there was no real width in the final third, and a severe lack of compactness when Dunfermline turned over possession. Hosler, Todd and Alex Jakubiak made hay in the spaces, with Ewan Otoo also superb.
Goodwin identified the changes needed at the break and reverted to a 4-2-3-1. Glenn Middleton was impactful, the full-backs pushed forward and pinned back the Pars, and United actually created a fair amount of passable chances.
However, given the balance of play in the first period – and the fact the United boss largely addressed several problems during the interval – questions will be asked regarding why those changes couldn’t have been made earlier.
Paying the price for defensive lapses
While there are some stark lessons to be learned and Goodwin will bear the brunt of mounting criticism, United’s showing was also plagued with uncharacteristic individual errors.
The Tangerines haven’t always been thrilling this term but they have, barring a couple of exceptions, been watertight.
Just last week, Goodwin mooted that Kevin Holt and Declan Gallagher should be in the running for Championship team of year. They may still. However, this was an off-night for several of United’s most reliable performers.
Jakubiak escaped the attention of four United players in the build-up to Dunfermline’s opener before feeding Hosler. And when the winger picked out Todd, the midfielder was afforded the freedom of the box to score.
Ball watching abounded (pictured below).
Dunfermline’s second was a similar catalogue of errors. Jakubiak was again allowed to win a battle on the flank against Thomson AND Gallagher, flicking the ball towards Todd.
Kevin Holt then tackled the ball into the path of Hosler to slam home.
Chasing the game after the break, worse was to come when a terrible Scott McMann touch – the visible bobble should be noted – allowed Hosler to scamper forward, exchange passes with Jakubiak, and fire home his second.
Gallagher’s decision to commit to a challenge, giving Hosler a clear run towards goal, rather than drop back and hold his position, was ill-judged in hindsight.
What is United’s best team?
Walton, Grimshaw, Gallagher, Holt, McMann.
Middleton, Watt and Fotheringham.
Moult up top.
During United’s fine start to the season, it was a doddle to reel off United’s prospective starting line-up, fitness-depending. The team picked itself and, in that, there was a consistency.
However, one must go back to January 2 for the last time Goodwin picked the same starting 11 in back-to-back matches, beating Arbroath 3-0 three days after defeating Partick Thistle by the same scoreline.
Of course, no player should be assured their place in the starting line-up regardless of form but, following a couple of January additions and with a largely fully fit squad, it seems that United’s best XI has never been less clear.
It will be fascinating to see who gets the nod for the Tangerines’ showdown with Inverness next Saturday because there is increasingly littile room for error.
Another Raith Rovers let-off
Despite all this, United remain atop the Scottish Championship – the only position that will matter come 9.45pm on Friday, May 3.
Raith Rovers’ 0-0 draw against Queen’s Park meant that the Tangerines are at the summit by virtue of a vastly superior goal difference.
Neck-and-neck; now comes the seven-game sprint to the finish.
The barb of neither team wants to win this league is a disingenuous one and fails to appreciate the remarkable early-season consistency required for both sides to be 15 points ahead of their nearest challengers.
However, the second half of the campaign has undeniably been more challenging for the title rivals.
As of Rovers’ 1-0 win at Tannadice on December 16, United had gained 34 points from a possible 45. The Fifers had 39 points from a possible 48.
Since that afternoon, the Terrors have gained 24 points from a possible 42 and Rovers boast 19 from a possible 39.
Neither are capitulations, but rather more wobbly than either set of fans would like.
The title will come down to which team can hold their nerve, block out the noise and rediscover their consistency.
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