Dundee United stumbled out of the blocks in their Premier Sports Cup opener for the second successive season.
Goals from Dylan Tait and Ross MacIver secured a deserved 2-0 triumph for Falkirk, with Jim Goodwin’s sluggish visitors barely laying a glove on the Championship new boys.
United’s fate in the competition now already hangs in the balance. There is no room for error in subsequent Group B showdowns with Stenhousemuir, Ayr United and Buckie Thistle.
Courier Sport was in attendance to analyse the action from an inauspicious start to the Tangerines’ campaign.
United were lucky defeat wasn’t more comprehensive
The last thing United will be feeling this morning is fortunate.
Yet, the stark truth is their defeat could have been far more chastening.
Jack Walton made two superb saves to deny Callumn Morrison each side of the interval, and the Bairns struck the bar twice through Calvin Miller and the outstanding Morrison.
Ethan Ross also rippled the side-netting as the Tangerines threw bodies forward.
Never mind the similarities to United’s 1-0 defeat to Spartans this time this year; this was almost identical to their 4-2 SPFL Trust Trophy reverse against Falkirk last term.
Once again, the Terrors were given the runaround by the far superior side, particularly in the second half.
More fuel needed in the engine room
Ross Docherty’s absence was felt.
The United skipper was sidelined with a calf injury and, while Goodwin stated that the issue is nothing serious, the suffocating spectre of last season’s fitness woes is impossible to ignore.
One can only hope he shakes off the minor knock, because his influence is palpable.
Miller Thomson was drafted in alongside Craig Sibbald – and they were swamped.
The Bairns’ tidy trio of Brad Spencer, Dylan Tait and Aidan Nesbitt had the run of the engine room, while Liam Grimshaw was the only experienced option on the visitors’ bench.
David Babunki’s arrival should be imminent. He will provide an ability to drive into the final third from deep and pick forward passes – something lacking in a ponderous showing on Saturday afternoon.
Beyond that, a mobile, tough tackling Jeando Fuchs-type would be a welcome addition. While he wasn’t always the recipient of herograms from Arabs, United are yet to replace the destructive force of Jordan Tillson.
Teething problems were a factor
Let’s make one thing clear: the early stage of the season and the number of new faces is no excuse for such a poor performance. However, it would also be churlish to pretend it played no part in how the contest unfolded.
As a team seeking to gel and find its feet, it would have been difficult to hand-pick a worse opponent.
John McGlynn’s side fielded TEN players who were part of their invincible League One winning campaign; well-oiled, slick and confident, Falkirk’s showing was in stark contrast to United’s.
Relationships are visibly yet to be formed among the men in Tangerine.
Ryan Strain and Will Ferry made some decent runs and, in acres of space, weren’t found by their teammates.
A makeshift midfield was overrun.
The press was easily bypassed by the hosts.
Louis Moult was isolated and not on the same wavelength as Kristijan Trapanovski and Glenn Middleton.
United’s only two shots on target were both from Trapanovski and created through his individuality, cutting inside from the left flank and warming the palms of Nicky Hogarth.
But even more fundamental, Falkirk looked fitter, faster, hungrier, and more creative than United all over the pitch, which is nothing to do with tactics; as Goodwin stated, “alarming”.
A response is needed on home soil on Tuesday.
The eventful debut of Vicko Sevelj
Speaking prior to United’s trip to Falkirk, Goodwin mused that it would be an ideal test for his new signings – a taste of up-tempo Scottish football against a Bairns side with quality, momentum and a fine coach.
Vicko Sevelj certainly enjoyed an eventful competitive bow for the Tangerines.
The Croatian defender looks excellent on the ball. In the first half, he stepped forward, made progressive passes, and showed decent recovery pace when Falkirk pinched possession.
He is clearly pivotal to how Goodwin wants this fluid 3-4-3 to operate.
Defensively, it was more challenging.
There were yawning gaps between Sevelj and right wing-back Strain at times, and Calvin Miller was a constant threat in that pocket, including hitting the bar after 51 seconds.
And for all he looks an accomplished footballer and tenacious enough, Sevelj won’t be getting any taller. The sight of him being so easily out-jumped by Ross MacIver for Falkirk’s second goal is one that Premiership opponents will undoubtedly be noting.
Would 9 points be enough?
United’s defeat needn’t be terminal, albeit a vast improvement will be required if they are to take full points from Stenhousemuir, Ayr United and Buckie Thistle in their remaining fixtures.
Nine points will likely be required if the Tangerines are to reach the last-16 of the Premier Sports Cup for the fifth time since it’s revamp in the summer of 2016/17.
However, even that is no guarantee of progression.
United’s rivals across the road can attest to that.
Dundee were one of THREE teams to exit at the group phase last term despite registering nine points, along with Hamilton and Forfar. The same fate befell Inverness in 2018/19, Peterhead in 2017/18 and St Mirren in 2016/17.
Nevertheless, the odds would be in United’s favour, with 28 sides having secured their place in the next round with that tally.
All will be hypothetical, however, unless the Terrors respond on Tuesday against a Stenny side flying high from a 4-0 win over Buckie Thistle on Saturday, and their League Two triumph last season.
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