Dundee United have become late surge specialists this season.
That’s a deadly weapon to have in your arsenal – and it requires a high level of fitness from everyone on the pitch, plus shrewd use of substitutions.
Super fit, super switched-on United have managed to take advantage of tiring opponents late in games on multiple occasions this season.
But they don’t tend to start matches with the same level of intensity.
That’s a weakness – and it’s what saw Dundee claim the early initiative in Monday night’s Scottish Cup derby.
The Dark Blues came flying out of the traps at Dens Park and put United straight on the back foot.
They got their goal after only a minute of play, but they didn’t let up and drop deep.
They kept their high-energy approach going for the entire first half and into the early stages of the second.
Then United did what they do and turned the screw as Dundee’s efforts caught up with them.
Jim Goodwin will have no complaints at all about the way his players grew into the game – by the end it was near-enough one-way traffic heading towards the home team’s goal.
He’ll also be happy with the number of chances they created.
On another night, the Tangerines could have scored three or four. Or even five.
A combination of slack finishing, bad luck and a fantastic performance from Dundee keeper Trevor Carson kept them out
But there were definitely positives to United’s performance – and I think the fans recognised that at full-time, judging by their reaction to the players.
Supporters gave them a proper ovation, despite the result.
Now they have to work on kicking off games the same way they are finishing them.
If they can do that, future ovations will follow victories more often than not.
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