Dundee United boss Robbie Neilson insists there is a lot more to come from his promising new-look team once they get more game time under their belts.
Against Morton at Tannadice on Saturday, the Tangerines with deadline-day signings Peter Pawlett, Calum Butcher, Mark Reynolds, Mark Connolly and Osman Sow all making their debuts and other recent arrivals such as Ian Harkes, Charlie Seaman and Cammy Smith in the starting line-up, produced a dominant first-half display.
The performance levels dipped in the second 45 with the Greenock side making it a potentially-nervy finish after they pulled a goal back.
However, Neilson’s men comfortably saw the game out to take all three points with the manager insisting he is looking forward to seeing a full 90-minute performance once everyone has fully bedded in.
He said: “First half, we could have scored five or six, pretty easily.
“I thought we were blistering at times when we went through them.
“I was really pleased with the first half but I expected that there would be a bit of a come down in the second half when you look at some of the game time players that we have brought in have had.
“Charlie Seaman, not played a lot, Reynolds his first game for a while, Butcher is the same, Harkes hadn’t played much like Pawlett.
“The first half was really good but the fitness levels and togetherness will build over the next few weeks.
“Hopefully they can carry it through for 90 minutes.”
Neilson was also pleased that some of his new additions such as Reynolds, Connolly and Butcher added much needed leadership qualities to his team.
The manager added: “We wanted leaders to come into the group.
“Previously, we weren’t the most vocal team and not the most aggressive team.
“I think when things were going well for us we were all right but when they weren’t going great we didn’t stand up to the game the way we should.
“So part of the recruitment was to try to get some leaders with character who would speak.
“I thought the two centre-halves and Butcher in the middle gave us that.
“You could hear them from the side talking and organising, making sure people were doing the right things at the right time and we need that.
“We are looking forward to next week at St Mirren.”
