This week’s Talking Football, with sports writers Eric Nicolson and Neil Robertson, considers whether Dundee fans should be worried about another star forward being sold, the top of the table Championship clash at Tannadice and St Johnstone getting back on track.
Q That’s three wins out of four for Dundee. Explain the big improvement?
Eric Nicolson: Firstly there was a collective realisation that they were in a bad place after the Partick Thistle defeat. But it’s one thing realising it and quite another actually sorting things out. Some people said the post-match huddle after the win at Hamilton was a bit cheesy but I thought it was the right time and place. More importantly, the players proved to themselves that they had it in them to scrap for a win. They’ve kept that going for four games now so this is no flash in the pan. For all the collective improvement though, the emergence of Craig Wighton as a key man through the middle has been the biggest single reason that Dundee look like a different team.
Neil Robertson: That Thistle game really was a watershed moment when everyone connected with the club finally realised that they were in deep trouble. I wasn’t at Hamilton but during the Motherwell match that followed, it was the Dark Blues’ fighting spirit that shone through and the display was like night and day compared to some of the insipid performances of weeks gone by. Wighton has deservingly received all the headlines and plaudits but there are other unsung heroes more than doing their bit, such as Marcus Haber up front and Kosta Gadzhalov at the back.
Q They are not out of the woods yet though are they?
EN: Of course not. It could turn again. I have to say however, the way Dundee have built their revival (ie by being very hard to beat) would suggest that they are well suited to seeing this scrap through to a successful conclusion.
NR: Winning three out of the last four is decent form in anybody’s book but Dundee boss Paul Hartley and his players know they simply cannot afford to rest on their laurels. Saturday’s match at Kilmarnock and the following week’s game at Dens against Ross County are absolutely crucial, especially with the ridiculously-tight nature of the Premiership this season.
Q Are you surprised that Craig Wighton has made such a big impact…..in fact are you surprised that he’s getting a run in the team?
EN: I must admit there were times when it looked like there was a bit of confusion over the best way to develop Wighton’s undeniable raw talent, and the fact that his Raith Rovers loan spell didn’t work out was a worry. But now that he’s in his favoured position – and he has the body strength to go with it – no, it’s not a surprise. Whatever his route to this point has been, he’s in the team now, and getting a regular game at a time of high pressure, so player and manager both deserve credit.
NR: Speaking at the start of this month, Hartley said of Wighton: “We all know he has ability and talent and he now has to step up to the plate.” Well, the teenager has certainly heeded his manager’s call. His talent has been clear to see whenever he has played for Dundee but now he has added strength to the skill. So I am not surprised he has made such an impact – or that he is getting a run in the team.
Q Should Dundee fans be worried that he will be following Greg Stewart and Kane Hemmings out of the door?
EN: I posted a comment on Twitter on Saturday night saying I would be shocked if there isn’t interest from down south in the summer, or possibly January. The reaction from Dundee fans suggested this would be their worst nightmare! He’s tied up on a long-term deal and, providing there isn’t a Kane Hemmings-type clause in his contract, Dundee are holding a good hand. I think he’ll be worth a seven-figure sum in the summer if he sustains his current form. He’s playing Premiership football and is still only 19 so there’s no rush to leave.
NR: English Championship side Wolves had a representative at Saturday’s game watching Wighton and he must have been impressed by what he saw. Unfortunately for Dundee fans, that interest from elsewhere is only going to intensify if Wighton continues his glittering form. If a side did make a concrete bid in the January window, it will be interesting to see how the club’s American owners respond. Unless someone is willing to offer “silly” money, the Dark Blue faithful would simply not accept Wighton following Hemmings and Stewart out the Dens exit in the space of a few short months.
Q What can St Johnstone learn from Dundee’s performance against Inverness Caley Thistle, and will they get the same result?
EN: From Richie Foran’s comments you would think Caley Thistle’s defeat was the biggest footballing travesty of the season. What it showed to me was that there still isn’t much subtlety to Foran’s side. They’ve got some big units like Ross Draper and they do their best to play to his and his fellow giants’ strengths. It is the sort of approach that Saints have struggled with of late, so it will be the perfect test of whether they have sorted out the defensive frailties that, as Tommy Wright pointed out, have crept in. I wouldn’t be surprised if big Liam Gordon is given a chance and I also expect Saints to edge it by the odd goal.
NR: I must admit I thought I was hearing things in the after-match press conference when Foran made his comments about dominating the game from start to finish. However, while they were questionable, his side are definitely dogged and resolute. They have already beaten Saints this season so the Perth players will know they face a tough test. Crucially though, Inverness have lost their last three on the bounce and if St Johnstone can strike early, then I can see them going on to win.
Q There’s a huge game at Tannadice on Friday night. Who do you make favourites for the top of the table match?
EN: I think I said last week that I expected a draw and, as neither team has played since, I’m not about to change my mind! An unbeaten home record is put up against an unbeaten away one. I’m intrigued about the approach Ray McKinnon will take. There’s the carrot of going joint top and all the psychological damage that could do to Hibs but, on the other hand, as was the case at Easter Road, a point is by no means a problem. That’s another reason I think it will be a draw – I see McKinnon being quite canny, and I think Neil Lennon will also be thinking the same way. An early goal for either side, though, could change it all.
NR: A quick look at the bookies’ odds for this game shows that they reckon both sides have an equal chance of winning and they are probably right. Last week I thought this was a stick-on draw but as the game edges closer, I find myself coming down off that fence and leaning towards a United victory. I just feel home advantage will prove to be a key factor, with a big Tangerines support roaring McKinnon’s men to victory.
Q United got a tough draw in the Scottish Cup – Ross County away. But they will fancy their chances, won’t they?
EN: United will have a significant advantage. They’ll have been playing regular football, while for County it will be their first game back after the winter break. The very least I would expect for United is a replay.
NR: Despite the break, it is still a big ask for United to go up to Dingwall and beat a Premiership side. On the flip side of Eric’s argument, Ross County’s batteries will be recharged after the break and they should be fresh against a United side that will have been toiling away on January pitches.
Q Celtic beat Aberdeen with some ease. Treble or no treble?
EN: Treble.
NR: Ditto.
