There’s a one-sided Tayside derby to reflect on in this week’s Talking Football, with sports writers Eric Nicolson and Neil Robertson.
Q Tommy Wright believes Zander Clark would have got a Scotland call-up by now if he played for a different club. A fair observation?
EN: What’s the point in having three keepers over the age of 30 in the squad when there’s no chance of more than two of them being called upon for match day service? The third spot should always be for an up-and-coming goalie and I agree with Wright that Clark is the best young keeper in the country. He’s certainly a cut above Hearts’ Jack Hamilton, and there’s no doubt that Hamilton has been given call-ups in the past ahead of Clark because he’s been “in the system” through the under-age levels. Wright’s also bang on when he says Saints players have suffered from football snobbery down the years. Stevie May, Alan Main and Dave Mackay are just three who deserved caps while at McDiarmid Park.
NR: Scotland’s World Cup qualification hangs by a thread so Strachan has probably gone safety first and opted for the tried and trusted but surely there could have been a place in the squad for Clark in the Canada friendly? To be fair, Strachan has persistently ignored players at other clubs who deserve inclusion so it is not just a Saints problem.
Q Clark’s omission from Gordon Strachan’s latest squad is the only thing making Wright angry just now. There was certainly nothing to get him agitated in Saturday’s Tayside derby was there?
EN: Wright said it was one of their best 90 minute performances of the season. I’d say it was THE best. To be in total control from the first kick to the last at a time when your home form is being questioned was very impressive. Plus, it was without Murray Davidson and Steven Anderson in their starting line-up. They won’t be caught now for the top six and I haven’t changed my mind that they’ll finish above Hearts.
NR: I have now covered the last two Saints home games and the contrast between the Kilmarnock one two weeks ago and Saturday’s could not have been greater. It was amazing to see largely the same group of players who had performed so badly in defeat against Killie so comfortably put Dundee to the sword. Wright will certainly be hoping that his players can produce more of the latter going into the split.
Q The flip side of the coin was Dundee’s display. How do you explain that?
EN: It’s a question Paul Hartley will be asking himself. The last thing a footballer should be accused of is a poor attitude but you can’t escape that conclusion as far as some of the Dark Blues’ team is concerned when they can perform as they did against Rangers and Motherwell then be so meek against Saints. Hartley won’t say it, but I’m sure three or four of those players won’t be at Dens next season.
NR: Dundee skipper Darren O’Dea confessed after the game that you can talk about tactics and formations all day long but the simple fact was the Dark Blues were completely outfought by Saints. That is a pretty damning indictment and is simply not acceptable. As for explaining why they were so poor . . . only they will know.
Q Just when you thought they were safe from any play-off worries, does a quick glance at Dundee’s fixture list suggest they should be more concerned with what’s going on beneath them in the table than above?
EN: Dundee will come up with a couple of big performances to make sure they’re safe. They always do. But I fear top six will be beyond them now. Given the position they put themselves in a few weeks ago, that would represent failure.
NR: Dundee have an incredibly tough run in before the split with games against Celtic (home), Aberdeen (home), Ross County (home), Hearts (home) and then Hamilton (home). Going on Saturday’s evidence, the only one they might have a chance of winning would be the last one. The Dundee players really need to take a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror and man up otherwise they could yet be dragged into a relegation dogfight after the split.
Q Do you give them any chance against Celtic?
EN: The Premiership’s great unpredictables would have to come up with their biggest form change yet to do it.
NR: Dundee have not been rolled over by the Hoops juggernaut this season, losing 2-1 at Celtic Park in December and 1-0 at Dens two months earlier, so they do have a slim chance but only if they can reproduce the spirit and commitment they showed in beating the other half of the Old Firm four weeks ago.
Q What did you make of Sunday’s draw between Celtic and Rangers?
EN: Celtic took it easy and paid the price. Well, if you can describe staying unbeaten and 33 points above Rangers as paying the price, that is.
NR: I think you have to give Rangers credit. Some of Celtic’s star men may have been off it but the Ibrox side were widely expected to get a hiding however their dogged display ensured that was never going to happen.
Q Are Dundee United’s title ambitions officially over after Friday night’s defeat to Hibs?
EN: There have been bigger football shocks than United winning the league from 10 points back and a game in hand, but not many. I just can’t see it. Friday was their last shot. I’m expecting Hibs to pull further away rather than the other way round.
NR: Hibs always have the potential to self-destruct but only in the odd game and I just cannot see United overhauling them now. Instead, Ray McKinnon’s men must focus on finishing second. The manager knows from his time at Raith last season just how incredibly difficult it is to progress in the play-offs if you finish third or fourth.
Q United have slipped to fourth in the table. Is that where they deserve to be given recent form?
EN: As things stand, you have to say it is. The table doesn’t lie, and all that. Two wins in 10 is much poorer than Falkirk or Morton. There are too many six out of 10 performances from United these days. They’ll need a seven or eight (of which they are still capable) against St Mirren on Wednesday.
NR: United may be in a false position as they have two games in hand on Falkirk in second but this month will undoubtedly prove vital with matches against the bottom three sides in the Championship, with Wednesday’s fixture against St Mirren being followed by Raith and Ayr.
Q William Edjenguele has signed up for another two years. A good bit of business?
EN: Edjenguele has been a consistent performer and definitely merits his new deal. He’s been by far the best defender in the United backline.
NR: I think it is a great piece of business. I am sure Edjenguele’s performances this season would have put him on the radar of other clubs. He is certainly a formidable foundation to build the side around.
Q Are you managing to keep a lid on your excitement at the prospect of Scotland returning to action next week?
EN: Just about. Call-ups for Tom Cairney, Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Fraser were no-brainers. Let’s see if Strachan plays them, though. And it’s the same old, same old at centre-back which, as we all know, will make for behind-the-sofa viewing against Slovenia.
NR: Yes. I am delighted to see former United star Armstrong in particular win a call-up but I will be amazed if he is given his chance against Slovenia by Strachan.
