DUNDEE UNITED hope to solve the long-running mystery of their dreadful defending when they play Aberdeen at Pittodrie today.
The tendency to gift goals to the opposition still goes unexplained at Tannadice in the wake of their 4-3 home defeat to St Mirren last Sunday.
While potent enough in attack, the Tangerines are baffling all and sundry by making mistake after mistake at the other end of the park.
With Dons striker Niall McGinn needing little encouragement to hit the back of the net at the moment, United need to sort themselves out or face the consequences.
Full-back Barry Douglas, who grabbed United’s third goal against the Paisley team, hopes they will do just that and start the new year with a vital victory.
He said: “We need to eradicate giving these goals away. Against St Mirren we scored another three goals and I think that’s 17 in the last six games.
“I got one of our goals but that counts for nothing as we lost. It’s a personal achievement but it is not important when you are getting beat.
“So we know we can score and for a team who can get that amount we should have more points on the board than we have at the moment.
“We just need to try and cut out the errors.”
Douglas was asked if, having not won at Tannadice since mid-August, it will be easier playing away from home today.
“No, it’s the same really,” he answered. “And I wouldn’t say it’s to do with nerves.
“I would say it is more to do with the kind of luck we are having just now. Every wee mistake is leading to a goal.
“We need to get back to basics we’re working hard on the training ground and stop conceding stupid goals.”
United will be another defender down when they run out at Pittodrie, with Brian McLean suspended as a result of his red card against the Buddies.
That has raised the possibility of manager Peter Houston putting striker Jon Daly back into central defence.
Like most people at the club, Douglas would prefer to keep Daly where he is but feels United could cope without him up front.
“Jon is obviously a big presence for us up front,” added Douglas. “But it’s down to the gaffer who he brings in in Brian’s place.
“I didn’t think it was a sending-off but these things happen and I think we’ve got players like Johnny Russell who can play up there on his own (if Daly has to move).
“There’s also Michael Gardyne, who can play off the main striker and Stuart Armstrong as well, who can do the same.
“I think we just need to improvise on the day and whatever way we play, hopefully we will get the right result on the day.”
The greatest danger to the Tangerines is likely to come from McGinn, who netted a hat-trick against Dundee on Saturday.
“McGinn is obviously in good form scoring goals and he is an obvious threat,” added Douglas.
“We’ll have to watch him carefully and try to cut out his goals. But I think it’s down to ourselves and what we do on the day.”
iroache@thecourier.co.uk