Dundee Utd -V- ICT : Matchday Thread

[WYNESS101]

Full Time

[Fanoffooty]

:annoyed:

[kencar]

Given Odhiambho's recent form I assume he started today because of how he played against United 7 months ago!!! Some of our managers decisions are strange.

[+DoofersDad]

Given Terry's very upbeat assessment of the performance against Celtic I would be interested in why Sutherland was dropped to the bench today. If Jonny has regained fitness then he had to start and for me that would mean either Ross or Sutherland giving way. Whilst Ross has played well above expectations this season he was looking a bit off the game against Celtic and I think it was right to rest him. Sutherland, however, has been playing very well and looking threatening. He was on the bench so was presumably fit to play but he neither started nor came on as a sub despite us needing to chase the game - I don't understand.

At least motherwell lost again so we remain well placed for 6th.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Is Terry trying out different players and combinations for some unknown reason? For next season perhaps?

Finding a settled team may be difficult when injuries have severely impacted the team and he may well be trying to decide which player should be allowed to leave at the end of the season. And is just giving them a final chance or two to convince him of their value.

And playing certain players whose form has not been inspiring seems to be counterproductive to anything. Unless heis doing this to save another player who is not fully fit or for the reason I suggest in paragraph 2,above?

Hopefully he will decide soon on this because otherwise Top 6 may be a pipedream.

[Caleyjag]

Watching it now on BBC Alba, our fans sound in good voice

[+DoofersDad]

Is Terry trying out different players and combinations for some unknown reason? For next season perhaps?

Hopefully not. There will be time to do that when it is clear whether we will be in the top 6 or not for the last 5 games of the season. There will be a significant difference in revenue for the club between being in the top 6 or the bottom 6. Terry needs to pick his best team just now and do everything to get that top 6 place.

[tm4tj]

It's not all bad, England are getting stuffed at the Rugby.

[Alex MacLeod]

Just home from what was a pretty rubbish game. The team selection and tactics left a lot to be desired. Odhiambo was his usual cr*p. No ball control. Poor passing. Should have been hooked after 20 mins. The referee was abysmal. And why when we need to win a game did we hook Rooney in favour of Gillet?

All in all the game was pretty scrappy. Too many needless stoppages and too many mistakes from both teams. We were lacking in ideas and any attacks we mounted came to nothing. Dundee U were no better but our big problem, and ultimately their goal, came from a failure to clear our box with any authority. We lacked communication and too many times found two or three players staring at a loose ball with nobody acting.

For me todays performance was not one deserving of a top six finish and I think we've blown it on that score.

[starchief]

From the little I've seen, Odi has always struck me as an out-and-out forward. Someone who's pace makes him best playing off the main striker - maybe a bit like Frank McGarvey or Mo Johnston (not saying he's that quality, natch). What he's not, in any way, shape or form, is a midfielder. Not even an attacking mid or winger. I'd sooner see Duff or Ross in that role. Even Foran further back and Odi pushed right up.

[finmack]

Have to agree with most of the comments made by Alex. I would also add that Rooney was very poor, looked as though he was not interested.Most of the team were very poor today with Odiambo way out in front on that score.

[Caley Stan]

For me todays performance was not one deserving of a top six finish and I think we've blown it on that score.

We're 1 point away from 6th with 3 games left. We haven't blown it yet.

[kencar]

For me todays performance was not one deserving of a top six finish and I think we've blown it on that score.

We're 1 point away from 6th with 3 games left. We haven't blown it yet.

Given our next 3 games we'll be doing well to get 1 point

[Alex MacLeod]

For me todays performance was not one deserving of a top six finish and I think we've blown it on that score.

We're 1 point away from 6th with 3 games left. We haven't blown it yet.

Three games against Celtic, Hearts and Kilmarnock. Personally I dont see Motherwell dropping points against Aberdeen and I think they'll take at least 1 from DU whereas I dont see us take any more than 4 from the last games, if even that.

[gingerjaggy]

awful game ref again was dire but hey thats a constant with scottish football again we lose a goal on HT because we panic and so everything becomes desperate and so we lose the a goal. second half and it was terry's turn to baffle us with some decisions. Rooney off dont know why he may not have had much in the game but he has scored alot this season and is a threat but McDonald was a threat. Odihiambo wtf he cant control the ball he is to weak when on it and then when he tries to run with it he looks like a circus clown juggling with the ball. Hayes cant fault him tried his best and for most of the time lacked any support and got crowded out. Foran again looked brilliant putting his body on the line to win the ball back which inevitably killed him near the end. Gillet looked good but all in all an aimless display that we deserved nothing from. Dundee utd mind u were no better and were helped alot by some abject refereeing for example tokely winning the ball but surprise surprise player goes down and rosco ends up going into the book for a clean tackle.

[DundeeICT]

Was a poor game overall. Odi was indeed awful his touch was left In leicster when he left I think. Again the ball was being hoofed up the park and lost in the last third. I can't help but feel with the squad we have an attacking 5-3-2 formation might be worth a try

Esson

Duff tokely Munro hogg gillet

Hayes duncan doran

Foran. Rooney

I know it prob sounds a bit defensive but counter attack wise it could be great. Maybe I'm just fed up of the recent performances !!

Had a fun day footy aside! G

[Pele_Is_God]

Can't blame the ref every week. Lets be honest we have been crap since December and I hope TB makes a lot of changes in the summer, if not we are in big trouble next season!

[Granty24]

I find it quite astonishing that the last time we won away from home was the 13th of November! 3-1 against Hamilton. 4 months without a win away... amazing for a team that went unbeaten away for a whole year.

[tm4tj]

Being unbeaten, and winning games are two totally different things. But you are correct, we have been grim for a while, mostly, with the odd decent performance thrown in.

[Hearach]

Odhiambo was rubbish - and I don' like to slag off any of our players. Rooney was poor. Thought the subs made a difference once they were all on. There is potential but we had better get it together soon. Anyone know when Sanchez is due back?

[rogerkettle]

Okay, a view from the other side. Having left Inverness-shire for Dundee a long time ago, I kind of have mixed emotions. I became a United fan because of some friends down here and I've been lucky enough to see some great football from the likes of Sturrock, Bannon, Narey etc. Despite that, I have retained my fondness for ICT and have witnessed some truly wonderful performances from them---and a level of football that was a joy to watch. Today was dire. Neither team played well but United were playing their 5th game in 12 days. To their credit, they were also fielding eight Scottish players under the age of 23 which, these days, has to be commended. On today's evidence, the neat football that has been played by ICT over the last few seasons appears to have gone but you guys will know better than me if this is true. There also seemed to be a lack of togetherness. Foran appeared to be mumping about everything and, once again, I have no idea if this is how he always is or if this was just a one-off performance.

As I said earlier, not a great game but I was disappointed in the way my old team played.

I still have my IRA leaague and cup medals....

[Alex MacLeod]

Roger you seen it as I seen it. I dont know whats going on with our team but somethings amiss. There was no communication among players. Indeed it was like watching ten guys who'd only met today for the first time. Something is very wrong at ICT. A couple of weeks ago there was talk about how the managers and players got round the table and had an open and honest discussion about the problems and the word was that all had been sorted and everyone was friends again. After then we went out and hammered Motherwell and were close to beating Celtic. Today we're back to pre then. Where is the team that works for each other? The team that fights for everything and anything? The team that punches above its weight? Where is the TEAM? The last time I seen an ICT team so disjointed was when Charlie Christie was struggling to get everyone to play around Niculae.

[+Fraz]

Roger you seen it as I seen it. I dont know whats going on with our team but somethings amiss. There was no communication among players. Indeed it was like watching ten guys who'd only met today for the first time. Something is very wrong at ICT. A couple of weeks ago there was talk about how the managers and players got round the table and had an open and honest discussion about the problems and the word was that all had been sorted and everyone was friends again. After then we went out and hammered Motherwell and were close to beating Celtic. Today we're back to pre then. Where is the team that works for each other? The team that fights for everything and anything? The team that punches above its weight? Where is the TEAM? The last time I seen an ICT team so disjointed was when Charlie Christie was struggling to get everyone to play around Niculae.

Agree with this.

I can accept being beaten by the better team if we have made a good account of ourselves. However too often recently we have been 2nd to too many balls. There has been a lack of closing down and pressuring opposing teams, thus giving them too much time on the ball. Several players look also a bit disinterested for whatever reason. I find these things hardest to take as I accept we will never be the most skillful team in the league, but these are things that can be changed and should not really be happening. Motivation should be high at the moment as the players have the chance to make ICT history with a top 6 place in contention.

I have also heard that the 'clear the air' meeting did not resolve everything as has been reported, but I guess that's just hearsay.

[dead_ball_specialist]

Roger you seen it as I seen it. I dont know whats going on with our team but somethings amiss. There was no communication among players. Indeed it was like watching ten guys who'd only met today for the first time. Something is very wrong at ICT. A couple of weeks ago there was talk about how the managers and players got round the table and had an open and honest discussion about the problems and the word was that all had been sorted and everyone was friends again. After then we went out and hammered Motherwell and were close to beating Celtic. Today we're back to pre then. Where is the team that works for each other? The team that fights for everything and anything? The team that punches above its weight? Where is the TEAM? The last time I seen an ICT team so disjointed was when Charlie Christie was struggling to get everyone to play around Niculae.

All the way through our downward spiral over the last 4 months we've had Golly and McBain fit and available for selection. Experienced, vocal, hard working players who could have an influence on the pitch. But they've been completely shut out. Butcher apparently even favours Duff and Munro at left back to Golly, the man who was the lynchpin organizing our defense last season. Baffling.

[alternative maryhill]

Given Odhiambho's recent form I assume he started today because of how he played against United 7 months ago!!! Some of our managers decisions are strange.

Yeah, that was the conclusion I came to. He was excellent at Tannadice back in August, but yesterday, unfortunately, was more typical of his recent form.

Poor game all round. I didn't think Utd were much better than us apart from a spell in the second half when they passed it around quite nicely. Very little happening in front of either goal. It was good to see Hayes back - he looked quite dangerous early on and worked hard throughout - and as gingerjaggy has already mentioned, Richie Foran had a fine game. Rooney wasn't at his best but the decision to take him off on 57 minutes, especially when Odhiambo had been so ineffective, was baffling - it removed any chances we had of holding up the ball up front, and we needed to be able to do that because for most of the second half, it was back to long balls out of defence.

One positive was that Kenny Gillet looked very good when he came on: strong and direct. On the other hand, Aaron Doran concerns me a little. Yesterday was the fourth or fifth time I've seen him, and while he clearly has a bit of ability, he looks a bit nervous about getting involved. There was one glaring example of this yesterday when Duff, I think, had the ball in the right back area and was looking for a pass. Doran was in acres of space wide left and would have had a clear run-in on goal, but didn't seem to want the ball. Maybe it's something that will develop with more game time, but I'm not sure if we can afford to give him that: we badly need attacking players who will have a go and in that regard I think I'd rather see Ross or Sutherland in the team.

Unless there's a significant improvement against Celtic, Killie and Hearts, I can't see us making top six now, and what began as a very promising season will probably peter out into one that, although decent for a newly-promoted team, will feel rather mediocre.