Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Home form is vital to Utd title charge
IT was fantastic to see both city clubs pick up very good wins over the weekend — it doesn’t happen nearly enough.
Fans of both sides probably won’t agree but my shared history with both Dundee and United leaves me hoping both are in the top flight next season.
For that to happen, the Tangerines need to keep up what they’re doing — especially at Tannadice.
Home form is what most leaguewinning campaigns are built on and they’re certainly ticking that box at the moment.
Csaba Laszlo’s style really seems to suit them playing in front of their own fans.
I reckon he needs to have a plan B for away games but, hopefully, that’ll come, starting on Saturday at Morton.
The victory over Dunfermline, though, was massive.
Especially with other teams around them dropping points.
I said I thought that would happen throughout the campaign and results like St Mirren losing to Dumbarton will keep on coming.
United need to ensure those results don’t happen to them, however.
I think, though, they’ve got enough about them to put a bit of a run together and open up a gap at the top.
They had a slight slip at Brechin the other week but it’s not like the other teams in the division will go to places like that and Dumbarton and cruise to victory.
Everything seems pretty positive at Tannadice under the new manager.
Speaking to players and to fans and there’s definite positivity about what Laszlo has done so far.
That’s great because that’s exactly the reason you bring in a new manager, to get that kind of lift.
I have to admit I did question whether Laszlo was the right man to go for but, from what we’ve seen so far, and that’s all we can judge him on, he has been.
A big issue he’s going to have over the next few games is how to keep the balance of his team without Willo Flood.
Willo damaged his shoulder and will be out for the next chunk of games which is a blow because he’s been excellent lately.
Having him and Fraser Fyvie doing the defensive work in midfield has freed up Scott Fraser — to devastating effect on Saturday.
That’s a problem for Laszlo.