George Cran

Return of McGhee could be game changer for Dee

2021-04-14 -

DUNDEE are edging a point at a time closer to securing their playoff place – they don’t like making life easy for themselves, though, do they?

It’s always, always, the hard way for the Dark Blues and it looks like they’ve given themselves a task in getting the second place they are after.

Normally a point away to Dunfermline isn’t so bad.

However, they allowed Raith Rovers to steal a march on them as they won at Queen of the South.

Playing bottom side Alloa on Saturday while Dundee have a weekend off, John McGlynn’s men can go five points ahead of the Dark Blues.

And that would really put the pressure on Dundee as they travel to in-form Inverness on Tuesday.

It’s the Championship, though – nothing ever happens smoothly for anyone.

I absolutely don’t expect Raith to win all of their remaining three matches.

And Dundee are playing well, even if they’ve been held to two draws recently.

I thought they were the better side at Dunfermline last night.

At times they played some really nice football in and around the Pars box.

However, they seem to have lost their cutting edge of late.

They are looking for someone to step up and put it in the net but that’s just not happening right now.

Last night was the first time Dundee have failed to score in the Championship since November – I count that as 18 matches.

The good thing is, heading into the play-offs, the defence and midfield are looking more solid than they have all season.

The return of Jordan McGhee last night was a huge bonus for Dundee, too.

I’d go as far as to say he could be the difference the Dark Blues need in the closing stages.

After switching him to the box-to-box midfield role,

Dundee suddenly started picking up results.

He was a revelation.

Young Max Anderson has done a great job in filling that gap.

He’s come up with some big goals but McGhee brings a leadership Dundee have missed.

You could see – and hear – that at East End Park when he was bellowing at his team-mates.

To think he only had one training session with the team before coming into the starting XI is scary.

Because that means there is even better to come once he’s fully up to speed.

A third straight away clean sheet shouldn’t be sniffed at either. It wasn’t so long ago the Dee couldn’t keep anybody out for love nor money.

Now, it’s about finding the goals at the top end.

Jason Cummings, Osman Sow, Danny Mullen, Jonathan Afolabi, Paul McMullan, Alex Jakubiak and Charlie Adam to come back to his best as well.

That’s some serious goal threat.

It’s time to turn that threat into reality – because 0-0s won’t get you promoted.