The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Vincent still positive after frustrating week at Dens
DUNDEE: Midfielder wants Dark Blues to put problems behind them in cup clash
A difficult week for Dundee will get a lot worse this afternoon if their exit from the Betfred Cup is confirmed, writes Ian Roache.
The Dark Blues find themselves clinging to the slimmest of qualification hopes after Tuesday’s defeat to Peterhead left them second bottom with just four points in Group A, a point behind today’s visitors Forfar.
It hasn’t been the best of times for Dundee fans, with that 2-1 loss to the Blue Toon swiftly followed by the departure of 25-goal striker Kane Hemmings to Oxford United.
Therefore, the players are desperate to avoid the ignominy of being knocked out today if they can help it.
Midfielder James Vincent said: “It’s frustrating, to be honest.
“We didn’t want to be in this position but we’ve still got to take the positives from what we’ve been doing.
“We played some great football against Peterhead on Tuesday night. We felt like we were in control especially going in at halftime when everything was good.”
A difficult week for Dundee will get a lot worse this afternoon if their exit from the Betfred Cup is confirmed.
The Dark Blues find themselves clinging to the slimmest of qualification hopes after Tuesday’s defeat to Peterhead left them second bottom and with just four points in Group A, a point behind today’s visitors Forfar.
It hasn’t been the best of times for Dundee fans, with that 2-1 loss to the Blue Toon swiftly followed by the departure of 25-goal striker Kane Hemmings to Oxford United.
Therefore, the players are desperate to avoid the ignominy of being knocked out today if they can help it.
Midfielder James Vincent said: “It’s frustrating, to be honest.
“We didn’t want to be in this position but we’ve still got to take the positives from what we’ve been doing.
“We played some great football against Peterhead on Tuesday night.
“We felt like we were in control especially going in at half-time when everything was good.
“We were just missing the goal and felt we could have gone on to get two or three goals if we could just get ahead.
“Sometimes it happens in football when you get a free-kick or a penalty against you, and they scored from a set-piece then from the spot.
“We know ourselves we need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal.
“If we can get our noses in front, we can then play the right type of football which the gaffer wants us to play.
“And if we play like that more often than not we will get the right result.
“It’s the same as every other game we’ve approached so far.
“It’s just a case of trying to win against Forfar and hoping it’s enough to get us through.”
Understandably, there was disgruntlement among the travelling fans up north in midweek, while the news of Hemmings’ move has been greeted with dismay by many.
Despite all that, Vincent is urging the supporters to back the side against the Loons this afternoon.
“It’s important that the fans stick by us,” he said. “You always want that to be the case. “It’s understandable that they get frustrated but there is nobody more frustrated than the players.
“It means a lot to them (the fans) to win games and get through but it means just as much to us.
“Hopefully, we can give them the right results to make them go away in a positive frame of mind and make sure we’re all pulling in the same direction.”
Meanwhile, the Dark Blues are poised to renew their interest in former Dunfermline frontman Faissal El Bakhtaoui following Hemmings’ departure.
Manager Paul Hartley was keen on the player as far back as May but talks broke down over terms.