The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rising to the challenge: Ian Roache looks at the threats to Dundee United’s title hopes
With Dunfermline and Morton now 12 points off the pace, Ian Roache assesses the strengths of Tangerines’ challengers
ST MIRREN Current position 1st. Played 17, won 11, drawn 2, lost 4, points 35. Season so far
After an anxious summer when it seemed that manager Jack Ross might be heading to Dundee, the Buddies’ season didn’t exactly start with a bang as they were knocked out of the Betfred Cup at the group stage.
Their league campaign began with a fine 3-1 home win over Falkirk but they then crashed to a 4-1 defeat away to Morton in the Renfrewshire derby the following week.
Their finest victory of the season so far came on August 26 when they thrashed United 3-0 in Paisley thanks to goals from Lewis Morgan (two) and Ian McShane.
That was the day we all realised Saints would be serious promotion contenders.
United were comfortable winners of the next meeting of the sides in November at Tannadice, but the Paisley men have now regained top spot thanks to their win over Dunfermline on Saturday.
They lead Czaba Laszlo’s men by two points, but have played a game more.
Why United should be wary
Had Derek McInnes not shocked Scottish football by staying at Aberdeen, we may very well have been talking about managerless St Mirren at the moment.
Boss Ross would have been a leading candidate for a Pittodrie vacancy and that tells us he is a coach to be respected and even feared.
Also, Saints have one of the Scottish game’s hottest properties in the shape of 21-year-old midfielder Lewis Morgan.
If those two stay in Paisley until May then that will maintain the current feelgood factor.
Why United should be confident
The last time the teams met back in early November, the 2-1 scoreline flattered the Buddies.
United won easily that day and I was left wondering what all the fuss was about as regards the Paisley men.
They certainly didn’t look like the best side United have faced this season – that honour goes to seventh-placed Inverness, believe it or not – and the bottom line for me is that the Tannadice men have the better players.
Also, just as the Tangerines will be worried about perhaps losing Scott Fraser or Jamie Robson during the January transfer window, St Mirren could lose Morgan to likely suitors Celtic, while Ross may still find himself on the managerial merry-go-round before the campaign ends.
Prediction
Ross will stay on until the end of the season before leaving, while Morgan will sign a deal with Celtic but be loaned back to Saints until May.
Although that means their two prize assets will still be at the club for the run-in that won’t be enough to win the title because of the Tangerines’ greater strength in depth.
They will finish second behind United after a two-horse race lasting until a couple of weeks before the end of the regular season and then lose the play-off final to Ross County.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH Current position 3rd. P16,W7,D5,L4,Pts26. Season so far
Queens kicked off their league campaign with 4-1 home win over Brechin but then lost at Tannadice the following weekend, albeit just by a goal.
Highlights for them have included the 4-1 away success against Falkirk on August 26 and 2-1 win at Morton on November 4, both of which were trumped by the 5-2 destruction of Dunfermline at East End Park on December 9.
They have had some bad losses, too, with a 3-0 home defeat to Livingston their worst one so far.
Why United should be wary
Seeing Queens in third spot may be a surprise but should they beat St Mirren on the not-really-all-weather plastic pitch at Palmerston this Saturday then they will be six points behind the Buddies with a game in hand.
The main reason for their being within striking distance of the top of the table is, of course, striker Stephen Dobbie, who has scored 18 goals for the Doonhamers in all competitions – even this early in the campaign – and was the hammer of the Pars with his hat-trick earlier this month.
I would guess that there aren’t too many players in opposition teams that Laszlo would swap for one of his own but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t mind having Dobbie to call upon.
Why United should be confident
While the abandonment of Saturday’s game was a disappointment for United and a costly farce for the travelling fans, it wasn’t a great outcome for Queens either.
They would have been looking at the double-header against the Tangerines and the Buddies this Saturday as the time to announce themselves as title contenders by winning both games.
As it is, they probably need to beat Saints to stay in touch with the top two.
They can do that, but you just get the feeling that they are too far behind – currently nine off top and seven adrift of second – to worry the leading pair.
Oh, and United have better players than they do.
Prediction
Queens will give it a go for a while and I fancy them to take something off St Mirren on Saturday.
By the time the rescheduled game against United comes around, though, I expect them to be concentrating on the battle for play-off places along with Dunfermline and Morton, with the Pars sneaking in along with second-placed Saints and third-top Livi.
Oh, and United have better players than they do
LIVINGSTON Current position 4th. P14,W7,D4,L3,Pts25. Season so far
Livingston’s season has had extra spice thanks to a terrific run in the
Betfred Cup, only losing 3-2 to Hibs in the quarter-final at Easter Road.
Their best league results have included that aforementioned threegoal win in Dumfries and the 2-0 home victory over an out-of-sorts United on October 14.
Latterly, they have been hampered by postponements and have currently played three matches fewer than St Mirren.
They visit Tannadice on Saturday after facing Falkirk in midweek, so there are chances there to narrow the gap.
Why United should be wary
Livi have a very good manager in David Hopkin, even though he hasn’t quite attracted the same attention as Ross.
They clearly have the ability to pull off notable wins and have beaten each of the top three already this season, including what turned out to be Ray McKinnon’s penultimate game in charge.
Why United should be confident
It was pasta joke for all United fans at the Tony Macaroni Arena when a dire display ended in a deserved defeat.
However, just because the visitors were so bad does not mean the hosts were that great.
The point is that United are a lot better than they showed that day, while Livi were probably close to their best.
It is likely to be a different story at Tannadice on Saturday and a United victory will put them 11 clear of the men from West Lothian.
Oh, and United have better players than they do.
Prediction
Livi will be adversely affected by all the call-offs and will find themselves with too much work to do.
They will still be able to cling on to a play-off spot, though, which will represent a decent season for them.