The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dee have to play to Charlie’s strengths
Charlie Adam needs better support from his team-mates if Dundee are to mount a serious challenge to Championship favourites Hearts.
He showed enough with his magnificent goal in the 6-2 humbling at Tynecastle to prove he’s still a far classier act than most in Scottish football.
But Charlie needs much more mobility from his colleagues though.
Arguably the finest passer and striker of a ball in our game, he needs runners and intelligence around him to capitalise on the service he can undoubtedly provide.
He may have let his heart rule his head joining his boyhood heroes, but he’s not a loser.
His winning mentality requires greater input from others to capitalise on his talents.
Dundee will not meet sides with the same quality as Hearts every week but if Adam is left to his own devices, with opponents doubling up to close him down, then their effectiveness will be very limited on the evidence of last week’s hammering.
FEED THE FORWARDS
The weekend’s Tayside derby pair’s St Johnstone – who have found their shooting boots with 12 goals in their last two outings – with a Dundee United side that was tighter at the back and mentally strong against Aberdeen.
Service to Uni ted’ s talisman Lawrence Shankland remains a major issue, with the Opta stats showing he’s had only five touches in the opposition box in the last three games.
His team-mates – who don’t win enough midfield possession and don’t retain
it well enough when they do – must find the creativity to offer him more ammunition.
They need to find ways past opponents in the middle of the pitch and on the wings to create goalscoring opportunities.
The addition of Marc McNulty offers the prospect of a striking duo with pedigree, but they need feeding. Manager Micky Mellon must find the system to indulge their appetites.
Saints’ Stevie May now looks like the player of old.
His strong running and crafty positional play are reaping re wards, with Craig Conway and David Wotherspoon providing a wide range of offensive options.
Saints, like United, have conceded 16 goals so if the Tangerines can light the blue touch paper up front, there are definite weaknesses to exploit.
However, if United revert to type at the back and in midfield, Saints’ recent striking form could well cause their visitors an uncomfortable afternoon.
Consistency is the Holy Grail for all managers.
Neither side has found it yet – a derby win would greatly assist in their search.
MONEY TALKS
As the avarice of the big clubs increases, the Champions League theme tune should be changed to the old Beatles song Money (That’s What I Want).
The news t hat Manchester United and L iverpoo l were spearheading talks for a new European Super League proves that, like Wall Street’s Gordon Gekko (played in the hit movie by Michael Douglas), the ultra- rich belie ve that greed is good.
They’ve no intention of usurping Uefa; they ’ re simply firing warning shots to pressurise an organisation which is also very fond of the folding stuff.
A restructured Champions League aims to provide even greater income for the already obscenely wealthy and will eventually be by invitation only for the self-appointed elite.