Steelmen buckle under new-look Dee onslaught
ONE “Tinkerman” got the sack last week while another couldn’t be happier.
Claudio Ranieri, famous for altering his line- ups, was shown the door by Leicester but Dundee boss Paul Hartley is basking in the glory of his new, free-scoring team.
Hartley was ecstatic after watching his men thump Motherwell, while opposite number Mark McGhee had fans calling for his head outside the ground.
Dundee’s improved form, in the manager’s, view is down to the acquisition of Estonian striker Henrik Ojamaa.
The Dark Blues scrapped their back- three formation when beating Rangers last Sunday and again looked solid with four in defence.
Hartley said :“We’ ve tinkered a bit but bringing in Henrik has really helped me.
“We’ve been struggling to find a partner for Marcus Haber and that has definitely helped me change the shape of the team.
“We impressed on them all week to show the Rangers’ result wasn’t a one-off.
“People will talk about Motherwell’ s first-half performance but I’m going to give out players all the credit.”
The Steelmen made a nightmare start when 19- year- old Zak Jules got caught under the ball and headed a tame lob over his own keeper.
Their lack of strength at the back had been exposed just 10 days ago when Aberdeen
hit the net seven times at Pittodrie.
The only case for the defence is inexperience.
Henghan, the oldest at 23, was the one defender that looked up to the job and he had a hand in Motherwell’s goal.
The Englishman headed a free-kick into the path of Louis Moult and the striker smacked home his 13th goal of the season.
He wasn’t to know it, but the stadium announcer couldn’t have been more wrong by declaring his hope that it was lucky 13.
There then followed a brief period of calm before the home defence imploded.
Dundee took their goals well but the defending was dreadful.
Chaos, confusion and disarray, the Steelmen were shambolic.
Paul McGowan crossed from left to right, O’Hara was given time to head the ball back and Haber turned Jules before shooting home.
The boos from the home supporters had only just subsided when McGowan slipped a pass to O’Hara who sent a shot fizzing past Samson.
Most annoying for the fans in claret and amber was the way Dundee were allowed to exchange passes with ease around the penalty area.
It happened again four minutes later and ended with Ojamaa pushing the ball back for Wighton to score his second goal of the season.
The teenager then got an assist when his free-kick was headed in with ease by Haber on the stroke of half-time.
Motherwell had no way back but they did perform better after the break.
Marcus Haber now has six goals for Dundee this term and hopes he might get a call-up by Canada to play Scotland next month at Easter Road.
He said: ““Henrik and I are forming a good partnership.
“I’m enjoying my football and the team is playing with a lot of confidence.”