Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Lee Wilkie Inconsistency infuriating but there’s a reason for it
AMID the fog of losing that Motherwell game in the manner they did, it would be easy to forget just how good a season this has been for Dundee.
And they have a massive opportunity to make it a huge success.
Two matches to get one win and a top-six finish is assured – offer that chance to anyone at the club or any supporter and they’d be all over it.
But that end to the game on Saturday hurt.
There’s no getting away from that.
If they fall short in the top-half hunt, it’ll feel like an anti-climax.
But it would still be a major success for Tony Docherty and his young team in their first season back in the top flight.
I mention the youthful nature of the squad because I think that had a big part to play in Saturday’s collapse.
We’ve seen it a few times this season, throwing away points late on. At times they play some great stuff. Others, they get caught out.
There’s an inconsistency there and that’s something you often get from young players.
Look at Aaron Donnelly at the weekend. He’s been excellent lately but he was caught out by Theo Bair.
I’d bet that same Donnelly just a year or two down the line sorts out that situation.
I think we maybe forget how inexperienced this side is.
Luke McCowan is a bit older than most of the team but he’s
not even played two seasons at this level.
It’s not the only reason for the collapse at the weekend but it is definitely a contributing factor.
Two-nil can be a dangerous score, we’ve seen matches change very quickly and that’s what happened.
That’s where you need an experienced head just to calm everything down, sometimes it’s just clearing your lines. Other times it is about putting a foot on the ball and keeping possession.
Calm your own side down and kill the momentum of the opposition.
Charlie Adam was great at that during his time at Dens.
They’ve done great with their loan players but I imagine Docherty will already have plans to address issues in the summer.
Signing a Charlie Adam is unlikely but I think we’ll see a different make-up of the squad next term.
The pitch also probably had something to do with the late collapse.
The whole circus around that has been ridiculous, though.
It’s definitely something Dundee could do without and the pressure will still be on for tomorrow’s game
against Rangers. Big pressure. And I have to admit I agreed with Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell’s comments about how crazy it was for them to be put in that situation.
But I do remember the massive problems Motherwell had with their pitch.
There was one game there that Craig Levein left me out because he didn’t think my knee could handle the surface.
And I remember Aberdeen had big problems they blamed on daddy-longlegs in the grass.
Other clubs have had issues but it’s something Dundee could do without right now.