The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Donnelly points to stats
DUNDEE UNITED assistant manager Simon Donnelly believes the reaction to the club’s form slump has been over the top.
Some fans have been showing their displeasure at recent results and performances, either from their seat in the stand and/or via a computer keyboard or mobile phone.
Donnelly concedes that what the team has produced on the park of late — especially during Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Partick Thistle — has not been good enough.
He knows there will need to be a vast improvement if the Tangerines are to trouble Celtic over the next three matches, firstly in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Tannadice on Sunday, League Cup final at Hampden the following week and then the league clash at Celtic Park on March 21.
However, Donnelly argued that the team are in a better place now than they were a year ago.
He said: “There possibly has been an over-reaction.
“If you look at last season, we had a sticky spell in December and January but came through it and I don’t think this one is anything by comparison to that.
“We want to be higher up the league, of course we do. We want to be up there challenging with A berdeen.
“A t the moment, we are comfortably fourth with games in hand over the teams above us and below.
“We’re not looking behind us, though. We are looking to get closer to the top of the table.
“I’m not a big statistics man but this season we have scored more goals and won more games than was the case 12 months ago.
“We can improve, of course we can, and that’s the aim but we are in a better position than last year according to the wins and goals scored.
“Improving defensively is something we’re working on and we have lost some players so the dynamics of the squad are different.
“However, on the stats, we are sitting in a better position in the league.
“People are maybe looking at the freeflowing football of last season and thinking this year we’re not doing as well. But the facts are there.
“This time last year we were out of the League Cup and we hadn’t won as many games. So for us it’s about looking at the positives and focusing on them.
“This week we have a Scottish Cup quarter-final, next weekend it’s the League Cup final and then another big game against Celtic in the league.
“So there are a lot of good things happening at the club.
“The wee bit of negativity that has crept in has been on the back of a few poor performances but the lads are desperate to make up for it.”
Donnelly isn’t one for websites himself but he has been made aware of rumours concerning manager Jackie McNamara’s future and talk of a rift with Stephen Thompson, denied by the chairman (see page 52).
“It’s a young man’s game,” said the 40-year-old coach.
“It’s not something I delve into it and it’s not something I have much time for.
“I don’t go on social media but from what I’ve seen it’s about extreme reactions.
“It’s part of today’s culture. It’s easy to start things off and they snowball out of control.
“We didn’t have that when we were playing but it’s a platform for anyone to voice their opinion.
“Social media can be used for some good things but it can also drive a lot of negativity.”
Meanwhile, Donnelly revealed that central defender Callum Morris has a fighting chance of featuring in Sunday’s tie.
He said: “Calum won’t train until the end of the week but we’re hoping to have him involved.
“He has had an injection in his thigh and is reacting well, so we are hoping he will be OK.”
The United No 2 also revealed that Calum Butcher was rested for the Partick game but should be fine to take on Celtic.
“Calum was just rested against Partick — there was nothing more to it than that,” he said.
“He had put a lot into the game against Inverness a few days before and that took a lot out of him.
“In hindsight, that game, being down to 10 men, took a lot out of the players and we feel that dragged into the performance against Partick.”
Bobby Madden will referee the League Cup final on March 15.