Will the Dundee Utd Hoodoo Be Broken?

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Walter Smith�s second era at the club began with a match against Dundee United so it is perhaps fitting and not entirely unexpected, football often throws up strange and repeated coincidences such as this, that yet again the Arabs will provide the opposition in a monumental encounter that will go a long way to establishing our title credentials. The prospect of 4-in-a-row cannot be contemplated and if we are to prevent that eventuality then we have to stop the trend of our performances against Dundee United.

 

Whilst our overall recent record does not make for terrible reading against Dundee United, indeed since the 5-0 victory in Walter�s debut game in charge of his second tenure, we have won 3, lost 1 and drawn 2 of our encounters with the Dundee club. However those two draws have been highly damaging to our league aspirations. Two league points dropped back in April during our hectic run in ultimately contributed to our downfall in attempting to reclaim the league flag. The second draw, our only meeting with United this season back in November allowed Celtic to take a 2 point lead in the SPL over us for the first time this season.

 

It is the worrying trend of our inability to consistently take 3 points on the road against the more capable opponents in the SPL that is giving particular cause for concern prior to heading to Tannadice this weekend. After having returned the points difference to 4 between ourselves and Celtic this weekend past, we cannot afford anything less than a victory on Saturday. However we have not returned from Dundee with the 3 points since a 4-1 victory in April 06 when Prso and a Boyd hat-trick secured the result.

 

In the last 4 seasons, stretching back to 04/05 under Eck, we have travelled to Dundee 6 times, but only once have we made the return trip with and addition to the win column. 1 win, 3 draws and 2 defeats highlights just how difficult a game we have in store. This kind of record is not good enough for a side with title aspirations and it is this sort of form that demonstrated why we have found league titles difficult to come by in recent seasons.

 

Why one team becomes another sideââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Å?bogey teamââ?¬Â is difficult to pinpoint. When a team is regularly thwarting your side season after season, despite numerous changes in playing and coaching personnel for both sides, how do you identify the key factors? Is it luck? Is it a psychological problem? When you have struggled against another team in the past perhaps it is distracting you even before you take the field?

 

It is impossible to quantify or qualify what causes this over a sustained period. What we can do though, is look at the reasons for our recent trouble. Why have so many of these competitive fixtures followed a similar pattern?

 

In Smith�s first and highly successful spell at the helm we regularly dominated all opposition in Scotland. We had the players and the managerial set-up to mastermind victories against all opposition and in any scenario. Since his return to the club, many believe the old campaigner has been out-thought by his counter-part at Tannadice whenever the two lock-horns.

 

Whilst Smith�s record against Levein�s United makes reasonable reading, 4 wins, 2 draws with just the solitary defeat, it doesn�t even begin to tell the whole story In the League Cup Final, a match that was decided on penalties, only the introduction of Boyd saved Smith�s blushes as we were out thought and out played for large portions of the game. In the league encounter a month later, 3 times we had to come from behind to secure what at the time looked a decent point in the title run-in, to continue a fairly miserable run of form up Tannadice. We will of course all remember the 3-3 draw earlier this season when the influential Thomson stole a point in a game we should have won handsomely. What has become the stingiest back line in the league this year simply did not turn up that cold autumn night and despite an impressive attacking display, defensive lapses cost us the points.

 

So Smith has an acceptable record against Dundee United overall, however it is one we would all like to see improve. To begin that with a vital victory this weekend would no doubt boost the confidence of our squad during a critical period in the Championship race. If we are to gain the required result, Smith, his coaching staff and the squad must look back at previous fixtures to understand why we struggled and to ensure we are better prepared.

 

The major issue surrounding what is often a fraught fixture for us Rangers fans is in controlling the game. Win the midfield battle and that can set the platform to win the match. We cannot surrender quality possession and territory to Dundee United time and again, and hope to sneak a result thanks to individual quality on our part and individual error on United�s.

 

As many other SPL managers appear to be becoming aware of, if they flood their midfield with players and restrict our quality midfielders the time and space they need to operate they can effectively stop us playing. The team then resorts to long ball tactics, up to players whose strengths are not playing as target men. When this starts happening we continually give possession back to the opposition and put ourselves under pressure.

 

This tactic is more rewarding for Dundee United than many other sides because of the quality of player they can deploy in midfield. Willo Flood, on loan from Cardiff City, always appears a step above anything else we might expect from opposition in the SPL out with Celtic. Flood is ably supported by a previously unavailable wealth of midfield talent in Morgaro Gomis, Prince Buaben (excellent finds for Craig Levein who combine good technical ability with natural athleticism) and formerly Mark Kerr (now Aberdeen). Scott Robertson brought in to replace the departing Kerr, from city rivals Dundee, has become a key player making a significant impact at Ibrox as he scored their third of 3 goals.

 

Flood, Gomis and Robertson appear to be the players in favour for a strong United midfield, with Conway and Swanson enjoying regular games too. Levein has often deployed a 4-4-2 formation this season, but it will be interesting to see if he reverts to a five-man midfield again this weekend to give his side the numerical advantage in the centre of the park.

 

Even prior to losing Thomson to long term injury this season, Dundee United have already proven they have enough in their ranks to give us a hard game. Although in a change from recent encounters, our troubles were not caused by Dundee United�s strength in the middle of the park but by our own defensive frailties and an impressive game by Sandaza.

 

With United�s ability to nullify and dominate our midfield identified, the loss of Thomson is even more concerning for this game than any other. Our current first choice midfield of Ferguson, Mendes, Davis and possibly Beasley is lacking the fighting qualities and the screening of the defence that Thomson brings. With Levein likely to pack his midfield and the hardworking and technically gifted talents of Flood, Gomis, Robertson and co. we are going to have to battle hard for the points this weekend.

 

It may require Walter to consider bringing in a more defensively minded player, in the Thomson mould, to combat the effective United midfield unit and allow the flair players to hurt the opposition. That would mean bringing in Edu either for Ferguson or Mendes, or sacrificing a forward player to field a 5 man midfield and match United in the central areas.

 

However the prospect of breaking up what is a burgeoning and exciting forward pair of Boyd and Miller would be counter-productive and will not be considered by Smith. Neither will sacrificing the attacking qualities of Ferguson and Mendes. Instead I think he may ask for a disciplined display by one of the midfield pair, most likely Ferguson, to sit in and fill the defensive role performed by Thomson. Whether this will be effective is yet to be seen, but I am not convinced.

 

If, as we have seen before, United manage to dominate this midfield battle, we begin to see why United have enjoyed such impressive displays against the more celebrated opposition from Glasgow. With a lack of control of the midfield, the defenders and deep lying midfield continually look to hit the long ball to Boyd and his partner, in this case likely to be Miller. Neither player can play as a dominant target man and with the towering figures of Wilkie and Dods at the back, will prove even more ineffectual in the role.

 

Dundee United have enjoyed a stranglehold on possession and territory thanks to these tactics and more of the same will be uncomfortable viewing for the light blues this weekend. If Dundee United control the centre of the field and Wilkie and Dods continue their success at the back, then Craig Levein has unearthed the man to hurt us.

 

In a devastating 2 goal display at Ibrox, Sandaza along with a solo strike by Robertson almost secured an impressive victory for the Arabs. Plucked from Valencia�s reserve team, Sandaza made a decent start to life in Scotland in United�s pre-season games. However he struggled once the competitive matches got underway until the boost of an accomplished display in Glasgow. In a game where unlike recent showing, United struggled to contain Rangers, Sandaza took full advantage of a night off at the back.

 

Having regained third place in the league and with the best home defensive record in the league, if Flood and the Dundee United midfield continue to outshine their Rangers counterparts, they will be confident of the backline defending the inevitable long ball football and also of taking advantage of the lion�s share of possession with Sandaza and most probably Jon Daly to seize upon any opportunities created.

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As was impressed upon at the outset of the article, the inability once again, to secure three points on our travels will be hugely detrimental to our attempts to reel in Celtic and regain the league crown. Not just in the short term, were potentially a 7 point gap could reopen this weekend, but also in the longer term with the impact on future games to be considered. Another negative result this weekend will boost Celtic’s confidence as the character of this Rangers squad is once again called into question. It will also hearten the rest of the SPL when Rangers come calling as they will be confident of taking advantage of a team which does not travel well.

 

With Smith likely unwilling to deviate too much from his preferred line up, it is essential that Ferguson and Mendes prove they are a cut above anything else in Scotland, take the game by the scruff of the neck and dictate to the opposition as players of their undoubted quality should. If we dominate the midfield the attacking talents of Boyd and Miller, supplied by Davis and the left mid should be enough to finally show our superiority to Dundee United. If Flood and Robertson gain the upper hand then I don’t think I need to reiterate that they have the ability to damage our title aspirations.

 

 

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=717&Itemid=2

[Gazza_8 233]

Haha, only joking with the groan comment SA.

 

I'm a funny, funny guy.

[Super_Ally 0]

Haha, only joking with the groan comment SA.

 

I'm a funny, funny guy.

 

Damn, first groan. Take it back!

[Frankie 8,146]

An excellent piece of writing which explains exactly the tactical problems we have against Utd and most other teams when we lose the bite of Thomson...

 

The whole team isn't physical enough and I'm surprised it's something the management team haven't addresses in their time here.

 

[Gers4Life 0]

We must approach the game in the correct manner and attitude as united will be in our faces from the 1st whistle! any slow start like against hearts and it could be 7 points behind yet again!