DUNDEE UNITED midfielder John Rankin has revealed he would happily settle for a boring 1-0 win at Tynecastle this weekend.
After the remarkable 4-4 draw at home to Inverness last Saturday, Rankin would prefer to give his nerves and blood pressure an easier time of it when the Tangerines travel to play Hearts on Sunday.
Having raced into what appeared at the time to be an unassailable three-goal lead, United conceded four in a row to the Highlanders in the Tannadice clash before grabbing a point thanks to Jon Daly’s last-gasp penalty.
It certainly got pulses racing but Rankin would be happy to have a less dramatic time of it if it means they get all three points and keep the Jam Tarts from scoring.
“I would settle for an unremarkable 1-0 win against Hearts after that result last weekend!” said Rankin. “Against Inverness, going forward we were breathtaking. We looked like we would score every time we attacked Caley, the tempo was great and some of our forward play was brilliant.
“But there was also poor play when defending set-pieces I didn’t think we were vulnerable. It was more a case of our thinking about how we were going to score from the Inverness attacks.
“We are such a positive team in how we think and how we go about the game that even when they were coming back at us we were thinking about the counter-attack. Maybe that’s where it (the weakness at the back) stems from.
“I think Rado (Cierzniak) still has the highest number of clean sheets in the SPL so it seems to be in certain games that we are losing a few.
“When we were shooting down the hill and maybe we got caught up in it all, thinking, ‘We’ll get another one and another one.’
“We were just so into it and thought the goals would keep on coming. It’s dangerous but exciting as well.
“It must be thrilling for the spectators well maybe not our supporters!”
Rankin is hoping former Hearts star Rudi Skacel wins his fitness battle and returns to his old stomping ground on Sunday.
The Czech international had to have nine stitches inserted into a wound in his thigh after clashing with an advertising hoarding during the Caley match.
He is facing a race against time to have the injury heal in time and Rankin is praying the former Tynecastle hero makes it.
“You see Rudi’s quality when he is out there,” said Rankin. “He is so experienced and has been similar to Robbie Neilson last season when he came in and gave us a wee lift when we needed it.
“Rudi is 33 now and has been about. He knows the league very well. So we would love him to stay a little bit longer if possible. I am sure he has options but I am sure the club is trying to keep him.
“Rudi has quality written all over him so of course we all want him to stay.”
iroache@thecourier.co.uk