Dundee never do things by half, do they?
Their latest defeat, one now of many in the Premiership – the Dark Blues have lost 41 of their last 62 top-flight matches, winning just nine – came about not because they were a worse team than Ross County.
It came as a result of full-blooded major defensive howlers.
Total brainfarts from a couple of their most experienced players.
Goalkeeper Adam Legzdins will still be seeing that Joseph Hungbo shot in his nightmares right now.
The former Derby and Birmingham man has been a great signing for the Dark Blues, not only for performances on the pitch, but his presence off it.
But he must have walked under a ladder or broken a mirror on his way to games against Ross County.
Because that’s twice the usually reliable stopper has dropped a clanger in huge matches against the Staggies.
Then Cammy Kerr has a moment of his own in colliding with team-mate Ryan Sweeney and allowing Regan Charles-Cook to sprint off and score.
Dundee are masters of shooting themselves in the foot.
The good news is they have got so used to it by now that, in previous crises, they’ve been able to recover.
Clutching at straws?
The second half of the season has always been better than the first under manager James McPake.
I know I’m clutching at straws somewhat but that’s all the positivity I’ve got left.
There are a whole lot of Dees who have had any positivity knocked out of them like air from a Ross County player’s chest when Vontae Daley-Campbell swings that right leg.
And that’s why there was a bit of Twitter fever on the go this week with rumours of McPake being shown the door.
It doesn’t help matters but it’s understandable when supporters are so fed up with what they are seeing on the pitch.
McPake and his boss John Nelms may well be saved from fan fury over the next few games with three away matches on the spin anyway.
But decisions to change a manager never come quickly from Nelms and owner Tim Keyes.
And that means McPake has the opportunity to turn things around.
What are the owners thinking?
There have been at least a couple of times already in his relatively short managerial career where he’s been lucky to have such patient owners.
That patience did pay off, too, when McPake led Dundee to promotion last season.
That’s what the Americans will be clinging to, the idea that McPake can turn it around again.
Around this time last year, Dundee were fifth in the Championship after being overtaken by Queen of the South thanks to a Willie Gibson screamer.
Don’t read me wrong in saying I’m expecting a similar resurgence.
What I am saying is that’s what will be going through the minds of Keyes and Nelms.
It’s now up to McPake and his team to give Dees something to cheer.
He’s got the time, he’s got to use it.
