Dundee’s final title tilt is about to get under way.
They have four points to make up on Queen’s Park with one game in hand between now and May 5.
Win every game, including the finale away to the Spiders, and the Dark Blues will be champions.
What does the season up till now tell us, though?
Courier Sport has trawled the numbers across the season with the help of our partner StatsBomb to pick out some key points.
Alex Jakubiak and Zach Robinson
Any game Alex Jakubiak or Zach Robinson have scored in this season, Dundee are unbeaten.
In fact, the Dark Blues have only dropped points ONCE when either of the pair found the net – a 1-1 draw with Inverness in February.
Jakubiak has seven goals in all competitions, Robinson 10 and only against Cove Rangers have they both netted.
The pair linked up to devastating effect in that Cove game in February before repeating that last time out against Ayr United.
Their ability to keep the goals coming will be a major factor in any success for the Dark Blues this term.
With and without Tyler French
Dundee’s form since the start of the year has been patchy to say the least.
One notable absentee has been defender Tyler French, who broke his leg as they exited the Scottish Cup at St Mirren.
So what has been the impact of his absence?
With French, Dundee won 56% of the 25 matches he played this season – that’s 14 wins, five draws and six defeats.
Without French, Dundee have won 45% of 11 games – five wins, four draws and two defeats.
The numbers are down without the former Wrexham man but recent performances have shown the Dark Blues can get by in the absence of the pacey defender.
Prior to the win at Cove on March 4, the win ratio was only 33% from nine games.
Youth
Dundee are a young team. The Championship average age is 26.3 – the average for the Dark Blues is 25.7.
Thirteen players under the age of 25 have played more than 180 minutes of football this season.
The squad’s 20-year-olds – Lyall Cameron, Josh Mulligan, Zach Robinson and Fin Robertson – have together amassed just shy of 4,000 minutes on the pitch this season.
Seven academy products have also played more than 180 minutes this term.
In the air
Unsurprisingly Dundee’s centre-backs are dominant aerially.
Ryan Sweeney has won 242 (75%) aerial battles and Lee Ashcroft 223 (76%) – the most in the entire division with Hamilton’s Dan O’Reilly in third with 193 (73%).
What is likely to surprise some is left-back Jordan Marshall tops the percentage of all those players. Only Scott Ross of Cove has better.
Marshall has won 85% of his 66 headed duels this season.
Taking chances
It’s been a regular Achilles heel for Dundee this season so it’s no surprise the numbers paint a bleak picture in front of goal.
Dundee’s best converter of shots is Zach Robinson (17% goal conversion). However, of all the players to have 10 shots or more in the Championship, there are 16 with a better percentage.
Zak Rudden is next for the Dark Blues on 15% and then Luke McCowan, Paul McMullan and Ryan Sweeney all on 13%.
Top of the tree is former Dee Leighton McIntosh on 22% for Cove Rangers.
Improve in front of goal and Dundee will give themselves the chance to overhaul Queen’s Park in the race for the Championship title.
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