Dundee United’s defensive howler in conceding against Greenock Morton saw them slip to second in the Championship.
With a strong-looking Raith Rovers now heading the table, United need everyone on song for a trip to bottom club Inverness Caley Thistle.
After all, a team where the manager has just been sacked can be a dangerous proposition.
The daft goal lost last weekend is something that happens to every team once in a blue moon, Defensively, United are a solid unit and, with Moult in attack, goals are always likely.
But while Jim Goodwin is satisfied with his squad – which to me still looks the pick of the Championship bunch – it’s not extensive enough in terms of depth that key players can afford to be off their game.
Some Arabs have been disappointed in the performances of Tony Watt and Glenn Middleton.
Both are skilful and have the ability to take games by the throat, but neither is yet hitting top form, and both need to be key men in the promotion push.
United will also be missing the creativity and goal threat of Matthew Cudjoe at Inverness, following his red card against Morton.
With Billy Dodds just sacked by Inverness, there’s the real risk of United facing a squad stung into sudden improvement, with players knowing that a potential new manager will soon be hearing about their strengths and weaknesses – and making judgements on their future.
United can’t risk slipping in the league, so big players like Watt and Middleton need to be at the top of their game constantly.
Few Dundee or St Johnstone fans would’ve predicted Hibs and Aberdeen would be separating them after five league games.
But St Mirren and Motherwell in second and third place shows how unusual the Premiership is thus far.
Tony Docherty has built a squad some think has the potential for a top six finish, but it’s early days, with players still getting used to each other in a new club and a new environment: predictions now are too soon.
However, a win against Kilmarnock would see them leap over their visitors and provide a big boost to the optimists in the Dark Blues support.
Despite a mini injury crisis, the Dee boss has reason to be happy.
They’re coming off the back of defeat at Celtic, but a visit to Parkhead presents a similar sort of challenge to sailing into a typhoon with the boat’s rudder broken, so a 3-0 loss was respectable, and the Dens men are capable of beating Killie.
Meanwhile, St Johnstone supporters hope a resurgent Chris Kane will be a key component in their quest for improvement.
I like Kane’s bullishness in attack, and his build and physical approach, allied to his cute understanding of playing opponents, might provide the missing goal threat for Saints.
And if Austrian recruit Sven Sprangler gets international clearance, his aggression, strength and experience could add the bite and dig that Saints badly need in midfield.
With a new manager in place, their opponents Hibs will be fired up, but they’re only two points ahead of Saints so there’s plenty of incentive for MacLean’s men to aim for their first win of the season – and one that would lift them off the bottom and above their hosts.
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