Something is building at Dundee this season.
We’re only nine games into the Premiership campaign but already there are very positive signs of a club heading in the right direction.
And whatever happens against Rangers tonight won’t dim that view.
We all know what can happen in these games against the Old Firm.
So I won’t go bleating about the Dark Blues having a real chance tonight – no tempting fate here!
Impressive
But it’s worth running through some of the impressive characteristics of this Tony Docherty team.
Unbeaten in four games leading up to tonight’s contest, they haven’t conceded in three straight Premiership matches.
That’s 279 minutes since Dan Armstrong struck for Kilmarnock on September 23.
More impressively, there are only two teams who have conceded fewer goals than Dundee in the top-flight this term – Rangers and Celtic.
The Dark Blues tally of 10 conceded is the same as St Mirren going into tonight’s matches.
Celtic and St Mirren are also the only sides to beat Dundee in the league this season.
Both of those matches were away from home with Docherty yet to taste a Dens defeat as manager.
You have to go back to a 3-1 reverse against Partick Thistle in February for the last side to leave Dens Park with all three points.
Fortress Dens
That bodes well for the Dark Blues because tonight kicks off a run of four straight Premiership matches at home.
The bizarre quirk to the fixture list has come about because of the League Cup semi-finals next weekend with Livingston and Dundee agreeing to bring their midweek December fixture forward.
Right now that looks like a situation that’s of more benefit to the Dark Blues than the Livi Lions.
Saturday’s match at the Tony Macaroni ended up in a bit of a mauling, even before Livi were reduced to 10 men.
Dundee had 18 shots, seven on target, while Livingston had just four efforts with none testing Trevor Carson.
Two were long range, one was blocked and the other was a Cristian Montano effort from an angle inside the area.
Dundee gave them nothing and they’ll back themselves for a repeat performance come Sunday.
Especially if they can keep the momentum up in some way against Rangers tonight.
Rangers
That will be easier said than done and will require 90-plus minutes of serious concentration in defence.
Manager Docherty has called for big backing from the stands and I’ve no doubt they’ll get that.
Particularly if the players on the pitch give fans some early encouragement.
That’s the key for the Dee – get after this Gers side in the opening stages and get the home crowd up.
The beauty of Saturday’s win is not only that it reinforces the idea that Dundee are moving in the right direction but it also lifts pressure in this one.
Points would be great but maybe not expected.
It’s a classic free-hit for the Dark Blues – smash it and Dundee really will be going places.
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