What’s going on with Dundee right now?
It’s a fair question and one with all sorts of different answers.
Off the field there’s plenty going on – the Burnley link-up, groundsmen being suspended, club stalwart Cammy Kerr told he can find a new club and more.
On the pitch, though, things aren’t quite happening for Tony Docherty’s team.
Still in a good position in the table, they’ve hit a slump in form – the first under Docherty’s stewardship.
They went five games without a win across September and October. But four of those were draws, the fifth away to Celtic.
The form book now reads one win in eight, in all competitions, five of those being defeats.
Three points on Saturday, from a big game at Livingston, would make the dark blue world feel right again.
But since the winter break, they’ve had two disappointing results – disappointing for different reasons.
So what’s going on?
Injuries
Saturday’s team selection at Kilmarnock was a bit of a shock.
Docherty hadn’t hinted at any real injury worries other than Ricki Lamie and long-term issues for Antonio Portales and Diego Pineda. Yet seven first-team players were unavailable.
Two of them by manager’s choice, in Kerr and Zak Rudden.
Dundee’s preferred back line in the first half of the campaign was Trevor Carson, Lamie and Portales either side of Joe Shaughnessy, with Owen Beck at left wing-back and Jordan McGhee on the right.
At Kilmarnock, Shaughnessy was the only one of the five in his usual slot, with McGhee covering at centre-back.
At Hearts, McGhee was moved back to right wing-back, which helped the balance of the team but couldn’t prevent a second-half collapse.
Lamie in particular has been missed, while there’s no word yet on Aaron Donnelly’s absence and how long he might be out for.
Much of Dundee’s success this season has been built on a solid backline picking up clean sheets. They don’t have that backline to call upon right now.
And they could have Luke McCowan to add to the injured list after he limped off at Tynecastle. He’s certainly one they can’t afford to lose.
New faces
On top of the injuries, there are four new signings to integrate into the squad. They are learning on the job, as it were, with little training time thanks to games coming along every three or four days.
Dara Costelloe has played both matches in 2024 at left wing-back. On the ball he looks good and picked up an assist for Lyall Cameron on Tuesday.
Defensively, though, he has struggled.
He hadn’t played for almost a month before facing Killie. His Burnley counterpart Owen Dodgson hadn’t played for three weeks before arriving last week.
On top of that, Dodgson has been suffering from a chest infection while he finds his feet in a new team and new league.
Ryan Astley hasn’t featured and is yet to play a senior fixture this season, while Curtis Main is short of match fitness.
The former St Mirren man is yet to make a real impact in two substitute appearances. Dundee need him to do so right now.
Strikers
The need for Main to make a splash is particularly pressing because none of the strikers at Dens Park are scoring right now.
Amadou Bakayoko set up McGhee’s goal at Hearts, but he’s now gone five without scoring.
Zach Robinson got his chance to start at Tynecastle but, a couple of moments in the first half aside, didn’t grab his opportunity.
He hasn’t scored in his last five appearances either.
Rudden, meanwhile, is out of the picture while Pineda is both injured and unfancied.
Dundee hope to get a loan deal for Burnley hot shot Michael Mellon completed to boost options in the forward area of the park, but right now the frontmen ain’t firing – and that’s a problem.
Replacing Owen Beck
Docherty also hasn’t yet found a way to replace loan star Beck.
Beck was so impressive that it is probably impossible to do so directly. Another way needs to be found.
Tenacious in defence and sharp in attack, Beck was the ideal wing-back for Dundee, and is likely one of the main reasons for Docherty going with the 3-5-2 formation.
Costelloe has taken Beck’s position but it’s clear he is much more comfortable going forward than in defence.
Dodgson may well be more suited to the role but, if you move him out there, what do you do at centre-back? Move McGhee back in? That then sparks a problem on the right side.
Changing to a back four could solve those issues but Docherty wants to continue to play 3-5-2.
Dundee have had success with it this season, but there’s more than one thing not clicking right now.
Puzzle
The Dens boss does seem to have the pieces to solve this particular puzzle, but some of them aren’t match sharp, some are new and others aren’t firing.
It should not be forgotten that Dundee are a newly-promoted side who have a points cushion over rivals in the relegation spots.
However, Docherty has a conundrum he must solve soon – otherwise the Dee could find themselves looking over their shoulders.
Conversation