Midfield convert Jamie Robson has a good feeling about Dundee United right now and it’s one he believes can carry them all the way to the Premiership.
In his new advanced role, the 21-year-old was one of the stars as the Tangerines swept aside Falkirk in a 2-0 success at the weekend to maintain their winning momentum as next month’s play-offs approach.
And the signs he’s seeing on and off the park at Tannadice are convincing him a long-awaited return to the top flight is now very much on the cards.
“We are playing well as a team and there is a really good team spirit right now. Everyone is fighting hard for each other,” he said.
“We are looking compact defensively. We are going forward most of the time in games but we are not leaving ourselves exposed at the back and that’s important.”
While his membership of the defenders’ union means it was that strength at the back he mentioned first, Robson is quick to point out another feature of recent good displays has been a marked increase in scoring opportunities.
“We are playing good football and now we are creating a lot of chances. In the Queen of the South game a few weeks back we had 32 shots and there were plenty again on Saturday against Falkirk,” Robson added.
“I think from that Queens game we have carried it on and now we are starting to put them away and that has to be a positive.”
So much so, he reckons had United gone in at the interval in their weekend win a barrowload of goals up, it would not have flattered them.
“I felt we had a lot of chances and we probably could have been about five up at half-time if we’d taken them.
“I had one myself and I should have taken it but their keeper pulled off some world class saves and the ball was bouncing off the bar and being cleared off the goalline.
“Credit to them, to be fair, because at times there was some really good defending and you have to recognise that but we dominated the game from start to finish and we were happy to keep the momentum up going into the play-off games.
“We are happy with those chances we are making because earlier on in the season we didn’t create many in a lot of our games.”
In his new role as a wide left midfielder, Robson has contributed to the making of those openings in front of goal.
Once again his own performance belied the fact he is such a recent convert to playing in midfield.
While he’s enjoying the move forward and happy to hear he’s made the switch look easy, he reveals it’s been anything but.
“It’s hard to adapt to the midfield role and it is a lot more running than I have to do when I am at full-back.
“It’s a different mindset and I find myself in different areas of the pitch from the ones I’ve been used to.
“It’s only something like five times I’ve played there in my career but I feel I am learning.
“When I am left-back I always like to get forward, so it’s often a similar scenario where I need to get past someone and get a cross in so that’s something I’m used to.
“That bit further forward you do have to think quick because there tends to be less space in front of you and sometimes you are getting the ball with your back to a player. You need to be sharp.
“It is good to add another position and be adaptable because, as a left-back, it means there is one or two of us going for the same position.
“This way it increases the chances of me getting a game.”
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