After Dundee United’s opening day Championship draw with Queen of the South, Ray McKinnon said it could prove a wake-up call for his players.
Striker Tope Obadeyi believes Tuesday night’s sparkling display in beating Partick Thistle in the Betfred Cup might be just as much as one.
For, if the Queens game showed the Tangerines they will have to be on top form to earn victories in the league, Obadeyi feels the other evening demonstrated just how good United are when they reach that level.
And for the Englishman the aim now has to be to get there as often as possible.
“I think it could be as much as one as Saturday was,” he conceded.
“From the kick-off there was an impetus to our play because against Queen of the South we knew we started very slowly.
“We let them into the game and that’s how they got their goal, so we knew if we started well against Partick it would be better.
“We did, we were three goals up in 30 minutes and you can’t ask for a better start than that.
“If we put our mind to it, because we know we’ve got good players, we know we can have a successful season.
“The Partick game has shown that.”
Obadeyi, though, is keen to stress no one in the dressing-room is getting carried away by that one win, or even the fact United are unbeaten in six competitive outings so far.
Equally, he sees no reason why the players shouldn’t be upbeat about the good work they’ve been putting in.
“We can’t get carried away but at the same time we’ve got to take the momentum and positives from the game on Tuesday.
“Yes it’s gone, yes we move on quickly, but we take what we’ve done into the Dumbarton game on Saturday and push on.”
A wide man for most of his time in the senior game, the former youth team-mate of Liverpool and England star Daniel Sturridge was used in a central striking role the other night.
He won’t know until Saturday if he’ll stay there for the Championship trip west but won’t be complaining if he is.
“I came in just before the game and the manager pulled me into the office and said ‘you’re playing up top today, how do you feel?’
“I’ve played there before but obviously I’ve had more games out wide in the senior game. As a youngster I played right up top.
“It had been a while but I was happy to play through the middle.
“I didn’t score but we won and I was able to help so I was delighted.
“I was happy with the positions I got in and three or four times I did hit the target. The one I should have scored was late on when I tried to go round the keeper and it wasn’t really on.
“I think my head was a bit tired by then but I should have been hitting the back of the net with that one.
“If I’m playing through the middle more I believe the goals will come and if the manager asks me to play anywhere I will.
“He does keep us on our toes because he wants us to be versatile.”
And Obadeyi is convinced the fact United have attacking players who can interchange has to be a plus.
“It gives us a lot of options and that’s a good thing,” he said.
“Nick van der Velden was suspended against Partick and Simon Murray was on the bench so it keeps us on our toes as well.
“There is strong competition and if we are pushing each other it’s healthy because we all have to play well to stay in the team.”
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