Home is where the hurt is for Dundee United.
Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against St Johnstone represented the Tangerines’ fourth consecutive defeat at Tannadice.
Indeed, Tony Watt’s late strike against the Saintees — ultimately, nothing more than a consolation — was United’s first domestic goal of the campaign on their own patch.
A 9-0 reverse against Celtic was a capitulation of historic proportions. St Mirren’s 3-0 triumph in Tayside was chastening.
It has been a bruising start to the campaign for those Arabs who snapped up season tickets in record numbers over the summer, all anticipating European football and the chance to build upon the fourth-placed finish of last term.
Yet, this malaise extends well beyond the travails of recent weeks.
Rock bottom
As well as propping up the current Premiership standings, United are bottom of the table for home form in 2022, as outlined below (Dundee and Kilmarnock are omitted due to neither being in the top-flight for the entirety of the calendar year to date).
They have only beaten two Scottish teams at Tannadice this year, Ross County and Motherwell (twice).
Only County and Hibernian have drawn more home games in that time, helping the Tangerines grab a few crucial points in their bid for continental qualification during the 2021/22 run-in.
United have lost more games on their own patch than any other side in 2022 and have shipped more goals (27) by a relative chasm, ahead of County (19) and Motherwell (18).
The Terrors have picked up 13 points over this period, the same as the Steelmen. However, United’s goal difference is worse and they have played a game more than the North Lanarkshire outfit.
Asked about United’s struggles on home soil at the weekend, new head coach Liam Fox said: “I would like us to be a bit more ruthless with shots at goal and crosses in the box.
“That would give the fans something to cheer about and hopefully bring them with us.
“But when you lose two goals like we did in the first half, with the position we’re in at the moment — not having that league win — then everyone is a bit edgy.
“We are going to have to overcome that. We’ve a big game against Aberdeen next week.”
Race against time
Indeed, the visit of the Dons on Saturday is the first of a pivotal double-header at Tannadice.
United are trialing a 6pm kick-off in a bid to “boost attendances” and gain “greater commercial and media exposure”. Over and above that, they desperately need a big performance under the lights.
It seems like a lifetime ago, but this squad proved they were capable of memorable nights on their own patch by defeating AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at home in the Europa Conference League.
Remarkably, that stirring, breathless victory remains AZ’s ONLY defeat this term. They recently dumped Ajax and are the Eredivisie leaders. With the wisdom of hindsight, that result in the City of Discovery was astonishing.
Nevertheless, it is one that showcased the power of Tannadice when the home fans are given something to shout about.
Against Celtic in May? A 1-1 draw to secure top-six football. Against Rangers in February? The same scoreline against the eventual Europa League finalists. There have been moments of promise — and it is pivotal United create a few more. Swiftly.
Following the visit of The Reds, Hibernian are next up at Tannadice on Wednesday. After which, 10 Premiership games will have been played. If United remain rooted to the foot of the table, then the stark realities of a relegation battle will loom large — if they don’t already.
If Fox is to kick-start this campaign, he must find some home comforts.
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