Jim Goodwin hopes Louis Moult’s brace against Arbroath sparks another prolific scoring streak for the Dundee United marksman.
However, the Tannadice gaffer insists Moult remains a NIGHTMARE for Championship defences – even when he isn’t rippling the net.
The 31-year-old had endured a frustrating run of eight matches without a goal prior to the Tangerines’ trip to Arbroath on Saturday afternoon, albeit he remained a key part of Goodwin’s starting line-up.
And the relief was visible when Moult opened the scoring at Gayfield, before notching his second of the game after the break – sandwiching Glenn Middleton’s delightful dinked finish in a 3-0 triumph.
“Of course, Louis – as a striker – might judge himself on goals,” said Goodwin. “People in the media or supporters will look to the centre-forward to put the ball in the back of the net.
“But his all-round game has been very good. He is a nightmare for opposition centre-halves. He can go long, drop short into the pockets and is aggressive in the air.
“Louis does a lot of the dirty work for the team up there, freeing up space for other attackers.
“So, we were never concerned. But to get the brace was nice for Louis and hopefully that kickstarts his goalscoring spree, as it was at the start of the season.”
Moult’s opener came following a slick team move involving Craig Sibbald and Kai Fotheringham, culminating with Tony Watt – fresh from a hat-trick last Friday – squaring the ball from a very inviting shooting position.
“Tony is a team player and I love that unselfish element within the team,” added Goodwin. “That’s across the board and that’s the culture we are trying to create.
“It’s not about individual plaudits, it’s about the group being successful.
“Tony deserves a huge pat on the back. On the back of three goals in the last game, he could have taken it on himself but recognised that Louis was in a better position.”
A key 48 hours
United’s victory did come at a cost.
Declan Gallagher lasted just 35 minutes before being withdrawn due to a groin injury, echoing his fate against Partick Thistle.
And Scott McMann hobbled off after a Keaghan Jacobs challenge resulted in the left-back going over his ankle.
A nervous wait lies in store, on both counts.
“Gallagher came off against Partick but, after a bit of treatment and anti-inflammatories, everything settled down and he declared himself fit for the game,” said Goodwin.
“But he took a knock off the ball and slightly jarred the hip and hurt the groin again. So, we didn’t want to take any risks with him playing on.
“Scott McMann took a sore one and has three or four stud marks down the inside of his ankle.
“Scotty wouldn’t stay down if there wasn’t something serious. We’ll need to wait for the next 24 to 48 hours to see how that looks. Hopefully, both will make a good recovery because they are very important players.”
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