‘We were our own worst enemies’ – Derby day analysis from the stands

“A great advert for Scottish football” is a sentence often used when describing the Dundee Derby.

Without a doubt, it was a great game for the neutrals with end-to-end action that never failed to entertain.

Going into this game, I felt more confident than ever about facing Dundee United at Tannadice. I expected Dundee to be sharp and in their element from the first whistle.

However, my hopes were quickly dashed.

Dundee’s conservative approach in the first half was disappointing. Struggling to progress beyond our backline, our midfield seemed completely absent.

United took full advantage, with several waves of attack that should have served as warning signs for the Dark Blues. Defensively, we were all over the place, frequently losing the ball through slack passing and igniting United’s attacks.

While I believe Dundee were their own worst enemies, credit must be given to United. They were well-prepared, with their awareness and positioning catching us off-guard for both goals. We were fortunate that Lyall Cameron cleared what would have been a certain winning goal for the Tangerines in the second half.

We had four debutants to the Premiership in our lineup – Ziyad Larkeche, Luke Graham, Ethan Ingram, and Seb Palmer-Houlden. I have no doubt these players will only get better from now on after their baptism of fire. They may need time to gel before they’ll be at their best, but the character and determination to grind out a result after going behind twice was there for everyone to see.

We finished the game in the manner we should’ve started it with.

The impact of Scott Tiffoney and Josh Mulligan from the bench changed everything. Suddenly we were far more direct, creating chances and on the front foot.

For the final twenty minutes, it only looked like one team was going to claim victory. If we can maintain that level of performance for the full duration of the contest rather than just the climatic finish, then I have no doubt we will win these types of games.

Curtis Main‘s chance to grab a winner at the death is going to haunt us until our next visit across the road to settle the score.

A point away from home, coming back twice from behind but rolling into two decades since our last derby victory at Tannadice, leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The Premiership is back, and there is plenty of time to showcase ourselves as the top team in the city once again.