We’re just over half way through the season, and I’ve decided to give this a bash in a little bit of free time I have once more.
It’s been a very frustrating season so far. We evidently have the ability to “click” and kill teams with our attacking prowess (4-0 -v- Killie and Hamilton, as well as 4-2 -v- Partick where we took the foot off the pedal too much).
That is the most noticeable difference between this and last season. We’ve turned from a team who scored just 1.21 goals per game (tied 8th in the league last season) to a side scoring 1.52 goals per game (6th in the league). This however has seen the inevitable decline in our defence, from 1.5 goals per game against to just under 1.7. This is a slight improvement (although it’s an incomplete data set, with Celtic likely to be faced another 3 times this season).
The largest part of this disappointment is that Paul McGinn who has shown lots of signs of improvements in areas is developing a very nasty habit of failing to mark men when a ball comes across the face of goal, or in behind him. There isn’t any denying this is a tough skill for a Defender to possess. It requires the ability to predict and/or watch the body movement of the crosser while judging the balls trajectory, and conclude where the ball and your man are both going, and when the man is behind you, it’s often a case of being wrong costing a goal.
Goal 1 – Blair Spittal, Dundee United 2-0 Dundee, 67 minutes.
The Tannadice Derby was the first he showed of it this season. For the second goal he’s made the worst possible start in the lead up by positioning himself outwith the offside trap line. This isn’t entirely his fault, it’s more a fault of circumstances than anything else. When the ball is lost in the middle of the pitch by an out of position Kevin Holt it sets of a series of errors.
McPake has to stand up and stop Erskine driving on, of this there is no question. And it leaves us 2 on 2 at the back. Konrad now has to hold the left side of defence (and Simon Murray), while the ball is played through where Konrad wants to be. Here comes the issue. McGinn has turned to face Spittal outwards, which is a fine position to take if the ball is outside the 18 yard box, to show him the byline.
However, Spittal is within the posts by the time he gets his first touch. Had McGinn been properly positioned (and not done a 270 degree turn), he would’ve had an extra yard on Spittal, and been able to make a challenge, instead of being a half step shy of being able to tackle.
Goal 2 – Steve MacLean, Dundee 2-1 St. Johnstone, 54 minutes.
This is a harsh one, I’ll admit, but I feel it shows the core issue.
Once Bain makes the save which deflects the ball to MacLean, it falls to exactly where you want your RB to be in that case, the right hand side of the 6 yard box. Players are taught to win their own battles, and to win this battle he has to be in position, which he isn’t, and it’s a part of the trend that we saw continue at Parkhead…
Goal 3 – Tom Rogic, Celtic 6-0 Dundee, 14 minutes.
In this example, McGinn finds himself caught far too central in the (congested) box, and even then his man manages to lose him, and also drag him to open up room for the cut-back to Rogic for the goal.
Rogic being un-marked is a massive issue, which could’ve been solved by Harkins tracking him, or Konrad not ball-watching.
But on McGinn, he has 2 real options. Firstly he could be playing on the right hand side of the Defence when the ball goes wide, stopping Izaguirre getting the ball, or when the ball is played, he could be the first to react, which is more important. He’s running outward and stops on Forrest, but by not watching play, he’s left McPake to cover what should be his position (which ultimately causes the goal).
In the image below, McPake has had to make the Red run to make the tackle, one which could’ve been done by any of the 4 players who were at that side of the box when the ball was there, but especially McGinn (WIN YOUR OWN BATTLES!). By doing so it’s dragged McPake from where a CH should be, which is the sky blue area, and left our left back (Irvine) in the middle of the goal, opening up Griffiths as another option.
When the final ball goes in, Emilio Izaguirre had 3/4 options of which Celtic were likely to score from, in a game where especially in the first 15 minutes you must keep your shape and avoid conceding. Griffiths, Forrest, Rogic (scorer) and a deep cut back to Brown are options.
Goal 4 – Liam Boyce, Dundee 3-3 Ross County, 19 minutes.
Some times your lack of pace just gets exposed, and this is one of those times.
There are a few other issues however, which need correcting. Boyce has been given 8 yards of dribbling before being stood up, by which point the tackle which is withdrawn (and causes Boyce to get past him) would’ve been in the Penalty Box. If you’re facing a man dribbling at you (who in fairness is talented with the ball at his feet), you want to make the tackle (and potential foul) outside the box, and as early as possible. Can’t take away from Boyce though, it was a decent finish, even if Bain could’ve done better.
Goal 5 – Stephen Pearson, Dundee 2-1 Motherwell, 83 minutes.
This is similar to the Parkhead goal, but he has to be given the benefit of doubt. Paul’s once again caught far too central (albeit this time covering for BOTH centre halves being caught out), which has lead to his tackle being too late. This is just a cluster of defensive errors strewn together in this example, but remember to WYOB!
Goal 6 – Adam Rooney, Dundee 0-2 Aberdeen, 25 minutes.
This is a scary one. See Goal 8 for the exact same thing done, against the same striker, with the same crosser, the same type of ball and obviously the same result.
This isn’t exclusive to goals, it happens quite a lot.
Goal 7 – David Amoo, Dundee 4-2 Partick Thistle, 23 minutes.
Wrong sided by his marker, then sleeping as the second ball comes up for grabs. This really is defending 101. You need to be tight, you really should be goal side, and you must ALWAYS be on your toes ready for the second ball. We were 3-0, but atleast look like you want to really keep a clean sheet.
Goal 8 – Adam Rooney, Aberdeen 1-0 Dundee, 14 minutes.
Here’s the creepy analysis for Goals 6 and 8 combined, seen as they are EXACTLY the same. Literally, the same. Crossed by Hayes, ball rolls over the corner of the 6 yard line, with Rooney coming from behind McGinn to get to the ball first and score.
First off – with both goals, and both games, it’s clear to see that Derek McInnes has set his sides up to go for Dundees full backs. Holt and McGinn were under pressure from the off, and were always getting balls put on top of them and having men run at them. It’s compounded by the fact that Hayes is one of the best on his day in the league at driving on at full backs and getting balls in to the box.
Holt throughout the season has allowed too many men to get the ball in before he makes the tackle, and it is no different with these goals. In Goal 8, Hayes even cuts back outside the Penalty box, giving Holt the chance to make a relatively risk free tackle. Sure he gets the luck of a deflection, but there is plenty of time for it to be put in.
Whereas in Goal 6, we find that Holt is left exposed, giving the wide man roughly 10 yards free. Criminal defending against the team who are challenging for the title!
Another similar question raised in both goals is the desire for players to win these crosses. In Goal 6, an Aberdeen player manages to slide in for the cross and come close to getting the goal, while McPake and Julen stay standing, leaving it up to Bain to commit, which if he misses, he knows he’s conceding a goal (*SPOILER* and does).
For Goal 8, there is only 1 player who could slide in for the ball as it runs across goal, and our other season long CH Thomas Konrad stays standing and won’t commit to clearing it.
Now to McGinn. For both goals he looks at Rooney TWICE within a second of the ball being put in. So he knows where he is. For Goal 6, it’s already too late though as Rooney has made his yard (from McGinn sleeping) and has an empty goal to slot in to.
In 8, he does the double look before the ball is put across and knows he is in the right position this time, not attempting to play an invisible offside trap. However he’s lined his body up wrongly for this cross. He’s running backwards, presumably to watch the man, but by doing this, he’s given Rooney the gap to make the jump behind him for the ball once put in, which causes the goal.
I know this seems like I hate Paul McGinn, but I don’t. He can put in a good ball when going forward, but defensively, he is being targeted (as is Holt) as neither has a natural midfielder playing in front of them. When Greg Stewart is infront he will often times be too far advanced, causing room to open for 2 opposition players to run at them. And when it is Low, we’re finding more and more that he’s a central player who is more adapted to moving and defending horizontally, rather than vertically up and down the line. This isn’t a new phenomenon for central players playing out wide, but it needs considered.
In closing, we have options. Cammy Kerr could come in and play any of 5 potential positions to choose from, those being Left Back, Right back, Left Midfield, Right Midfield and possibly Defensive Midfielder also. He would add a defensive side to any of those roles, which I feel we are too attacking with right now. Will be revert to some more defence? I can’t see it, what with the signing of a striker and not another defensive player on top of O’Dea who is a direct replacement for McPake.
Is Hartley wrong to have a dig at Sportscene? No. It’s a poor show. Is he wrong to have a dig at Thomson and Nevin? Yes. They’ve pointed out real issues in our shape and ability to defend. It’s nothing new though, Steven Thomson hasn’t played in the league this season and knows we play so narrow we expose those 2 positions.
Dundee Tactics 