Jim Goodwin bemoaned a poor defensive effort as his Dundee United team lost 3-1 at home to relegation rivals Ross County, dropping them back to the bottom of the Premiership.
The Tayside team dropped from 10th to last with three games remaining after being passed by both Kilmarnock and the Staggies. They began the afternoon in 10th place.
Jordan White's hat-trick of close-range goals did the damage, and United manager Goodwin was incensed that the County striker was given so much room.
It was inadequate defensively and perhaps far too simple, he argued. "It was the fundamentals—dropping guys and failing to mark on the right side, which we have mastered for weeks.To defend like that and return to conceding goals like that is incredibly upsetting because I thought we were moving in the right direction.I thought we had everything under control, but it has reared its ugly head once more.
“The recent fight, aggression, and tenacity we displayed have been praised, but I thought the difference between the two teams was in the boxes.
County aggressively handled and manhandled (United striker Steven Fletcher), but Jordan White had too much fun in our box. I'm disappointed that he told our defenders what to do today.It was made clear to the players that it was unacceptable. It would probably be best if I kept what was said to myself.If a team carves you open, you can hold your hands up, but those three goals were so easily preventable.
With outcomes elsewhere, "We have put ourselves in a difficult position now and we're bottom of the table again."
Malky Mackay, the county manager, was pleased with the way his team handled the situation as they set out to quiet a large throng of more than 10,000 United supporters before rising off the bottom of the standings.
Jamie McGrath's first-half penalty leveled the score, but Mackay's team seized the lead after just 38 seconds and then added two more goals in the second half. "We knew we had to start fast, knowing there was going to be 10,000 fans and the intensity that could bring for Dundee United," Mackay said.
blogpay
"We knew we had to start fast, knowing there was going to be 10,000 fans and the intensity that could bring for Dundee United," Mackay said.
Total Comments: 0