Johnny until the end of the season would be perfect. He’s 34 and hasn’t played since the 6th of October so he will be well rested and ready to get stuck in.

Just need to convince him to leave the USA and come to tannadice for 2/3K and not his 25K a week he had at Kansas.

Last edited by RogerTheAlien (Yesterday 1:34 pm)

Finn Seemann wrote:

Conway11 wrote:

redford_must_score wrote:

 
Had to read that twice to check it wasn't a wind up.
New manager? Seriously?
Gallagher and Holt have been immense and one of the reasons we'vebeen so successful.
Agree we're not seeing the best of Babunski though and I agree why.
But results are everything and right now we are getting them.

Yes - we have a very limited way of playing that will catch up with us eventually, it is going great just now but IT WILL fizzle out. Recruitment in January is key, Gallagher is 33, Kevin Holt is 31 - we need to have someone waiting in the wings with top level experience to take us that extra step forward. I believe Cleal-Harding will come good and think he may dislodge Holt soon.

Babunski is being hung out to dry in this system - he is the most creative player at the club and is being shunted out from this position

JR is 34 but would be perfect foil for Dalby - would be reminiscent of a Daly-Goodwillie/Russell partnership, a short term spell while Stirton gets up to scratch would be ideal.  
 

Not sure I would agree with this.  We've solidified from the back with the 3 CHs (even with Graham missing) and wing backs approach.  Granted we'll need to find two longer term CHs to play alongside Graham as Gallagher and Holt are clearly at the wrong end if their careers.  However, having never been a particular fan of either, I have to concede that both are playing beyond themselves at the moment.  We therefore shouldn't be telling guys they're goners until we know we can replace them.

We've managed to slot Stephenson and Vicko into the Sibbald and Docherty holes.  That system is currently serving us well and allows Babunski a little bit of freedom (which to be fair he hasn't really excelled himself in) to express himself, but if the wing backs aren't pinned back (as they haven't been for a whole game yet) that doesn't matter quite as much.

Up front we are missing a bit of speed and that has to be the focus for the January window.  JR is not that man.  We need to see a bit more of the attacking play from the derby and a bit less route one (Dalby doesn't hold it up that well), but I can't say that I don't expect us to score in any game.  I do.  That is light years ahead of where we were with Tony Watt as first choice or option.  

I am generally fairly pessimistic when it comes to United, but I see no reason why things must fizzle out.  We've played everyone (bar Celtic) and bar a couple of halves against Aberdeen and Rangers and a 20 minute spell against Killie nobody has overrun us and even then (bar Killie) those spells haven't conceded too many goals.  We've also scored in most games (quite often more than one).  I suspect we'll get a doing from Celtic, but I think incremental changes are called for rather than wholesale changes.  We are also beginning to see Goodwin using the bench appropriately even with quite a few players still on the sick list.  

Goodwin has proved my suspicions about his abilities wrong this season.  As have the players.  We are playing as a team and they are meeting the challenges as they come.  Two big games v Killie and Motherwell coming up.  Taking 4 or more of the 6 points would be immense.  We can then shore up or have a go v Celtic - I don't mind.

I do like Findlay at Killie (although seems to have his inury issues this season). Armstrong would also make a bit of sense.

I see where you’re coming from, but I have to push back on a few of your points. Yes, the 3 CH system with wing-backs is working well for now, and I agree that Gallagher and Holt have been playing beyond expectations.

However, that is precisely why planning for their eventual decline—or injury—is so important. We’ve seen how quickly players in these positions can fall off, especially in a physically demanding setup like ours. Waiting until they’re no longer performing isn’t good enough. Recruitment in January is key to ensuring we don’t lose the momentum we’ve built this season.

You mention we shouldn’t be telling guys they’re "goners" until replacements are lined up, but I’m not advocating for binning them mid-season. Gallagher and Holt deserve credit for their performances, but we need to find top-level experience that can slot in when they can’t keep up. Depth and forward-thinking recruitment are non-negotiable if we want to sustain success.

On Babunski, you say he’s been given freedom, but I strongly disagree. This system is stifling him. He’s our most creative player, yet he’s being played in a way that doesn’t maximize his abilities. Yes, the wing-backs have done well so far, but what happens when they’re pinned back by better opposition or injuries? Babunski’s flair and vision should be the heartbeat of our attacking play, not a secondary option reliant on a system that prioritizes width over creativity.

As for the attack, I agree that speed is the glaring issue. But you dismiss JR too quickly. No, he’s not a long-term solution at 34, but his experience and ability to complement Dalby could be invaluable in the short term. It’s not just about pace; it’s about having a player who can make the runs and open space for others, which JR could do while Stirton continues to develop. It’s a short-term solution, yes, but one that makes a lot of sense given where we are now.

I’m glad to hear you’re optimistic about the team, but saying there’s no reason why things must fizzle out feels naive. We’re not invincible. Injuries, fatigue, and opposition figuring us out are all very real threats. You’ve pointed out a few tough spells against Aberdeen, Rangers, and Killie—and that’s only going to happen more often as teams adapt. Without speed up front and creativity from midfield, we risk becoming predictable and easier to nullify.I respect what Goodwin has done, and he’s definitely surprised a lot of people, but incremental changes alone won’t be enough if we’re serious about pushing on.

Celtic will be a reality check for where we really stand, but these next two games against Killie and Motherwell are where we must show we can adapt and take the next step forward. Taking 4+ points would be fantastic, but if we don’t address the areas where we’re already showing cracks, even that won’t matter in the long run.

We need clear plans to address the aging defense, lack of pace up front, and underutilized creativity in midfield. Without these, the solid foundation we’ve built could collapse sooner than you think.
 

Last edited by Conway11 (Yesterday 4:20 pm)

United don't usually do big business in January- they always seem to say it's a horrible window to get quality into the squad - so doubt we will do too much.

Big handsome has his way of playing and I'm pretty sure we are adequately covered in most positions. For instance, ferry out, holt goes in and graham comes in at cb.

If I was playing football manager, I'd want more cover but united are operating on a budget build on winning the championship. They MIGHT widen the budget after our good start but it's not going to be massive, surely.

As to some of the previous points, squad building is an ongoing thing. I don't think a team is ever 'built' and every year, players will come in and go out.