This forum is hosted for free by Boardhost. Create your own free forum!
- Jims Beard
- Tekel Towers 1st Team
Offline - Registered: 09/6/2025
- Posts: 55
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
Always interesting to see how people read the game differently. Think we all agree we need to be better than what was on show last night though, c'mon united finish the job next week
- dyed in the wool
- Tekel Towers 1st Team
Offline
- Registered: 09/1/2018
- Posts: 120
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
What a strange feeling it is, being deflated after winning 1-0 in Europe...
The players (along with most fans) obviously were expecting a much easier time of it last night, with much more time on the ball. Strassen held their shape very well, pressed us well and harried us and we just didn't like it. Everyone seems to be of the same opinion regarding the performance of individuals which tells a very clear story and I'm sure JG will have viewed it the same.
On another night, that game finishes 4-0, but on another another night, it could have been 1-1. Regardless, I do think we should be going out there with confidence that we will go through.
Looking back, the only real time Strassen gave us a scare was when they broke up the park...usually because we'd inexplicably left 1 man back most of the time and then from the resulting corner/freekick.
Sibbald and Stirton 100% deserve to start next week.
Any idea if we have a game this weekend? behind closed doors/inter squad etc?
- Macho Man
- Tekel Towers 1st Team
Offline
- From: The squared circle
- Registered: 10/6/2015
- Posts: 660
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
Jims Beard wrote:
Another week of training, a competitive game against Falkirk and another week of tactics and hopefully we will see an improvement on the level of performance in the second leg.
2nd leg against Una is next thursday, Falkirk game is 3 days later on the sunday mate
Yeah, I realised that after I typed it. I'm putting it down to a combination of a wee bit of a hangover from celebrating last nights win and that Friday feeling that caused that wee mistake.
Oooooohhhh yeeeeeaaaaaah!!
- United Arab Emarite
- Tekel Towers 1st Team
Offline
- Registered: 06/9/2023
- Posts: 389
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
Another week of training, a competitive game against Falkirk and another week of tactics and hopefully we will see an improvement on the level of performance in the second leg.
2nd leg against Una is next thursday, Falkirk game is 3 days later on the sunday mate
I had to check that too, not realising that the two Euro games were back-to-back.
I was half thinking it was intervened by the 1st league match at Falkirk.
So 7 days to work out how to get through this tie, missing out on it would be a horrible start to the season.
- Finn Seemann
- Tekel Towers LEGEND
Offline
- Registered: 24/5/2018
- Posts: 1,870
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
I think we'll get through this tie as we'll be tight at the back over there and we'll have chances to score. Strassen were set up to be stuffy and they succeeded. One or two technically gifted players but generally came with a game plan and executed to the best of their ability. It could have been a lot more comfortable but it wasn't.
For me that team seemed to be a poorer one than we had last year. That may change over time as they get to know each other but on first viewing I'd be surprised if that team finishes fourth or higher. Not saying we are destined for a bottom half finish but not building up any hopes of the opposite.
The back 3 look solid enough, but I am not sure that they are much of an upgrade if at all. I can see the plumber, for example, having a field day with the over-zealous tackling. Didn't mind the keeper to be fair. Yeah there were a couple of times he came for the balls that he shouldn't have but overall thought he looked the part. Both Strain and Ferry looked out of sorts. I'm putting that down to getting used to their new colleagues - always different in an actual game.
The midfield two didn't work for me, any combination. Sevelj wasn't great and played too deep for a home game against lesser opposition. Pappoe lost the ball too often and didn't seem to get his head up to seek a forward pass. Camara wasn't impressive. I think when Sibbald came on we were effectively a three but it didn't seem to get any better. I can understand why we shipped Docherty, but the hole in the middle of the park looked very Docherty shaped! We certainly need someone who can put a foot on the ball in the middle and seek out a decent pass.
Trapa looks the same hot and cold player. His decision making is just not great. He got to the byline a good few times but his final ball was simply the wrong one. Maybe that gets better with familiarity but its very frustrating. The game kind of passed Dolcek by. Concerned that he wasn't able to impose himself against inferior opposition but not writing off yet.
Sapsford was probably a little better than I was expecting but I am not sure that he's a line leader. I actually think Jort would have been the right man for last night. More robust and better distribution. Can't comment on Watters, but lasting 8 minutes just can't be good! It was his own poor ball control that led to the injury though so not great. Stirton did more in his short spell than the others. I don't think he can be first choice but I am a bot more convinced he has a part to play at Tannadice this season than another loan.
Most worrying for me is that if that is Goodwin's preferred formation then (subject to the gelling/match fitness excuses) it looks to be 3 or 4 better players away from viability. I don't see any other league team (bar maybe Dundee) being as poor as Strassen are.
Hopefully more to come from these guys, but I think we can safely predict that, if we get passed Strassen (which I think we will) there's little hope of getting passed Rapid.
Last edited by Finn Seemann (25/7/2025 11:55 am)
- Morphman
- Tekel Towers 1st Team
Offline
- Registered: 15/7/2014
- Posts: 764
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
Thought that was embarrassing last night tbh. The back 3 get pass marks, and the goalie for what he had to do.
Know it's a new team but Ffs that was as bad as I've ever seen with regards to passing. Strain, Sevelj, Pappoe and Ferry mixing it up between wanting to take 5 touches or battering the ball in whatever direction they were facing without a thought.
Worse still, we looked unfit and the 4 midfielders and 3 forwards that started the game absolutely shat it from every single 50/50. Stirton and Sibbald at least looked like the fancied the physicality when they came on, and I think both have every right to be chapping the managers door to start next week.
My bold prediction before the game of a high intentisity start to the the season which would overpower Strassen turned out to be the opposite, at least 6 players hiding from taking possession, no pressing to speak of, a completely damp squib.
You must be young if that's the worst UTD passing display you've ever seen.
Worse than the Shambles Llazo team worse than the team Sturrock left in 2000?
It wasn't great but a bit of perspective required
I didn't say anything in my post where I say the team itself is worse than Lazlo or Sturrocks teams, I've even mentioned it's a new team which I thought would make it clear that I'd taken lack of familiarity with each other in to account.
Passing was 100% the main issue, was absolutely as bad as I've seen given the occasion. If you want to interpret "passing" as simply giving the ball away then sure, there have been much worse performances. However, the perspective for me is situational: we were at home in Europe against a team from Luxembourg and their keeper had maybe 2 decent saves because our passing choices were so poor.
The entire team, with maybe the exception of Esselink, didn't seem to grasp the idea of switching the play quickly to get Strassen moving and open up space. Instead Ferry, Strain, one of the centremids and the wide centrebacks seemed to continually cause a jam in the midfield by constantly playing what you would call safe passes in the same 10 yard area of either wing by the halfway line. Strassen would then press, and instead of knocking it back to Esselink to switch sides quickly, we just knocked it around until we won a throw in or hoped for a decent break.
Last edited by Morphman (25/7/2025 12:01 pm)
- David_Blunkett
- Tekel Towers LEGEND
Offline
- Registered: 30/7/2014
- Posts: 1,085
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
What a strange feeling it is, being deflated after winning 1-0 in Europe...
The players (along with most fans) obviously were expecting a much easier time of it last night, with much more time on the ball. Strassen held their shape very well, pressed us well and harried us and we just didn't like it. Everyone seems to be of the same opinion regarding the performance of individuals which tells a very clear story and I'm sure JG will have viewed it the same.
On another night, that game finishes 4-0, but on another another night, it could have been 1-1. Regardless, I do think we should be going out there with confidence that we will go through.
Looking back, the only real time Strassen gave us a scare was when they broke up the park...usually because we'd inexplicably left 1 man back most of the time and then from the resulting corner/freekick.
Sibbald and Stirton 100% deserve to start next week.
Any idea if we have a game this weekend? behind closed doors/inter squad etc?
He maybe deserves consideration, based on the other 3 last night never played that well, but nothing he did in his 20 odd minute spell had me thing "He must start next week!"
He was great option in the Championship, but has struggled to impose himself when asked to step up.
"Don't F*cking ever offer me that again!"
- Tangy
- Tekel Towers LEGEND
Offline
- Registered: 25/3/2015
- Posts: 1,744
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
I'm reasonably positive.
Thought the keeper and centre backs looked decent - good. I actually thought strain was better than last season - he had that horror injury at the start of the season, so guess he was always playing catch up... Ferry and strain could be better though. I did think iovu (i think) went charging forwards a few times, lost possession and didnt run to get back- therefore there was a defender missing.
Passing wasn't great overall but we had spell of pressure and you can see there's something there. Up front, I thought sapsford was pretty good up top but wasnt as effective when moved wider. Wingers could do better.
However, a lot of our players haven't played in thst atmosphere before (as well as una strassen) - so maybe a lot for them to take in. I guess they had a real hunger to make a good start to the campaign and tried too hard at times.
Hoping that with a week where we can review the game, work out where una strassens weaknesses are and if the players relax a bit, we will be good.
Healthy respect for una strassen - they are no mugs - but still comfortable we will win away from home
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
- dyed in the wool
- Tekel Towers 1st Team
Offline
- Registered: 09/1/2018
- Posts: 120
Re: Dundee United vs Una Strassen - Thursday 24/7/25
What a strange feeling it is, being deflated after winning 1-0 in Europe...
The players (along with most fans) obviously were expecting a much easier time of it last night, with much more time on the ball. Strassen held their shape very well, pressed us well and harried us and we just didn't like it. Everyone seems to be of the same opinion regarding the performance of individuals which tells a very clear story and I'm sure JG will have viewed it the same.
On another night, that game finishes 4-0, but on another another night, it could have been 1-1. Regardless, I do think we should be going out there with confidence that we will go through.
Looking back, the only real time Strassen gave us a scare was when they broke up the park...usually because we'd inexplicably left 1 man back most of the time and then from the resulting corner/freekick.
Sibbald and Stirton 100% deserve to start next week.
Any idea if we have a game this weekend? behind closed doors/inter squad etc?He maybe deserves consideration, based on the other 3 last night never played that well, but nothing he did in his 20 odd minute spell had me thing "He must start next week!"
He was great option in the Championship, but has struggled to impose himself when asked to step up.
Fair point, I maybe got excited with my 100% comment, but from what I recall last night, Sibbald still covered more ground than Vicko, Pappoe and Camara - I wouldn't be against him starting, that's for sure.
For the record though, I've every confidence that the 3 I've just mentioned will have great seasons - but CS was much, much sharper than any of them last night.
Last edited by dyed in the wool (25/7/2025 1:25 pm)