RogerTheAlien wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Goodwin also needs to come right out and say why we are down to two strikers who both would currently entirely miss a barn door with a fucking elephant!

 
Can’t do that. Means he’d be critical of the recruitment which him and some football manager namesake were tasked to do.

Fucking awful player. Rightly booed off.

 
Which player you referring to?

Normally always try and attend Fir Park when we play there as it's one of the closest games for me, but today i knew exactly how the game would go and swerved it. I'm glad i did.

Watched it at home instead and what i seen was a lot of efffort from the players, who also rigidly stuck to the tactics and game plan that had obviously been drummed into them, but it was never going to work and that starting XI Goodwin picked today was as good as a white flag hoisted aloft pre-match, he picked a team to try and contain Motherwell and to try and not lose, rather than to have a go and try and win. How often have we seen that these past few months?

2 draws and 1 defeat in the past week and only one goal scored. Back to back games we haven't scored in and haven't particularly looked like doing so either. To not sign a Striker in January was utter folly and only Jim Goodwin can answer for why. I don't buy the budget excuse, he for example could have signed a Striker instead of signing Farrugia who already looks a poor signing and one who is surplus to requirements or soon will be.

Also, bizarre that he's bombed out Ross Graham (another fall-out?) and Ivan Dolcek, who despite being very good against Spartans has played only 5 minutes since (against Aberdeen) and nearly scored.

Just strange, strange decision making. Like starting Eskesen today in a game that was basically an Attack vs Defence training drill (with us being Defence, sadly). Just throwing the guy under the bus playing him in a role he's clearly not accustomed too. He was signed as an attacking No.10, he was the last guy in our squad who a game like that today was suited to.

Feels like the end of Goodwin's time, i've felt that for a few weeks now, but i think this week will bring things to a head if he loses both. If we do he should do the right thing and walk.

6 wins all season is relegation form (only 1 win more than we had at this point in 22/23 for example). Only one league win this year and several players badly out of form. The writing seemingly is on the wall for Jim Goodwin. Can he turn things around? It doesn't seem likely.

Finally, on Motherwell's penalty. When the fuck did penalties start getting given when the ball is nowhere near the penalty box? I feel like i barely understand the sport i grew up watching anymore.

My player ratings -

AMB 6 - Was ok.

Strain 5 - Crap

Iovu 6 - Was actually not bad, apart form his usual brain melt when he gave the ball away on the half way line right before half time and nearly cost us a goal. Won a good few headers and some good blocks. I actually like the kid, if he could learn to just keep things simple i think he'd be good for us. particularly alongside an experienced Centre Half who could talk him through the game.

Sevelj - 6 He was pretty good i thought. The penalty a complete farce obviously. Him and Maswinisie were both at it and the latter is a complete con man.

Keresztes 5 - I have defended him multiple times and insisted there was a player there somewhere. I'm fast running out of patience. Has regressed as the seasons went on instead of 'progressing'. Though he's only one of a number of players in a United shirt who we can say that of this season.

Naamo 5 - I just don't see what he brings to the party. Anonymous every time he plays.

Camara 5 - Really poor. He's very decent in games where he has the ball often and we are looking to get forward. Games like today when we have little possession he chases shadows.

Stephenson 5 - Poor again. Another one where the drop-off in form is alarming. We all know how good he can be. We haven't seen that Luca Stepenson in several weeks now.

Eskesen 6 - Never in a million years the type of game he's suited to. Actually played one lovely pass through to Luca who should have done much better. We'll never know if this guy could be a player for us, as he'll never be played in the role he was signed to play (attacking No10).

Farrugia 5 - No idea why we signed this guy. A cheap Will Ferry replacement for when he leaves before the seasons end? Looks like it. Offered nothing yet again.

Watters 5 - He had a thankless task today tbf to him, but it's just so fucking depressing a player of his calibre being the sole Dundee United Striker in a match. Most of the time he actually touched the ball was deep in our own half. 

Subs -

Fatah 5 - Done nothing of note.

Trapanovski 5 - Hit the post, but i think it was a mis-hit cross rather than a genuine attempt to score.

Agyei 6 - Thought he was 'ok'. Puts himself about at least.

Sapsford 5 - Anonymous again. I miss the wee dynamo we had back in the Summer/Autumn months. Something well, well off with him.

 

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Falkirk absolutely battered Kilmarnock too, how the absolute fuck have we ended up so shite? Answer = Jim fucking Goodwin

 
Decided to take a day off from United and chummed a pal to the Falkirk game. Was nice to see some actual football being played, though I fear for us on Friday.

All I've seen are the highlights, looked like usual pish from us.

That VAR check is an absolute joke though - why is the camera behind a fucking pillar?

why didnt someone tell watters, that as the lone striker, every time the ball comes to him he has to hold it up or pass to a team mate, both seemed beyond him.

finn_dossing wrote:

sam dalby got a goal and 2 assists today, what we would give for that guy right now

He basically got us 4th last season.

Without him most weeks would have been 0-0 and we finish where we will this season (7-10th).
 

Arabdownsouth wrote:

RogerTheAlien wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Goodwin also needs to come right out and say why we are down to two strikers who both would currently entirely miss a barn door with a fucking elephant!

 
Can’t do that. Means he’d be critical of the recruitment which him and some football manager namesake were tasked to do.

Fucking awful player. Rightly booed off.

 
Which player you referring to?

 
When Donkey Watters got subbed

Penalty was a joke and something needs to be done about VAR
All been said already about team selection and performance.

SlatefordArab wrote:

I think Goodwin essentially thought that game was a right-off and was keeping players back for next week.

We were very poor, but in saying that, the pen is a joke, I honestly find it embarrassing the way professional players behave these days - image doing that in an amateur game?  You'd get battered.  Then massive deflection for the 2nd goal.  We never looked like scoring though.

 
Of course he treated it as a write off, thats the reason for my fury! Since when do we go into games against fucking Motherwell believing we can't compete? Fucking joke!

Billy_Hainey wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

SlatefordArab wrote:

I think Goodwin essentially thought that game was a right-off and was keeping players back for next week.

We were very poor, but in saying that, the pen is a joke, I honestly find it embarrassing the way professional players behave these days - image doing that in an amateur game?  You'd get battered.  Then massive deflection for the 2nd goal.  We never looked like scoring though.

 
Of course he treated it as a write off, thats the reason for my fury! Since when do we go into games against fucking Motherwell believing we can't compete? Fucking joke!

Canna believe I'm reading this. If there's even a chance that it might be true, it's sickening.

 
Honestly Billy, I can take getting beaten but I just will not accept a Dundee United that accepts defeat before a ball is kicked. Jim Goodwin lined us up to get beat,I dont care what pish excuses he gives, and his negativity resounds right through our side. He needs to be gone

Last edited by Arabdownsouth (01/3/2026 10:29 pm)

I think he was looking to avoid a morale busting hammering.
St Mirren losing 5 against them or Killie losing five at Falkirk.
Teams in relegation scraps need to avoid these sort of hammering.
Very sad position to be in but I think that was his train of thought on Saturday.