Welcome to my final article of the season where I review the highs and lows for the Dee.
LOWS
Finishing Eighth
As much as there was no danger of being dragged into a play off or relegation battle, finishing eighth was a disappointment when you look at the players we have in the team. Most of the season we were looking at finishing fourth, fifth or sixth so to fall at the final hurdle (defeat at Hamilton cost us a place in the top six) was particularly gutting.
Cup Exits
Before the start of the season, there was talk from the manager that he wanted to do well in both cup competitions but this sadly never came to fruition as we were exited at the hands of lower league teams. Defeat to Dunfermline and Rangers meant we were destined to extend our run of finishing with no silverware or a decent cup run.
Unsettled Defence
It was not until Darren O’Dea signed for the club that we looked more solid at the back. I also thought Paul McGinn had a slow start to the season but when he hit his stride, he was a consistent part of the team. The main weaknesses for us at the back were down to never having a settled centre half pairing and I hate to signal players out but Kevin Holt was also one. Losing James McPake was a massive blow for us as was Julen Extabeguren who I swear struggled to finish a game.
Too Many Draws
Fifteen draws to be precise. There is not much I can say about this except if we managed to turn some of these into win, we would have been looking at a much higher finish.
Failure To Beat Ten Men
On four occasions in the space over just over two months, we ended up playing four games in which we would have a man advantage and failed to win. You could take away the Inverness and Ross County games as we were behind at the time but on two occasions we were a goal ahead as well as a player only to end up drawing the game.
Losing The First Goal
Twenty-one times we conceded the first goal this season and gave ourselves a mountain to climb.
HIGHS
A Team That Can Only Get Better
With the players we have at our disposal, we can play some great attractive, attacking football. We can take any team apart and score goals by the barrel load. We obviously have our weaknesses that I touched upon above but if we can get this sorted in the summer, who knows what this team can achieve. A few improvements in defence and midfield should see this team really kick on.
The Emergence Of Wighton And Kerr
Now it feels like both have been here forever but this was the season where I think we have seen them develop the most. Both are still raw and have a long way to go but it is clear to see that we have two future first team players here. Cammy has done brilliantly to nail down a place in the team before his season was cruelly cut short by injury while Wighton has come on leaps and bounds when it seemed he had lost his way for a while.
Kane Hemmings/Greg Stewart
What a signing Hemmings has been! Twenty-five goals for a free transfer is a great bit of business. He and Greg Stewart have continued where they left off at Cowdenbeath by knocking in the goals. They both have been a delight to watch and have struck fear into the opposition defences. I would love to see them both at Dens next season but this could very well be the only year we see them partner each another for the Dee.
Player Acknowledgment
Last year we saw Greg Stewart one of the nominee’s for Player of the Year and everyone was proud to see him in the running for this award. What we did not think is that we would be seeing not one but two of our players in the running for the following years award. Both deserved to be up there for it and despite not winning it (Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths won) it was fantastic recognition not only for the players but for the club as a whole. Both Hemmings and Stewart were named in the Team of the Season along with goalkeeper Scott Bain.
A Hard Team To Beat
Despite the low finishing position, we only tasted defeat twelve times in the league, the fourth best in the top flight.
Relegating Our Neighbours
May 2nd 2016. The day we made them cry. There was no way I was leaving this out.
To be the team that could officially end Dundee United’s stay in the top flight was one thing, to actually do it is another! For too long they have had the bragging rights in this city. Well not anymore. It was a great moment for the fans as they eventually saw Dundee reclaim their spot as the top team in the city in dramatic fashion. After listening to their arrogance and constant belittling of our club for so long, it was great to ram it back down their throats.
In conclusion, I think we had a good season. As disappointing as it was to finish where we did, we were always comfortable in the middle of the table. The cup exits were a particularly hard to take but I saw more positives than negatives this year to make me think that next season will only be better. A few more signings in defence and midfield will see us become a more solid unit which will make us harder to beat.
Boss Paul Hartley is showing that he is becoming a better manager and even though he throws caution to the wind sometimes, he will only learn from it.
I would like to thank everyone for reading my articles throughout the season on TEB, it has been an absolute pleasure. I am already counting down the days until we go back at it again.
In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy the European Championships. I will just stay behind and keep an eye on everything back here for you all ….
MON THE DEE!
