Big Lee Wilkie said Dundee United had to win ugly but I don’t think, under Craig Levein, they will ever play ugly. They were the best footballing team and thoroughly deserved the 1-0 win at Aberdeen.
The midfield, in particular, was very good and Francisco Sandaza, up front, linked the play between the midfield and the strikers.
It’s just about confidence, the 'c' word, you get the first goal, in particular, and it lifts everybody. It knocked Aberdeen down and they couldn’t come back from that. It gave Dundee United a lot of confidence and the back four, especially the two centre halves, were very strong. Aberdeen threw everything at them but it wasn’t real quality balls into the box, it was more desperation.
United have four of their next six games at home in The SPL and could be well on their way back. They needed a gritty performance like they got today.
To lose a goal like that, it’s not as though Dundee United created the goal, it was just an unbelievable piece of brainless play by Tommy Wright. Handling the ball in the box, I can’t believe that, when you look at it and just say he should be docked a week’s wages. He wouldn’t do it again – he wouldn’t raise his hands in the box again when trying to clear the ball. It’s a criminal offence really.
Sandaza sticks the penalty away so, through a nothing ball into the box, and one piece of stupidity, Aberdeen find themselves 1-0 down.
It’s a real kick in the stomach, not the lower regions, but the stomach and confidence was fragile for both sides but, when you lose a goal, it just goes.
Aberdeen were pumping balls forward, playing sloppy passes and trying desperate long-range shots. Dundee United were able to nullify Aberdeen’s attacks and had more quality for me, particularly with Sandaza, and it was the telling factor.