Gareth Taylor makes the third transfer for Liverpool this summer (Credits: Imago Images)
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has identified the team’s tendency to draw matches as the key problem holding them back in the league.
Goodwin has already moved quickly in the transfer window, securing several new arrivals ahead of next season’s campaign at Tannadice.
United finished in the bottom six last season, a result that left Goodwin and everyone at the club deeply disappointed given their previous European qualification.
The manager pointed directly to the team’s draw record as the chief reason for their failure to secure a top-six finish this term.
United collected 15 draws across the season, a tally that was joint highest in the league alongside Livingston, and it proved extremely costly.
Goodwin conceded: “When you look at the table it’s obvious that too many draws has been an issue for us.”
He added: “I’ve spoken a lot about the amount of points we lost from winning situations and that comes down to a bit of a lack of experience in various situations.”
Goodwin elaborated further, saying: “How to manage games, see them out properly is a big part of being able to get over the line and we haven’t done that well enough.”
The United boss reflected on the nature of their results, noting: “We won a lot of games last season by the odd goal, scoring late on and this time we haven’t been able to do that.”
He was candid about the damage a high draw count can inflict over a long season, stating: “Draws can kill you in the end because although you’re not losing, you’re only taking a point and it hampers you.”
Goodwin made clear how thin the margins were between their actual finish and a significantly better outcome for the club this season.
“Even if we’d turned three or four of those draws into wins, we’d have been in the top half of the league,” he said, underlining the frustration felt across the squad.
He acknowledged the need for improvement while also recognising the team’s competitive nature throughout the campaign at Tannadice.
“I always feel we’re a difficult team to play against and while we’ve not lost as many games as the other teams in the top six, we have drawn more than anyone,” Goodwin said.
He concluded firmly: “So that’s something we have to fix,” signalling a clear tactical and mentality shift is being demanded from his players.
The club has wasted no time in reshaping the squad, with deals for Jesse Randall, Lachlan Rose, Joshua Rawlins, Jack Walton and ex-Falkirk player Dylan Tait already agreed.
United are set to return for pre-season training next week, with Premier Sports Cup preparations providing an early focus for Goodwin’s rebuilt squad.
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