Dundee United

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Jim Goodwin reacts to a dramatic late equaliser at Ross County.

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin told BBC Scotland: "Real disappointment in the way we concede the equal. There was a number of poor decisions in that particular sequence of play.

"Did we deserve to win the game over the piece? Probably not, given how poor we were in the first 45 minutes. You've got to see the game and out and had we done that, it would've been a brilliant three points.

"We know how difficult it is up here. Ross County had only lost one of their last 11 games here. The response after half-time is a positive but it'll take time to get over the way the game finished.

"The only way was up at half-time as far as we're concerned. We were so bad in the first half, a shadow of the team we were against Dundee in the first half last week. It's hard to put your finger on why that happens."

"We were very lucky to go in at half-time at 0-0 and that was the message to the players. What Ross County did to us in the first 45 minutes, we did to them in the second."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

The first half would have worried Jim Goodwin, but the second-half reaction was far improved even if it ended in a draw.

Before the break, they only looked threatening on the counter but really, Kristijan Trapanovski was the only outball capable of creating anything dangerous.

After half-time, Babunski's goal buoyed them and the entire team got higher up the pitch, which was partly down to winning the midfield battle.

The Macedonian duo have bedded in well, with Babunski again wearing the armband. Wing-backs Ferry and Vicko Sevelj look like solid additions, but more time is needed for Van der Sande, who has been preferred to Moult so far.

What did you make of that, United fans? A worthy draw, or did you deserve even more?

Who impressed you, and what do you make of Jim Goodwin's summer recruits?

Let us know your thoughts.

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Will Ferry. A couple of candidates during the second-half performance, but Ferry edges it for his fantastic assist and his constant running up and down the left.

He was involved in all their good work and looks to have established a decent link with Kristijan Trapanovski on the left-hand side already.

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Ross County manager Don Cowie is likely to have an unchanged squad to choose from, with Max Sheaf (thigh) and Ricki Lamie (Achilles) remaining on the sidelines.

Meshack Ubochioma could make his Dundee United debut after signing from Hungarian club Zalaegerszeg last week, as could Emmanuel Adegboyega, who signed on a season-long loan deal from Norwich City.

Ryan Strain (hamstring) faces three months out but Ross Docherty could return to full training in seven to 10 days as he works his way back from a calf strain.

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Richard Odada says "straightforward" manager Jim Goodwin was a key factor in him making the switch to Dundee United earlier this summer.

The Kenyan international signed for United from MLS side Philidelphia Union on a two-year deal.

"I'm excited because he’s a straightforward coach," Odada said.

"He knows what he wants and I think every football player has a dream to work with such a manager who is always open minded. He's open to all his players.

"So I'm happy where I am right now. So I just need to keep on working hard and everything will fall into place.

"I am enjoying everything. I have good team-mates, good locker room and also a good coach. We're working good and it's exciting to me."

Odada is enjoying experiencing a new environment both on and off the pitch, and says he will give his all during his time at Tannadice.

"I like to stay positive, to bring the positive energy to the squad because that's the main thing in everything you’re doing," he said.

"To be positive all the time, also to work hard to compete and to achieve because as a team we have a goal and it's our responsibility to work hard and to try to achieve.

"I've never been in the UK before. I've been in (mainland) Europe, I've been in America also. Every place has different culture.

"Football brings you different opportunities in life. But again, even if you go to experience those different cultures, the main job is to play football and to work hard every day."

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Jim Goodwin insists it is “irrelevant” who wears the captain’s armband because his Dundee United squad is packed with leaders.

Ross Docherty will remain club skipper and Goodwin is looking forward to welcoming the midfielder back in the coming weeks from a hamstring injury sustained in pre-season.

Australia full-back Ryan Strain, though, faces three months out having undergone hamstring surgery.

"We've been a little bit unfortunate in a couple of instances with the likes of Docherty and Ryan picking up the injuries that they did," said Goodwin.

"Ross is not a million miles away from making a return but Ryan's going to be out for a considerable period of time and that's a real blow to us given how hard we worked to try and bring him to the club and how influential a player we believed he could be.

"Ross is back out running and doing a lot of exercise with the medical team and with the sport science team and we would hope in the next seven to 10 days that we'll get him back in with the group and involved in the contact sessions.

"Ross will remain as the club captain and then game to game I'll decide who's going to wear the armband.

"David Babunski had it against Dundee on Sunday, he deserved it given his performances in pre-season and what we see of him in training every day. He's got a great attitude, he's a real model professional, a great example to the younger players within the group.

"Like most managers say, who wears the armband is irrelevant really because I believe we've got a number of good quality leaders in the team with the likes of Declan Gallagher, Ross Graham, Kevin Holt and Craig Sibbald to name a few.”

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before the Premiership game at Ross County on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• Goodwin says his latest recruit Emmanuel Adegboyega, who has signed on loan from Norwich, is a "good addition that will give us strength and depth in the backline".

• Ross Docherty is nearing a return but Ryan Strain faces three months out after hamstring surgery.

• Docherty remains captain and Goodwin will decide on a game-to-game basis who takes the armband in his absence, adding he has a "number of good quality leaders in the team".

• On new signings Goodwin says "you're desperate for them to hit the ground running and for them to show the public why you've invested in them".

• He highlighted the quality of players he already had at his disposal, saying Declan Gallagher "had one of his best games in the last five years" in last weekend's derby draw and if he can play like that consistently "he's one of the best centre-backs in the league."

• Godwin is impressed with what Don Cowie has done with Ross County and says they are "very well drilled".

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• Ross County have won both of their last two league games against Dundee United but have never won three in a row versus the Tangerines in the top flight.

• Ross County have lost three of their last four league meetings with newly-promoted sides (D1) since a 3-0 win over Kilmarnock in January 2023. Indeed, they lost three of their four games against Dundee United in 2020-21 (W1), when the Tannadice men were last a promoted side.

• Since their return to the Scottish Premiership in 2019, Ross County have won their first home league game in three of the five seasons (D1 L1), including a 2-0 win over St Johnstone last term.

• Dundee United have only kept one clean sheet in their last 20 matches in the Scottish Premiership, a 2-0 win over Livingston in April 2023.

• Dundee United’s Jort van der Sande contested 24 aerial duels in their matchday one draw with Dundee, winning 15 of them. It's the most aerial duels won by a player in a Scottish top-flight game since Joe Wright for Kilmarnock in March 2024 (18).

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Irish defender Emmanuel Adegboyega has joined Dundee United on a season-long loan from Norwich City.

The 20-year-old moved to the Canaries from Drogheda United last summer before going on loan in January at League Two Walsall, where he made 14 appearances.

United boss Jim Good said of his compatriot: "Emmanuel has the perfect set of raw physical attributes to be a commanding centre-half in the Scottish Premiership - he rarely loses a battle with his opponent and is incredibly mobile for his height.

"This season, it is imperative for our defenders to be comfortable stepping into play with the ball at their feet to look for progressive passing options, and this is another one of the qualities that piqued our interest in him."

Adegboyega says he jumped at the chance to join a "massive club" when United came calling.

"The manager outlined our ambitions and how I'm going to help us achieve them, but it didn't take much convincing," he added.

"At Walsall, I played on the right side of the back three, and I feel I'll be the perfect fit for the system in place here. I like stepping in and showing composure - I'm confident and that's exactly what the gaffer is looking for."

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Dundee United's Premiership trip to face Hearts at Tynecastle has been rescheduled for Sunday, 1 September at 15:00 BST.

The game has moved back 24 hours because Hearts are in Europa League play-off action on Thursday, 29 August.

New midfielder David Babunski has spoken of his "honour and gratitude" at leading out Dundee United on their return to the Premiership. (Evening Telegraph)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

Ronny Costello
Fan writer

Heading into any match where fans boast about sending shockwaves through Scottish football should naturally evoke some apprehension.

Only no such thing happened, and this is our dear neighbours we are speaking about so there is nothing to fear.

Sure, headlines like that garner attention on social media, but as Raith discovered last season, games aren’t won on X.

Derby fixtures are special, immensely special. They are sorely missed when either team is in a different division. The last encounter, a 2-2 draw in April 2022, set the stage for heightened anticipation for the 2024 edition. With live TV coverage, it being flag day, and a sold-out stadium, the excitement was palpable.

As a United fan in various group chats on WhatsApp, views on team selection took up most of the conversation aside from the usual social media screenshots, silly GIFs, and TikTok videos. There was even talk that the ‘derby fear’ had set in, allegedly worse than Man Flu I’m told...

Then came kick-off.

We were outstanding in the first half, scoring two excellent team goals and deserving to be ahead. In fact, we probably should have been leading by another goal or two.

Trapanovski should have made it 3-1 and put the game beyond our neighbours but it wasn’t to be and with 11 minutes left. The one error on Ross Graham’s report card saw a penalty be awarded and duly converted. Just like in 2022, it finished 2-2 again.

Fans of both teams will claim they deserved the win, but overall, a draw was probably a fair result. For us, this match will likely be filed under the ‘What if’ category. What if Trapanovski had gotten past the goalkeeper and tapped it in...

The game was end-to-end, filled with action, only one instance of VAR, drama, chances, clearances, last-gasp tackles, and singing songs about our arch-rivals - a brilliant derby atmosphere and an excellent advert for Scottish football!

No sign of bloodthirsty sharks today, but then again, they haven’t had a feeding frenzy at Tannadice for 20 years.

Ronny Costello can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast , external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

20-year-old Miller Thomson produced an exciting performance for Dundee United in a thrilling Dundee derby.

If that showing, including his goal, is anything to go by, what a prospect.

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It's fair to say Jim Goodwin knows a thing or two about captaincy.

Having had the armband wrapped round his bicep often enough in his own playing days, he knows the tools required for the trade.

In the absence of club captain Ross Docherty and last season's vice-captain Tony Watt in Sunday's curtain-raiser against Dundee, the United manager had a decision to make.

Instead of opting for one of his Championship winners, summer signing David Babunski led the team out at Tannadice.

In pre-season, last year's player of the year Craig Sibbald was handed the armband, but Goodwin explained why the midfielder didn't have it in the derby.

“Craig Sibbald has had it in pre-season but he is not the most vocal,” said the former St Mirren skipper. “He leads by example. He is a good team player.

“Babunski is a bit more vocal and is going to be a big player for us, albeit I don’t think we saw the best of him on Sunday because it was so intense in the middle of the park.

“I could give it to Declan Gallagher, Kevin Holt or Ross Graham or a number of players in the squad.

"The armband is neither here nor there. I want leaders all over the park.”

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin rues delays associated with Brexit that have held up new winger Meshack Ubochioma getting to full fitness. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Watch Sportscene analysis of Miller Thomson's performance in the Dundee derby.

We asked you for your thoughts following Sunday's pulsating Dundee derby.

Here's what you had to say:

Chris: The best DFC side since 99/00 needed an awful lot of help to sneak a draw against a newly promoted United side still clearly bedding in.

It's disappointing to leave with a point but there's a lot of promising signs between the ultra-direct style of play and the new signings showing real quality. Will Ferry early shout for Player of the Year.

Paul: Should’ve had Dundee buried by half-time... looking good. A few foreign gems there, dying to see them hit their stride! As a footnote fair play to Dundee giving a guard of honour.

Ben: First game back up so the rust and pressure was on. I'll take the draw. Now we build off it and get that defence sorted! New lads looked good and hungry which is key for our survival this season.

George: Good solid start with a 'new' team still getting to know each other. Positives for the season ahead.

Ross: A game of two halves. Utd had the upper hand in the first, the Dee in the second. Two penalty decisions (one for, one against) when neither were, made it probably a fair result.

"A bit disappointed, but an element of relief as well."

After a pulsating Dundee derby on opening day, you can guarantee many fans on both sides of the road would have shared the thoughts of writer and United supporter, Neil Forsyth.

United - Championship winners - were welcomed onto the pitch with a guard of honour from their city rivals, who finished sixth in the top flight last season, and Forsyth said his club "more than matched Dundee" on Sunday, which gives him confidence for the season ahead.

"You just need to work off today," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "They had a great season, so I certainly don't see why we can't have a mid-table finish if we play like that.

"We've made some good signings, there's a strong bench as well, so hopefully it makes for quite an exciting season ahead.

"It feels like we've got a decent squad and I certainly don't think we'll be in any problems at the bottom of the table."

Watch the best of the action from Tannadice as Dundee United and Dundee share four goals in an opening-day thriller. (Available to UK users only)