Dundee

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Tony Docherty demands "more on the pitch responsibility" from his Dundee team as they look to move out of the dreaded relegation play-off position.

The Dark Blues are currently five games without a win in the league, and have lost their last three, conceding 14 goals in the process.

It's a sequence that has seen them drop to second bottom in the Premiership table, two points behind 10th-placed Ross County, who they travel to play on Saturday.

Speaking ahead of the game in Dingwall, striker Simon Murray said there had been "some honest meetings".

When asked about such conversations, the manager said: "It's not anything different from what we would normally do.

"There is a working way at the football club in this environment. It's an honesty about analysing your own performance as an individual, and analysing it as a team and we do that together.

"Sometimes these meetings bring things up, but, there is always an honesty about it, to make sure we are all in it together and to make sure we can do better.

"That means, conceding fewer goal and being a bit more prolific in front of goal."

Dundee aren't too bad at the latter, with the Dens Park club scoring more goals than any other side in the top flight, outside of the Old Firm.

"Addressing the other issue about conceding goals, that's what Simon was talking about," the manager continued.

"We accept as a group, you don't just put that on to defenders and goalkeepers, we need to do more to try and restrict shots on our goal and to try and stop conceding goals.

"I have got a really honest, hard-working, conscientious group of players. They do take responsibility, but I need to see that going into matches.

"Now I need to see more on the pitch responsibility, and if we do that and we show that consistency of performance results and the work we do on the training ground, then we will give ourselves a chance of picking up points."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Tony Docherty addressed the media before Dundee travel to Dingwall to take on Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Here are the key points he made:

• Despite sitting second bottom of the Scottish Premiership, Docherty insists he's not looking at the table as "at this stage of the season, there are never any prizes won, there are never any league standings of relevance."

• Dundee have "seven cup ties" until the split and the manager pointed out the incredibly tight nature of the league.

• Docherty has spoken about the honesty within a group of players who do take responsibility adding "but I need to see that going into matches, I need to see more on the pitch responsibility".

• There were plenty pieces of play to be encouraged by in the defeat to Aberdeen he said, citing again Dundee goalscoring exploits, but said it's about "addressing the other issue about conceding goals".

• On the injury front, Scott Fraser and Billy Koumeti remain out.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Every week when I ponder what to write about Dundee, there is a temptation to look at stats.

Goals scored, goals conceded, home and away records and suchlike.

However, on this occasion it felt right to simply cut to the chase about the fact Dundee now find themselves in a very precarious position.

Not so long ago I was waxing lyrical about how they had appeared to have found their mojo.

Wind back to January and the Dark Blues were rightly getting lauded after putting together a very impressive run of just one defeat in six games in all competitions.

That was a sequence of results which included back-to-back draws with both halves of the Old Firm, and a Scottish Cup win over Dundee United.

It understandably posed the question – have Dundee turned a corner?

Well if they had, they have run straight into a brick wall. Certainly in terms of their Premiership form.

In February, the Dark Blues have lost three league games on the spin.

The latest, a 2-1 defeat to an Aberdeen side who hadn't won in the league since early November. Prior to that, they suffered chastening 6-0 Premiership defeats to both Hearts and Celtic.

It has seen them drop into the dreaded relegation play-off spot in the table, where they find themselves two points behind third-bottom Ross County, who they travel to play on Saturday.

There is no doubt there is plenty of talent in this Dundee squad, but Tony Docherty's challenge at the moment seems to be finding a way of unlocking it and letting it flourish once again.

If he can, you still feel his team will be fine this term.

One thing is for sure, this weekend's trip to Dingwall would certainly be a good place to start.

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Hearts and Dundee will kick-off the Scottish Cup quarter-final weekend when the Dark Blues travel to Tynecastle on Friday, 7 March.

The all-Premiership tie will kick-off at 19:45 GMT, and be televised live on Premier Sports.

The Jambos fired six past Tony Docherty's side earlier this month in a league meeting.

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

Since the start of the month, Dundee have been unrecognisable compared to the team that, at times this season, rightfully earned plaudits and praise.

This is a team that is only four points off the top six, and has been tipped by many to climb the league table if they could just grasp some consistency.

However the only thing that is consistent is the emphasis on how this group must 'react' to disappointing results on a regular basis.

Saturday was our seventh league defeat at Dens Park in this season.

When you consider that this includes throwing away leads to bottom of the league St Johnstone, Dundee United with half-an-hour left to play and Kilmarnock with 12 minutes left to play, it makes for a very grim reading.

Then, of course, there was Ross County on Boxing Day who held the worst away record in Europe before sizing Dundee up to break that spell.

Now to add to that list we have an Aberdeen team that hit a club record of 14 Premiership games without a win that strutted up to Dens Park, won the game and probably won't have to wash their goalkeepers gloves afterwards.

Dundee were frustratingly wasteful in the final third against the Dons and couldn't seem to find any rhythm until they were already trailing by two goals.

The midfield struggled to carry possession and find the ball when it broke into vacant spaces. Defensively we're conceding an average of two goals a game.

Dundee currently have the third worst goal difference in the league and what's remarkable is we have scored more goals than everyone else in the division, excluding Celtic and Rangers – with 55 conceded on the other end, we have the worst concession record in the division.

If Dundee finish in the bottom six, Aberdeen will have dished out points to every other team in the league, except Dundee. They'll boast a 100% record against the Dark Blues.

We could be on for a repeat of this record as Ross County have beaten Dundee in their last two meetings.

We can't afford to lose ground on the Staggies, who sit points ahead of us, while we're sitting second-bottom of the league.

The Sportscene panel discuss the potential shirt pull on Antonio Portales in the build up to Aberdeen's opening goal against Dundee on Saturday.

Aberdeen beat Dundee 2-1 at Dens Park to end their 14-game winless run in the Premiership. (UK users only)

Dundee fans, we asked for your views on Saturday's 2-1 Premiership defeat at home to Aberdeen.

Here's what some of you said:

Bob: Far too easy to play against. There seems to be an acceptance of defeat at the moment. They need to bounce back and quickly starting next week or we'll be in serious relegation trouble.

Ben: Dundee's tactic for weeks now has been a long ball up to Simon Murray who is expected to win it - which is unfair to him. We have a team full of good footballing players. We need to stick to that. I personally don't want Tony Docherty to go but results like our last three in the league don't help his case with those who would like to see him go.

Rod: I still feel we can sneak into the top six but we are running out of games. This result puts pressure on us and it could be a relegation battle if we do not get a couple of wins soon. We have an attractive style of play so I don't want us just to start punting the ball up the pitch like some other teams in the league. It's never boring being a Dee.

Jackson: Dundee have a real relegation battle on our hands. We show promise in games but lose possession in key areas, then our heads drop. Either way confidence is at all-time low after two 6-0 hammerings.

Gary: Frustrating. Again. A game of decisions, both on and off the park. Poor play leading up to both of Aberdeen's goals, the wrong ball or misplaced pass. Perhaps a double substitution at half-time might've done more too.

Brian: Same old excuses from Tony Docherty. Every week we get them and nothing changes. Today was awful and that was Docherty's team selection (again) . Sadly he has had more than enough time and to be honest should go back to being an assistant as he is never a manager.

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• Dundee attempted 22 shots in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Josh Mulligan has assisted five goals in the Premiership this season, more than any other Dundee player.

• Dundee have conceded 24 first-half goals in 26 games, no team has conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Kevin Nisbet and Topi Keskinen scored their fifth goals of the Premiership this season, no Aberdeen player has more.

• Aberdeen have a record of W10, D1, L1 when scoring the opening goal in the Premiership this season.

• Aberdeen are unbeaten in their past eight Premiership matches when leading at half-time (W7, D1) dating back to 2 March 2024 against St Mirren (L 2-1).

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty was frustrated with his team's defensive slackness after Saturday's 2-1 loss to Aberdeen.

"I'm hugely disappointed," he said. "We need to learn lessons and learn them quickly. There are seven games to the split and that's a game we should be taking something from.

"The first goal, there was a tug on [Antonio] Portales' jersey and the fourth official said to us there was a tug on the jersey. My staff saw the same. We didn't think the goal would stand. I don't know what VAR have done with that. We were negligent there, we allowed someone free at the back post. But there was a pull and I don't know why that wasn't picked up.

"Second goal, again, we need to take full responsibility for that. We allow the throw-in to get to the striker's feet, we win possession, then lose it, and we don't get pressure on the ball. These things, we need to take responsibility for. It's a bit self-inflicted.

"We are converting chances, we just need to make sure we need to tighten up at the back. It's just mistakes

"The league table is so tight. If we can make sure we still carry that goal threat, and stop the negligence, we will give ourselves a chance of winning these games and making sure our objectives for the season are met."

Dundee fans, what was your assessment of Saturday's defeat by Aberdeen?

Share your thoughts with us here., external

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Dundee will be bitterly disappointed to take nothing from this match, but can at least reflect on some positive individual performances.

Josh Mulligan, once more, was a constant menace down the right, teeing up Seb Palmer-Houlden for his goal, and defended stoutly when Aberdeen had spells of pressure.

Mo Sylla brought typical steel to central midfield and Palmer-Houlden himself provided a cutting edge off the bench.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Fans have seen this Dundee movie before. It's not that they didn't play well in spells, they just couldn't convert the chances they created.

This was indeed eerily similar to the last time they hosted the Dons back at the end of September, also a 2-1 defeat. They had an early flurry of chances but were foiled by Ross Doohan in the away goal. They then found themselves two goals down and seemingly out of it.

There's plenty of spirit in this Dundee side though, as witnessed by the performances against Rangers and Celtic recently. Those displays have been too few and far between, however, in a season in which they have struggled to find any real consistency. Hence their position in the bottom six.

Their upcoming games against Ross County, Motherwell and St Johnstone may well determine whether they're able to mount a challenge yet for the top half of the table.

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Dundee forward Seb Palmer-Houlden returns while Billy Koumetio (ankle) and Scott Fraser (groin) remain out.

Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov is back in the squad after injury.

Jamie McGrath, Gavin Molloy (both shoulder), Ester Sokler (hamstring), Dante Polvara (leg), Vicente Besuijen (knee) and Jack Milne (ankle) remain out.

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Dundee's third-choice goalkeeper Harry Sharp has extended his contract until summer 2027.

Sharp, 23, is a product of the youth academy at Dens Park and made his debut in 2019, going on to make 24 appearances for the first team.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland Under-17s goalkeeper Alastair Graham has moved from Dundee to English Premier League side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee.

Graham had been for trial spells at Newcastle, Southampton, and Arsenal before opting for Forest.

The 16-year-old almost moved to the Champions League chasers last summer as part of a swap deal with Aaron Donnelly, who ended up joining the Dark Blues last month.

Graham played for Dundee's Under-18s and reserves but never made a first-team appearance having come through SFA performance school St John's Academy.

He is the second Dundee youngster to leave for the English top flight this season after Seb Lochhead moved to Wolves last summer.

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Aaron Donnelly says Dundee are fired up for "revenge" against Hearts in the Scottish Cup quarter-final after being thrashed 6-0 by Neil Critchley's side a fortnight ago.

Tony Docherty's men will visit Tynecastle in the last eight next month and defender Donnelly said: "We know it's a tough draw.

"It's not an easy place to go to but I think it's time to get revenge on Hearts, definitely.

"It was obviously a very tough week. We lost to Hearts and lost to Celtic. But the group we have, we know we always want to bounce back.

"We wanted to prove and get ourselves into the quarter-final of the cup. We're really looking forward to playing Hearts."

Having eased past Airdrie in the cup, Dundee return to Premiership action at home to Aberdeen on Saturday looking to respond from successive 6-0 league losses to Hearts and Celtic that have dropped them to 10th in the table.

"I think those two games were an anomaly," Donnelly added. "It never happened last season but it's happened this season and we're looking to put it right on Saturday.

"The league's very tight. If you go on a run of consistent form, you win two or three on the bounce, you can start looking up.

"Last season we had a very good run before the split and we finished in the top six, and that'll be our aim for this season as well."

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• Dundee have conceded more goals (53) and faced a higher expected goals against total (46.1) than any other side in the Premiership this season. Indeed, it's the most goals any side have conceded in their first 25 matches of a top-flight campaign since Dunfermline in 2011-12 (54).

• Dundee have won just two of their past 30 league meetings with Aberdeen (D8 L20), although both of those did come at home, winning 2-1 in October 2021 and 1-0 in March 2024.

• Aberdeen have won both of their league meetings with Dundee in 2024-25, as many as their previous seven matches against them beforehand (W2 D3 L2).

• Both of Dundee's past two Scottish Premiership games have been 6-0 losses (v Hearts and Celtic), making them the first side to suffer two 6+ goal margins of defeat in a single season in the competition since Motherwell in 2015-16.

• Aberdeen have lost eight of their past nine league games (D1), as many as their previous 37 beforehand (W17 D12 L8).

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Tony Docherty wants Aberdeen to be forced to play "the crowd in the stands" as well as his Dundee team at Dens Park on Saturday.

The Dark Blues welcome Jimmy Thelin's out-of-form Dons in the Premiership after both teams booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup last weekend.

Dundee were "hell-bent on getting back on track" against Airdrieonians after suffering back-to-back 6-0 defeats, says Docherty, as he highlighted the importance of the home support against an Aberdeen team aiming for a first league win in 15 games.

"I'm really pleased we're at home because I think again you saw on Saturday the impact the crowd have on the players here," the Dundee boss said.

"I thought we came out of the traps and won the game comfortably in the first half - arguably within 20 minutes - because of the way we attacked the game.

"I could see the intent in the players, the mentality, and for me, that was the most pleasing thing.

"They were hell-bent on getting back on course, and they did that."

The manager stressed he is searching for the same level of performance that dismantled the Diamonds 4-0.

"I don't want just the Aberdeen team to play the team on the pitch, I want them to play the crowd in the stands as well," he added.

"The crowd have got a big part to play, as they they always have, and I hope they'll play that part on Saturday as well."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Tony Docherty spoke to the media before Dundee's Scottish Premiership match at home to Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here are the key points:

• Reacting to Dundee drawing Hearts away in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, Docherty said it could have been better, could haave been worse, but, it's on "the backburner for now".

• The manager was pleased about "getting back on track" with the 4-0 cup win over Airdrie after "a wee bump in the road" of successive 6-0 defeats by Hearts and Celtic.

• He added there is "a real spring" about the players and "a togetherness" in training.

• On Saturday's opponents Aberdeen, Docherty admitted his "surprise" at their 14-game winless league run, saying "no one could have predicted it".

• Dundee are in a position where they "are the masters of their own destiny" and so Docherty is aiming for "a run of consistency" to make a "decent" season into a "really good"one.

• The manager confirmed Seb Palmer-Houlden is available after suffering an injury last week.