Dundee

We asked for your views on Dundee's 4-1 win against Hibs.

Here's what some of you said:

Grant: Delighted we punished a ten man team. We failed to do this twice last season. We have good players and just need to stop conceding as we have goals in this side.

Neil: A brilliant result! Great squad, top-six and Europe is the realistic goal.

John: Deserved win but a poor Hibs team. Red card helped us get more space and with Jordan McGhee and Mo Sylla either side, Cameron Lyall had his best game for ages. Kudos to Josh Mulligan, Scott Fraser and Clark Robertson. Antonio Portales also did what he does best and defend. Still doubts about Billy Koumetio for me.

Rod: I never worry about us scoring even when we go behind. Although people talk about us losing Luke McCowan, Simon Murray is a more important player with his energy, leadership and influence in games. Even when not scoring he is pressing defences into mistakes or getting us penalties, without him we would have really missed McCowan.

Gary: The fog didn't ruin a stylish performance from Dundee. The midfield were excellent and the rest of the team played their part in a really convincing win, albeit against 10 men. Usually teams needing a result get it at Dens but thankfully the Dee limited them. As good a win as you'll see, or not!

Neil: Great win. For the first time in a long time we really took advantage of the extra man. Mulligan ripped into Hibs like Ben Doak, and fellow local lad Cameron controlled the middle of the pitch. We haven’t got the points we deserve this season, we should have won at home to Aberdeen and Kilmarnock, we'd have been ahead of our arch rivals in fourth.

Brian: Until Hibs went down to 10 men we looked so disjointed, once we levelled the scores there was only one winner. In the second half we really should have went for it and bettered our goal difference. However a good three points, Mulligan was awesome.

Ronnie: Excellent result and great to see Mulligan getting plaudits after a dominant performance. Joy over the win should be tempered given Hibs were down to 10 men and were giving Dundee a torrid time at the start. Tony Docherty needs to work on why it was they let Hibs bully them initially but well done to the team.

Iain: One thing nobody seems to mention is our inability to convert chances when they arrive. We have been very much on top of teams in most games and yet have failed to capitalise on chances created, against Aberdeen Oluwaseun Adewumi spurned two decent chances and then we had the penalty miss. If two of these chances had been taken victory would have been ours.

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• Curtis Main has scored his second goal in the Premiership this season, netting for the first time since 31st August 2024 against St Mirren.

• Hibernian have conceded 10 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee have scored four goals in a game for the first time since 27th January 2024 against Livingston (W4-1).

• Hibernian have failed to win in their last eight games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 16th December 2023 to 17th February 2024.

Dundee fans, whether you were watching on at Dens Park or following along from home, we want to hear your thoughts on this evening's victory over Hibernian.

Let us know here, external.

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty tells Premier Sports: "I'm delighted for the players. We started poor. Credit to Hibs, you could see they played for their manager when they came out.

"After the sending off, we showed a real maturity in our performance. We managed the second half and got a second goal, it shows our team is developing.

"It is a great reward for the players. I see the effort they put in daily."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Sometimes it can take one incident to ignite a season – perhaps that Jordan Obita red card for Hibernian could be the catalyst that does just that for Dundee.

Up to that point it looked like it was going to be a long night for the home side, after that they were a team transformed, playing with the swagger and attacking intent that was the hallmark of Tony Docherty’s team last season.

Dundee have played some good football this term without always getting results. Docherty will be hoping victory - and the manner of it - can be a launchpad.

Three valuable points must provide the manager with real belief that his team can find themselves in the winners' enclosure more often than not over the coming weeks and months.

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Josh Mulligan dominated for the full 90 minutes in midfield, looking a constant threat while carrying the ball forward down the right flank.

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Tony Docherty opts to make four changes to the Dundee side that fell to a 4-1 defeat to Aberdeen before the international break.

Trevor Carson returns in goal, forcing keeper Jon McCracken onto the bench.

Centre-back Billy Koumetio and full-back Antonio Portales come into the backline - replacing Ryan Astley and Ziyad Larkeche, respectively.

The final change sees Burnley loanee Oluwaseun drop out in place of central midfielder Finlay Robertson.

Larkeche, Scott Fraser, Julien Vetro and Joe Shaughnessy all miss out through injury.

Dundee: Carson, Portales, Koumetio, C Robertson, McGhee, Sylla, Mulligan, Cameron, F Robertson, Palmer-Houlden, Murray.

Substitutes: McCracken, Sharp, Ingram, Astley, Tiffoney, Main, Adewumi, Braybrooke.

Hibernian: Bursik, C Cadden, Bushiri, O’Hora, Obita, Triantis, Campbell, Newell, N Cadden, Kuharevich, Youan.

Substitutes: Smith, Miller, Levitt, Boyle, Iredale, Kwon, Hoilett, Gayle, Molotnikov.

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Dundee are without Ziyad Larkeche (hamstring) and Scott Fraser (groin) as well as Julien Vetro, who is with parent club Burnley as he prepares to return to contention after fainting prior to the match against Kilmarnock earlier this month.

Goalkeeper Trevor Carson could be back in the squad, but captain Joe Shaughnessy (knee) is still out.

Hibs welcome back Mykola Kuharevich after suspension and Lewis Miller could return after missing the defeat by St Mirren through injury but Kieron Bowie (hamstring) remains sidelined.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Captain Simon Murray says Dundee need to become "street smart" to tighten up and improve their fluctuating fortunes.

The seventh-place Dark Blues, who have three wins in 12 this season, have shipped an average of two goals per game and lost eight points from winning positions.

Speaking before Saturday’s visit of bottom club Hibernian, striker Murray said: "We have done a lot of analysis on where we are going wrong because we are doing some really good things in terms of goals scored.

"So it is just the other side now and maybe being a bit street smart at certain times and making sure we are focused for the full 90 minutes.

"It is not like we are searching for goals, things are coming, we have been playing well. It is just piecing that all together and getting the wins gives you confidence as well, it feeds through the whole team.

"We had a clean sheet at Motherwell, they are doing quite well, and we showed great character to come back against Kilmarnock. So it is the consistency because in between those we have had results that haven't gone our way and we have maybe made mistakes."

Murray is enjoying the responsibility of leading the side in the absence of injured Joe Shaughnessy.

The 32-year-old striker, who has scored nine goals this season, said: "It is a privilege to wear the armband.

"It is something you have to embrace. I am enjoying it, it would be nice to get a few more wins with it on.

"We have a really young team here and I am one of the oldest outfield players, so it is definitely something I feel I can bring to them. I can still learn off them as well so it is good."

We asked you what's the one thing nobody is talking about in relation to Dundee - good or bad.

Here's what some of you said:

Lambert: Last season we gave up so many points from good positions and this season seems to be exactly the same. Injuries have not done us any favours and holding on to Luke McCowan for so long did not help matters. The fact remains Tony Docherty needs to sort this out ASAP before we are in a relegation battle. We have been through that too many times before.

John: Lyall Cameron is a liability in centre midfield. There is no doubt he is a good player (not great). He tries his best but one or two good passes in a game is not enough. A good Championship player perhaps. It's all down to his build. Such a pity. If he was only a bit stronger in all departments.

David: The international break has come at the perfect time (not often you say that). I predict this will allow Docherty to implement much-needed tactical changes which could turn the season the right way round. He'll maybe even drop some players who are too comfortable in the starting XI.

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Dundee and Mexican side Monterrey have announced a strategic partnership that will "benefit both clubs in player development".

The Dens Park club also say the deal will "open a pathway to European football" for youngsters from the Monterrey academy.

Earlier this year, Dundee entered into a similar partnership with English Championship side Burnley.

"We look forward to this agreement providing great benefits to both clubs over the coming years," chairman Tim Keyes said.

Nicolas Martellotto, director of the Monterrey academy, says the partnership "represents a great opportunity for players to migrate to Europe and continue their development outside of Mexico".

Meanwhile, Dundee managing director John Nelms added: "[Monterrey] have a fantastic youth set-up with over 15,000 individuals in their youth academies, spanning across multiple countries."

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• Dundee have won just one of their last 16 top-flight meetings with Hibs (D7 L8), a 3-1 victory in May 2022 under Mark McGhee.

• Hibs have won four of their last seven top-flight away games at Dundee (D2 L1), more than their previous 12 beforehand (W3 D3 L6).

• Dundee have conceded 2+ goals in nine of their last 10 league games (21 total), including each of their last four in a row since a 1-0 win at Motherwell in October.

• Hibs have only won one of their last 15 away league outings (D8 L6), and are winless in seven (D3 L4) since beating St Johnstone 3-1 in April last season.

• Dundee have had more direct attacks (20) than any side in the Scottish Premiership this season, while only Celtic (94) and Rangers (94) have forced more high turnovers in the division this term than the Dark Blues (83).

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty is "really confident" his side will start turning their positive performances into wins.

Despite playing some good football at times this term, the Dark Blues have mustered just three victories in 12 league games so far.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's visit of bottom club Hibs, Docherty said: "I'm really confident because you need, especially when you are in my position, to trust the process.

"There has to be a belief and a trust from the players. If I don't believe it they won't believe it.

"It is important to remember, I think we lost 19 players and brought in 15 this year, so there is a time for them all to gel. But I see the hard work and conscientious players that are buying in to what we are doing.

"That is a process, within that process there has to be individual development and improvement in individual players, but as a collective you need to see that consistency of performance.

"I am confident that if we keep working the way we are, if we keep that trust and belief, then those consistent performances will lead to results."

While Dundee's form has been patchy, they remain handily positioned in seventh place in the table, albeit just four points off the bottom.

"It is documented we have made a lot of individual mistakes but the important bit for that is learning," added Docherty.

"It is a young squad, it is important that we address things honestly.

"There has been a lot to like about our positive play but we need to try and develop individuals and have a performance level that is consistent that would allow us to pick up results."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premiership visit of Hibernian.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• Defender Ziyad Larkeche will be "out for quite a while" with a hamstring injury.

• Scott Fraser is having an operation to resolve a groin issue and Docherty is hopeful he will be back in four weeks.

• The Dens boss is "really confident" his team will turn their good performances into wins and says you have to "trust the process".

• Docherty wants his players to learn from their mistakes and says the international break has been "really important to gel the squad".

• He points out the high turnover of players at the club in the summer and is striving to achieve more consistency in terms of getting a 90-minute performance.

• Docherty says his team have to hammer home the advantage when they are on top in games.

• He is expecting "a difficult game" against a Hibs team that have good players despite being bottom of the league but stresses "it is very much about us".

Dundee are seeking greater consistency this season as they look to build on their impressive exploits of last term.

It's an exciting time for the club on and off the pitch, with a new training facility on the way and plans for a state-of-the-art stadium at Camperdown awaiting council approval.

But what is the one thing nobody is talking about in relation to Dundee - good or bad?

Let us know., external

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Dundee certainly can't be accused of not giving youth a chance.

For example, seven of the 11 players who started their last game – against Aberdeen at Pittodrie – were aged 24 or younger.

Let's break that down further in terms of age: Jon McCracken (24), Ryan Astley (23), Ziyad Larkeche (22), Josh Mulligan (22), Lyall Cameron (22), Seb Palmer-Houlden (20) and Oluwaseun Adewumi (19).

And three of the five subs used during that 4-1 defeat were aged 22 or under – Finlay Robertson (22), Billy Koumetio (22) and Ethan Ingram (21).

The Dark Blues deserve to be applauded for this, but it does pose the classic football conundrum.

While it is great to see younger players getting first-team action, it also perhaps makes consistency of results harder to achieve.

Seventh-place Dundee have struggled to put winning runs together this season and the unpredictable nature of a younger starting line-up has undoubtedly been a determining factor behind some of those results.

But with so much talent in his squad, manager Tony Docherty will be confident his young charges will get into the victory groove and start delivering in a season that could still yield plenty for the Dens Park side.

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

The prospect of playing the league's bottom team at home would normally enforce a positive mindset for fans.

Unfortunately life as a Dundee supporter develops the sense of what the worst possible outcome could be.

To lose to Hibs on their current run would be a disaster, but not unheard of. Dundee have an awful history of being the side that knocks out-of-form teams back to winning ways.

We currently have an issue with injuries too. Ziyad Larkeche has been our most consistent performer this season and he's out for months. A huge blow. He is our only natural left-back, with the second choice being midfielder Finlay Robertson, who is also out for a few weeks.

Scott Fraser appears to also be absent for the Christmas crunch of fixtures, goalkeeper Trevor Carson is out for the foreseeable and club captain Joe Shaugnessy isn't expected back until at least January.

It presents an opportunity for players who haven't been in the fold lately to step up and rise to the challenge. I am thinking of the likes of Sammy Braybrooke and Billy Koumetio.

The season doesn't hinge on this weekend, but a victory could prove hugely important by May. If we can kick Hibs while they're down, it will propel us further up the league and provide some momentum for the looming crucial festive fixtures.

While the team's performances on the pitch in the past decade have fluctuated, there's zero doubt the club has made excellent progress off the pitch.

We have been given the green light to build a training facility at Riverside and manging director John Nelms says this will wipe out 85% of the objections raised against the new stadium project at Camperdown, which is due a verdict for its planning permission in January.

These developments can help the club become a real fighting force in Scottish football again.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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After a hugely encouraging start to the campaign, Dundee's early-season form has stuttered.

Although they are only three points outside the top half, where they finished last term on their Premiership return, prolonged defensive issues are threatening a season that began so promisingly.

Tony Docherty's side don't have many problems finding net, given only top two Celtic and Aberdeen have scored more in the top flight this campaign.

It's at the opposite end they suffer, however, as just two teams have conceded more than the 24 goals they have shipped in 12 league games.

In addition to that, no club has had more expected goals generated (20.82) against them and the 185 shots they have faced is a league high.

Those numbers play a part in Dundee's problem with holding on to leads - they have lost eight points from winning positions this term.

And that's an issue that plagued the Dens Park side last season, despite them going on to achieve an impressive top-six finish while conceding the second-most goals in the division.

With an attack that's a constant threat at his disposal, Docherty now must find a way to tighten things up in defence if he is to build on his success.

Nottingham Forest are targeting 16-year-old Dundee goalkeeper Ally Graham, who has previously been on trial with the Premier League club. (The Courier, subscripton required), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Managing director John Nelms says Europe is in Dundee's sights as they target another top-six finish this season.

The Dens Park club finished sixth last term on their Premiership return but things haven't been as smooth sailing this time round, with two wins and four losses in their last six.

However, 12 matches into the campaign they sit seventh and are only three points behind St Mirren with a game in hand.

"The goal is always to be in the top six," Nelms told BBC Scotland.

"For a club like Dundee, we want to get into Europe and kind of solidify one of those six places, or one of those five places. Every year, especially this year, we are there or thereabouts.

"If we get it right and we do the recruitment in the right manner, I think you could be there or thereabouts every year."

Nelms says developing young talent is a "big focus" for the club, who led the way last season in giving Premiership game-time to Scots aged under 21, although the majority of those 3,538 minutes were racked up by one player, Lyall Cameron.

"Tony [Docherty] is focused on the development of young players, which we are as well. He has the same mindset that we have," Nelms added.

"We have developed probably more young players than most clubs have here recently. But it's a very fine line to walk. You have to get that right, you have to get the mix right, the number of young players.

"I think right now we have four Under-20 Under-21 internationals - Scotland, English and Austrian - and but we try to marry that with senior players that they can look up to and learn from."

Dundee managing director John Nelms says the Premiership club could net a further windfall in the future from 17-year-old centre-half Seb Lochhead's August transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported £300,000. (The Scotsman), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering your questions on Dundee.

Ben asked: Things were looking so promising at the start of season for us but fast forward a few months and things haven't gone quite as well as a lot of Dundee fans would have expected. What do you think is the main reason for our struggle so far? Poor tactical set-up, individual errors, lack of leaders in the squad or the loss of star man Luke McCowan?

Tom answered: Certainly the loss of star man McCowan is a massive blow. I mean, you take out Callum McGregor and the Celtic team are going to feel that. This is the same. McCowan was the talisman. He was a tremendous player for Dundee and they've lost him.

I think they're five points worse off than this time last season. It's not a disaster and there are mitigating circumstances. McCowan is one.

They've had defensive injuries as well. They've had some late lapses in games. They've had some chronic errors late in games. They conceded a late winner to St Johnstone. They conceded three late goals to Kilmarnock. And I think back to the 0-0 draw they got against Rangers in April - which was probably a terminal blow for Rangers' title prospects at the time - and Dundee had in their defence Owen Dodgson, Joe Shaughnessy, Jordan McGhee and Ricki Lamie.

Now you look at what they have. Dodgson and Lamie are no longer there. McGhee has just come back into the team. He's missed plenty of games. Shaughnessy hasn't played at all this season. So Tony Doc is having to cobble together defenders and get confidence in them.

They've gone on this cycle of conceding two and three goals a game. All that confidence eats into these guys and it just becomes a perpetual cycle that they can't stop conceding goals. They get towards the end of games and they get a bit jittery. They're lucky that Tony Doc is the guy who's done it before. Last season I think he had a tremendous season and I would bank on him to do it again.

He's an extremely experienced football man and I think he'll fix it. But they're doing fine. This is by no means a disaster.