First Team

JIM GOODWIN | WE'LL BE A TOUGH MATCH FOR ANY OPPOSITION

1st September 2023

United Manager Jim Goodwin is well acquainted with the threat posed by cinch Championship new boys Airdrieonians as he looks to guide his side through a sixth successive match without defeat this Saturday.

Watch the Gaffer's press conference from the DUFC Training Centre in full below!

Stylish Somerset Showing

First casting an eye back over last weekend's resounding win on the West Coast, Goodwin was insistent the match wasn't a cakewalk for the Terrors despite the final score.

A closely contested first period preceded a second of dominance for United. The tightly-shut Ayr United door was finally pried open on 58 minutes when Kevin Holt rose highest in the area to power a headed effort into the back of the net.

Louis Moult then sent a delicious lob over Charlie Albinson less than four minutes later to put the baton firmly in tangerine hands. Defender Holt iced the cake for the visitors in stoppage time as he slammed Kai Fotheringham's pinpoint delivery home from point-blank range.

Watch our Story of the Match feature for a more in-depth look back at Matchday Three!

He began "People may look at the result from last Saturday and think it was a fairly straightforward and comfortable win but it wasn’t at all. The first half was very tight, Ayr United sat with a lot of men behind the ball and that’s something we’ve spoken about already this season.

"The onus is on us to find solutions to break down the opposition. I think any victory on the road is satisfying but to win it in the manner we did, scoring three well-worked goals and keeping a clean sheet, was a reassurance to ourselves of what a good team we are capable of being if we apply ourselves properly."

The Somerset Park rout marked the second successive away match in which United have racked up the goals, having dismantled Dick Campbell's Arbroath 4-0 in the cinch Championship curtain-raiser.

"We scored three against Ayr last Saturday and a bundle-load against Arbroath on the opening day. We also should’ve scored more against Dunfermline so we look capable of scoring two or three per game and the fact we make life so difficult for opposition teams to score against bodes well for the season ahead."

Captain Fantastic

Matchday Three also heralded the return of United skipper Ross Docherty, who missed the Dunfermline Athletic game with an impact injury.

Deployed in the heart of the action, the 30-year-old was instrumental, winning no fewer than 17 duels and recovering possession 16 times. In addition to this, Docherty carried a threat going forward, making seven passes into the final third.

On the return of his battleground leader, the Gaffer said: "Doc has been a great signing for us. It goes to show what I think of him having made him club captain. He is very much the leader of the group, setting standards in training on a daily basis and looking to drive players on. 

We missed him against Dunfermline and you saw the reaction the group gave him when he returned against Ayr United. He was very calm and composed - very much a controlling figure in the middle of the park for us. He’s one of many important players within the group for us.

Deadline Day

As the press conference unfolded on the eve of transfer deadline day, wheeling and dealing was predictably the main topic of discussion in St Andrews.

Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign, the club moved quickly to identify and secure a number of targets in the summer window, as seven new faces descended on the city of Discovery.

Facing the inevitable queries on potential further additions as the clock ticks down towards midnight, Goodwin continued: "I can’t wait for the window to be closed so we can talk about something else to be honest with you!

"I know it's an exciting 24 hours for football fans and they’re always sitting on the edge of their seats, but from our point of view, we were very well organised going into the window and we managed to get all of our business done very early.

"I’m very pleased with the business we have done and the way we have structured the squad. However, if a player we believe will add real quality to the group is available then we are in a position to do something."

Versatility has been a pivotal aspect of this summer's recruitment process, with players such as Liam Grimshaw and Kevin Holt able to operate in a multitude of positions across the park.

Furthermore, the squad has been enhanced by the integration of various Academy graduates taking a more prominent role. Declan Glass made his second competitive start of the season against Ayr United, and his tantalising corner set up the opening goal, whilst substitute Fotheringham also grabbed an assist.  

"We’ve got a couple of players who can play multiple positions, a lot of experienced, senior players, who have been there and done it before and we’ve got hungry, up-and-coming players who are chomping at the bit for an opportunity.

"If you look at the strength and depth we have within the group, I think we’re in a very fortunate position. We have a very strong and competitive team right now."

On potential outgoings, the 41-year-old briefly commented: "The Mark Birighitti situation has been well-documented for a couple of months and that hasn’t changed but we're not looking to move anybody else on and we don’t want to lose anyone at this stage."

A Force To Be Reckoned With

Newly-promoted Airdrieonians head to Tayside with a reputation for playing a stylish brand of football which saw them navigate their way into the second tier of Scottish football for the first time in a decade.

Player-manager Rhys McCabe, the youngest boss in the SPFL pyramid, has implemented a possession-based 4-3-3 system that puts emphasis on rapid vertical ball progression and well-rehearsed attacking rotations.

Therefore, it's likely we'll see the Diamonds take a slightly different, attacking approach to most opposition who make the journey to Tannadice this season

Goodwin was vociferous in his praise for the Lanarkshire outfit when questioned on the threats posed by McCabe's men

"I have a lot of admiration for the way Airdrie are trying to play the game at the moment. I think Rhys McCabe deserves a lot of credit - it's great to see young managers given the opportunities first and foremost, but then to see them be brave enough to play the type of football that Airdrie are at the moment is brilliant. 

"They did it in League One last year and got promoted off the back of it and Rhys hasn’t changed his style of play which is great credit to him. They’re trying to build from the back and play through the different zones and they’re very brave when they do it.

"Saturday will bring its own different challenges. The shape of the team will be very important to make sure we don’t allow them to play through us."

"We'll Be A Tough Match For Any Opposition"

However, United still enter Matchday Four as heavy favourites for the three points, having scored eight goals in the last three matches and conceding just one in reply. 

"We’re really looking forward to the game and we’re delighted to be back in front of our home crowd. We had over 9,000 at the match against Dunfermline so hopefully we’ll get a similar volume of people through the gates on Saturday."

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"If we play to the level that we are capable of, we’ll be a tough match for any opposition.

"From our point of view, we’re in a very good place. Confidence-wise, the boys are feeling good about themselves, we have got that bit of momentum and we want to carry on this unbeaten run for as long as we can.

"We have to go into every game believing we are good enough to win, but if we don’t, the most important thing is that we don’t get beat."

Team News

"Kieran Freeman and Chris Mochrie are back in amongst the squad which is very pleasing so we have a very strong and healthy group to choose from" revealed the Gaffer. However, Craig Sibbald remains unavailable for selection with a short-term ankle injury.

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