EVERY WORD | JIM GOODWIN PREVIEWS VISIT OF MOTHERWELL

Dundee United Manager Jim Goodwin spoke to the broadcast media ahead of our William Hill Premiership clash with Motherwell on Matchday Ten.

The Irishman discusses the busy William Hill Premiership schedule, managing the squad and hitting in-house targets for the first third of the campaign.

ON MOTHERWELL AND HAVING THE CHANCE TO BOUNCE BACK FROM PITTODRIE DEFEAT SO QUICKLY:

"The last time we played Motherwell it was a close encounter, we came out on the wrong side of the result in the cup but you know they're a very well-organised team, they carry a real attacking threat and we have to respect them but at the same time, we're delighted that the game is coming so quickly after the disappointment of the weekend in Aberdeen and it’s a really good opportunity to put things right."

ON AVAILABILITY OF THE SQUAD:

"Unfortunately, I think this midweek game is going to come a little bit too soon for a few of the injured lads. They're making great progress, in particular Ross Graham and Louis Moult and we're hopeful of having those guys available for the game at the weekend, but this Wednesday we'll have to go with the squad that we had available to us against Aberdeen."

ON LUCA STEPHENSON, RYAN STRAIN AND COMPETITION FOR PLACES:

"You want to have competition right throughout the squad and unfortunately in recent weeks we haven't had that, particularly in the middle of the pitch there's a big demand on the likes of Ševelj and Babunski.

"I was pleased to get Odada some minutes on Saturday, but we are missing some influential players like our captain Ross Docherty and Craig Sibbald, who's been a mainstay in the team since I came to the club.

"We're light of options at the top end of the pitch as well with Louis Moult being out so as manager you just tend to focus on the players that you have available to you. You're right to point out Luca Stephenson - he's been excellent in that right wingback role, he’s made that his own. The great thing about Luca is he can play a number of different positions. We moved him into the middle of the park on Saturday just to try and give us a bit more legs in there.

"Ryan Strain is not in a position yet where he can start a game given the severity of the injury that he had, we have to make sure that we prepare him properly for when that time comes."

ON MANAGING RYAN STRAIN’S RETURN

"We're all desperate to get Ryan in the team because we know how good he is - he's probably been the outstanding player in that position in the league for a couple of seasons now and he’s chomping at the bit to get back playing, but he understands the situation as well.

"We have constant dialogue with the surgeon and the medical team, there is a plan in place for Ryan to make sure that he's fully fit and ready and there isn't going to be any risk of any breakdown in the process."

ON KRISTIJAN TRAPANOVSKI:

"He’s another one who's back from a hamstring injury and was just a little bit fatigued going into the second half. His hamstring was starting to tighten up a little bit which is why we had to make the change and we were under a lot of pressure in that second half from Aberdeen so we had to change the system a little bit to try and stem the flow of the attacks that Aberdeen were having.

"Kristijan will be fine for Wednesday."

ON THE BATTLE FOR A PLACE IN THE TOP SIX:

"I think Motherwell will have a similar outlook to ourselves in terms of making sure we garner enough points to stay in the premiership but then having inside ambitions of trying to force their way into that top half of the table - that’s similar I imagine to seven or eight other teams in the league as well.

"They're a very good team as I said they've got a really good blend of experience and youth within the squad. Lennon Miller is stealing the show at the moment with his goal contributions and it's great to see a young Scottish talent being given the opportunity by his manager and taking it."

ON EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS:

"That's along the lines of the meeting that I had with the players this morning when we were doing our debrief with regards to the Aberdeen game and trying to put things into perspective.

"The immediate emotions after the game are ones of disappointment because we lost the game and we went up there with a plan to try and bring a positive result back down the road but I think it's important to remind ourselves where we've come from in terms of promotion from the Championship and the volume of new players that we've brought in.

"That Aberdeen game was only our second defeat in the league up to now. I think in terms of where we are at the moment I'm really pleased, especially with all the other things going on with regards to the lack of strength and depth - we want to get to that situation where we've got real depth and competition for places but it's not going to happen overnight.

"We've had one summer window, it's very much a work in progress as far as I'm concerned and it's the beginning of the project. We’ve got an opportunity on Wednesday night if results go our way to be sitting fourth in the table after ten games which is quite remarkable for such a new group."

ON LOOKING UP THE TABLE:

"We’re being really positive. The second half on Saturday was a real tough test and I think Aberdeen were excellent in that second 45 minutes. We're delighted with the position that we're in at the moment but we can't take our eye off the ball, we've all been in the game long enough to know how quickly things can turn either positively or negatively.

"If we start you know thinking too far ahead and start getting comfortable in this position then things can change very soon, so we have to approach this Motherwell game as the home team, being on the front foot and being positive but at the same time giving Motherwell the utmost respect because I know that they carry a real threat themselves."

ON MANAGING A SMALLER SQUAD DURING BUSY PERIODS:

"Some of the bigger teams in the league with with the bigger squads will no doubt be able to freshen things up mid-week and then make a number of changes prior to the weekend as well.

"We don't have that luxury ourselves at the moment, but there's no point making excuses about it. The players know what's at stake and they'll get the best of recovery with the sports science team and everything else to make sure that we're ready for the game on Wednesday."

ON PUTTING A GAP BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THE REST OF THE TABLE WITH A VICTORY:

"We haven't taken our eyes off the teams below us by any means, we're well aware of where we are at the moment and the points difference between the teams. We're really trying to focus on the positives and the reason why we've got the kind of results that we've got, it's been real grit and determination and we've had to grind out some results of late.

"We’ve got a very good defensive record, I think it's the fourth-best in the league at the moment, and we're one of only four teams in the league with a positive goal difference so there are lots of good things but I reiterate the point that we can't get relaxed.

"We can't allow ourselves to stop doing the basics well which is what has put us in this position in the first place. I think the league is really competitive, it's the most competitive it's probably been for a number of years.

"I would expect Hearts and Hibernian to improve - I think it's a false position for both teams at the moment given the strength in depth within both squads. The new Hearts manager has come in and had a really positive impact but we can't overly concern ourselves with other teams.

"We just have to trust in our process and believe in what we're trying to do - hopefully, off the back of that we'll get some positive results."

ON LEARNING LESSONS FROM FIR PARK QUARTER-FINAL DISAPPOINTMENT:

"I don't know if revenge is the right word. I think over the course of that game when we equalised in the second half I felt we were in the ascendancy and if a team was going to go and get that winner I think most people at the game would have felt it would have been us because we were well on top at that point.

"It was the last minute of the game where a rash decision has cost us a penalty, and ultimately there wasn't enough time on the clock then for us to get back into the game.

"It was a disappointment, it was an opportunity to get to a Semi-Final and to Hampden and we’ll have to watch those games now this weekend with slight envy that we're not one of those teams involved but the league is the main priority.

"We're on track to hit our targets for the first third of the season and we've got some really important games coming up with Motherwell, Hibs and Ross County. These games represent an opportunity, we feel, to get points but certainly games that we need to be careful of as well."