While Motherwell have tumbled from last season’s second best to a current second bottom in the table, newly promoted Dundee are now in the top half of the league. Their convincing 3-1 and 4-1 wins over us earlier this campaign demonstrate that that their position is merited and underline the difficulty that we’ll have in winning this weekend.
Since their Ne’erday loss to United, Dundee have gone seven without loss with four wins and three draws. Our pitiful performance in 2015 shows six lost and one draw. No wonder the visitors are favourites (5/2 can be had on a Motherwell win).
Stewart returns from suspension to give Hartley a choice of strikers. Heffernan signed for Dundee on deadline day and played against Partick Thistle last week while Clarkson, who scored against us in October, was an unused substitute. Their captain, Thomson, is reported to be available having recovered from a hamstring injury.
The reconstructed Motherwell team has yet to deliver but there were some indications in Dingwall that the January signings will play a big part in the long awaited recovery. In goal, defence and midfield the new starts have shown enough to offer hope to supporters who have grown increasingly worried as the winless weeks roll on.
It will take a while before we have any idea of our best eleven but the manager does not have the luxury of time. If he can find a way to engineer a handful of points from the next three games we may see a growth in confidence that could develop into a gap above the bottom two. Last week’s game against Ross County was described as “crucial” but we lost. The pressure will only be relieved by adding points – we may be one better on Saturday with a 2-2 draw.
Rememner the last time Dundee was at Fir Park?
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