Goodwin has 'big conundrum' to solve for United

[BBC]

Dundee United's Past two games have summed their season up – a 4-2 away defeat to Rangers followed by a 3-2 home win over bottom club Livingston.

They are a team who fare reasonably well on the attacking front, but have struggled to keep the door shut at the back. That assessment is reinforced by the stats.

Jim Goodwin's side have netted 45 times in the league this season – that places them sixth (alongside Falkirk) in terms of goals scored. But it has been a different story on the defensive front where they have conceded 54 times, with only Kilmarnock and Livingston shipping more goals.

And they are second bottom of the pile (with Dundee) when it comes to clean sheets having mustered just five shutouts – only relegation-haunted Livi have fared worse.

Given all of that it is perhaps unsurprising they find themselves drifting towards the end of the campaign in Premiership's no-man's land.

United are seventh in the table, seven points above eighth-placed Aberdeen and more importantly a hefty 12 clear of who occupy the relegation play-off spot.

Being top of the bottom six, and safe from relegation, will be little consolation for a team that were looking to build on last season's impressive fourth-place finish.

Goodwin will undoubtedly now be firmly focused on building for next term, where finding that balance between front and back in his team will be the big conundrum he has to solve.

[BBC]