4 Dundee talking points from bleak Hibs defeat as scale of rebuild job laid bare.

The Dark Blues were soundly defeated at Dens Park – Were there any positive takeaways from the display? Dundee has a long road ahead of him.

Steven Pressley promised pain in the early stages of the season, and that is exactly what happened against a Hibernian side that didn’t need to move out of second gear. It was a painful watch with little – but not nothing – to recommend it.

This Dark Blues performance combined toothless attacking play with a dose of last season’s calamitous defence. The home side’s performance was uninspiring, with little to get fans excited about. As bleak a performance as this writer can recall.

Courier Sport was at Dens Park to pick out key talking points from the 2-1 defeat that kicked off the Premiership season.

Tale of two clubs

Just over eight months ago, Dundee won this game 4-1 at Dens Park. The win had the Dark Blues dreaming of another top-six finish, while Hibs were at the bottom of the league and wondering if relegation was on the cards. Since then, the paths of the two clubs could not be more dissimilar.

David Grey rallied his troops, replaced his custodian, and never looked back. The team finished third and qualified for European football. Dundee narrowly avoided relegation on the final day and immediately began dismantling their football department and rebuilding it.

Nine Hibees participated in the Dens game on Sunday, out of the teams that played that day last November. Only four Dees remain, with Clark and Fin Robertson starting both contests. That day, Dundee were a clear winner over an out-of-sorts Hibernian.

The tables have turned dramatically. It goes without saying that money has an impact on this. Hibs spent more than £1 million on striker Thibault Klidje this summer. They kept him on the bench on Sunday. Kieron Bowie’s fee was also close to that figure.

However, looking at the two groups of supporters tells its own story. The visiting fans were energised by their team, whereas home fans were put to sleep.

The display

Pressley was pleased with his team’s defensive shape, and Dundee appeared to be in good form for the most part. They handled everything Hibs threw at them early on.

Until a three-minute stretch that harked back to last season. Ryan Astley cleared, and the ball ricocheted off the unfortunate Ethan Ingram, landing at the feet of the most dangerous player on the pitch. Bowie made no mistakes. A terrible goal to concede.

Jordan Obita’s behind-the-scenes dash was not tracked. Imari Samuels may have blocked the first effort, but in doing so, he eliminated Jon McCracken, and the ball went straight to Bowie for No. 2. The fear at that point was complete collapse. But that did not happen.

Dundee scored their own goal after Jack Iredale made a mistake, which was capitalised on by Ashley Hay, who set up Fin Robertson for the finish. A good goal. However, that was the home team’s only shot on target.

They only had one more effort for the entire 90 minutes, and it’s difficult to recall what it was. The second half was characterised by Jon McCracken’s saves to keep his team in the game, as well as a complete inability to generate any kind of pressure. Passing from the back was poor, leaving the strikers isolated and unable to keep the ball.

There was also a noticeable lack of urgency as the half progressed, with Dundee strangely standing off the Hibs defence until the substitutions came on with 10 minutes remaining.

Hay and Emile Acquah, both strikers, should be given a break. Both were making their Premier League debuts, with no one around to tell them to get after the ball.

Simon Murray’s absence here was keenly felt.

The squad

We know the squad is five or six players short. After this, we’ll probably round up to six. However, the task of rebuilding became abundantly clear when the teams dropped.

Dundee’s XI combined for zero league goals for the club. Only Aaron Donnelly, who was on the bench, had previously scored in the Premiership for Aberdeen.

There were nine Dundee League goals on the pitch, but Josh Mulligan and Martin Boyle were on the opposing team. Clark Robertson was the only outfielder to have made more than 50 top-flight appearances. Six Dundee players made their league debuts as well.

Pressley began with a 5-3-2 in a low block before getting creative in the second half by switching to a 4-4-2. Aaron Donnelly switched from right wing-back to left-back, and Drey Wright had to play as a central midfielder for a while before moving to right wing. Cesar Garza was effectively brought on as a pressing forward, injecting some energy into the team.

However, the changes occurred far too late. Subs were ready and waiting for 10 minutes before entering the pitch, which appeared to be due to a combination of extra information from coaches and the ball not being released in a suitable area for what seemed like an eternity.

They needed the chaos factor of Tony Yogane against tiring Hibs legs but he didn’t have time to get into the game.

 

They needed Tony Yogane’s chaos factor to counteract Hibs’ tired legs, but he didn’t have time to enter the game. Pressley’s explanation for the lack of urgency in the second period was that he was forced to use square pegs in round holes. This squad is far from ready for the season. It desperately needs midfielders to provide attacking impetus and assist the strikers. Pace and ability to run are also important. A full four weeks in the transfer window is required.Any positives?

Pressley made a big decision in goal, choosing Jon McCracken over Trevor Carson. The two were judged on the Premier Sports Cup, and the younger man was selected for the season opener.

McCracken made some crucial saves to keep his team in contention in the second half. Fin Robertson has been chastised for his lack of goal output. He scored his first league goal for the club and handled it well.

Luke Graham, however, was Dundee’s standout player. He’s performed well in League Cup games, but this was a step up in quality. Graham looks every bit the Premier League defender on this show.

Strong at the back and in possession, the youngster was determined to get things started for his team and handled Boyle’s threat admirably. It was a standout individual performance.

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