Dundee -v- Partick Thistle Preview

 

Another day, another dawning.  Another chance for our first 3 points of the season.  Let’s see if I can calm my nerves this week.

 

Predicted Formation and XI.

 

There will be changes about today.  Captain Kevin Thomson is out today, which gives Paul Hartley plenty of options to him for change today.  The most likely switch is that Jim McAllister comes in for him, and links Simon Ferry to Harkins and McGowan. Alternatively, we can add Kevin McBride and keep the 4-2-2-2.  We can also look at switching strikers and formations completely.  Stewart hasn’t made much of an impact yet in his partnership with Tankullic (who himself hasn’t covered himself in glory).  4-2-3-1 with McBride and Ferry holding, and Harkins, McGowan and either Boyle of McAllister in the 3 is a real possibility.  Personally, I would go with 4-2-3-1, and I’ll expand on that in the next section.  But here’s my XI and formation.

 

 

Partick Thistles Strengths

 

Thistle are a team on the up.  Just look at their cracking result during the week.  The one thing that stands out to me from watching a few of their highlights is their strength in pressing high, and being able to play the ball from the centre circle to their wide players to use, which is one of their strengths.

 

 

An example of the high pressure system which creates chances and pounces upon the smallest of mistakes.  We do play a similar way in the holding positions.

 

 

 

Clearly the second example is key.  The cross ball catches County on the back foot, and sucker-punches them to put them on behind.  This is a key reason why we can’t play with wingbacks today.  Full-backs are a must.

 

Thistles Key Players

 

To me Thistle have 2 key players.  The first of Ryan Stevenson.  He’s  a great attacking midfielder who creates a lot and was easily Heart guiding light last season as they fought hard to avoid relegation.  He scored 8 goals in his 28 games for them last season, a solid return for a player who was under so much pressure for them.  Theirs an interesting connection to this game for him – he goes up against the man who he has abit of a running storyline with in James McPake.  Stevenson was cited for a lunging challenge on him in 2013, and got a 2 match ban for it.

 

Osman Abdul

 

Having captained Crewe, he was released at the end of his contract.  He has a great ability to play deep in the centre of midfield and he does to an extent have a slight roaming role.  He most certainly isn’t a goal scorer, but he can make them with the touches that can open room for his own players – largely their Kevin Thomson os the best description.

 

Thistles Weakness

 

Thistle conceded the joint second most goals last season, 1 less than Killie, at 65 goals for the league season.  This puts their average at 1.7 goals per game against.  Scott Fox joined them from us and has since played 120 games, if he has a good game, he’s capable at this level, but if we can pressure their defence and get some shots on target to challenge them.  He has a slight tendency to punch the ball, which could be capitalised by closing down after strikes.  He loves coming out to through balls, and has pace, to through balls should be played with the knowledge a chip is required.

 

Keys To Winning

 

Keeping the defence under control, no wingbacks, no messing around with the ball too much, or playing passes in to trouble.

 

Getting shots on target from less than 18 yards.  I do prefer our 3 attacking midfielders having an option to play it through, but Tank goes against that.  We could just as easily see the same XI (with McAllister switched for Thomson) as Wednesday though as PH seems to tink it’s working mostly.

 

High pressure midfield.  This is going to be another midfield battle the way I see it.  We’ve got to pressure harder and higher than we did during the week which was the only real thing we could’ve done much better. Thomson missing out will make it harder, but this could make the difference in making enough chances for the striker(s).