Weekend Used For Shooting Practice

Dundee United will use their free weekend to concentrate on the attacking side of their game, after the club have struggled to score this season - scoring just twice in their last 6 SPL ties this year.

Manager Craig Levein has been highly critical of his defence since arriving in November last year, but has been happier with the steady improvement shown by his defenders in recent weeks.

However, Dundee United are no longer in the Scottish Cup, after crashing out to Caley Thistle 1-0 at the Caledonian Stadium in the last round, giving the club a weekend off from competitive action as the remaining sides in the cup fight it out for a Semi-Final place.

Levein has decided to use that time to give his attacking players more shooting practice, ahead of their return to Inverness for the SPL tie next weekend.

"We at Dundee United have no game because of the Scottish Cup and that provides us a good opportunity to work on certain things. For a start, we can practice our striking play," admitted Levein.

"Although we've been creating chances of late, we haven't been putting them away and that has cost us full points on more than one occasion."

New signing Jon Daly, who arrived at Tannadice during the January transfer window, has yet to score his 1st goal for the club, after 462 minutes playing in Tangerine.

Whilst, Noel Hunt is struggling after recovering from an ankle injury, which he picked up when scoring the winner in a 3-2 win over Motherwell at Fir Park in December.

Hunt returned to the side after 4 weeks out through injury, but has failed to return to the form which made him as the clubs top-scorer before his absence from the 1st team.

Captain Barry Robson has since over-taken Hunt as the top-scorer with 9 goals, but the 24-year-old striker came very close to scoring against Hibernian at the weekend, but his half-volleyed was saved by Hibs keeper Scott Brown at the expense of a corner.

Commenting on his side's recent struggles to find the net, Levein continued, "That was naturally the most disappointing aspect of our draw with Hibs."

"Yet, as far as the art of defending goes, it's the most solid we've been since I took over."

Meanwhile, there is talk that another of United's striker might be going out on loan, with Levein considering allowed David Goodwillie to join Airdrie until the end of the season.

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