"We are very much a 3-4-3 in attack. We want to try and be aggressive in the top end of the pitch out of possession, but then we are quite willing at times to drop back into a 5-4-1 low block and frustrate the opposition.”
Jim Goodwin was extremely open from day one of the 2024/25 campaign on how he wanted to structure his team. It seems unlikely, given the pre-split success that Dundee United had, that this will change for the 2025/26 season. It is clear that newly appointed head of recruitment Ross Goodwin, no relation to Jim, will have a busy summer filling the holes left by the departures at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. But can this work load be eased by some of the young talent that United had out on loan last season.
After an emphatic loan spell at League One outfit Kelty Hearts, where Sam Cleall-Harding played almost every minute possible, Big Sam was eventually given his chance to prove to manager Jim Goodwin, that he could cope with the demands of SPL football with four starts towards the end of the campaign.
Looking at the current squad, Jim currently has three centre halves in Sam, Ross Graham and Lurie Lovu and a contingency of Vicko Ševelj. However, given Vicko´s effectiveness in the midfield department, coupled with his lack of height, it seems unlikely that Jim will be relying on him in the back three. Also, given that both Graham and Lovu are left footed, it seems that the right side of defense is open for Sam to make his own.
Undoubtedly, further defensive options will arrive at Tannadice in the coming weeks. Youngster Sam, may have to play understudy, should one of these be an experienced, right footed, ball playing center half. Therefore, it seems likely that he will be involved with the squad for the first half of the season.
Owen Stirton is another who had a successful loan in league one lasting season. After a lack of first team opportunities at in the first half of the season, Owen was farmed out to Montrose, where he notched up nine goals in fourteen outings for the ´Gable Endies´. His form also saw him receive League One player of the month for February.
Young Owens' stats and attributes certainly seem to suggest that he has all the ingredients to step into, best in Scotland, Sam Dalby´s boots. Both strikers are 191cm, and although Owen weighed in 8kg less than Sam at the start of last season, bulking up has been a priority, of which a noticeable change can be seen. There is very little negative to be said of Owen at this point and it appears that all is needs is an opportunity from Goodwin to see whether or not he can continue his form from Montrose at premiership level.
Zac Sapsford has just arrived at Tannadice and fan favourite Jort van der Sande has another years contract. Jim Goodwin may choose to go with experience to start out the campaign but Owen scored more goals than both of these two combined last season. A striker needs to score goals.
Like Owen, Miller Thomson also found himself out on loan in the second half of the season. After scoring in the opening Dundee derby, Miller´s game time gradually decreased over the first half of the season. This lead to a loan move to Falkirk in February. In three months at Falkirk, Miller only made one start and his only contribution was an assist away to Queens Park. That being said, by the time Miller arrived at Falkirk, they were already sitting top of the Championship table. Perhaps a move further down the table would have guaranteed the valuable game time Miller needed?
Its hard to see Miller Thomson getting much game time this season. Glenn Middleton has already been judged as surplus to requirements and Miller found himself behind both Glenn and Kristijan Trapanovski last season. Goodwin also seems to prefer a tighter midfield, not bringing on wider players until later in the game. However, could Miller contribute elsewhere on the park?
It seems forgotten that Miller became a regular in the United squad that won the Scottish Championship in the 2023/24 season. Of United´s last thirteen games that campaign, Miller started eleven of them. However, he didn't do it playing in midfield, he did it playing in defense. Although, Ryan Strain seems certain to start in the opening game of the season at wing back, one of the calls from Arabs has been for back up in this position. If Miller is no longer in the managers attacking plans, perhaps a switch back to defense could revive Miller´s career. I for one, feel that he could provide genuine competition to Strain.