Jim Goodwin has put returning Dundee United stars Louis Moult and Ross Graham on modified training sessions to try and get them back for their weekend clash with Rangers.
The pair have missed recent games with respective knee and hamstring injuries. They are both back training and Goodwin has put them on individual sessions to see if he can get them back into the fold for Saturday’s trip to Ibrox. Goodwin confirmed: We’ve got Ross Graham and Louis Moult doing modified sessions this week, but I’d be reluctant to get any supporters’ hopes up and say they’ll definitely be available for the weekend.
“We are being tentative for the moment. However, they are making good progress. They are over the worst of it and hopefully won’t be too far away.” Goodwin is waiting for the last of his international stars to return before he can put all focus on club matters until the new year. The Irishman acknowledged: “The international breaks have made the season really stop-start. No doubt about that.
“But sometimes, with the injuries we’ve had, it’s not a bad thing to have that wee break and let some of the boys recover because we’ve got a busy schedule between now and the new year. There are lots of big, important games and plenty to look forward to.”
The Premiership table makes good reading with United sitting in fourth spot. Goodwin is more than happy to let the fans dream but won’t let anybody in his dressing room get carried away.
Goodwin stated: “I tend not to spend too much time looking at the league table at this time of the year. When you come through that bust Christmas period and into the middle of January, then you have a much fairer reflection of the league.
“It’s going to be tough. We need players back fit and to have a more competitive squad than we’ve had in recent weeks. However, we are really looking forward to it.
“It’s been a positive start but our message to the players and the staff has always been not to get carried away, and not to listen to the outside noise. We’ll stay focused and concentrate on the job at hand.
“That effort daily is the reason we’ve got the results we’ve had so far. That will remain the same.”
The message remains the same, one game at a time and the next one is Rangers. Goodwin said: “We’ve got good, experienced players within the group who have been there, seen it and know that if you drop standards – even slightly – then things will go awry.
“The backroom staff here are great and are always relaying that message; don’t start looking too far ahead. Every game we’ve played this season has been really competitive and could have gone either way.
“That won’t change between now and the end of the season. Every side has a lot to fight for.”