| With ankle injury victim Brent Sancho still not training today and Lee Wilkie a long-term absentee, the Dark Blues could be without two of their major defensive performers.
Jim still has options he rates highly available to him, but knows, at this stage of the campaign, having players who have seen and done it before can be a huge asset.
“In Lee and Brent you are talking about two international centre-halves, who have played in very big games and who you know can handle these kind of occasions,” he said today.
“When I look at my defence without them, I see players like Callum Macdonald and Bobby Mann, who I know are talented players but who don’t have that kind of experience, and although it is not something that is particularly worrying me, it is something you think about.
“Of course, it can work for you and, if you look at United, they have had to use the young boy Garry Kenneth because of injuries to Lee Mair and David McCracken, and he’s come in and handled big games.”
Despite his concerns, Jim has made it clear he will not take chances on Sancho’s fitness. The player himself believes he is on course to play, but, with him still absent from training this morning, the coaching staff have their doubts.
“We are getting to the stage where you want to know your team and, if a player is still not training by this time of the week, he has to be a big doubt.
“And this is a game for players who are 100% fit and not one where you want someone coming off injured during it. Over the last few weeks, that has happened to us and there is no question it causes disruption.
“It’s not a problem if you are Jose Mourinho, but, when you have limited resources like we do, you do not want to be chopping and changing your formation.”
With little over 600 tickets left and sales continuing to be brisk, the derby remains on course to be a sell-out. United’s allocation was sold out days ago and, today, only home briefs for the Bobby Cox and Main Stands were remaining.
The ticket office at Dundee Direct remained open until 6 pm tonight and will open up again at 9.30 am tomorrow. Sales will continue until noon on Saturday if need be, though officials at Dens expect the sold out signs to go up some time tomorrow.
Dee 4 Life members have been reminded their pre-match function on Saturday will be in the Dundee Social Club in Thistle Street and not at Dens itself. The event is open to over-18s only and doors open at noon. |
