Jim Goodwin wants his Dundee United team to shed their 'X-Factor' of drawing too many matches next season. The United boss has already initiated a flurry of signings for the new campaign after a disappointing bottom-six finish.
Goodwin and everyone at Tannadice were frustrated that they could only secure a bottom-six spot. The manager knows that this was a direct consequence of an excessive number of draws.
United recorded 15 draws, the joint-highest in the league alongside Livingston. Converting just two or three of those into wins would have propelled them into the top six.
Goodwin said: "When you look at the table, it's obvious that too many draws have been an issue for us. I've spoken a lot about the points we lost from winning positions, and that comes down to a lack of experience in certain situations. Managing games and seeing them out properly is a big part of getting over the line, and we haven't done that well enough."
He added: "We won many games last season by a single goal, often scoring late. This time, we haven't been able to do that. Draws can kill you in the end because although you're not losing, you're only taking one point, and it hampers you. Even if we had turned three or four of those draws into wins, we'd have been in the top half. So that's something we must learn from going into next season."
Goodwin emphasized: "I always feel we're a difficult team to play against. While we haven't lost as many games as other top-six teams, we have drawn more than anyone. So that's something we need to fix."
The disappointment was particularly sharp as United had qualified for Europe the previous season. That level remains the benchmark for Goodwin and his squad.
The Tannadice summer signing spree is already in full swing. Deals for Jesse Randall, Lachlan Rose, Joshua Rawlins, Jack Walton, and former Falkirk player Dylan Tait have been finalized. United return for pre-season next week ahead of their Premier Sports Cup preparations.
