DUTV
STORY OF THE MATCH | MOTHERWELL (H)
31st October 2024
After a worthwhile training exercise on the Ayrshire coast, United's first team squad enjoyed a well-earned day off on Thursday.
Preparations for Sunday's Tennent's Scottish Cup Semi Final meeting with Celtic are going well, and manager Alex Smith is now sure in his own mind which eleven he hopes to field from the start. However, the boss has not yet finalised his squad due to fitness doubts over Paul Robinson and Tony Smith - checks are to be made on Saturday as to whether the pair can take part.
Boss Smith has revealed that he will take the unusual step of notifying his players of his selection thoughts the night before the game. He explained, "As it's such a big game I feel it's only fair to the players that they know my team selction by Saturday night. I normally keep such matters close to my chest until the team talk on match day."
While the United gaffer acknowledges that Celtic will start favourites on Sunday, he feels his players are well equipped to do battle. Added Smith, "Maybe if a big match like this was to have taken place three months or so ago, our squad may have been a bit too fragile and not quite ready for the occasion but now the confidence is up due to a decent run of results including these two wins over Rangers. The players now know that if they can win at a formidable place such as Ibrox they can now translate that boost to the Hampden arena."
Preparations for Sunday's Tennent's Scottish Cup Semi Final meeting with Celtic are going well, and manager Alex Smith is now sure in his own mind which eleven he hopes to field from the start. However, the boss has not yet finalised his squad due to fitness doubts over Paul Robinson and Tony Smith - checks are to be made on Saturday as to whether the pair can take part.
Boss Smith has revealed that he will take the unusual step of notifying his players of his selection thoughts the night before the game. He explained, "As it's such a big game I feel it's only fair to the players that they know my team selction by Saturday night. I normally keep such matters close to my chest until the team talk on match day."
While the United gaffer acknowledges that Celtic will start favourites on Sunday, he feels his players are well equipped to do battle. Added Smith, "Maybe if a big match like this was to have taken place three months or so ago, our squad may have been a bit too fragile and not quite ready for the occasion but now the confidence is up due to a decent run of results including these two wins over Rangers. The players now know that if they can win at a formidable place such as Ibrox they can now translate that boost to the Hampden arena."
