SPFL Review: Final flourishes give Jim Goodwin's high-flying Dundee United a vital edge
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Long gone are the days when managers needed only a good starting XI, supported by decent substitutes who would come on in the event of injury or an individual’s poor performance. Now, it’s all about the squad. While strength in depth has always been important, these days it is essential, thanks to a congested fixture schedule and greater demands on the most influential players.
![[Substitute Moult scored the game's only goal with a bicycle kick two minutes from time]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/20/94013693-0-image-a-212_1736712839161.jpg)
More subtly, fringe men — if they can even be called that now — have become an integral part of the gameplan. They do much more than facilitate rotation, thanks mainly to the five-substitutes rule, which has changed the way managers think about matches.
![[United goalkeeper Jack Walton saved a late penalty by St Mirren's Toyosi Olusanya]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/20/94013797-0-image-a-213_1736712849451.jpg)
Ange Postecoglou led the way at Celtic by planning, before each game, to bring on a handful of subs with half an hour left. The idea was that, for the full 90 minutes, his team would be as fresh and hungry as they had been when they started. All of which makes Dundee United’s work this season even more impressive. Jim Goodwin doesn’t have the biggest squad in the Premiership but he has managed it well, used his substitutes effectively and created a team spirit that has made them at their most dangerous late in games.
It helps that newly-promoted United spent well last summer. David Babunski, Kristijan Trapanovski and Vicko Sevelj attracted much of the early praise. Now it is Sam Dalby who is grabbing the headlines, together with Will Ferry, Luca Stephenson and a raft of others who are new to the club.
