LEE WILKIE: Dundee must show key attribute to get fans onside.

Finding a method to get the most out of Simon Murray is critical to their hopes, according to the former Dens star.

The impending Dens Park double-header is the most important of Steven Pressley’s tenure at Dundee.

The manner of the derby setback last Saturday has pushed the Dark Blues back a long way. Certainly in the eyes of the audience that witnessed that performance.

And home form has been disappointing, to say the least. Hibs performed poorly at home, as did Airdrie in the League Cup.

I don’t think Pressley will adjust his strategy too much, although his Derby performance was probably not what he expected.

The level must be significantly greater, but the players’ attitudes are more crucial.

They’ve got to show heart.

United won that game with drive and aggression early on.

Will Ferry pressed a Dundee player aggressively early on, while Luca Stephenson did the same on the opposite side.

You don’t want them to overstep the mark, but making a nice, strong tackle and being aggressive up to a point shows your opposite number that you’re ready for this.

These small mental games take place during every match. Stamp your authority on the pitch and make it clear that your opponent will not get his way.

Do that, and the fans will enjoy it.

Motherwell plan

I have no doubt that Pressley’s training will benefit each and every player in his group. However, he has highlighted the need of mastering fundamental skills. We did not see that versus United.

Fans should see some of that against Motherwell on Saturday. Seven days later, they faced off against Livingston again. Now, I don’t anticipate Pressley’s Dundee to go all out against the Steelmen.

They have impressed with their style of play thus far this season. Playing from the back, taking chances in possession, and being expansive.

If I were Pressley and my team’s strength was defensive stability, I would base my game strategy on that.

Combining that with assertiveness in the appropriate situations will help you win this game. We saw Dundee execute it quite successfully at Ibrox a few weeks ago.

The gameplan was spot on, and the players executed it wonderfully. If they can accomplish that away from Rangers, they can do it at home against Motherwell.

Simon Murray is key

How they use Simon Murray will be critical. Everyone knows how talented he is at scoring goals, but he can’t do it all up front.

I believe he is having to alter his game right now because the team is not as direct as it was last season.

Naturally, this entails a significant risk. If you tweak his game, would you lose what makes him a great goal scorer? It’s a balancing act.

One thing wasn’t found last season – he scored a lot of goals, but the squad was so focused on attack that the defence suffered, and Dundee lost too many matches.

This time, the balance has shifted in the opposite direction, with Murray becoming overly defensive and failing to perform to his full potential.

Finding the right balance between attack-defense, aggression, and shape will determine Dundee’s success as a team.

The fans, though, need to see some sign of that happening this weekend.

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