Dundee United V Barcelona Pics

As promised, pictures of the Barca game. These ones are better quality.

Enjoy.

Its all over.

So much for no push overs eh?! Well its over and we were defeated 5-1. Messi got a marvelous hat trick. Barca were class. We put up a good effort. Well done to barca. Look out for a match report and and more pics tomorrow.

2nd half...

Now down 3-1 and to be honest we have fizzled out. Not the same amount of urgency from the lads. Messi has been a class act and scored a wonderful goal. The 3rd goal came from eto'o. Still time left...

Half time...

And its 1-1. Good effort from the lads so far. Bauben has been excellent so far, Feeney looks like a hand full so. Second half is about to start and barca are about to bring on Messi. Game on!

It was 1

And then it was 1-1. As quick as Bauben put it in the back of the net Titi clawed barca back into it. So its one all.

Live from Tannadice

So it s a live blog from the game and, with 20 mins gone, we are looking good. Neither team has created much yet but so far its been a good effort from the boys.

Today is the day!

Yup, we take on Barca.

After the demolition of Hibs on Thursday the Catalan Club are sure to be in a confident mood, but I can guarantee we won't be no push overs.

Can't wait.

I will have pics of the game posted (gonna try this from during the game from Tannadice, mobile technology eh?!) but, judging by my Barca training pics, they wont be great (one of the downfalls of mobile technology).

So enjoy chaps, lets hope for a good game, some amazing skill (Darren Dods is amazing with the ball at his feet!) and hopefully a sneaky wee win! (too far?)

I will have a match report, maybe tonight if i'm not too far gone, or tomorrow.

Bring them on!

Barca Training.

As promised, I have pics from last nights Barcelona training session in St. Andrews.

Note that the pictures are not of the best quality as I couldn't get close enough (standing on the street behind a fence), and I couldn't blag my way in as a Uni student.

Other that that, it was rather entertaining. Watching them doing their drills (or plays) from the centre of the pitch, out to the wings then into the box was pretty awesome. They spent a good half hour on this with many variations, it's really no wonder they have the ability to cut teams up.

They then went on to play a match, as most teams do in training, and it was good to see some of the skills on show.

I have seen Messi many-a-time on the TV, but never had the joy of seeing him up close. Quite simply, awesome.

So it was good to see, whets the appetite for Saturday.

Also spotted at the training session was former United winger Steven Robb. Don't panic though, he has not managed to wangle himself a deal with the Catalan giants, he was merely a spectator with his kid.

And finally, at the time of writing, Barca are currently destroying Hibs 4-0. Gudjohnsen 2, Messi and Pedinho (I think) have scored, all within the first 25 minutes. It could have been more, Barca are just waltzing through the Hibs defence and midfield.

They won't get it that easy against us, that's for sure.

Result

Dunfermline 2 - 3 Dundee United

I didn't manage to make it through to Dunfermline last night so, rather than just regurgitate a match report from elsewhere, I will be rather boring and just go over the basics.


The game burst into life after half time after a somewhat drab first half.

The Pars took the lead in 58 mins through a Scot Thomson goal. It took United 2 minutes to level the game, with new boy Fransesco Sandaza getting his first goal for a club.

It was Uniteds turn to take the lead in the 63rd minute, with Sandaza bagging his second goal of the game.

The lead however was helf for only 4 minutes as Nick Phinn squared the match.

The boys kept plugging away though and the effort eventually pulled of as former Dundee Captain Scott Robertson scored his first for the club in the 86th minute.

So, the loss of two apparently avoidable goals is somewhat disappointing but it was good to see us plugging away until the end. A wins a win as they say, keeps the confidence up.

Next up - The mighty Barca on Saturday. Can't wait!

United News

With the games coming thick and fast, as they do during pre season, a few of the boys appear to have picked up wee niggley knocks.

Lee Wilkie, Scott Robertson, Andis Shala and Gary Kenneth all have slight knocks.

Robertson is expected to travel with the first team squad to Dunfermline on Wednesday, and the other three should be fit for the game against Barcelona on Saturday.

In other news, an unnamed Spanish Trialist (he will of course have a name, if you know his name, let me know) is still on trial with the club. So far he has set up a goal and scored one in the Oban Tournament and bagged another in a second string game versus Cowdenbeath.

The club are keeping this all very quiet, maybe so as not to alert other clubs?

We shall wait and see on that one.

At the same time as the first team are taking on Dunfermline at East End Park, a second string, comprising of some first team fringe players, reserves and youngsters, will be taking on Arbroath at Gayfield.

Hopefully we can pick up good results in both games.

And lastly, the Superstars that are Barcelona touched down in Scotland today, and headed to their St. Andrews training base ahead of their games against Hibs and the Mighty Shed!

Stars such as Messi and Eto'o have travelled with the squad, as well as new signings Alexander Hleb (£11.9m from Arsenal) and Daniel Alves (£23.5m from Sevillá).

The training schedule for the Barca squads training camp can be found here,just incase you fancy a wee trip down.

Match Report

Raith Rovers 0 - 4 Dundee United

Zaluska, Dillon, Dixon, Wilkie, Dods, Flood, Buaben, Gomis, Swanson (D.Robertson 71), Hunt (Sadaza 85), Feeney (Smith 77)

Subs Not Used: Kovacevic, Grainger, Shala, Gibson (GK)

A strong United line up picked up a good win against Raith Rovers at Starks Park yesterday.

United got off the mark with only 5 minutes gone, when on loan striker Warren Feeney latched on to a Noel Hunt pass, and put the ball home from inside the box.

It took only 8 minutes for the Irishman to double his tally for the day. Danny Swanson and Sean Dillon combined to get the ball into Feeney, who looped a header past Rovers Keeper O'Connor. The stopper appeared to get a hand to the ball but it was not enough to keep the ball out.

It was then Rovers turn to mount an attack however, Joe Dunbar's effort lacked any real conviction, and United Keeper Zaluska had no real problems picking the ball up.

It was then Swanson's turn to test the Rovers defence, with a jinking run ending with a shot from the edge of the box, only for the shot to sail wide.

United went into half time 2 up and with the second half only 10 minutes old, the boys widened their lead further.

Willo Flood was brought down in the box and Warren Feeney stepped up to take a penalty, which he coolly smashed past O'Connor, to complete his hat trick.

The scoring was then rounded off when Noel Hunt, who has been in amongst the goals already this pre season, received a pass down the left hand side from Gomis. The firey forward cut inside then placed the ball past the keeper.

Rovers did have a couple of chances as time whittled down, but they came to nothing.

All in all, a decent performance from the lads, looking like the match fitness is starting to come back.

Feeney commented after the game "It's great to score a hat-trick and these friendlies are good for building up confidence but the main thing is being in the best shape possible for the Hamilton game."

Next up it's Dunfermline on Wednesday at East End Park.

Results

So, two teams in action today, the first XI were at Starks Park versus Raith Rovers, with the second string away to Cowdenbeath.

Two encouraging results seen the first team win 4-0 over Raith, with the second string claiming a 4-2 victory over Cowdenbeath.

At Starks Park, on loan striker Warren Feeney got his 1st goals of pre-season, bagging himself a hat trick, with Noel Hunt on hand to score United's fourth.

And at Cowdenbeath, John Daly, David Goodwillie, Marco Andreoni and a Spanish Trialist (the same guy who set up a goal and scored one in Oban) all scored to hand United victory.

Not against the hardest of opposition, but we managed to scored 4 in both games which is encouraging.

Hopefully the signof things to come from the lads.

I will put up a more in depth report sometime tomorrow.

Todays Game.

Is at Starks Park, Kirklcaldy as we continue or pre-season build up against Raith Rovers.

After two tough games in Dublin during the week, hopefully the boys are starting to gain some match fitness. We could do with a nice win today.

And it's only 7 days to go until Barca!

Look out for the match report here tomorrow.

P.S. Remember it is the open day tomorrow, be sure to head up.

The Irish.

So we have been in Dublin since Monday and now it's off back home.

Unfortunately I didn't make it across but I know a few who did and they all have said that they had a great time.

A few Irishmen, no doubt supporters of UCD and Tolka, have visited this site during the past few days (Big Brother is watching!!).

Thank you I wish you all well for the remainder of your season and onwards.

Maybe you will come back to visit this site and check up on United? You are always welcome.

Onwards and up words for the boys.

The count down to Barca begins!!

Tolka Rovers 2 - 3 Dundee United.

Atough match last night seen Dundee United eventually get a win over Tolka, but it was a testing time for the boys.

United left it late, coming from 2 - 1 down with little under ten minutes to go, to scrape a 3 - 2 win.

Tolka had taken an early lead with 2 minutes gone when Dean Kelly scored for the home side.

It wasn't long before United equalised, with Skipper Lee Wilkie scoring 9 minutes later.

However, it was Tolka who went in at half time with the upper hand, thanks to a goal from Alan Conner.

United were eventual winners though, with Wilkie bagging his second goal with 7 minutes left on the clock, followed by a Noel Hunt winner 2 minutes later.

Now it's back to Scotland for the boys, with a trip to Starks Park to face Raith Rovers on Saturday.

Tonights Game.

Is a against Tolka Rovers, at Frank Cooke Park in Dublin.

Craig Levein is set to make numerous changes to the team that took on UCD on Monday.

Hopefully we can pick up a win tonight.

Look out for the match report.

UCD 2 - 1 Dundee United.

No the greatest of starts to the tour of Dublin seen Dundee United defeated by UCD in Dublin last night.

Noel Hunt put United ahead with a header, in a first half that we dominated.

UCD, who had a number of first team players missing and a few trialists playing, came back strongly after half time.

A somewhat soft penalty was awarded and Alan McNally stepped up and Converted.

Brian King then scored for the home side what proved to be the decisive goal.

Next up is Tolka Rovers tomorrow night, in Dublin.

Tonights Game

Is versus University Collage Dublin.

The full squad has travelled with the exception of Paul Dixon, who has a calf injury.

The injury is not thought to be serious, but the player has been left at home as a precautionary measure.

The boys can expect a tough game tonight, as UCD are now 18 games into their season, sitting 3rd bottom of the table with 13 points.

Look out for a match report later.