Micky Mellon prepared to go back to basics after defensive concerns

Dundee United manager Micky Mellon will take a step back to more familiar tactics after conceding seven goals in two home matches.

United followed a 5-1 humbling at the hands of St Mirren with a 2-0 reverse against Hibernian.

Mellon lined up with Marc McNulty and Luke Bolton out wide but the move to be more expansive backfired and they slipped out of the Scottish Premiership top six.

United had drawn four of their previous five games, two of them goalless, and now face Motherwell and Ross County in two matches which could define whether they are dragged into a relegation battle or can look upwards.

Mellon said: "I am disappointed with the results in the last two games. I tried to change things up, get a wee bit of width into the team and try and attack that way.

"I tried to get McNulty to do a job out there because I have only got one winger and that's Luke Bolton. It worked a wee bit and it didn't work. It's not a path I want to continue to go down because we were losing too many goals.

"We changed from what we were doing before to try and create more chances and score goals.

"Every manager is doing the same, trying to do three things - score goals, stop goals going in and play entertaining football. You try and do a mixture of them and if you're very fortunate you do all three and end up winning the European Cup with Liverpool.

"But at the minute we are leaking too many goals and we will have to stop the path I was going down and go back on the one I was on, try and get clean sheets and build forward again."

Mellon understands some fans are impatient for a more exciting brand of football. But, having only been able to sign three players since they ended a four-year spell in the Championship, he believes he has to be pragmatic.

"I understand what fans want but I will be realistic about it," he said.

"I will look at the cards I have been dealt and the results we need to achieve. Behind the scenes we have a place where we believe would be good enough building forwards from. It's not quite winning the European Cup yet, and I'm into all that aiming high.

"But I knew the job when I came and I'm still focused on that job. I had a wee go at trying to do something different for two games and it didn't work.

"My only frustration is I see the players improving and attacking training every day but they are still judged against a higher place.

"They go and get a draw at Aberdeen and it's all about how they should have maybe have beaten Aberdeen 3-0. Whereas if we were a newly-promoted team and didn't have the name Dundee United, everyone would have said 'well done'."

Mellon saw his squad get smaller last month with Paul McMullan choosing to leave for Dundee, while Motherwell brought in seven new players ahead of their meeting.

Mellon, who said he was unaware of any bids for any of his players, said: "Teams in Scotland have had a really busy transfer window, bringing in quite a few players. We aren't able to do that. It's as simple as that.

"I have a group of players who I will coach and try to make them better.

"I understood there would be ups and downs, I ride along with that and just keep my focus on trying to improve the players."