Kenny Shiels wary of Dundee United's more direct approach

KILMARNOCK manager Kenny Shiels believes Dundee United have improved their team this season despite the loss of most of their midfield.

United saw Morgaro Gomis, Prince Buaben and Craig Conway depart to the npower Championship after the end of last season, with David Robertson moving to St Johnstone. However, Shiels believes central midfield pair Buaben and Gomis were given too much credit for their displays and feels United will be more dangerous without them.

United manager Peter Houston rebuilt his midfield by signing Willo Flood back from Middlesbrough, and adding John Rankin from Hibernian and Gary Mackay-Steven from Airdrie.

Shiels expects a more direct United to emerge from the changes when Kilmarnock kick off their Clydesdale Bank Premier League campaign at Tannadice today. The Killie boss, who has had the largest rebuilding job of any manager in the SPL this summer, watched United beat Polish side Slask Wroclaw 3-2 on Thursday before they bowed out of the Europa League on the away goals rule.

Shiels said: "They were very direct and had a lot of long throws into the box, played off those long balls to the strikers, and they got their goals early.

"They have improved their team. They lost two players in Gomis and Buaben who were just ordinary players.

"I always felt they were over-rated. They seemed to have slowed them down."

Shiels, who has been deprived of new signings Danny Buijs, Danny Racchi and Paul Heffernan through injury, added: "The one player they have lost who has affected them is Craig Conway, but he was injured for a lot of last season. I think they are stronger this season."

Shiels admits he will take care to shield his players from predictions of their impending doom.

The Ayrshire side have been tipped for relegation by some, despite finishing fifth last term.

Shiels can understand the sceptics - the club have lost 17 players, including several internationals.

Craig Bryson, Mehdi Taouil, Mohamadou Sissoko, Frazer Wright, Alexei Eremenko and Jamie Hamill were key players last season and their departures followed the loss of Conor Sammon and Ben Gordon in January.

Shiels said: "A lot of people are writing us off now. It can have a detrimental effect if you listen to them but everyone is entitled to their opinion. We'll take it on the chin. We are just trying to make sure it doesn't get to the players."