If you are going to make new year's resolutions, the first few days of 2010 are the most important. If you've promised to lose weight, you need to stay away from leftovers, if you've promised to get fit you need to start the year at the gym. If you need to improve on an indifferent 2009 in the SPL, you need to start winning games. Where better than Tannadice to start as we mean to go on?

Dundee United might well be a rudderless ship at the moment, but we've had a fairly miserable record against The Second Most Successful Team In Dundee in recent meetings. This needed to be remedied. Saturday's win was far more comprehensive than the scoreline suggested and, had it not been for Nicky Weaver and our four hundredth red card of the season, we might well have added to Mulgrew's early goal.

Paul Marshall looks to be a shrewd acquisition. It may well have been something of a rude awakening for the new boy from Manchester City, as he was not expecting to start the game, not least in blizzard conditions. However, the young Englishman looks more than capable of playing passes with both feet, supporting his strikers and adding further industry in the centre of the park.

What else do we need from the new year? It would certainly help our cause if we could finish a game with all eleven players on the pitch. Because of injuries and red cards it has now been six games since we finished a game with the same number as we started. Obviously in that time there have been several questionable decisions that have robbed us of key players and forced us to attempt heroics. Even so, we need to hope that 2010 brings a combination of more luck and better discipline when we get on the pitch.

Another shortcoming of 2009 was the lack of goals. McGhee's side has started to play some fluid football at times, but we still lack any sort of danger in front of goal. Darren Mackie's merits may divide supporters, but he was far more mobile and awkward than Lee Miller has been in recent weeks and deserves a run in the side.

The answer to our goalscoring problem may yet be found with the likes of Tommy Wright, Michael Paton or Chris Maguire, the latter of whom has shown how prolific he can be for the Scotland under 21's. The more likely option is for a new forward to be identified and acquired in the summer. Regardless, we need to improve on the 13 goals so far this season.

Mark McGhee obviously stresses the importance of the fitness of the players at his disposal, but the next month will test this. With three games scheduled for the next week - although our ever predictable weather could yet change that - the squad will be tested to it's limits. Keeping our best players fit in 2010 will have a massive impact on how the year unfolds. Having performed for the majority of this season without the likes of Zander Diamond and Sone Aluko, their return and continued fitness will be vital.

Starting as you mean to go on is a noble first step. Continuing to keep up your good habits is more difficult, but with games coming thick and fast we have plenty of opportunity to keep momentum going.