PauloPerth

I would love to hear a journalist ask Davidson what his actual plan is, because there just doesn't seem to be one, in terms of either our approach to trying to score goals, or get results, or sign players.
After today's match he spoke about how well the defence did, under the circumstances, because they're a completely new back three and had barely even trained together before. That's fine, but it was his decision to play that back three. He has John Mahon, who he signed and paid a transfer fee for, who everyone thought was a good, young, promising defender brought in on a long-term deal to replace the outgoing McCart. And yet he is again leaving Mahon on the bench, in favour of playing Considine (35 years old, two year contract - why?), Ryan McGowan (32 years old, two year contract - why?) and Mitchell (a short-term fix, here on loan, who only arrived a couple of days ago). He also has James Brown, who he signed, and generally puts in a decent-if-unspectacular shift, but who always gets dropped as soon as someone else becomes available, no matter how he plays. These guys must seriously be wondering why they are here.
Just what is the strategy here? He's signed a load of players whose performance level is only going to drop as they get older, and are going to have no sell-on value. He's playing them in a system that we know from previous experience does not produce enough goals. And he's started the season with just two strikers who we know from previous experience are not good enough (Davidson himself chose not to start them for most of last season - has he forgotten that?).
I'm really struggling to understand how someone with Callum Davidson's experience of the game can be so naive as to think that we were entering this season with a squad that was anywhere near good enough, or possessed any sort of "attacking threat". 

I don't care about refereeing performances. I care that we're absolutely rubbish and we've completely wasted the time and budget of pre-season on signing inadequate players and drilling them to play in a system that just does not work. A pretty average Hibs team passed through us time and time again and it was only their poor final ball and decision-making that saved us from a walloping.
We're outnumbered every time we try to get forward because of our insistence on playing a back three. We have no attacking width because of our insistence on using wing-backs who are forced to spend their time defending. We have no ball player in midfield because we got rid of all our ball-playing midfielders and haven't thought to replace them. We have no attacking threat because for some reason we've started the season with just two strikers, only one of whom is ever allowed on the pitch at a time, and neither of whom ever scores any goals. And even if we had a top class striker up front they'd very likely struggle because they'd be forced to spend 90 minutes huffing and puffing from side to side with no through balls, no crosses and no support.
Of our starting XI today, only three were with us last season (and one of those three hardly played). That might seem like a good thing given our finishing position last season, but Davidson has somehow managed to downgrade us in every single area of the park. Really never thought I'd find myself pining for last season's squad but even they would comfortably beat what we have now.
Davidson is absolutely clueless, and is not going to change, and this is not going to get better. When will our Incredible Vanishing Board come out of hiding and do what they should have done months and months ago?
 

Neither is going to happen unfortunately.
Today Hibs came here on the back of a defeat from Falkirk and a draw with Morton and we never tried to get out of our own half in the first half.

Far too timid for his size, should be bullying cb’s all day, his timing in the air is poor, May won as many headers, and did more nuisance work and he’s much smaller 

CD sets the team up not to get beat, not to entertain and win games.     Makes your eyes bleed.   He has to go, before we are well and truely fecked.

I applauded the effort today. It’s not the players fault that the system is shite. 
 
Can’t legislate for losing your new striker so early either. That’s likely another needed in. 
 
Thought Hendry did well, if only he had buried that chance.

also thought the fans we terrific. 

But regardless of whether or not our current players have performed well in the system, the fact surely still remains that Davidson's preferred system has involved two wide forwards on either side of a lone central striker, and no central attacking midfielder. That's why I find it odd to say we don't play with wingers and are more in need of an attacking midfielder. A central attacking midfielder will only fit in if Davidson starts including one in his system, which he's been pretty reluctant to do so far. We've already signed one central attacking midfielder (Crawford) who doesn't fit into our system.
I thought Middleton did really well for us last season so wouldn't agree that it was a poor decision to bring him back. I can't remember there being many complaints at the time. His performances since coming back have been poor, however.
 

Sorry but this is all crap!
1) May was always going, his contract was ending that season, his agent instructed him not to sign a new one, so we cashed in.
2) We have been in the Premier League for the longest stretch of time I can remember (been supporting saints since 1995 when we were in the 1st division), we won 2 cups last season and have hit the top 6/Euro qualification several times in the last 10 years. We are the "Yo-yo" club that doesn't seem to yo-yo that much any more, save for in and out of the top 6.
3) Roddy is a director. Previously he was an associate director and before that a Lotto administrator. He's Saints through and through and a good ambassador for the club and is well respected in the game.
4) Sensible thing to do and has been done at many clubs over the years, including Saints. Back in the day Stewart Duff did a lot of the day-to-day running for Geoff.
5) Drey Wright couldn't agree a deal, we had no manager at the time but overall wasn't a huge loss even tho he was a decent player.
6) Stevie May's contract was held up by Rowan Vine being a t***. May punted Vine anyway and Saints got their man. This also kinda cancels out point one as we got the cash then got the player back.
7) Wallace Duffy has played about 15 times since joining Inverness. He has been no real loss.
8) I have never seen any solid evidence to show that Wright was sacked (see my last post from the Record article). "Off the record" claims can be little more than Chinese whispers.
9) Thanks to Brexit, work permits are a massive bugger for all professions.
10) "£1-£1.2mill with add-ons. Adds-ons take figure to £2m before sell on fees." Which is more than £1.75 million! Ali made it clear he wanted to leave.
11) Yes, loans are not ideal, but we have cover. We got a new midfielder because we just sold one plus Craig and Davidson have a combined age of 67. Striker is now here and training and we still have other defenders that are experienced. We can also still sign free agents outwith the window
12) Yes, and so will every other club. I'd hazard a guess here tho that now we have money from the sales of Kerr and McCann and the dust has settled on Europe and we can get fans back in bringing in much needed ££, Brown and Callum can start looking at budgets to get players on new deals.
Steve Brown ain't no saint (pun fully intended!) and yes, not everything is perfect. I do think McCann could have gone for more. But we always balance the books, we still don't know what fun and game swill be thrown up by Covid, having has 1.5 years now without fans and I'd far rather have him and Roddy than Charles Green, Craig White, the Kelly Family, The Marrs, Di Stefano, Romanov or any of the other idiots that have ruined clubs in Scotland over the years.

As much as I rate him out wide, I think Kennedy is even better through the middle.  It suits his all action style to be involved more, and he can take players on on either side through the middle.  He also is fairly strong at holding the ball up, as well as spinning centre backs.
Wright and Wotherspoon have done okay the past couple of games, but as much for their defensive work as their attacking play. Spoony was obviously excellent going forward v Accies, but I thought he was poor in possession against Hearts. However, he did put a good shift in and played his part in a battling victory.  Wright was steady in both games, again not creating a lot, but playing his part at both ends of the park.
I'd say both MOH and Swanson are generally bigger attacking threats than both Spoony and Wright, but neither are as good at the defensive end. That's why Spoony and Wright have been picked when we've been struggling and conceding goals; too make us more solid and harder to beat.  And it's worked the past couple of games.
But I'm struggling to see how Spoony or Wright made more of an attacking impact against Hearts than Kennedy.

As much as I rate him out wide, I think Kennedy is even better through the middle.  It suits his all action style to be involved more, and he can take players on on either side through the middle.  He also is fairly strong at holding the ball up, as well as spinning centre backs.
Wright and Wotherspoon have done okay the past couple of games, but as much for their defensive work as their attacking play. Spoony was obviously excellent going forward v Accies, but I thought he was poor in possession against Hearts. However, he did put a good shift in and played his part in a battling victory.  Wright was steady in both games, again not creating a lot, but playing his part at both ends of the park.
I'd say both MOH and Swanson are generally bigger attacking threats than both Spoony and Wright, but neither are as good at the defensive end. That's why Spoony and Wright have been picked when we've been struggling and conceding goals; too make us more solid and harder to beat.  And it's worked the past couple of games.
But I'm struggling to see how Spoony or Wright made more of an attacking impact against Hearts than Kennedy.

You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else obviously.  But I read that and think it's unbelievable. 
Kennedy has been our best attacking player over the past 12 months by a long way. He makes things happen and is a constant thorn in the side for opposition defenders. Our top scorer last season and joint top this one. Regularly puts good deliveries into the box.
He does give the ball away at times, but he's an attacking player taking a gamble on beating players, it's not always going to come off for him. The thing is he does it in the right areas, the final third. It's not as if he's trying to beat players and losing it in our own half.
If we're still struggling in January, he will be the first player other teams try to sign on a PCA.

You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else obviously.  But I read that and think it's unbelievable. 
Kennedy has been our best attacking player over the past 12 months by a long way. He makes things happen and is a constant thorn in the side for opposition defenders. Our top scorer last season and joint top this one. Regularly puts good deliveries into the box.
He does give the ball away at times, but he's an attacking player taking a gamble on beating players, it's not always going to come off for him. The thing is he does it in the right areas, the final third. It's not as if he's trying to beat players and losing it in our own half.
If we're still struggling in January, he will be the first player other teams try to sign on a PCA.

You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else obviously.  But I read that and think it's unbelievable. 
Kennedy has been our best attacking player over the past 12 months by a long way. He makes things happen and is a constant thorn in the side for opposition defenders. Our top scorer last season and joint top this one. Regularly puts good deliveries into the box.
He does give the ball away at times, but he's an attacking player taking a gamble on beating players, it's not always going to come off for him. The thing is he does it in the right areas, the final third. It's not as if he's trying to beat players and losing it in our own half.
If we're still struggling in January, he will be the first player other teams try to sign on a PCA.

You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else obviously.  But I read that and think it's unbelievable. 
Kennedy has been our best attacking player over the past 12 months by a long way. He makes things happen and is a constant thorn in the side for opposition defenders. Our top scorer last season and joint top this one. Regularly puts good deliveries into the box.
He does give the ball away at times, but he's an attacking player taking a gamble on beating players, it's not always going to come off for him. The thing is he does it in the right areas, the final third. It's not as if he's trying to beat players and losing it in our own half.
If we're still struggling in January, he will be the first player other teams try to sign on a PCA.

You are entitled to your opinion like everyone else obviously.  But I read that and think it's unbelievable. 
Kennedy has been our best attacking player over the past 12 months by a long way. He makes things happen and is a constant thorn in the side for opposition defenders. Our top scorer last season and joint top this one. Regularly puts good deliveries into the box.
He does give the ball away at times, but he's an attacking player taking a gamble on beating players, it's not always going to come off for him. The thing is he does it in the right areas, the final third. It's not as if he's trying to beat players and losing it in our own half.
If we're still struggling in January, he will be the first player other teams try to sign on a PCA.

Amazing Saints
 
Some people might know that I've not been keeping well for over a year although I'm much better now. During my stem cell transplants Tommy and the players surprised me with a video of well wishes. Liam Craig organised it all with the help of Gary (will fix it!). Our wee club are so special. Just shows the lengths they will go to!

Give the ball to May? They did that and he lost it stupidly for Hamiltons first goal. The form he was in on Saturday reminded me of Chris Kane. 

Not sure about his wages, but I wouldn't be putting a 64 year old on the bench either!

Not sure about his wages, but I wouldn't be putting a 64 year old on the bench either!

Off course you can. You just need confidence & skill.

Good luck to the guy. Had an unlucky start getting taken out by goalie when he looked good on his first start.
Didn't really get a decent run when he returned from injury to reestablish himself.
Interview in Falkirk Herald but no mention of enjoying his time at Saints.

I know Callachan can be unpredictable at times, and isn't everyone's cup of tea, but watching today I thought his energy would have been a big plus in centre midfield for us.
He also likes to drive forward with the ball, whereas when we did win it in centre midfield it felt like we were slow in driving up the pitch, and generally let kilmarnock get set up with men behind the ball.

That was horrendous.
Bit of excitement beforehand, a buzz from a May signing, couple of hundred extra fans, and a shite flat performance.
Absolutely total St Johnstone.
Such an awful insipid match that even killie fans were sitting quietly in the second half despite winning away from home.  Nothing to get the home support involved or excited about either.
Killie went ahead then just sat in, probably bemused at our pathetic attempts at trying to get back in the match.  They won’t have an easier 3points all season.
We just gift goals every game. Killie were doing nothing and then from our free kick we give them the ball, they break forward and score, despite us having a chance to clear it.
Shite crossing all game, pathetic free kicks from Tanser, just an absolute lack of pride in performance to show such poor quality to perform basic straightforward tasks. Especially after last weeks great display.
Duffy looked terrified whenever he had the ball and just desperate for a teammate to take it off him. Kerr had a stinker of a first half as well.
Liam Craig fairly anonymous.  
O’Halloran had a few positive runs, but we didn’t have much more invention than give him the ball and he runs at defenders and lets see what happens.
We still desperately need a centre midfielder to get hold of the ball.
The table doesn’t lie, and I think we deserve to be bottom.
 

That's me done. 
This is just my interpretation of what was said. If others were in attendance and read it differently then please comment.
I'm not trying to pitch it from any particular viewpoint, just how i picked it up.   I quite strongly believe that things like this should be in the wider domain and are not just for the few who attend.  
Next time if the club filmed it I think it would be great. Though you might would not get the same level of openness on certain issues possibly.
Overall, very worthwhile in my opinion and well done to those who were involved in it.

That's me done. 
This is just my interpretation of what was said. If others were in attendance and read it differently then please comment.
I'm not trying to pitch it from any particular viewpoint, just how i picked it up.   I quite strongly believe that things like this should be in the wider domain and are not just for the few who attend.  
Next time if the club filmed it I think it would be great. Though you might would not get the same level of openness on certain issues possibly.
Overall, very worthwhile in my opinion and well done to those who were involved in it.