Saints v Dundee


Havana Saint
 Share

Recommended Posts

 

I wonder if Tommy noticed how the crowd got behind the team in the second half when we played attacking football ,rather than the boring negative stuff we have had to endure for the past 18 months that have seen the crowds gradually fade away.

Good point, and it highlights how far our expectations have dropped, the fact that the fans are excited by the mere sight of some commitment and passion being shown at home.

Surely Tommy has to take some responsibility for being unable to change our style of play/motivate the team at home. Yes every team go on bad runs but this poor home form has spanned the majority of two seasons.  I feel the majority of loyal season ticket holders have been more than patient with this.  

A couple seasons back when our home form was better we never let team settle we were first to second balls and would commit ourselves.  Week after week we look second best in midfield. Tired of watching us getting into decent wide positions delivering a final ball into the box with absolutely no one committing themselves.  Saturday's at mcdiarmid has sadly become like Groundhog Day!

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I don’t get this ‘we won’t miss MOH’ comments.Nearly everyone on here is saying how a big improvement our second half performance was, that was mainly down to MOH and scoogs running  at the Dundee defence. I for one will certainly miss MOH.

The only other people who thought that were the match sponsors.

Scoogs was immense but MOH was more of a hindrance than a help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

surprised so many moaning about Foster as the booing of McGowan surely meant the saints fans thought there was no contact?

Contact or not he created a situation where Collum had to make a decision. It was an absolutely needless challenge and his foot was high. He really didn't need to make a challenge like that there. Especially when we just had two bookings in the first 15 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Apart from the winner at Easter Road...

Agree ......think he put in a good shift yesterday.....who have we got currently to  provide the pace and penetration a fit MOH provides? If he goes he needs to be replaced by someone with similar attributes .....easier said than done. As for Foster.....he needs shifting asap yesterday's crazy tackle was one demeanour too far. We have Comrie returning and Shaughnessy can cover right back especially with Gordon and Kerr to cover CB. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It is a shame Foster can't follow MOH out the door this January. Both were awful today.  

Great to see Tommy move to a back three at half time but our midfield was so flat in the first half it was so easy for Dundee to play through it. 

Second half was far better and really unlucky not to get a point. 

Some utterly infuriating inconsistencies in the refereeing today.

https://mobile.twitter.com/stjohnstone1884/status/947177438383104000

"McDiarmid misery in 2017 laid bare: Only 7 wins in last 22 home games, 12 defeats. Goal difference of -15 in that period and only scored more than once in a game 4 times. Opposition opened scoring on 13 occasions, 11 of those within opening 28 mins. Failed to score 9 times."

Those statistics are shocking I honestly did not realise that in the last 22 home games we have only scored more than once 4 times.

Going is now a bore and I have never felt that before and I have attended since about 1959. 

We never look like scoring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whether you agree with Willie Collum or not regarding the booking for Denny Johnstone's two footed tackle on Glen Kamara or the straight red card dished out to Foster for catching the back of the calf of McGowan (not as BBC reported his 'knee') the worst tackle of the weekend was Lafferty's scything tackle on Shinnie. How Levein can say the red card was 'harsh' is beyond me and has been reported that Hearts will be making an appeal! 

Saints very rarely appeal even if they have good reason to and given our success, or should I say non success it will probably be no surprise if they don't appeal on behalf of Foster on this occasion. Personally I wish we would appeal more often than we do even if it does cost us as surely by the law of averages we may eventually overturn a decision. (I'll not hold my breath)  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Ok....so what/who would your solution be if, as seems likely, he leaves.Oh and tell me a successful and entertaining team that does not have pace in it.

The days of a Winger kicking the ball 20 yards infront of him and sprinting after it are gone - you don't need pace to be a successful team, What good is a fast player if nobody else in the team can keep up with him to get on the ball 

I will give you that fast and skilful players are entertaining but I would take a win or draw over entertainment every day of the week

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The days of a Winger kicking the ball 20 yards infront of him and sprinting after it are gone - you don't need pace to be a successful team, What good is a fast player if nobody else in the team can keep up with him to get on the ball 

I will give you that fast and skilful players are entertaining but I would take a win or draw over entertainment every day of the week

You haven't answered the question! What would you do if you were in TWs shoes and you lose MOH?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MoH is best with ball at his feet running at defenders. That's why he holds up in what appears to be him not making the run.  His strength isn't a dash over 20-30 yards chasing a ball. It becomes a 50/50 usually in favour to a defender.    His strength is pace and skill with the ball at his feet.  Rangers used him wrong, but if Rangers give him the ball on the half way line he will terrorise defences. So difficult to defend against. All his creation for Saints is not chasing down a ball in the corner / down the wing but giving the ball to his feet a good 35 yards from the goal line. I'm dumbfounded by some of the shyte that comes from the stand.   Hope he stays.

Scougall. MOH. Best players in our squad for creativity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

MoH is best with ball at his feet running at defenders. That's why he holds up in what appears to be him not making the run.  His strength isn't a dash over 20-30 yards chasing a ball. It becomes a 50/50 usually in favour to a defender.    His strength is pace and skill with the ball at his feet.  Rangers used him wrong, but if Rangers give him the ball on the half way line he will terrorise defences. So difficult to defend against. All his creation for Saints is not chasing down a ball in the corner / down the wing but giving the ball to his feet a good 35 yards from the goal line. I'm dumbfounded by some of the shyte that comes from the stand.   Hope he stays.

Scougall. MOH. Best players in our squad for creativity.

thank you Dave - couldn't have put it better myself! Most of Saints best / most successful teams have has this type of player featuring - including the cup winning team that had.........MOH in it.....and who would say he has deteriorated since 2014?!,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally, I don't want him to go. He's one of a few players that can change a game out of nothing.  He wasn't great against Dundee but I don't think you could fault his commitment.  His early season performances and the points he won us could still be ones that keep us in this league. Let's not forget he wasn't just chipping in with goals he was the sole provider of them! Take away the points he won us and where in the league would we be?  In my opinion he payed for his loan deal in the first 6 weeks or so he played for us.

It's easy to focus on his dip in form as it's him we look to for something special.  He's a confidence player in a team who don't look particularly confident at home.  

If we had a more stable defensive unit behind Mikey and more support for him when he does break then I think we'd get much more out of him again.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Part of the problem with him is his lack of defensive qualities or commitment to defending. Posted missing in the build up to the first goal leaving that wing exposed.

No one can argue about his goals at the start of the season but he has become a solo player. Until Scougall, MOH very rarely brought anyone else into the game on Saturday. I can imagine some of his team mates don't both trying to support him as they know he won't pass the ball.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

You haven't answered the question! What would you do if you were in TWs shoes and you lose MOH?

I would play a 4411 with Scougal in behind the striker, have Paton and Davidson in the middle with Alston/Spoony/Criag/Thomson (on return from his loan) on the wings switching over and being interchangeable - 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alston is  too one paced to play on the wings and this showed on Saturday. I think MOH is clearly talented but doesn't have the natural football brain that Scougall has. MOH was consistently hanging back when he should have been getting up the wing and receive the ball further up the park  as it stood he was often having to take on 3 or 4 before finding any space to run into. He was giving himself far too much to do and typically was tackled or lost control of ball. This and his lack of tracking back for his misplaced pass for 2nd goal leads me to think he's not the smartest. Would still like saints to keep him though.

Edited by Markinch Saint
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

MOH was consistently hanging back when he should have been getting up the wing and receive the ball further up the park  as it stood he was often having to take on 3 or 4 before finding any space to run into

Totally disagree.  If he moves further up the wing his threat is neutralized. He has no space to run with the ball provided its passed to him. But he will get closed down quicker by 2 players.. Makes it easier to defend if he receives the ball further up the park.  He needs the ball to feet with 35 yards to goal to (or more)... a fast running player with ball at his feet is more threatening than him picking the ball up down the wing to be immediately tackled/closed down.  Got to play to his strength. And he typically needs to beat 2 players, not 4 wherever he gets the ball.

Edited by Dave H
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I would play a 4411 with Scougal in behind the striker, have Paton and Davidson in the middle with Alston/Spoony/Criag/Thomson (on return from his loan) on the wings switching over and being interchangeable - 

Thomson isn't loaned out. He's sitting in the stands because he's absolutely pish. He's now the same age as Denny Johnstone and I'm not even sure he's a year younger than Scott Tanser. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Totally disagree.  If he moves further up the wing his threat is neutralized. He has no space to run with the ball provided its passed to him. But he will get closed down quicker by 2 players.. Makes it easier to defend if he receives the ball further up the park.  He needs the ball to feet with 35 yards to goal to (or more)... a fast running player with ball at his feet is more threatening than him picking the ball up down the wing to be immediately tackled/closed down.  Got to play to his strength. And he typically needs to beat 2 players, not 4 wherever he gets the ball.

He can't beat four players every time. He needs players turning, and getting the ball in front of them fifteen times a match and never doing anything differently isn't helping himself. Put some doubt in the full backs minds, and you can then begin to fake a run in behind, make the full back move and you open up the space, the left back on Saturday just sat tight on him in the first half as he was never making a run into the acres of space that was opened up. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

He can't beat four players every time. He needs players turning, and getting the ball in front of them fifteen times a match and never doing anything differently isn't helping himself. Put some doubt in the full backs minds, and you can then begin to fake a run in behind, make the full back move and you open up the space, the left back on Saturday just sat tight on him in the first half as he was never making a run into the acres of space that was opened up. 

That's the acres of space MOH had created for himself. Wasnt his fault no one would pass to him.

Suggest he is less likely to get a pass 15 yards down the line. As would be crowded out or hit quick with any incoming pass.

Take your point on variability of positioning.  And making the full back think more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share