Radford 72

I don't have access to the detail of Wyscout but according to Transfermarkt, we started 5-2-3 (3-4-3) against: Aberdeen, Hibs, Celtic, United, Killie, Motherwell, Rangers and Aberdeen again. We scored from open play only against Killie. We started with 2 strikers against St Mirren, County, Livingston, Hamilton and St Mirren. We scored in 3 of those games and creating chances certainly wasn't a problem against Accies, where we had 28 shots. I'm not sure that 3-5-2 is a solve-all at home but it's definitely better than 5-2-3/3-4-3. Are you happy with the latter system at home?

I would find this bizarre. You target two players more than proven in this league, one a full international and the other a former Player of the Year nominee, and end up with a guy who has started 4 league games for Rangers and a player who has never started a domestic British game. Seems some turnaround from the initial targets. Gilmour is maybe worth a gamble but there has been no long-term thinking in our transfer strategy this season. If we lose players in the summer, there is going to be a lot of work to do.

Taken from @StAnalysis on Twitter: We've played 753 minutes (over 8 full games) at home in the 5-2-3, with just the 1 open play goal. Why is the manager persevering with this formation and is anyone enjoying watching us at home any more when we are using it?

We have not conceded 50 shots on target in the last 6 games! We aren't far over that total for the whole season!

Yet more whataboutery. Its not that Clark is poor, it's that the stats are "pure mince" obviously. Imagine wanting to judge a goalkeeper on his ability to save shots! Alien stuff! Unfortunately, those who aren't predispositioned to defend everything also have eyes. Amazingly enough, I suspect Mannus, Main etc... would rank highly because they were good goalkeepers. That's kind of the way it works.

I agree. They will get the games played down the line this time round if there is a suspension of play. I don't think that'll happen either though, certainly not for an extended spell.

It's the same stuff whenever a player is criticised. Need a hate figure, all players in that position are criticised by our dreadful fans etc... The irony is that the very people trying to dispute black and white evidence are the ones fabricating claims like above. Alan Mannus did have a dip in form in his Saints career and was replaced by Zander Clark, as should happen when a player isn't performing well or to standards set. What happened was that Mannus raised his game and won the shirt back, after which both goalkeepers seemed to bring the best out of each other. Without going back over the whole thread, I'd suggest virtually all the posts being critical of Clark set out the reasons why. Maybe, instead of just criticising those making the posts and endulging in whataboutery, those backing the goalkeeper could make the case for why he's, in their eyes, playing to an acceptable standard and is above criticism. Anyone?

This is what gets me. Folk can argue with the stats (and these aren't advanced metrics, they are very simple: basically shots on target minus goals conceded) but are they not watching the guy? It annoys me that people are saying he's a hate figure or whatever. For a long time, people have kept quiet and backed him, keeping reservations to themselves. But this is 18 months now of poor form, eventually the patience is going to break. Saying we shouldn't criticise him until the summer because he's here until then whatever is fair enough I suppose but trying to claim he's not playing poorly, I just find that bizarre from anyone that actually watches a lot of the team in action.

Neither of those points is accurate though. We give up very few chances (essentially only Rangers and Celtic concede fewer shots on target). Are you really saying that our defence, who give up so few shots at goal, give up such bad chances that a save rate of 55% is acceptable, when you see the figures for other teams? If you identify a weakness in the team, we should just turn a blind eye to it and instead make up unjustified criticism of other players, like the defenders? I understand backing players but it can't go on indefinitely. He was good today but then St Mirren didn't have a shot on target... But to reiterate the main point, do you think a save rate of 55% is good enough? Yes or no will do.

Livingston had the second worst performing goalkeeper in the league but look at how their form has rocketed since they replaced him with simply an average keeper. In my opinion, Saints would be up to 12 points better off with.an average goalkeeper, which I think would offer a far truer reflection on our performances this season. Blind loyalty to a massively underperforming goalkeeper from both the management and the support only holds the team back.

These are team figures for the percentage of on target shots saved in Premiership this season: 85% Rangers 84% 83% 82% 81% 80% 79% 78% 77% Hibernian, St Mirren 76% 75% 74% Aberdeen, Dundee United 73% Celtic 72% 71% 70% 69% Kilmarnock 68% Motherwell 67% 66% Ross County 65% Hamilton Accies 64% 63% 62% Livingston 61% 60% 59% 58% 57% 56% St Johnstone If our goalkeeper(s) was even performing to the average, given how few shots on target we give up, we'd have conceded around 21 goals, as opposed to 33 goals. How many more points does that give us?

An assist and two good saves, great stuff from the goalkeeper. That pass for Draper was perfect.

The business Saints did this summer was short-term, with loans and two aging players. Folk excused this by using the pandemic and that's fair enough but with the end now hopefully in sight, it's important they don't stand still. We still have the smallest squad in the league and have maintained success over the last 15 years by never needing large overhauls. So whilst it's easy and tempting to talk about loans in January, this needs to be balanced against preventing the requirement for a big turnover this summer.

Wouldn't be surprised if he brings McCann back in as he'll miss the next two games. You then have scenario where Bryson might need to play 3 games in a week and McCann potentially hasn't played for a month if he doesn't feature for Northern Ireland, which can't be great for match fitness. Always a tough game against a very well organised Kilmarnock team.

No news is good news where Saints are concerned, especially when news likely involves Steve Brown speaking in public.

Thought he was heavily involved again on Saturday but the stats show he lost possession 12 times. The other 9 outfield starters did so only 16 times between then and nobody more than 3 times. He did a lot of decent stuff but it wasn't his day when it came to key moments. A lot of folk looking at the league table but it's irrelevant for me at the moment. It's like being in a pack in the early laps on a long distance race, it doesn't really matter where you are. I've seen more than enough to still feel confident Saints can have a good season.

Nobody would claim that Clark wasn't compotent enough a few seasons ago but I struggle to grasp that there can still be supporters that feel comfortable with him in nets for us. This thread isn't about the goalkeeper he used to be. If the argument is that he can return to that level then hopefully he'll start showing it soon as it has been 18 months of poor performances. Right back to the start of last pre-season in Ireland, he had errors against Glentoran and Linfield and then carried it into the Celtic game. It's as if he's never recovered and the nadir had to be that spell in spring where he lost that goal against Motherwell and then had a performance for the ages in the closing stages at Ross County, flapping at everything and looking like he'd never seen a football before. Like most, I'd like nothing more than Clark to do well for us and I think that's shown by how little disquiet there has been about such an extended period of poor form but eventually something was going to need said and the dissenting voices would grow. No matter how popular someone is, you can't afford to carry someone in such a key position. Hopefully his recovery and a return to the player we had a few seasons ago starts tomorrow.

Analysts have built up huge databases of shot locations and outcomes in the Scottish Premiership and similar leagues dating back over years. If a right-footed shot is taken by a right-footed player under pressure and with two defenders between him and the goal, they will have every outcome from the hundreds or thousands of times this has happened. This means they can attribute a likely percentage of a goal being scored (xG) or the shot being saved (xSv). If a goalkeeper saves a shot that has a more than x% chance of being scored historically, then that would be regarded as a goal saved by the average goalkeeper for a league of the Premiership's standing. For the last 18 months, these numbers routinely show that Clark concedes goals that extensive data suggests the average goalkeeper would save. And, in my opinion, that backs up exactly what I'm seeing with my own eyes.

What struck me with Brechin is who are their players? Where are the names you know and, across that league, where are the lower league journeymen? They seem to only have those on their last legs (Martin Scott) or kids. Then you look at the Kelty team midweek and there is your answer. These Lower League teams in particular seem to be able to attract players ahead of League Two clubs. In contrast to Brechin, their team was packed with guys you knew. Suspect we could see a fair changing of the guard in the next seasons and more SPFL clubs going the way of Berwick and East Stirlingshire. Whilst Kelty would be a welcome addition having put a lot into their ground/community and have an established fan base, the worry is that league places are secured by essentially franchise clubs like BSC Glasgow, East Kilbride and Caledonian Braves. That doesn't help Scottish football. Although rather 42 Caledonian Braves than colt teams right enough...

And let's not forget the stuff about Derek McInnes at the start of our title-winning season. You'd think folk would learn...

Lomas went on the following run spanning the end of one season and start of the next, plus the Eskisehirspor games taking it to 14 without a win. On a platform where our most successful ever manager was questioned whenever he lost a few games and where a rookie manager has threads like this started only 9 games into his career, it doesn't take a genius to work out what was being said about Steve Lomas.

You always get the attention seekers that have to be OUTRAGED about absolutely everything but for the sane section of our support that are even countenancing this, give yourselves a shake. The man is 9 games into a managerial career. Unprecedented times with the pandemic, added to working under a structure where money is more of a concern than success. His team have been on the wrong end of some tight swings. Get behind the man and offer him the support that makes his job that bit easier and doesn't pile unnecessary pressure on him and his players. Thankfully, for his faults, Steve Brown won't wet the bed and will give Callum Davidson the time he needs but more importantly, certainly deserves.

That's a bit personal and needless. By all means be constructive but laying into volunteers is pretty poor.

He was a record signing at the time, the club's first £100,000 player IIRC. Not sure he ever lived up to that price tag but others will remember better and where he was mainly deployed. He was quite a versatile player from what I recall.

They've already numbered his kit (7) up and he's been here for over a month. The more pertinent question would be why they haven't finalised/announced it. Will also be interesting to see where he fits in. Looking at Transfermarkt over the past few seasons, looks like he'll operate in similar areas to Kennedy as an attacking midfielder, which is reassuring, as to him just being predominantly a left winger.