Saints v Livingston, 30/09/2023

[blueheaven]

So another week, another chance for Macca and this Saints team to get things right and give us all a glimmer of hope that things might start to improve a bit.

I think we desperately need to see some sort of commitment to getting forward and attacking in this game, and showing some sign of the pressing, energetic football that the manager promised. It really shouldn't be too difficult to be achieving that.

On the other hand, if we start with one player up front on their own, and we lose again, and we yet again fail to even score a goal, I'm not sure I'll be able to keep backing this manager.

[Linky]

This game is probably the most important of the season so far. Another loss and that’ll be it I think. There is a lot of worry at Livi at the moment due to new owners so they hopefully won’t be at the top of their game.

[Cagey]

Livi will be no push overs.

They have a lot up front and they like a long ball for Nouble to flick on the Anderson who is lethal when he gets a chance or a long ball over the top for Sangare ,who has pace to run on to. We also have defenders without pace.

[The Kinross Saint]

0-3

[pezza70]

Livi will only have to attack and our defenders will roll out the red carpet for them.

It’s very un St Johnstone like to sack their managers, but Macca is in quick sand right now unfortunately 

[Aitchy]

I think most of us are would view Ross County, Dundee and Livi as the three teams who are likely to be at the lower end of the table with us this season.  Lose on Saturday and we will be 7 points behind Livi and at least 5 behind County and 4 behind Dundee. Far from ideal after only 7 games.

My team would be:

Mitov

Olufunwa Gordon Considine Robinson

Drey Sprangler Philips Max

Jephcott May

Given Maccas comments in the media this week about Jephcott its very unlikely that he will start, but what other options do we have? Its a big risk playing Kano again if he is fit and Costelloe does not look up to things yet. Ideally you would want Jephcott to be in better shape, but we have surely got to better off starting him than leaving him on the bench and him only getting the last 10 minutes. Let the midfield and Stevie May do the pressing and leg work and ask Jephcott to make sure he is in around the box for when any crosses come in etc. Macca described him as a "fox in the box" - https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/4577668/luke-jephcott-steven-maclean-st-johnstone-transfer/, he should use him to his strengths rather than expecting him to come on and close down defenders. 

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Aitchy

[rik2304]

4-4-2 and some attacking intent please.

 

Anything else is stackable.

[SaintJet]

I hate playing Livi anytime but with our back to the wall its a scarey prospect.

Last year we were three down in heartbeat; if we lose an early goal we're done for. I really hope we can get a win and drag them back in to it but I'm not to hopeful. 

[rik2304]

1 hour ago, rik2304 said:

4-4-2 and some attacking intent please.

 

Anything else is stackable.

Sackable.

[blueheaven]

2 hours ago, Aitchy said:

I think most of us are would view Ross County, Dundee and Livi as the three teams who are likely to be at the lower end of the table with us this season.  Lose on Saturday and we will be 7 points behind Livi and at least 5 behind County and 4 behind Dundee. Far from ideal after only 7 games.

My team would be:

Mitov

Olufunwa Gordon Considine Robinson

Drey Sprangler Philips Max

Jephcott May

Given Maccas comments in the media this week about Jephcott its very unlikely that he will start, but what other options do we have? Its a big risk playing Kano again if he is fit and Costelloe does not look up to things yet. Ideally you would want Jephcott to be in better shape, but we have surely got to better off starting him than leaving him on the bench and him only getting the last 10 minutes. Let the midfield and Stevie May do the pressing and leg work and ask Jephcott to make sure he is in around the box for when any crosses come in etc. Macca described him as a "fox in the box" - https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/4577668/luke-jephcott-steven-maclean-st-johnstone-transfer/, he should use him to his strengths rather than expecting him to come on and close down defenders. 

 

 

I mostly much agree with your team, although I'm not at all convinced by Max out wide. He just doesn't seem to have the pace or the impact to play as a winger. I'd either stick with Carey or give Costelloe a go on the left. I'm also not sure about Phillips next to Sprangler in a central two. For me that's two stoppers/tacklers/interceptors in there but no creativity. I'd quite like to see Smith given a chance next to Sprangler instead.

If Jephcott can't get a chance now - when we're desperate for a goal and need to try pretty much anything to turn this situation around, and two of our other three strikers are injured - then I wonder if he ever will. The guy needs to step up and prove himself quickly, because if he doesn't he's going to disappear once Kane and Clark are fit.

My team ...

________________Mitov

Olufunwa Gordon Considine Robinson

________Sprangler____Smith

Wright__________May_________Carey

_____________Jephcott

 

[Northern saint]

It's serious bum clenching time.  Lose and it will be a long struggle to recover.  

Why is Jephcott's fitness still a problem?  Surely, the coaching staff should have been making him work more to catch up.  

For all Mclean's words, this seems to be another Melamed situation.  The guy doesn't "play" the way Mclean (Davidson) wishes, being a box poacher.  Melamed only had a chance when there was no other option.  Without his goals, where would we be? 

McLean may wish to play like Man City but his players cannot.  Put the right player into the right position, play to their strengths.   

If we go one up top, we're saying, "we're here to lose!"  We said that at Hibs and lost.  

Turner-Cooke over Carey for me, some pace.  His bio at Newcastle shows promise.  Assists and goals.  

It's time to roll the dice!  

[south inch]

Livingston are our best chance of 3 points out of our next 4 games.  They are floundering a bit after a bright start to the season.  If we are to have a chance of clawing our way out of our current mess under Macca we need 4 or 5 points before the Kilmarnock game, our next best hope of 3 points.

Another poor performance on Saturday and I think Macca has to go.  We must give the next guy a few games to find his feet, the longer we delay the more difficult his job will be.

[templeofsaints]

Has to be 2 up front - May and Jephcott for now. Beyond that I'm torn between 3-5-2 or 4-4-2. If the former I'd have Drey and Gallacher on the wings and Sven, Dan and JTC/Smith/Cammy in the middle. Defence can be Gordon, Considine and either McLelland or Olufunwa. 

If its 4-4-2 then sacrifice one of the central midfielders for Carey/Costelloe on the left. 

[SlickDT]

I have the same problem that Macca has..... not a friggin clue the best formation or players that are in our best XI!? 😂

[Gekko]

Because I missed the match at the weekend, and I'm a glutton for punishment, I watched the whole thing back on Saints TV.

I thought both full backs were poor, so for a game of this magnitude, I'd drop them both.

Olufunwa is far from the finished article but didn't deserve to be dropped in my opinion.

And for crying out loud, there must, must, MUST be two up top.

Literally everybody can see this, yet May's old strike partner can't?

So, because I'd drop the full backs, I'd go back on my previous 4-4-2 preference and opt for a 3-5-2.

I'd put Olufunwa in his more natural RCB position, Gordon middle, his best work has been in the middle of a three, and Considine, who's done better than I thought he would this season, on the left.

Wright at RWB, where he was player of the season last year. Sprangler as deep lying mid, very impressive debut, Phillips obviously and then Smith over MacPherson because I don't think Cammy works hard enough for a game like this.

I'll say Carey at LWB because I don't think there's a better option, but he needs to be told to work harder tracking back.

May and Jephcott up front. May can run about as he always does but leave Jephcott standing on the toes of their keeper. May on the left because I always think he's better at cutting back on to his right. That was his game at his peak.

So...

               Mitov

     Olufunwa  Gordon  Considine 

Wright Phillips Sprangler Smith Carey

          Jephcott  May

[Havana Saint]

Must not lose.

A goal or two would be nice.

[R.B.B:- Adz]

                             Mitov

OlufunwaMcClellandConsidineRobinson

                     Smith  Sprangler  

Wright            MacPherson        Costelloe

                              May

[RandomGuy]

The worst possible side for us to face at this moment, IMO. Purely for the fact folk still look down on Livingston so will be expecting to win, when the reality is theyre a much better side that that, so expectations will already be higher than reality headed into the fixture.

Not a clue of our strongest set up. Mitov, Considine, Sprangler, Wright and Kane are all must starts as it stands and if theyre fit, then you build around that.

Livingston can play a narrow front three in their set up if the game allows it, so id be heavily against a back 3 against them.

Gallacher v Robinson feels like youre just deciding between the same player. Brown v Olufunwa youre just picking who Nouble will dominate, i think id go with Olufunwa though. Gordon v McClelland id go with Gordon as itll like be Bruce Anderson they face, and i dont think McClellands agile enough to deal with him.

So

Mitov

Olufunwa - Gordon - Considine - Robinson

Wright - Sprangler

Kane

.. as a starting point.

Left wing the next decision and probably the hardest?

Costelloe has the pace but seems to be struggling. Carey has the ability but lets himself down. Max id be interested to see play there tbh. Could you have him or Turner-Cooke and May sort of rotating there in an offset way? May drifts left anyway. I want to see more of Turner-Cooke.

Mitov

Olufunwa - Gordon - Considine - Robinson

Wright - Sprangler - ? - Turner-Cooke

Kane - May

... is where i get to. Then you pick your last CM.

MacPherson is a no, Franczak for me is a no. So Smith or Phillips, which i think id go for Smith. Both wasteful in possession but Smith seems less likely to be sent off, so aye.

Mitov

Olufunwa - Gordon - Considine - Robinson

Wright - Sprangler - Smith - Turner-Cooke

Kane - May

With the idea May can become a left winger if/when needed and we can go 4-3-3 is where i end up just now.

[blueheaven]

31 minutes ago, RandomGuy said:

 

Mitov

Olufunwa - Gordon - Considine - Robinson

Wright - Sprangler - Smith - Turner-Cooke

Kane - May

With the idea May can become a left winger if/when needed and we can go 4-3-3 is where i end up just now.

That's pretty much the same as the team I suggested and I'd be happy with seeing Turner-Cooke given that chance to come in from the left. But isn't Kane pretty much ruled out? And if so would you start Jephcott or does Kane's injury effectively balls up everything? I think that's a big part of the issue Macca is having at the moment.

[RandomGuy]

8 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

That's pretty much the same as the team I suggested and I'd be happy with seeing Turner-Cooke given that chance to come in from the left. But isn't Kane pretty much ruled out? And if so would you start Jephcott or does Kane's injury effectively balls up everything? I think that's a big part of the issue Macca is having at the moment.

Think Kanes described as "touch and go", so im just hoping for the best.

Dont think Jephcott and May will work but it surely has to be tried? Dont see any point just praying one of Clark and Kane is fit every week so he'll have to work out a way to have them playing together eventually i think.

You do wonder if he regrets signing Jephcott and, if given the chance, would go back and sign someone more suited to a lone striker role.

[Aitchy]

18 hours ago, blueheaven said:

 

I mostly much agree with your team, although I'm not at all convinced by Max out wide. He just doesn't seem to have the pace or the impact to play as a winger. I'd either stick with Carey or give Costelloe a go on the left. I'm also not sure about Phillips next to Sprangler in a central two. For me that's two stoppers/tacklers/interceptors in there but no creativity. I'd quite like to see Smith given a chance next to Sprangler instead.

If Jephcott can't get a chance now - when we're desperate for a goal and need to try pretty much anything to turn this situation around, and two of our other three strikers are injured - then I wonder if he ever will. The guy needs to step up and prove himself quickly, because if he doesn't he's going to disappear once Kane and Clark are fit.

My team ...

________________Mitov

Olufunwa Gordon Considine Robinson

________Sprangler____Smith

Wright__________May_________Carey

_____________Jephcott

 

I went for Max as he is one of the few players that has actually made any meaningful contribution this season (2 goals vs Dundee). I agree with your assessment that he lacks pace to play consistently on the wing, but he is disciplined, works hard and can chip in with a goal. 
 

Ive seen nothing from Smith yet that suggests he will offer an attacking threat. Looks to me like someone who is more comfortable sitting deep in the midfield, although I may be wrong. I like Philips physicality and think he will provide more energy in the middle of the park.

Whoever plays, we need to greatly improve our passing. Needlessly giving the ball away has been a massive issue for us this season. Could really do with Drey getting back to last seasons levels as well.

 

[Cagey]

27 minutes ago, RandomGuy said:

Think Kanes described as "touch and go", so im just hoping for the best.

Dont think Jephcott and May will work but it surely has to be tried? Dont see any point just praying one of Clark and Kane is fit every week so he'll have to work out a way to have them playing together eventually i think.

You do wonder if he regrets signing Jephcott and, if given the chance, would go back and sign someone more suited to a lone striker role.

Is Jephcott another millstone round our neck for 3 years like McPherson , Crawford etc etc. I don't remember who are signings and who are loans.

[PSJ.84]

Just now, Cagey said:

Is Jephcott another millstone round our neck for 3 years like McPherson , Crawford etc etc. I don't remember who are signings and who are loans.

Two years for Jephcott

[Cagey]

8 minutes ago, Aitchy said:

I went for Max as he is one of the few players that has actually made any meaningful contribution this season (2 goals vs Dundee). I agree with your assessment that he lacks pace to play consistently on the wing, but he is disciplined, works hard and can chip in with a goal. 
 

Ive seen nothing from Smith yet that suggests he will offer an attacking threat. Looks to me like someone who is more comfortable sitting deep in the midfield, although I may be wrong. I like Philips physicality and think he will provide more energy in the middle of the park.

Whoever plays, we need to greatly improve our passing. Needlessly giving the ball away has been a massive issue for us this season. Could really do with Drey getting back to last seasons levels as well.

 

Agree on Max and Smith.

Still think Wright is carrying an injury.

 

[Broggy Man]

I just hope we play with some intent I would rather see us attacking and losing than the dross we have seen