St.Johnstone V Motherwell 21st October

[The Kinross Saint]

7 hours ago, SaintJet said:

I think this so unfair on Steve May. He works hard in training everyday, always makes himeself avialable , just gets on with it and comes on and runs himself in to the ground with very little service.

I can guarantee that he if he was playing in a side that had plenty service to it's forwards he'd score barrowloads.

He's still a team player and if you watch him celebrating a goal even if he's in the dugout it confirms that he is still very much a Saint.

I'm sorry but we don't need someone who runs (throws) themselves to the ground and celebrates excitedly if they're not producing enough quality. We're way past being sentimental if we want to stay in the league. 

If it's the case he'd score with service then why didn't he? Clark is managing it.

[Steve McQueen]

29 minutes ago, The Kinross Saint said:

I'm sorry but we don't need someone who runs (throws) themselves to the ground and celebrates excitedly if they're not producing enough quality. We're way past being sentimental if we want to stay in the league. 

If it's the case he'd score with service then why didn't he? Clark is managing it.

He scored 10 last season in a very defensive team.

[Gekko]

52 minutes ago, St. Paddy said:

Are we writting jephcot off yet?

His previous stats suggest he is a natural scorer, hasn't done anything of any note yet.

Could be a case that one scrappy goal opens the flood gates.  Here's hoping.

I was thinking this earlier.

Hopefully Levein can use his experience and help him get his Perth career going.

As you say, he scored for fun in league one, so should be able to do the same up here.

If we can get all our strikers confident and scoring regularly then we should, hopefully, start climbing up the table.

[SaintJet]

1 hour ago, The Kinross Saint said:

I'm sorry but we don't need someone who runs (throws) themselves to the ground and celebrates excitedly if they're not producing enough quality. We're way past being sentimental if we want to stay in the league. 

If it's the case he'd score with service then why didn't he? Clark is managing it.

Sentiment has nothing to do with it. May is more than capable of scoring goals in this league and will do.

But the whole point of a forum is to let everyone have their point of view and you are entitled to yours- I do think you could could choose your words better to reflect the guys contribution to us over the years.

[blueheaven]

15 hours ago, The Kinross Saint said:

I'm sorry but we don't need someone who runs (throws) themselves to the ground and celebrates excitedly if they're not producing enough quality. We're way past being sentimental if we want to stay in the league. 

If it's the case he'd score with service then why didn't he? Clark is managing it.

For me, May has had two really good goalscoring spells in his career. The first one was when he had Macca next to him. The second one was when he had Clark next to him. I'm not sure how anyone who saw how well he played alongside Clark last season could come to the conclusion that he's not good enough. He just needs the right strike partner next to him and he's proven he can thrive. Even when he was rumbling around on his own up front I thought he was generally playing pretty well, but he was just playing nowhere near the goal so wasn't getting any goalscoring chances. If people could say he'd been missing a load of sitters or looking off the pace then that would be a big worry, but I just don't think that's the case.

You say Clark is managing it but in both of the games he's scored in this season, he's had Kane next to him and he's been served chances by a team that has had a much more attacking mindset. I don't think anyone could say May has had that same opportunity this season.

[PSJ.84]

I’d cut Jephcott some slack for the same reason and the fact we haven’t really created when he’s played. He could contribute more in general play though. 

[rik2304]

I'd like to see Jephcott get a chance. I've got it in my mind he'll be very similar to Clark.

[The Kinross Saint]

3 hours ago, blueheaven said:

For me, May has had two really good goalscoring spells in his career. The first one was when he had Macca next to him. The second one was when he had Clark next to him. I'm not sure how anyone who saw how well he played alongside Clark last season could come to the conclusion that he's not good enough. He just needs the right strike partner next to him and he's proven he can thrive. Even when he was rumbling around on his own up front I thought he was generally playing pretty well, but he was just playing nowhere near the goal so wasn't getting any goalscoring chances. If people could say he'd been missing a load of sitters or looking off the pace then that would be a big worry, but I just don't think that's the case.

You say Clark is managing it but in both of the games he's scored in this season, he's had Kane next to him and he's been served chances by a team that has had a much more attacking mindset. I don't think anyone could say May has had that same opportunity this season.

Ok I take the point he hasn't had the same opportunity this season as Clark but to me he seems more interested in trying to win a free kick than trying to score a goal and that makes me wonder if he's lost confidence in his own ability. 

Maybe slightly unfair to go in so heavy on him but he did miss a big chance with his glancing header towards the end on Tuesday night and previously against Kilmarnock he missed a clear opportunity to slot in Kane/Costelloe on a break forward at 2-1.

All I'm saying is we're not in a position to accommodate players trying to regain confidence. We need players performing now if we're going to have a chance to survive. I can't stand diving/play-acting and it would be hypocritical not to point it out in our own players. 

[RandomGuy]

Mays hopeless as a lone striker. Almost no interest in getting physical and hes not quick enough to break any lines, so youre pretty much only getting any use out of him if you play it to his feet and get players close, but even then he needs space.

As one of a front two, you suddenly get an incredible players who can both set up chances and score them. Giving him a focal point to play off gives him space and more options on the ball, without relying on him winning any physical battles.

I think Jephcott is kind of similar but different. Hes able to play with his back to goal more, and wants to stay central while May wants to go wide, but Jephcott also cant be the focal point you play through.

At least one of Clark or Kane need to start whether its a 1 or 2 up front.

[blueheaven]

1 hour ago, The Kinross Saint said:

Ok I take the point he hasn't had the same opportunity this season as Clark but to me he seems more interested in trying to win a free kick than trying to score a goal and that makes me wonder if he's lost confidence in his own ability. 

Maybe slightly unfair to go in so heavy on him but he did miss a big chance with his glancing header towards the end on Tuesday night and previously against Kilmarnock he missed a clear opportunity to slot in Kane/Costelloe on a break forward at 2-1.

All I'm saying is we're not in a position to accommodate players trying to regain confidence. We need players performing now if we're going to have a chance to survive. I can't stand diving/play-acting and it would be hypocritical not to point it out in our own players. 

Have to say I can't remember seeing any diving/play-acting from May. I see it all the time from Kane, though. Arguably Kane's main function in the team is to win free kicks.

Personally I reckon May is going to have an important part to play for us this season. It's unlikely Kane and Clark will always be fit (in fact, will Kane even still be here after Christmas?), so we're going to need him, unless Jephcott unexpectedly hits a burst of form.

[PSJ.84]

I can see the point about May diving etc. but I think that’s only more noticeable right now because he’s not up to much else. 

[Quarterback]

4 hours ago, RandomGuy said:

Mays hopeless as a lone striker. Almost no interest in getting physical and hes not quick enough to break any lines, so youre pretty much only getting any use out of him if you play it to his feet and get players close, but even then he needs space.

As one of a front two, you suddenly get an incredible players who can both set up chances and score them. Giving him a focal point to play off gives him space and more options on the ball, without relying on him winning any physical battles.

I think Jephcott is kind of similar but different. Hes able to play with his back to goal more, and wants to stay central while May wants to go wide, but Jephcott also cant be the focal point you play through.

At least one of Clark or Kane need to start whether its a 1 or 2 up front.

Also not sure the route one balls suited him this season

[garydavidson]

19 hours ago, blueheaven said:

 (in fact, will Kane even still be here after Christmas?)

Does anyone know how long his contract extension was?

[RandomGuy]

21 minutes ago, garydavidson said:

Does anyone know how long his contract extension was?

Courier said it was just until January, so likely takes him until the last game before the winter break (2nd January).

[Cagey]

Fine margines .

If we had beat Motherwell and Livi as we should have we would have been on 15 , Well on 11 and Livi on 9 with us 7 th or 8th and sitting comfortably.

Our home form hasn't been bad this season with only two close defeats to Hearts and Rangers and that when we hadn't found a team yet.

Onwards and upwards.

[blueheaven]

12 hours ago, Cagey said:

Fine margines .

If we had beat Motherwell and Livi as we should have we would have been on 15 , Well on 11 and Livi on 9 with us 7 th or 8th and sitting comfortably.

Our home form hasn't been bad this season with only two close defeats to Hearts and Rangers and that when we hadn't found a team yet.

Onwards and upwards.

It's sort of remarkable to see how tightly packed in we are alongside the rest of the bottom half of the table, when you consider just how bad we were at both picking up points and scoring goals for our first nine games or so. Also despite being bottom of the table for ages our goal difference really isn't all that bad and if it hadn't been for the 4-0 collapse at St Mirren we'd be on the same goal difference as Aberdeen and Motherwell.

I maintain you can be terrible for most of the season in this league and still stay up. Our performances in Davidson's last two seasons pretty much prove that.

[pezza70]

It’s funny that with our scoring record last season and we stayed up says plenty of things about the state of Scottish footy.

With Clark out again it will be interesting if we throw Jephcott straight in or do we play Kane and May together?