St.Johnstone V Hearts - Wednesday 7th February

[Havana Saint]

A bit of ambition and we could have taken something from that.

 

16 goals in 24 league games. 😩

[Cagey]

Will we ever start pushing forward before going a goal.down .

[Cagey]

I think it must be tactics for the first instinct to pass the ball back. They all do it  ,Robinson is the worst culprit but late in the game when we were supposed to be chasing a goal Considine had an easy pass forward on his favoured left foot but decide turn round and got caught in possession and it al most lead to a goal.

[johndb]

On 2/7/2024 at 12:01 AM, MySpazz said:

Expecting a Zander horror show, a Sibbeth master class and Levein to say in his interview "they are an organised side" etc. In the words of @SLF, "in aboot thum" 

Aye get in aboot thaim. Or rather just play fast attacking football like all the good saints sides have in the past.

[Belgian Saint]

I though Carey looked good the jurist 60 minutes playing that quarter back role, it really shows how much ability and range of passing he has. Although I’m worried the tactic for the rest of the season will be for Mitov to catch corners and kick as quickly as possible for Kimpioka to run on to. 

[dave mc]

Made the right change at half time, i’d have taken Tony off too, put  Max there and brought on Adama, we must be more offensive 

[dave mc]

Gave Hearts far too respect, they were far from impressive, but got far too much time and space, playing Max  and Tony didn’t work, Smith in at cb, Robbo is a better wing back, but need two up top 

[blueheaven]

We're just incredibly frustrating to watch. I think we have the potential to be a decent team but we show our opponents so much respect and fear that it's damaging our chances of getting anything out of games. I get that Hearts are third in the league but they're not exactly world-beaters and I think we all saw last night that with a bit more ambition we could have taken something from them, just as we have many times in the past.

Yet again we didn't really try to have a go until the last 15-20 minutes and when we did we were actually pretty good at it. We created chances, we got the ball into their box and we forced the Hearts defence into making mistakes. But surely we need to be ambitious enough to try that earlier in the game? I get that defence is going to be a priority under Levein but there still needs to be some sort of plan to actually win games.

When Hearts had the ball they played it in our half, and when they didn't they pressed us so we couldn't get forward. When we had the ball we kept it around our own half, and when we didn't have it we barely pressed them at all. Whatever happened to the high pressing game we used in the second half of our Double-winning season to such great effect? Why are we not capable of doing that any more? Is it a fitness issue?

What I did like last night was seeing Carey getting onto his teammates several times for continually passing the ball backwards and not being positive enough. He was being used in a very weird position, but he was at least trying to move the team forward and get us onto the front foot. Sprangler made a difference when he came on and needs to be starting. I thought Kimpioka had a pretty good game with a difficult task, and Clark and Sidibeh both looked lively when they came on too. We're so, so weak in wide areas though, and at the moment I'm not seeing much from Max or Connor Smith to suggest they should be starting games. Frankly, if Cammy MacPherson was fit I'd be playing him ahead of either of them. The sooner we get Phillips and Matt Smith back, the better.

What I find kind of hilarious after the last two or three years is that there were actually people on here who used to complain about Tommy Wright's football being negative or bad to watch. What I wouldn't give right now to go back to the intelligent, adaptable and effective football Wright had us playing. He was just miles ahead of any of the managers we've had since.

[SaintJet]

Didn't enjoy the game at all. I can't think of any passage of play where I thought we were a threat. Kimpy continues to  impress and looked dangerous but we can't keep hoping he'll turn half chances in to goals.

Defense looked solid again, McGown has been our most consistant performer since he came back in to the team and Conso too has really improved - shame about the goal- pure opporntunism from a great striker in form.

Olafunwa looked tidy and grew in to the game but Gallacher is a bomb scare and looks to unload the ball at any opportunity- said it before he's a liability! Young Con Smith looked a bit overwhelmed early but you can see he is a class player and so worth sticking with him and let him get a run. I'm officially on the "why Max" bandwagon- he looks lost out there and needs a rest - I really don't get his inclusion every week.

Carey continues to drive me nuts - very capable but always looking for the 'Hollywood' ball. I suppose it's in his DNA and he can win a game for you.

All in all there were little bits and pieces of encouragement here and there but nothing to suggest we will be well clear of the dogfight,

Hope we can get some more real bite back in to the midfield for Sunday and the most glaring thing that we need is a wide threat. We need an MOH type player or Dre Wright urgently.

[PerthSaint01]

Thought Sprangler was poor last night when he came on actually, did nothing to impact the game and use of the ball was a lot poorer than we’ve seen previously.

[Aitchy]

It really is a chore going to watch us at the moment. Very little entertainment, the spontaneity of a game removed by VAR and the ever increasing costs involved in watching football at this level all contribute to making watching football less and less enjoyable.

I don't like talking down Scottish football, but the standard in the Premiership has been dire this season. Fair play to Hearts, they have secured third place and have a quality striker in Shankland, but in years gone by there is no way they would be in the position they are now. Our 2013/14 team under Tommy Wright would have comfortably beaten that Hearts team last night. I cant remember coming away from a game this season thinking an opposition team really impressed me. 

I am not sure if it is fitness, lack of confidence or instructions from the manager, but we just seem to lack any ability to demonstrate any type of aggressive attacking football. I dont want to be too harsh on Franczak or Olunfunwa as they are both young players, but we had numerous opportunities in the first half last night to attack them, but both just seemed to lack the belief to take their man on or do anything creative.  Interestingly I watched Andy Kirk going absolutely mental in the dugout when we were passing the ball backwards so often, so it cant be an instruction from the coaching team.

We all want Max to do well, but it just isn't working for him and the longer Levein persists in playing him, the the more damage it is likely to do to him. Fans are starting to get on his back, he needs a spell on the bench for a few games. Phillips and Matty Smith were a big miss last night. Phillips gives us physicality in the middle of the pitch and both are able to dictate the play and retain possession better than Max, Connor Smith or Fran.

Kimpioka reminds me of Tade. Technically he is not the greatest, but his pace, power and unpredictable nature will cause defences problems. I would like to see him upfront with Clark or Sidibeh or Sunday. I still think that May or Kane have something to offer us as well. Would have preferred to have seen one of them come on ahead of DJ last night.

A win on Sunday and we could be sitting in the top 6 ahead of big spending Aberdeen, Dundee and Hibs which is probably a reflection on how poor the league actually is this season.

[Saline Saint]

Funny how differently we see the game and players,Olunfunwa for me hid from the ball most of the first half,instead of moving into acres of space out wide he would come inside and avoid any possibility of receiving a pass.Number one bomb scare in defence can usually be levelled at Gordon but in his absence that mantel surely goes to Considine,blunder for the goal and he is poor when attempting to play it out from the back his lack of pace it alarming,there are Clydesdale horses that are more agile than him.Young Max, well he’s either got pictures of the manager or he’s Leveins love child,either way he shouldn’t be in the starting line up.Kimpioka,has ability that’s certain but the one trick pony step overs are fairly quickly sussed by defenders,simplify things and use the obvious pace to good effect.Anyway enough of the equine references.

[blueheaven]

Personally I think we should have tried to send Olufunwa out on loan in the second half of this season to get him some much-needed game time and experience. I think there might be a player there but he seems incredibly raw and needs a lot of instruction.

We'd have been better off with James Brown in Olufunwa's role last night. I know Brown's been told he can go but we're still paying him so why not use him if he's still needed until we're able to further strengthen in the summer? Last night we didn't even use up our full allocation of allowed players on the bench, but we had five strikers on there and only one defender. I'd have thought that at the very least, a versatile right-sided defender like Brown would make sense to have as an option on the bench in case of injury.

[Cagey]

30 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

Personally I think we should have tried to send Olufunwa out on loan in the second half of this season to get him some much-needed game time and experience. I think there might be a player there but he seems incredibly raw and needs a lot of instruction.

We'd have been better off with James Brown in Olufunwa's role last night. I know Brown's been told he can go but we're still paying him so why not use him if he's still needed until we're able to further strengthen in the summer? Last night we didn't even use up our full allocation of allowed players on the bench, but we had five strikers on there and only one defender. I'd have thought that at the very least, a versatile right-sided defender like Brown would make sense to have as an option on the bench in case of injury.

Strange , we can't fill the bench but don't use signed players. I suppose we were that short last night that we had to list May and Kane even though there was very little chance of them getting on.

[blueheaven]

2 minutes ago, Cagey said:

Strange , we can't fill the bench but don't use signed players. I suppose we were that short last night that we had to list May and Kane even though there was very little chance of them getting on.

I don't really get not filling the bench. Don't we even have any youngsters who would find it valuable to get that experience of being part of the first team squad, even if they don't get to come on?

[PSJ.84]

3 hours ago, SaintJet said:

Carey continues to drive me nuts - very capable but always looking for the 'Hollywood' ball. I suppose it's in his DNA and he can win a game for you.

I’m perfectly okay with him being inventive, even if it doesn’t come off most of the time - the last thing we need is another bland, boring player who takes the safe option every single time. Absolutely crucial we get Phillips back and get Carey higher up the park where there’s less chance of him losing the ball in a dangerous area, and more chance of him actually creating something. 

[Brian Potter]

Disappointing but I’m already over it. Hearts, as average as they seem, are a solid team defensively, not that we tested them much. Next…

Edited February 8 by Brian Potter

[Linky]

I think there were a lot of positives last night - we held our own against a team that are comfortably the 'best of the rest'. If it wasn't for a moment of magic, they wouldn't have won. They shut down after that and it was too difficult to break them down.

Olufunwa has always looked completely lost when I've seen him, but actually was quite decent last night. Keltjens is obviously much better than him, but he looked like an ok back up.

We were missing quite a few. Kimpioka caused the problems, and the other new striker was at least willing to get some shots away.

It's not great football, but we're grinding out decent performances and results. In our last 5 games, the only teams that have got more points than us are the OF, Hearts, Motherwell and St. Mirren. I think we'll finish the season in a comfortable 8th or 9th

[R.B.B:- Adz]

8 hours ago, PerthSaint01 said:

Thought Sprangler was poor last night when he came on actually, did nothing to impact the game and use of the ball was a lot poorer than we’ve seen previously.

What do you expect when he has been frozen out and only gets brought on when the game is up at full throttle. Hard for any sub to come on and have an impact from the bench, even harder to come on at centre mid and look good.

Max Kucheriavyi was anonymous again. Give Sprangler a run of 3 or 4 games and if he doesn’t take his chance bring Kucheriavyi back by all means.

As for Tony Gallagher… I don’t even have the energy - so bad that he is in our starting 11. A criminal downgrade from the heady days of Bollan, Stanic, Easton or even Tanser.

Edited February 8 by R.B.B:- Adz

[Cagey]

3 hours ago, Linky said:

I think there were a lot of positives last night - we held our own against a team that are comfortably the 'best of the rest'. If it wasn't for a moment of magic, they wouldn't have won. They shut down after that and it was too difficult to break them down.

Olufunwa has always looked completely lost when I've seen him, but actually was quite decent last night. Keltjens is obviously much better than him, but he looked like an ok back up.

We were missing quite a few. Kimpioka caused the problems, and the other new striker was at least willing to get some shots away.

It's not great football, but we're grinding out decent performances and results. In our last 5 games, the only teams that have got more points than us are the OF, Hearts, Motherwell and St. Mirren. I think we'll finish the season in a comfortable 8th or 9th

Not sure about decent performances .Last 10 mins in this game and second half against Aberdeen. The rest has been dire.

First half we let Hearts dominate by sitting in our own half and never ventured out .

The odd punt up to our striker didn't work but it did for Shankland without whom Hearts are an average .

[Maskrey]

We showed little ambition in the game and decided to pack the defence and make it a stuffy game.  Hearts had easy possession and didn’t play many hopeful forward balls as I feel they knew that 1 goal would give them the points.  We didn’t lay a glove on them but I don’t think we expected anything else as Levein is working with a really poor squad and is trying to extract as many points out of them to keep us safe so we are always likely to be stuffy.  We are crying out for a bit of guile and nous up front.  Kimpioka is extremely raw but we can’t fault him for effort.  Surely May can offer us a bit more in the forward areas?  What’s the story with him?  Levein doesn’t fancy him but he doesn’t even get off the bench.

[blueheaven]

14 hours ago, R.B.B:- Adz said:

What do you expect when he has been frozen out and only gets brought on when the game is up at full throttle. Hard for any sub to come on and have an impact from the bench, even harder to come on at centre mid and look good.

Max Kucheriavyi was anonymous again. Give Sprangler a run of 3 or 4 games and if he doesn’t take his chance bring Kucheriavyi back by all means.

As for Tony Gallagher… I don’t even have the energy - so bad that he is in our starting 11. A criminal downgrade from the heady days of Bollan, Stanic, Easton or even Tanser.

I don't think even Levein thinks Gallacher should be in the team. But he clearly does think Max should be in there every week and Sprangler shouldn't, which is a lot more worrying.

But perhaps nothing is as worrying as Andy Considine saying that the team "played some of their best football" against Hearts and carried out the manager's style of football "to a tee in the first half".

[Maskrey]

14 hours ago, Cagey said:

Not sure about decent performances .Last 10 mins in this game and second half against Aberdeen. The rest has been dire.

First half we let Hearts dominate by sitting in our own half and never ventured out .

The odd punt up to our striker didn't work but it did for Shankland without whom Hearts are an average .

Hearts were in 2nd gear all game and didn’t have to get their shorts dirty.  From their point of view it was a professional performance against a defensive side.  

[Cagey]

37 minutes ago, Maskrey said:

We showed little ambition in the game and decided to pack the defence and make it a stuffy game.  Hearts had easy possession and didn’t play many hopeful forward balls as I feel they knew that 1 goal would give them the points.  We didn’t lay a glove on them but I don’t think we expected anything else as Levein is working with a really poor squad and is trying to extract as many points out of them to keep us safe so we are always likely to be stuffy.  We are crying out for a bit of guile and nous up front.  Kimpioka is extremely raw but we can’t fault him for effort.  Surely May can offer us a bit more in the forward areas?  What’s the story with him?  Levein doesn’t fancy him but he doesn’t even get off the bench.

I don't think we have really bad squad, just an ultra negative manager who will not let them play ie Considines comments.

May is done.

[Cagey]

38 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

I don't think even Levein thinks Gallacher should be in the team. But he clearly does think Max should be in there every week and Sprangler shouldn't, which is a lot more worrying.

But perhaps nothing is as worrying as Andy Considine saying that the team "played some of their best football" against Hearts and carried out the manager's style of football "to a tee in the first half".

I actually thought Gallagher was ok ,better than turnaround Robinson.

The only other player I was disappointed in ws Max. Don't know what has happened to him since Levein came in. Is he trying too hard for his uncle or does he feel his place is safe in the team.

Olufunwa was getting a bit of criticism on here but I thought he did ok for his first start since the first game of the season. He is not a wingback though but we need him as a right back /CB so wouldn't put him out on loan.