St Johnstone Away

[tHeArAb]

Boo'd off the park big time which I didn't like.

To be fair, I don’t the think the punters were booing the team. It’s TC that’s the focus of the anger IMO.

It's still going to affect the players.

[stokearab]

Said to my pal at the game, this draw takes us to 6th and a goal will get us to 5th! Crazy when you think how sh!te we've been.

Butcher started at centre half. Was centre mid in the second half. If anything that hindered us as Edwards and Graham aren't ball playing defenders. Butcher at least gives us that when he's played there and can come out of defence with the ball.

Akinola was decent. Skillful, composed and as Chick says, very good at getting out of tight spaces with the ball. He was the victim of a tactical change with Courts wanting McMann on whilst also taking Levitt off. I guess he didn't fancy Harkes & Akinola so stuck Butcher in there. Harkes really does seem undroppable. Was disappointing tbh. I was looking forward to seeing him in the 2nd half.

Pawlett was mince. Clark meh. Smith poor. His crossing is terrible. Watt spent half the game in midfield, probably due to frustration at us having zero in the creativity department. Graham was decent again however we could do with Charlie back as he builds from the back.

Boo'd off the park big time which I didn't like. Its only going to have a negative impact on a group of players who already look fragile imo.

Onto Wednesday and a chance to go 5th as Motherwell are on a poorer run than us over the last four or five games.

Thanks for the update. I predicted that Akinola will be a good addition because the Arsenal academy is very much based on technical ability. Any player that plays in their youth sides doesn't give the ball away cheaply.

Seems Tam is losing a chunk of the fanbase, there's only one way to change that. As others have said Pawlett is an impact sub to drive at tiring defenders, same as Clark, Harkes needs benching again, was much improved after he got splinters for a while.
Be interesting to see who starts in midweek.

[JamesMcClean]

It's still going to affect the players.

Not disagreeing, it probably will do. The other thing that struck me is that (probably bar Watt) we are completely incapable of running at the opposition, putting them under pressure and, y’know, beating a man. I was exasperated today by the amount of times that Harkes/Niskanen/Smith/Pawlett/Clark (delete as appropriate) ran forward a little bit and then as soon as a defender comes to meet them, they immediately turn back, look for the CH, play it back and then we go back to the status quo of crab-like sidey sidey passing. We were crying out for Declan Glass today but hey ho, he’s left.

[stokearab]

Not disagreeing, it probably will do. The other thing that struck me is that (probably bar Watt) we are completely incapable of running at the opposition, putting them under pressure and, y’know, beating a man. I was exasperated today by the amount of times that Harkes/Niskanen/Smith/Pawlett/Clark (delete as appropriate) ran forward a little bit and then as soon as a defender comes to meet them, they immediately turn back, look for the CH, play it back and then we go back to the status quo of crab-like sidey sidey passing. We were crying out for Declan Glass today but hey ho, he’s left.

Bang on. It wasn't until Pawlett came on and ran at the Fun defenders that we looked any threat at all. From what I've seen that's how we should be using him. We then need to find a way of getting players past the last defender before we need subs to freshen it up! But that needs skilful creative midfielders and we're a bit short on supply there.

[tHeArAb]

Not disagreeing, it probably will do. The other thing that struck me is that (probably bar Watt) we are completely incapable of running at the opposition, putting them under pressure and, y’know, beating a man. I was exasperated today by the amount of times that Harkes/Niskanen/Smith/Pawlett/Clark (delete as appropriate) ran forward a little bit and then as soon as a defender comes to meet them, they immediately turn back, look for the CH, play it back and then we go back to the status quo of crab-like sidey sidey passing. We were crying out for Declan Glass today but hey ho, he’s left.

I said almost the same thing at the game. We run 10 yards with the ball then play it 5 yards back the way. We're pathetic, we really are. There just no movement, creativity or urgency right now. It's so pedestrian.

[tHeArAb]

Thanks for the update. I predicted that Akinola will be a good addition because the Arsenal academy is very much based on technical ability. Any player that plays in their youth sides doesn't give the ball away cheaply.

Seems Tam is losing a chunk of the fanbase, there's only one way to change that. As others have said Pawlett is an impact sub to drive at tiring defenders, same as Clark, Harkes needs benching again, was much improved after he got splinters for a while.
Be interesting to see who starts in midweek.

He clearly has plenty technical ability, it's clear to see that. Hopefully today doesn't dent his confidence too much.

Tam was always going to lose the crowds support, if he ever actually had it. The way he was appointed, and the fans' reaction to it, it was only a matter of time. I feel for him. He never applied for the job, he was chosen by Asghar. Quite rightly he took it. Who wouldn't? Rather than being backed, he's been hung out to dry with regards the transfer window which was blatantly a cost cutting exercise from those higher up than the Head Coach. He's clearly struggling & taking the brunt of the supporters frustrations, as a manager always does, while Asghar who made the appointment gets away scot-free once again.

[JamesMcClean]

I said almost the same thing at the game. We run 10 yards with the ball then play it 5 yards back the way. We're pathetic, we really are. There just no movement, creativity or urgency right now. It's so pedestrian.

What’s changed? We were (to quote Thomas) ‘braver’ on the ball earlier in the season, obviously particularly in the 3-0 at Easter Rd. I genuinely think (like MM with the 4-0 at Killie) that it’s the 5-2 at Tynecastle that’s changed things. We’ve been negative as phuck ever since, frankly for no reason whatsoever. We actually played no bad that day, it was simply Hearts were better on the day. It doesn’t mean you then simply eject the previous philosophy on the back of it in a ridiculous knee jerk manner. I’m sure they’ll deny it but it sure as hell feels like that.

[stokearab]

I said almost the same thing at the game. We run 10 yards with the ball then play it 5 yards back the way. We're pathetic, we really are. There just no movement, creativity or urgency right now. It's so pedestrian.

Hence my crazy idea about Freeman moving up ahead of Liam Smith. Kieran has that drive, energy and pace to get by defenders. Won't happen now as injured but it could have given us. Plus McDonald might be able to get Niskanen away into space with the ball to feet. But with lineups we all have our own ideas as to what would work. As does Tam.

....................Benji
Smith Edwards Mulgrew McMann
.......Akinola Levitt McDonald....
..Freeman.....................Niskanen
....................Watt

[JamesMcClean]

He clearly has plenty technical ability, it's clear to see that. Hopefully today doesn't dent his confidence too much.

Tam was always going to lose the crowds support, if he ever actually had it. The way he was appointed, and the fans' reaction to it, it was only a matter of time. I feel for him. He never applied for the job, he was chosen by Asghar. Quite rightly he took it. Who wouldn't? Rather than being backed, he's been hung out to dry with regards the transfer window which was blatantly a cost cutting exercise from those higher up than the Head Coach. He's clearly struggling & taking the brunt of the supporters frustrations, as a manager always does, while Asghar who made the appointment gets away scot-free once again.

We do seem to be at a point where you have to be questioning what’s happening in the background. Big Max is the obvious one. On the face of it, today was crying out for something different with a big target man option. Yet he wasn’t even on the bench. Why? Did TC want him? Was he brought in over the Manager’s head? Who sanctioned it? Why is he not even making the bench? Is that a big phuck you to the hierarchy? Loads of questions needing answered right now.

[Arabdownsouth]

Hence my crazy idea about Freeman moving up ahead of Liam Smith. Kieran has that drive, energy and pace to get by defenders. Won't happen now as injured but it could have given us. Plus McDonald might be able to get Niskanen away into space with the ball to feet. But with lineups we all have our own ideas as to what would work. As does Tam.

....................Benji
Smith Edwards Mulgrew McMann
.......Akinola Levitt McDonald....
..Freeman.....................Niskanen
....................Watt

Only trouble with that team is that Butcher and Graham don't deserve dropping, although I see why we would go back go our strongest defence. It would just send the wrong message though in my opinion.