Hearts 1 St.Mirren 0
The storm clouds darkened over St.Mirren yesterday afternoon as the side slumped to their sixth successive SPL defeat, succumbing by a single goal to a Hearts side roared on by a full house at Tynecastle.
The result, coupled with Dundee's resurgent form which saw them dismantle table topping Hibs by 3-1, sees Saints now just a point clear of the foot of the table with a massive match looming at home to the dark blues at St.Mirren Park next weekend.
It's still early in the season of course, and talk of a six-pointer at this stage may be premature but there is little doubt that the under-fire manager needs a big performance from his players next week in front of a beleagured support that is losing faith in his ability to put a winning side on the park.
The result, coupled with Dundee's resurgent form which saw them dismantle table topping Hibs by 3-1, sees Saints now just a point clear of the foot of the table with a massive match looming at home to the dark blues at St.Mirren Park next weekend.
It's still early in the season of course, and talk of a six-pointer at this stage may be premature but there is little doubt that the under-fire manager needs a big performance from his players next week in front of a beleagured support that is losing faith in his ability to put a winning side on the park.
You will find great match reports elsewhere so instead I'll try and look
at what I think is going wrong. You may disagree, happy and interested
to read your own comments below the article on your own thoughts.
Yesterday we saw more changes with yo-yo men Reilly & Carey back in favour again, and Goodwin back from suspension. Out went Imrie, Parkin and Robertson as the gaffer went for a more compact 4-5-1 formation.
On the face of it there was certainly some sense in an initially more conservative approach yesterday. Tynecastle was always going to be rocking early on.
On the face of it there was certainly some sense in an initially more conservative approach yesterday. Tynecastle was always going to be rocking early on.
Steven Thompson however does not, in my opinion, operate well as a lone striker and never has done.
Thommo needs a runner alongside him or at least a partner to take the weight off his shoulders and provide or feed knock downs to or from. Lennon has consistently struck with two up front during most of his tenure and with good reason. Our results generally speaking when playing with a lone striker have been dismal.
The loss of Paul McGowan, more so than the loss of Darren McGregor who we coped without for most of last season, has left a gaping hole in the team in terms of creativity, and a willingness to take the ball in brave positions, retain possession and create space for Saints players going forward. It's been a hammer blow to the dynamics of the team but let us not forget that we scored five goals against Ross County without him.
Thommo needs a runner alongside him or at least a partner to take the weight off his shoulders and provide or feed knock downs to or from. Lennon has consistently struck with two up front during most of his tenure and with good reason. Our results generally speaking when playing with a lone striker have been dismal.
The loss of Paul McGowan, more so than the loss of Darren McGregor who we coped without for most of last season, has left a gaping hole in the team in terms of creativity, and a willingness to take the ball in brave positions, retain possession and create space for Saints players going forward. It's been a hammer blow to the dynamics of the team but let us not forget that we scored five goals against Ross County without him.
That team saw a transformation in the second half of that match when we had Gary Teale on the right wing, Graham Carey on the left wing, and Kenny McLean operating in the McGowan role in midfield. A front two of Parkin and Thompson helped themselves to three goals with the introduction of the former as a sub being a pivotal moment in the game.
Fast forward to our only other win during the intervening period, a brilliant win in the cup at Pittodrie. Exactly the same team bar Imrie playing instead of Carey got Saints through to the semi-finals of the league cup. A front two of Parkin and Thompson fed by two wide men.
There is no shame in playing to our strengths and with Lewis Guy seemingly struggling with fitness at the moment we must play wide men, delivering balls into the box, for the two target men. I'm not suggesting we abandon all passing principles, but it isn't difficult to see where our problems lie. We lose possession too easiily in the middle of the park. Without McGowan in there we do not have the ability to retain possession and pick a pass. None of the players we have to deputise are as good at that role as McGowan is, so let's not ask them to do it.
Get the ball down quickly and move it wide. Get Teale and Carey moving forward with the ball and get some delivery in to Parkin and Thompson. Ask McLean and Goodwin to hoover up scraps that fall back from those balls and get some shots in. It's not rocket science, it's playing to our strengths.
Later, when games are more stretched and legs are tired, we can introduce Imrie for either Teale or Carey, we can introduce Guy or Reilly to play up top off one of the bigger strikers and mix things up a bit.
Carey needs to be playing every week, Teale currently deserves to be playing every week, Parkin needs to be playing every week.
Stop messing around, get back to basics, and let's turn this season around.
Later, when games are more stretched and legs are tired, we can introduce Imrie for either Teale or Carey, we can introduce Guy or Reilly to play up top off one of the bigger strikers and mix things up a bit.
Carey needs to be playing every week, Teale currently deserves to be playing every week, Parkin needs to be playing every week.
Stop messing around, get back to basics, and let's turn this season around.
Comments
Changes up front, changes to the midfield and the keeper and defence remain the same. Thats where the major problem is. They don't defend well and they don't have the ability to pass it out of defence the way lennon wants.
5/6 weeks ago I said Lennon must go...Anyone with any knowledge of football could tell that everyone has worked us out. Keep him for Saturday and regardless of the result get rid of him and Tommy Craig.
First Division football next season and Thomo, Lennon et al are still warbling on about the top 6...Is their something in the tea down St.Mirren park...I suppose its not called the methadome for nothing!
Keeping ball is the best form of defence there is.
I actually don't think the defence needs changing. After all, who would you bring in?! Chopping and changing and playing players out of position has got us into this mess, we need to defend farther up the park and get the ball in from wide position.
It can be turned around and it's a fairly simple fix,
It just needs Danny and Tommy to be bold.
As for defence we can't change it. Its the strongest we have. And I reckon cheesy is getting better and better.
Once again we were marking space and getting on the wrong side of players allowing them to attack without being challenged.
Our best effort was cleared off the line............. why because they had a man on the far post at a corner........... when do we do that ?
Also we played the usual" tippy tippy game" in our half of the field instead of challenging their goal area.. Tommo is OK but there is not a lot he can do without support. And there was none.
Teale played really well but without the real support that his running deserved.
We just passed the ball between ourselves in our half of the pitch.
And one final point............. why when a player loses the ball he just stands and admires his lousy work and does not chase back to retrieve it.
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