nelsjfc

I was amazed when McGowan avoided a booking for that off the ball block early on yesterday. It was a thing of beauty. Watching the highlights again its encouraging to see the wing backs so high as well as just seeing bodies in the box in general. At both the first and second goal both wingbacks are right up the pitch and at the first there's five players in the box. So often under Davidson, it would have been one player to aim at. If you're going to play 5-2-1-2, you need the wingbacks to do what they did yesterday (agree with comments elsewhere about Wright being the MoM). It carries some risk but that's why you have three centre halves and a DM. Talking about DMs, Carey and Hallberg cant be the paring against better sides. Hopefully Phillips and Davidson help there. Wotherspoon suits the role Murphy was in yesterday too.

So what striker will we sign today or tomorrow? And will we already be after another central midfielder?

Folk still clinging to positives merely because we somehow scored twice is wild. Well second best - and at times a complete mess - against a grossly weakened hearts side. Are we really to applaud because Callum realised playing an actual left wing back at left wing back 45 minutes into the game?

Lolz

Running through treacle at the second goal. Absolutely finished at this level. Philips has been woeful. Carey certainly has something to offer but its definitely not as a deep lying midfielder. A shambles. Question is, how many?

Free money

Just a bit of a mess isn't it? No idea what the plan is outside sticking rigidly to one of two similar shapes.

Mustn't have been one of his clients that scored. Carey and Crawford in a midfield three.

Assume Montgomery isn't 100%, although there's a chance that Davidson somehow feels we'd be too open with him and Wright. Montgomery and Bair for Brown and May at 65 minutes at 2-0 down.... Looking at that hearts line up, real chance to go at them here. We won't though. And they've got plenty to bring on from the bench. Worried about Ginnelly up against Considine too

They did. Unbelievable decision.

Always enjoy having to sit through 15 minutes of an old firm cake walk before the "proper" highlights.

Putting aside the fantastic second goal, I was watching him and just thinking how much we miss a striker that occupies defences in the way Kane does. Akinyemi didn't give them a minute to breathe. Ball stuck nearly every time. Get in to channels, hold it up, compete. Not going to get a 20 goal striker but need someone to at least worry the opposition. Centre halves must love playing against us at the minute.

https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/article/scott-boyd-to-leave-his-role-as-head-of-football-operations Here's the flowery statement around it. Sounds like Boyd got another job lined up though. Probably wise enough to get out before any reputation he has is ruined. Ian Flaherty will work closely with Davidson over the last few weeks of the transfer window - assuming Davidson is pretty much in charge of recruitment. Great. Worrying how quickly we seem to be going through back room staff. Robertson, Boyd and Grieve all in and away in the last 5 years. Clubs just limping along.

Be delighted if we see the last part. Maybe a hint we'll see May rather than Bair? With the strikers, I'm almost at the point thinking we just stick MoH through the middle instead and be done with it. Probably leaning to continuing with Bair currently but need to see improvement.

That second goal is an example of why VAR doesn't solve all your issues. It's very difficult to say conclusively if the ball goes forward there (I think its close enough to square to say no) but I don't think its overturned either way. Agree about saints tv today, seemed incredibly downbeat. I'm happy enough that for 60 minutes we approached in the right manner and at least looked to play when the opportunity arose. There still issues - neither striker providing an outball or a threat, both full backs being suspect defensively, Considines lack of mobility - but it was better. At least the ideas and mentality were right even if the quality always wasn't. Concerns around that last half hour. Squad depth is shocking and made baffling subs again. Feel that Crawford is just coming on to try and justify his signing at this point. Brown for Montgomery had to be made, but why is MoH coming on at wb. Either change the shape or stick him as one of the three. And the reaction to going 2-0 was really poor;threw the towel in.

Chucked this now.

Wright should just be getting rid there. Thought there was a hint of offside too.

Been okay. Defended relatively well but disappointing to lose a goal defending a set piece for the third game in a row. Obviously, you really need to score chances like Bairs at ibrox. Been disappointing on the ball the few times we've had in the rangers' half particularly from the guys you'd expect better from like Murphy and Hallberg. Difficult on a day like today without the ball so much though.

I think I've just lumped in him with the rest tbh. "Improving but not ready for training" last update.

Looking forward to seeing Phillips as he at least is being described as the exact sort I've wanted us to sign since November. A striker by the end of the window coupled with having Kane, Wotherspoon, Booth and Gallacher back over the next 6-7 weeks almost has me feeling optimistic for improvement.

Not many choices to make in terms of line up. Assume back line stays the same even with Gordon fit. Question is to you start Phillips or not and, if so, who for? Be tempted to drop one of Murphy or Carey and go with three in the middle with Bair staying up top. Be nice even to get a decent performance to try and keep some of the more positive feelings from this week going.

Nervous check after the May winner to see if Partick hadn't scored again! (Aberdeen -1 the missing bet btw)

Territoriality, as much as a 45 as I seem to remember saints having in the top flight for a while. Not MacPhersons biggest fan but thought he was harshly dropped after the Ayr game and has been our best player today. Biggest issue we've had is the back three playing into trouble although, to be frank, Motherwell have been rotten. Front three, bar the goal which was a great finish and nice bit of play from Bair, have been a little disappointing too.

Ha!

There is something endearing about the hope that remains in the posts that lay out a saints side with a back 4.