Valentino Bolognese

I thought it took until the penalty for us to properly take control of the midfield TBH. Agree it was very comfortable in the end but the first half hour could have gone either way. Once Muzz got the engine running though it was a sight to behold, don't think he lost a header all day. It was a missed penalty that cost us at least a point last time we played them at McDairmid, so it was good to see that going in. Strolled the second half. Agree that Zander seemed oddly indecisive. Basically, I thought every player except Spoony and Kane had very good games. We need better. In Spoony's case, we probably already have better. With Wright back in the team next year when could he ever justify a game? If MOH can continue his upward momentum into next season he'll be a real threat. Clearly over his injury now. Kennedy seemed quieter but by god does he put in a shift. I was a wee bit surprised that Motherwell didn't come back stronger after going a goal down. They definitely had a lot more about them the other times we've played them this season. Funny season. Was supposed to be the start of the rebuild and I suppose that's what we got. Still a few players short but if we can hang on key staff there's no reason for us not to be pushing for top 6.

Happens quite often. See you boys have brought the pyros. Classy. Our lack of a half decent striker is really showing and we're missing Callachan's energy and losing the midfield. And only 30 minutes in.

100% with this. Still quite ambivalent about who goes down and until quite recently would have prefered Hamilton soley on the basis of thier 'facilities'. Last couple of weeks on here though have shown that Paisley fans just aren't ready for the top division yet. Better suited to the Championship boards, on a level with Ayr United and Falkirk fans IMO. Hamilton have been here a few years and seem to have a better idea of what's required.

Think it struggled to attract a sponsor. You might get a special visiting team 'guest pie' and enjoy the footballing specatcle of Matty Kennedy and young Turnbull on the same pitch.

I would. And I don't think it's particularly controversial. I think I've seen every game he's played in this year bar hibs away (and I realise that was the one game that people say he did perform in, and that does seem the case going by the telly). Going on what I've seen it's just not working. Maybe unrealistic expectations for his return but he's been worse than bang average IMO. I did watch the team training for a bit on the astroturf when I happened to be at McDairmid a couple of months ago and he looked great, but then again so did Tony Watt. Absolutely hope that I'm completely wrong and he'll turn the corner and I'd not be hugely upset if he starts in either or both of the last 2 games but I think other players have earned being on the pitch more than him.

Looks like a nice day outside, not long after pay day and folk starting to feel the summer coming. It's the day's glamour fixture to decide who will be crowned kings of the 'not good enough for top 6 this year, not poor enough for bottom 3 and not Livingston' race. Should push the crowd to near the 2000 mark I reckon. Anyway I'll be there.

I'd rather not TBH, as that would probably mean dropping MOH who's been showing some promise. I think that we all know that the Swanson boat has sailed for this season at least. Clarke Foster - Kerr - Gordon - Tanser O'Halloran - Davidson or Callachan - Craig - Kennedy Kane or Hendry Would do me.

What do you think that song is mocking him for?

And should take up nearly 50% of the air time too, naturally.

I think it's quite simple in that he's a very good player up until the top 6 level, where as you say he struggles for consistency. At the moment we've got a very good Championship player as our first choice striker, and that just isn't good enough. It's highly possible that with the right coaching and even with playing alongside a better striker he could develop further. He's not the only we have that's in the same boat, 'almost but not quite' seems to be where a few of the team are. With the signings we've brought in the last year we've moved the quality up a little I think, and we need to do that again just to stand still in this division. Hoping for a summer of a small number targeted, quality signings for year 2 of the post-cup Saints 2.0 project. Wingers, centre backs and keeper are fine (arguably full-backs but I'm not 100% convinced), got to look to turn up the quality in the other areas of the park now.

If I were his agent I'd be playing a wait and see on that one. Anyone ITK know what the scouting was that landed him and Drey Wright last summer? Appreciate Kennedy was much more of a known player in SPL but Drey seemed to come from virtually nowhere. If we can repeat that quality with a holding midfielder and a striker, we'd certainly be justified in hoping for top 6. With the players leaving I'd hope we would have the wages budget.

You make a good point, have to concede that. Still don't want May back though.

I wouldn't be against Zander as captain. As for Stevie May's proposed return, the evidence for the prosecution is Danny Swanson and Michael O'Halloran. We had some great times, but we should be looking forward ...

I've never looked at the FB page, but I agree @Paulo. He's also clearly very fit and very committed, and actually has some vision even if his execution lets him down sometimes. That's something that can be worked on though. One think that Murray does bring that we've not seen from Callachan yet is heading ability in front of goal, but I suspect Ross is better with his feet from distance. Start him ahead of Davidson every time. @steviemay17 I agree with the back four but Swanson can do one. If we don't bring anyone in, it leaves us with 4-4-2 with MOH and Wright on the wings, Craig and Callachan in the middle and either Kane or Hendy up front with Matty either alongside or in behind. However, that's not a team that would get us very far in next year's competition. It will only get harder as it's very possible that better resourced teams will come up from below, and we need upgrades accross the park if we've even a hope of top 6.

My priority, for what it's worth, top to bottom. Central mid - agree with the consensus that we need *someone* in there. I think there's a player in Callahan but he needs a steadying influence next to him and we need solidity in that part of the park. Basically, an upgrade on Craig is required. Up front - I'm hanging on to Watt turning a corner, he just seems too good not to. He should play until the end of the year. Kane should not be a starting striker, and it's too early to tell for Hendy but signs are good. I'd be happy to run with Watt/Hendry for the rest of the season but if we have to spend this is where it needs to be. FB - On the left it would be good to see Easton back, and I expect he will be. Tanser has his moments but like too many in the team he's a 6/10. On the other side I think Foster's been better recently. I would like to see some fresh blood here as I just think we're no better than competent and getting stale. CB - Would be happy to see Kerr/Gordon for the rest of the season and assuming that works, get Anderson back for cover and I think we could probably be OK with loans if we need to bulk out a wee bit more. Joe's had his chance, he's played well but I don't want to see him next season. GK - Bell is pretty poor but 2 x first team quality keepers is a bit of a luxury when there's other wage priorities. Yes they get injured but it's fairly rare. Wingers - Don't want to see Danny Swanson in a Saints jersey ever again, and do not agree that he should get game time until the end of the season. I'd rather that went to Blair Alston. He might not be the same quality but he plays like he cares. Keep playing MOH also. I think we should maybe give Kennedy some bench time as he's proved his worth and he's a player not to risk injury to. No idea how Wright will come back from injury but let's assume he's fine. We've not talked about the back room. Do we need to freshen up the coaching? A lot of the problems recently seem to come from basics, passing particularly, but also a seeming lack of co-ordination, trust, communication an awareness of others in the team.

Yep, too easy sadly. Kennedy, Kerr, Alston. Maybe Tanser at Dens but accidental goals probably don't count.

Tommy's interview was the most encouraging thing coming out of St Johnstone for weeks. Particularly good to hear him say that he takes responsibility for the teams he was putting out in that he's been too loyal and protected them too much. I sat a couple of rows behind Wothersoon in the main stand on Wednesday thinking that he's finally found his best position. For the first time this year Tommy looked genuinely angry. Looking forward to seeing him step up to his talk on Wednesday. Thought also that his comment that Craig had taken his last penalty for the team was rough but fair, but more revealing was the comment that nobody else wanted to step up! I think it's only Kennedy that's actually scored a penalty this year? When he was talking about players that think they are 'safe' I thought Foster, Tanser, Davidson, Swanson, MOH. Unlike others I didn't think MOH was terrible yesterday (from watching the TV feed admittedly). He looks like he's getting some fitness back and needs game time. Bin Swanson asap though and write that off as a losing punt. This tactic of him being some sort of 'impact sub' is fucking hopeless. @PauloPerth I'd like to think that with the squad we have we are surely good enough for a 6th place in this division. When you take out Aberdeen, the OF and Edinburgh clubs then we're in a bunch who will think the same, arguably any of about 6 clubs could 'do a Kilmarnock'. Agree with you that there's a massive on the park issue with passing and movement. I don't think it's team selection though and I don't think the play beyond thier ability but it points to a coaching problem as well as dressing room confidence. A shake-up of the staff in that area would be good to see. Relgation next year is a real threat, not least because it's possible (likely) both Ross County and Utd will come up. With their resources they'll be more of a threat than St Mirren, Hamilton or Dundee have been. This should have been the transition year but it's looking like a 2 or 3 year project now. Hopefully we can stay up while we do it, not interested in being another Hamilton that end up relying on shithousing games with teams that are just slightly worse than us to scrape enough points to stay up year after year. We don't have the core support to sustain that and you get caught out soon enough. It would be even worse if they expand the leauge which I can see them doing in the next few years.

Does it really matter? Surely the more options the better? If there's a platform that doesn't interest you it's pretty easy to just ignore it ... I won't go anywhere near the FB banter for example. Just not for me, but I can't imagine it would bother me if other folk are happy with it. I guess that if it provides a space for fans to talk to each that's the main thing. Might even generate some interest and engagement in the club which let's face it we could do with.

Sometimes the content is better here, sometimes there. Good we have both TBH.

Did you really? That's a shame as that is something that certainly should be questioned. Politicising Saints can GRTF, irresrapective of the chairman's leanings. I'm not interested in going anywhere near twitter for football chat. Maybe I'm in the minority but I like longer form where you can sometimes have a half-decen grown-up discussion. I'm actually interested in the team, and like hearing other people's considered views on games (eg pablo's posts). I'd like to hope there was room for both a fan's platform and mixed forum. like this one.

It's all about context. Yes, at the start of the season any Saints fan would probably have been content with where we are now. Happy even. But it's NOT the start of the season, and on 2019 form we are the worst team in the league. The. Worst. Now, we've had a hard run of fixtures and like everyone else, injuries, but if you've been at the games you'll have seen that it's not really the results, but the manner of the losses and the team's performance that's winding people up. We see the same mistakes again and again and again and seemingly every player on the park except Kennedy and Kerr failing to turn up. There's only so often you can see defenders hoofing the ball out the park or 20 yards too long, or literally throwing the ball out of play from a throw-in, giving the ball away in midfield, giving up on chasing or simply falling asleep, and players missing chances it would be easier to score. We're a mid-table club at best, we'll win some and lose some, of course . That's fine. But before the break we were beating teams below us and at least giving the ones above us a game (ex. Celtic). Now we're losing to relegation candidates and - in back to back games - losing when we've been ahead. Calling for Tommy's head is absolute lunacy and should simply be ignored. Nobody is taking that seriously. All that said I'm also holding out for a top 6 finish as, surely, the wheels have to come off Motherwell soon and I just don't think Hibs are there yet. But in that field of 3 we're the 3rd best team right now.

I'd agree ref Swanson and MOH. Don't really get folk saying they've been a waste of money when (especially with O'Halloran) they've not really had the game time to make fair judgement. I'd say Danny was twice the player that Wotherspoon was today and there were flashes of form. Playing in front of Tanser doesn't seem to work, but I put that down to Tanser's attrocious form, tocuh, invention and decision-making. I still like Watt. I honestly think if he'd started we'd have had a bit more to offer but he needs to play with a partner up front. That could be Kennedy but we need MOH and Swanson to start motoring (and Wright back) to take the pressure off our shortage of wing pace and invention.

Yes, we agree entirely. It would be above the surface if the various catholic/celtic, protestant/rangers factions hadn't self-segregated themselves into population pockets, but they're happier becuase they live with 'people like them' so it doesn't come up on the daily walk to the bakers. Get a few drinks in though and it bubbles up. To be united, you need something to be 'against' so communitues gravitate towards bigotry. The whole sorry situation is enabled by deeply embedded social sectarianism, from school segregation to football teams. Although it's mostly to be found in the ex shipbuilding and mining areas there's still too much influence at higher levels of society, whether that's the SFA or Holyrood.

Apologies I wasn't clear, it was in an earlier post. Do you think people need to regulary experience violence or intimidation to feel like they aren't welcome? Not looking for an argument but I know these villages and they are often defined by the lodges, the bands, and of course 'the Rangers'. I realise you're an Ayr fan so not part of that crowd, but to live in that community and not see that it's a harmful influence is surprising.

Eh? That's not what I said. Anyway my main points was that segregating schools encourages and maintains a culture of sectarianism and bigotry. It also encourages people who feel 'different' to move to other areas, producing pockets of populations that are homogenous. I don't think that's a controversial view. As it happens in those small Ayrshire villages the numbers of catholics is very small, as it is in other areas of the country. Possibly related to the same cultural dynamics that cause people wander out of pubs at closing time singing sectarian songs. In all of this, football is a factor. Specifically Celtic and Rangers. The fan base and to an extent the clubs enable and encourage it. Scottish football, and Scotland in general, would be a much better place without it.