The European football level St. Mirren FC 2024/25 thread

[Bastian Pigclimber]

If neither Strain nor Tanser are playing then using a wing back system doesn’t seem like the best idea.

 

[Ron Aldo]

Not sure exactly how bad a run St Mirren are on at the moment (we kind of have our own horrific run to deal with) but, bar his final season, Robinson did always find a way to sort things with us. 

Granted, in one of those seasons he had David Turnbull sitting at the end of his nose for half a season but still. I'd be happy with a manager who even attempted something different if you lot fancy a swap? 

[SS77]

20 minutes ago, Ron Aldo said:

Not sure exactly how bad a run St Mirren are on at the moment (we kind of have our own horrific run to deal with) but, bar his final season, Robinson did always find a way to sort things with us. 

Granted, in one of those seasons he had David Turnbull sitting at the end of his nose for half a season but still. I'd be happy with a manager who even attempted something different if you lot fancy a swap? 

He’ll turn it round at us too, I don’t doubt it for a minute.

Most of our fans genuinely believed we could maintain the start we had in the league for the whole season and at the first sign of a bad spell have went absolutely batshit crazy.

[MenstrieSaint]

Looking forward with the squad we have , we need to go four at the back three in midfield and either kiltie or McMenamin playing behind two strikers.  

[DeeTillEhDeh]

9 hours ago, Molotov said:

Outside the top 2 arse cheeks you have three sides with much greater resources (Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs). The rest battle out for the remainding top 6 spot and relegation. 
I think that’s why most of us would enjoy this league even more were the bigots not involved.

I think our squad depth has struggled with 6 or 7 players away on international duty if truth be told. 

Enjoy your win tonight. 

They seem to have forgotten that.

[Molotov]

5 minutes ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

They seem to have forgotten that.

For now. Only time that it matters is on the final day of the league season. 

But this league (outwith the arse cheeks) continues to change week on week.

Last season the Dandy Dons were being written off in February/March in 6th position under Goodwin and went on a great run to secure 3rd spot ahead of Hearts who had such a drop in early season form (lording it over every other diddy team in 3rd) they could have ended up 6th near the end of the season. 

St Mirren had a great start to the season. Playing great football at times but most Saints fans have seen for a while before these defeats that we were struggling with our form. 

Hopefully we can turn a corner soon. 

[Billy Jean King]

8 hours ago, medals said:

Yes and no to your 1st point. Yes cause he picks the team and strategy, but he can't take flak for sitters missed by Ayunga, Lewis and Kiltie etc.

Other points connect. Conor nor Flynn are a great option at RWB. Small deserves a chance just like Bolton took tonight.

This system doesn't suit O'Hara at all. 

Terrible result as they are poor. Could have won 3 or 4 to 1 but got zilch.

Bolton "took" his chance ?

I thought he looked no better than anyone else who we have tried at wing back. Jury will be out until he gets a few games mind as he must be rusty but by no means can you say he took his chance last night.

[houston_bud]

1 hour ago, Billy Jean King said:

Bolton "took" his chance ?

I thought he looked no better than anyone else who we have tried at wing back. Jury will be out until he gets a few games mind as he must be rusty but by no means can you say he took his chance last night.

Can't really judge Bolton just on 45 mins but I thought he looked steady and pretty assured. 

For someone who's played so little I thought he did well.

[SS77]

1 hour ago, Billy Jean King said:

Bolton "took" his chance ?

I thought he looked no better than anyone else who we have tried at wing back. Jury will be out until he gets a few games mind as he must be rusty but by no means can you say he took his chance last night.

Bolton was playing right centre half last night and he never looked out of place at all. I thought he looked more composed than any of the 3 we had playing in there last night.

[Shuggie_Murray7]

Folk losing the plot over last night are clearly mental. Maintaining our start to the season right through the winter was never realistic. I was just pleased to get the point on the board early doors to ease any worries of a dog fight.

I'm still confident of a top 6 finish, but something needs to give with our defensive shape. Losing Strain has been a hammer blow, but for me, we need to be coping with that far better. Just rotating players in and out of the same set up and formation doesn't work.

I still think SR will turn this around for us and get us at least picking up points again, if not playing well. If we tweak the shape and limp along until the winter shutdown then hopefully that gives us a chance to try and get Strain back for early March-ish.

[pozbaird]

10 hours ago, SS77 said:

He’ll turn it round at us too, I don’t doubt it for a minute.

Most of our fans genuinely believed we could maintain the start we had in the league for the whole season and at the first sign of a bad spell have went absolutely batshit crazy.

I never expected us to keep up the great start for the whole season, but it does feel weird. We’ve went from not looking like losing a game, to not looking like winning one in what feels like the flick of a switch. Typical St Mirren, dispensed with that iffy middle bit between fantastic and pish.

Current consolation is that, as always, the uglies are already out of sight, while amongst us diddies, there are multiple crisis clubs, and mixed results for others. The only way to explain why we’re still in fourth and still sniffing third as Santa de-ices the sleigh and prepares for another busy season. Mind you, if we carry on the way we are, and a handful of clubs string even two or three wins together, that league table is going to be grim reading for us compared to what it has been all season.

Would take a 1-0 on Saturday with a 90+5 minute own goal right now. Where do I sign?

Edited December 7, 2023 by pozbaird

[VincentGuerin]

2 minutes ago, pozbaird said:

I never expected us to keep up the great start for the whole season, but it does feel weird. We’ve went from not looking like losing a game, to not looking like winning one in what feels like the flick of a switch. Typical St Mirren, dispensed with that iffy middle bit between fantastic and pish.

I think it's just regression to the mean. Like Motherwell's form under Kettlewell.

People panic when it turns, but the reality is probably over-performance earlier. I'd imagine it'll balance out the other way eventually.

[pozbaird]

4 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said:

I think it's just regression to the mean. Like Motherwell's form under Kettlewell.

People panic when it turns, but the reality is probably over-performance earlier. I'd imagine it'll balance out the other way eventually.

Way too sensible summary. Be gone with you.

[houston_bud]

7 minutes ago, Shuggie_Murray7 said:

Folk losing the plot over last night are clearly mental. Maintaining our start to the season right through the winter was never realistic. I was just pleased to get the point on the board early doors to ease any worries of a dog fight.

I haven't seen many people losing the plot to be fair. Although, I don't use bawarmy or any if the Facebook groups. Most people on here have been fairly measured, if a bit disappointed at the recent run.

[Lex]

The glaring issue is the lack of goals from our strikers, and we seen their struggles again last night. On our early run of form our goals were mainly coming from Strain and Tanser. Strain’s out and teams have worked out if they stop Tanser they will probably stop us scoring, it was never going to be sustainable. Our strikers league goals this season:

Olusanya 1

Nahmani 1

Mandron 3

Jamieson 1

Grieve 2

Ayunga 0 (2 from open play last season)

They’re all getting minutes too, barring Nahmani they’ve all started games. There’s a different starting combination of two of them in almost every game and there will be again on Saturday. 

We have one goal in our last five games, which was an in-off own goal against Livingston. The last Saints player to score a goal was Jamieson against Hibs over a month ago. We’ve scored zero goals against Dundee, County and St Johnstone since then, that’s blanks against three teams you’d expect to finish in the bottom six. 

We have consecutive home games against Ross County and Motherwell now, two of the easiest games you’ll get in this league. We’ll know more when we’ve played those two, fail to win either and we will likely be in the bottom six by Christmas. Four or more points and all is fine.

As for the starting striker selection tombola i hope Nahmani comes out of it on Saturday. Why not, he can’t do any worse. 

[houston_bud]

10 minutes ago, Lex said:

The glaring issue is the lack of goals from our strikers, and we seen their struggles again last night. On our early run of form our goals were mainly coming from Strain and Tanser. Strain’s out and teams have worked out if they stop Tanser they will probably stop us scoring, it was never going to be sustainable. Our strikers league goals this season:

Olusanya 1

Nahmani 1

Mandron 3

Jamieson 1

Grieve 2

Ayunga 0 (2 from open play last season)

They’re all getting minutes too, barring Nahmani they’ve all started games. There’s a different starting combination of two of them in almost every game and there will be again on Saturday. 

This is it in a nutshell. These fabled '15 goal a season' strikers are hard to come by. And they're usually the difference between top 6 or a relegation battle (see Motherwell last year, or Ross County with Charles-Cook)

I don't think it's too bleak though, all the forwards we've got have contributed something so far (I'd inclue Kiltie too), but they do lack the consistency. Greive and Mandron both very unlucky not to have another goal each as well.

[NorthBank]

At the start of the season we were confident, assured, played a pressing game and played through the midfield. All to great effect.

Now the confidence seems to have evaporated. Passing and decision making is woeful and we now float aimless high balls from the backline missing out the midfield. At least the pressing was a lot better last night than it had been in a while. And it was a game we should have won.

We know these players can do better. Robbo just needs to work out how. Basic passing would be a start.

[Molotov]

I believe the large number of players away on international duty has been detrimental to our season. Other teams have had a chance to rest and regroup. Some of our squad have travelled significant distances and it will have had an adverse effect. 
This next month until the winter shutdown is crucial. 
Let’s get behind the squad and manager.
COYS.
 

[medals]

3 hours ago, Billy Jean King said:

Bolton "took" his chance ?

I thought he looked no better than anyone else who we have tried at wing back. Jury will be out until he gets a few games mind as he must be rusty but by no means can you say he took his chance last night.

What I meant is he did not look out of place at RCB and seemed to have things in control.

Flynn at RB, dragged into the middle lost Sima etc and goes backwards too much for my liking. 

Yes your correct though, more game time might go either way.

Edited December 7, 2023 by medals

[smellthepaw]

16 minutes ago, Molotov said:

I believe the large number of players away on international duty has been detrimental to our season. Other teams have had a chance to rest and regroup. Some of our squad have travelled significant distances and it will have had an adverse effect. 
This next month until the winter shutdown is crucial. 
Let’s get behind the squad and manager.
COYS.
 

It does seem coincidental that our bad run has been within this period of time of internationals. 

I think from the next 2 home games, we need to look at taking 3-4 points minimum and then hope me muster some points together over the following 3 games before the Celtic game on 2nd.