St Johnstone v Motherwell Sat 28th Sept 3pm

[welldaft]

A lot of interest in this game so far....

So lets see if I have this right - St Johnstone without a win and bottom the league at home in Perth to Motherwell FC. 

Hard to see past a 1st win for St Johnstone.  

Simply because our record in Perth is woeful and St Johnstone always seem to find a way to win against us. 

We are going to be unpredictable this season.  Capable of playing an exciting brand of football but capable of lapses in concentration which opponents like St Johnstone will capitalise on. 

Not going all MJC but I fear for us this weekend. Hope I am very wrong.

[andrewh]

No match thread yet, so I’ll start one.

Our fans say our season starts here and cite the matches played v last season’s top 6 as to why we’ve started badly.

Others rightly point out that our poor start preceded the league with a horrendous League Cup group and our protracted transfer dealings.

Win and all will be well. Lose and it might be that Motherwell we’re only one place behind us last year and the real games are County, Accies, Buddies. The outlook slides in a downward manner.

Motherwell fans seem to say they can be hit or miss. Hope it’s the latter.

[welldaft]

Just now, andrewh said:

 

No match thread yet, so I’ll start one.

Our fans say our season starts here and cite the matches played v last season’s top 6 as to why we’ve started badly.

Others rightly point out that our poor start preceded the league with a horrendous League Cup group and our protracted transfer dealings.

Win and all will be well. Lose and it might be that Motherwell we’re only one place behind us last year and the real games are County, Accies, Buddies. The outlook slides in a downward manner.

Motherwell fans seem to say they can be hit or miss. Hope it’s the latter.

 

Great minds and all that...……..

[andrewh]

St Johnstone v Motherwell 28/9/19

 

No match thread yet, so I’ll start one.

Our fans say our season starts here and cite the matches played v last season’s top 6 as to why we’ve started badly.

Others rightly point out that our poor start preceded the league with a horrendous League Cup group and our protracted transfer dealings.

Win and all will be well. Lose and it might be that Motherwell were only one place behind us last year and the real games are County, Accies, Buddies. The outlook slides in a downward manner.

Motherwell fans seem to say they can be hit or miss. Hope it’s the latter.

 

[andrewh]

Welldaft beat me to it. Started typing then got a phone call.

 

[RandomGuy.]

Should be a good indicator of where we actually are, as despite going winless, we've dominated games at both Easter Road and Pittodrie. On the other side, we also had Livingston absolutely batter us, and Kilmarnock stroll to a victory.

I think Motherwell have had their best success countering teams, so sitting deep ourselves might be the plan (cue absolute outrage about NEGATIVE TOMMY) to help ourselves win. I'll take literally any form of victory tbh.

[Gianfranco]

Still can’t decide if I’m going to go or not. As welldaft said our record has not been great in Perth in recent seasons. I’m almost definitely going to be hungover as f**k so will make a late decision.

[RandomGuy.]

14 minutes ago, Gianfranco said:

Still can’t decide if I’m going to go or not. As welldaft said our record has not been great in Perth in recent seasons. I’m almost definitely going to be hungover as f**k so will make a late decision.

We've not won all season, can't keep a clean sheet, and theres a chance May is out so our starting striker will be Chris Kane.

If you fail to win you deserve relegated.

[Valentino Bolognese]

4 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

theres a chance May is out

Source?

[capt_oats]

I don't really see us changing the line-up much other than Tait in for Carroll.

From the sound of the wee bit of #content that's just went up on the socials we're looking at giving Cole a run as our #9 going forward. Obviously he's not scored so far but some of the flashes we've seen from him dropping deep and running at defences suggests he's a different type of forward compared to what we've seen over the past few seasons.

We won up in Perth last season and we also got fairly roundly pumped post-split and generally speaking our record up there is fucking awful. 1 win in our last 11 with 8 defeats apparently.

Incidentally, for the nerds this is a pretty detailed analysis of the apparent success we've been having at corners.

After chucking the County game last week I'd take a draw here tbqh. Everyone knows it'll be 2-1 St Johnstone with us scoring first though.

Edited September 26, 2019 by capt_oats

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, Valentino Bolognese said:

Source?

Sure I read Tanser, Davidson, Wotherspoon and May all picked up injuries against Rangers.

[PauloPerth]

42 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

 Everyone knows it'll be 2-1 St Johnstone with us scoring first though.

Motherwell scoring first is pretty much free money going by this season's form sadly

[Templar]

Many have been asking for some time now for Tommy to play his attacking players; Kennedy, O'Halloran, Wright and May. I believe if he is going to do it, this game is the ideal opportunity. But who plays where? May up front is the easy prediction. the other 3, I would play Wright on the right MOH on the left and Kennedy through the centre.

I personally would instead be in favour of 4:4:2 with Kennedy and MOH wide and May up front with Kane or Hendry.

[RandomGuy.]

52 minutes ago, Templar said:

Many have been asking for some time now for Tommy to play his attacking players; Kennedy, O'Halloran, Wright and May. I believe if he is going to do it, this game is the ideal opportunity.

Is it?

Motherwell look like a great counter attacking side, while we absolutely ship chances when we open up and get caught by quick counter, even Brechin were opening us up when they were winning the ball and getting it forward quickly. I feel like going overly attacking would see us struggling.

[Valentino Bolognese]

4 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Is it?

Motherwell look like a great counter attacking side, while we absolutely ship chances when we open up and get caught by quick counter, even Brechin were opening us up when they were winning the ball and getting it forward quickly. I feel like going overly attacking would see us struggling.

Bit from column A, bit from column B. 

'Well are strong in attack but like us look prone to mistakes at the back. Against all my better judgement, I'm going to suggest this could actually be a decent game. 

I'm assuming everyone is fit. I think you were referencing something that was in the Courier this week suggesting injuries but I also think TW said they'd all be fit. For me, first name on the team sheet is Holt. I actually agree that it's time we tried to play all the best attacking options that we have. Something like;

                 Clark/Clarke

 Ralston  Kerr  Gordon  Tanser

Wright  Holt  McCann  MOH

                  Matty May

I'm sure that some folk will be apoplectic if we leave Murray out but I think McCann's been as been as good if not better this season and Holt simply must play, and we can always use Muzz as a chaos factor impact sub.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Valentino Bolognese

[RandomGuy.]

9 hours ago, Valentino Bolognese said:

Bit from column A, bit from column B. 

'Well are strong in attack but like us look prone to mistakes at the back. Against all my better judgement, I'm going to suggest this could actually be a decent game. 

I'm assuming everyone is fit. I think you were referencing something that was in the Courier this week suggesting injuries but I also think TW said they'd all be fit. For me, first name on the team sheet is Holt. I actually agree that it's time we tried to play all the best attacking options that we have. Something like;

                 Clark/Clarke

 Ralston  Kerr  Gordon  Tanser

Wright  Holt  McCann  MOH

                  Matty May

I'm sure that some folk will be apoplectic if we leave Murray out but I think McCann's been as been as good if not better this season and Holt simply must play, and we can always use Muzz as a chaos factor impact sub.

Just my opinion, obvs, but for all the joking, I cant see Wright, MOH and Kennedy working in the same midfield against teams as good as Motherwell.

I'd still be starting Wotherspoon on one side, with a more attacking winger on the other, and one up beside May.

To me, all McCanns strengths are outshone by Holt, while neither have Davidsons, so you'll get a better balance with Davidson and Holt as a midfield two.

I think I'd be going...

For this. See how Ralston does with a more intelligent player in front of him. Assume Grimshaw is starting RB for them, which means you need someone with smarts as he'll physically match a "knock it and run" winger like MOH, and Kennedy is more able to match him going the other way than the half placed Wotherspoon. 

May should get more space if MOH is occupying players in the same area, and he can bring players into it.

Just my opinion, usually wrong.

[Valentino Bolognese]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Just my opinion, obvs, but for all the joking, I cant see Wright, MOH and Kennedy working in the same midfield against teams as good as Motherwell.

I'd still be starting Wotherspoon on one side, with a more attacking winger on the other, and one up beside May.

To me, all McCanns strengths are outshone by Holt, while neither have Davidsons, so you'll get a better balance with Davidson and Holt as a midfield two.

I think I'd be going...

For this. See how Ralston does with a more intelligent player in front of him. Assume Grimshaw is starting RB for them, which means you need someone with smarts as he'll physically match a "knock it and run" winger like MOH, and Kennedy is more able to match him going the other way than the half placed Wotherspoon. 

May should get more space if MOH is occupying players in the same area, and he can bring players into it.

Just my opinion, usually wrong.

I can see the sense in that and Spoony also occurred to me. I was thinking last night that to counter the Motherwell threat, it might be an idea to move to 3 at the back (Ralston, Kerr, Gordon) so that we're narrow there and play with Wright and Tanser and wing-backs, with Holt, Spoony (or Muzz or Ali), MOH and Matty in the middle and May up front.

I think that gets the most out of the other players and should mean that May isn't as isolated. It both forces the game wide which should be good for us but with options through the middle, especially if Murray or McCann play, and also helps to nulify their threat up the flanks. 

edit - so for clarity, I'm thinking 5-4-1 could be an option. 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Valentino Bolognese

[RandomGuy.]

1 minute ago, Valentino Bolognese said:

I'm thinking 5-4-1 could be an option. 

Imagine the reaction to that on WAP.

[Valentino Bolognese]

7 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Imagine the reaction to that on WAP.

Yeah, absolute meltdown. Negative Tommy etc. 

Harsh reality is we're shipping goals and Motherwell are scoring them. He's said in the press this week that not conceding is a priority. 

I think that shape would allow us to use the pace and baller skills in the squad to hit on the break and nick a goal. We'd need Wright and Tanser to be absolutely on top form and fitness, and still not sure if Wright is there yet. 

I fear I'm talking myself into thinking it's a good idea. 

 

[capt_oats]

3 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Just my opinion, obvs, but for all the joking, I cant see Wright, MOH and Kennedy working in the same midfield against teams as good as Motherwell.

I'd still be starting Wotherspoon on one side, with a more attacking winger on the other, and one up beside May.

To me, all McCanns strengths are outshone by Holt, while neither have Davidsons, so you'll get a better balance with Davidson and Holt as a midfield two.

For this. See how Ralston does with a more intelligent player in front of him. Assume Grimshaw is starting RB for them, which means you need someone with smarts as he'll physically match a "knock it and run" winger like MOH, and Kennedy is more able to match him going the other way than the half placed Wotherspoon. 

May should get more space if MOH is occupying players in the same area, and he can bring players into it.

Just my opinion, usually wrong.

I think there's a fair chance you're overestimating our good-ness but what I would say is that our 433 worked very well against the 442 Hearts put out at Tynecastle. I'm guessing that we're just flavour of the month for the fitba' hipsters but there have been a couple of tactical analysis pieces about how we've been playing that give a bit of insight: this one is about how we low-key went direct against Hibs and this is the one I linked to a couple of posts up about corners.

With the Hearts game we started to have difficulty when they made subs and Meshino started playing between the lines. Similarly we were controlling the County game pretty well until they went baws oot with their subs and our changes were completely ineffective. The sending off clearly didn't help either but tactical adjustment has usually been Robinson's strong suit but it looks like we've had difficulty countering the opposition's changes recently.

Most of the hype has been around Seedorf and Hylton, which isn't really a surprise given they're rapid and have been chipping in with goals but the players who seem to make things work for us are Polworth and Campbell. We were largely fine for 75 mins against County and should have seen the game out but the difference after we subbed off Polworth for O'Hara was notable.

Edited September 27, 2019 by capt_oats