St Johnstone v Motherwell Sat 28th Sept 3pm

[Swello]

Despite the naive way that we blew it last week we weren't that bad at all, so I'm still reasonably confident that we can take something out of this tomorrow as we've had more good days than bad this season (but given our shite record in Perth, a point would be more than acceptable).

My early impression this season is that we are a pretty open team by Premiership standards which means that teams can get at us fairly easily - but given some space, we are also one of the better attacking teams in the league - so it will be interesting to see if Tommy Wright feels he has to attack us at home in one of the most winnable games St Johnstone have had so far as ironically, his best chance might be to play conservatively and hope his strikers are clinical when the inevitable chance happens.

We have a reasonably settled line-up - don't expect that to change tomorrow barring Tait in for Carroll...

Edited September 27, 2019 by Swello

[Widge]

I don’t think Wright is ever going to set up a team to attack! Especially when he’s talking in the press about keeping it tight and getting clean sheets. A return to our 1-0 shitfest ways would seem most likely. Which I’m alright with al long as it works and gets us some points and wins.

[Dosser0209]

Despite getting beat last week we weren’t actually that bad, cautiously optimistic for this one, I’ll stick my neck out and go for a 2-0 win for the dossers, Cole and Polworth with the goals.

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

I think there's a fair chance you're overestimating our good-ness

We ship chances on the counter, allow plenty of space in front of the back four, give a frankly disgusting amount of free shots from 20 yards away, and concede from set pieces/crosses a lot.

Your team seems like its, on paper, our kryptonite. 

[Templar]

14 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.

At some stage, we will have to play attacking football at home. You are correct, we leak goals. Therefore if we cannot get a clean sheet we need to score at least 2 to win and it is wins we need at home,  in my opinion draws are not good enough (other than against Celtic  and Rangers) 

You state Motherwell look like a great counter attacking side. If we keep our shape  with a back 4 and 1 sitting midfielder they will have difficulty in counter attacking that still leaves room for May, MOH, Kennedy and Wright and a midfielder to attack.  

[Kyle]

Most of the league looks like it will be our kryptonite this season to be honest.

Dat defence.

[The Real Saints]

If Tommy ‘won’t ever set up a team to attack’, we are in trouble. We have a plethora of attacking options and we can’t rely on that defence against anybody.

[The Marly]

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. 
 

You can talk yourself into it if you like so long as you don't talk Tommy into thinking it's a good idea.

[capt_oats]

3 hours ago, Templar said:

At some stage, we will have to play attacking football at home. You are correct, we leak goals. Therefore if we cannot get a clean sheet we need to score at least 2 to win and it is wins we need at home,  in my opinion draws are not good enough (other than against Celtic  and Rangers) 

You state Motherwell look like a great counter attacking side. If we keep our shape  with a back 4 and 1 sitting midfielder they will have difficulty in counter attacking that still leaves room for May, MOH, Kennedy and Wright and a midfielder to attack.  

The counter attacking thing is certainly an aspect but as I mentioned earlier that largely seems to have come from the hype that's been around the pace of Seedorf and Hylton out wide (and their excellent goals against Hibs & Hearts along with the general performances in the LC group). We've also been carving out chances by playing through teams and also benefiting from decent chances at set pieces (3 of our 12 goals have come from corners and considering Uche's goal at Tynecastle stood after he cleaned out Gallagher the one we had ruled out last week from a throw in looks pretty soft).

What was interesting against County last week was that where they doubled up on Seedorf and frustrated us in the first half we changed things a bit at H/T and got ourselves on the front foot in the 2nd. Where last season around this time we were largely stuck doing the same thing lumping the ball to Right Said Fred we were able to adapt our approach.

Again, for all the talk about the pace of our wingers this season and Robinson's historic "win the battle", "get crosses into the box" approach our goal last week came from playing through County centrally...which is new and the chances we've been creating from that sort of area have (to an extent) been overlooked (there are some more examples of goals/chances in the spoiler).

Spoiler

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by capt_oats

[YassinMoutaouakil]

1-2, MOH hat-trick

[Valentino Bolognese]

Not much given away in Tommy's interview. Holt back in and 'one or two changes'. Everyone fit except Craig.

Really looking forward to this one. 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Valentino Bolognese

[PauloPerth]

A lot of interesting selection options discussed here.  It's one of those ones where we're struggling so every other alternative seems like a better option.

Agree we can't go baws oot as we look vulnerable to the counter.  But as TRS says, that defence doesn't look great in terms of going for the shitfest and inviting Motherwell onto us.

A balance of the two seems the likely option. Our better players are in forward areas, so we need to get them involved higher up the park.

As mentioned, McCann is far better on the ball than Muzz, but outwith the back 4 we're a small team, so remove Davidson and there's not a lot of aerial power there for defending set pieces.  I think we'll be 4-5-1 again, as Tommy seems to be liking that formation this season.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a funny feeling Kennedy might be on the bench, with either Drey or Spoony coming in for him.

Hopefully an open attacking game...  but we really need three points here!

[Valentino Bolognese]

1 minute ago, PauloPerth said:

A lot of interesting selection options discussed here.  It's one of those ones where we're struggling so every other alternative seems like a better option.

Agree we can't go baws oot as we look vulnerable to the counter.  But as TRS says, that defence doesn't look great in terms of going for the shitfest and inviting Motherwell onto us.

A balance of the two seems the likely option. Our better players are in forward areas, so we need to get them involved higher up the park.

As mentioned, McCann is far better on the ball than Muzz, but outwith the back 4 we're a small team, so remove Davidson and there's not a lot of aerial power there for defending set pieces.  I think we'll be 4-5-1 again, as Tommy seems to be liking that formation this season.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a funny feeling Kennedy might be on the bench, with either Drey or Spoony coming in for him.

Hopefully an open attacking game...  but we really need three points here!

I had that thought about Matty too. He looked mighty pissed off at getting hooked on Sunday. 

Thing is he's just about the only option we have when it comes to getting a cross in. Even when he's not inside much he consistently beats his man and in the majority of cases will get a quality ball into the box. Maybe there's been more expectation on him this year for goals, as he is a decent finisher on his day, better than MOH I think. 

[RandomGuy.]

5 hours ago, Templar said:

At some stage, we will have to play attacking football at home.

 do you not think it's a bit disrespectful to Motherwell that you're assuming our best plan, while we sit bottom of the league without a win, is to just go bollocks out at them?

There wasn't much between the two sides at all last season. And while Motherwell have added some good players like Gallagher and Polworth, we've added the likes of Holt and May. I'd like to think there isnt much between the sides this season too, despite current positions.

I just can't see the logic in setting your team up to leave the defence exposed, when you know it's the weakest part of your side. Just seems a bizarre viewpoint, and one that just reeks of panic. This season we've dominated County, Aberdeen and Hibs, for spells, but have conceded silly goals. Surely that means we're playing fine the way we are, but it's just the mistakes you cut out, rather than revamping literally everything and making yourself even worse.

[Jamie_B]

It’s clear that we need to defend better, but I think the key is to get our attacking players into the game. Wright, MOH and Kennedy are all capable of hurting most teams in this league so let’s get them into a position to do so. Playing too negatively just invites pressure on to a defence that is probably lacking in confidence. Harsh for McCann to drop out but I’d pair Holt and Davidson in CM with MOH left, Wright right and Kennedy and May up front. You could also easily make the argument for sticking McCann in to the middle with one of the three attacking midfielders dropping out.

[Templar]

1 hour ago, RandomGuy. said:

 do you not think it's a bit disrespectful to Motherwell that you're assuming our best plan, while we sit bottom of the league without a win, is to just go bollocks out at them?

There wasn't much between the two sides at all last season. And while Motherwell have added some good players like Gallagher and Polworth, we've added the likes of Holt and May. I'd like to think there isnt much between the sides this season too, despite current positions.

I just can't see the logic in setting your team up to leave the defence exposed, when you know it's the weakest part of your side. Just seems a bizarre viewpoint, and one that just reeks of panic. This season we've dominated County, Aberdeen and Hibs, for spells, but have conceded silly goals. Surely that means we're playing fine the way we are, but it's just the mistakes you cut out, rather than revamping literally everything and making yourself even worse.

Ok let's lose 0v1 as we want to be respectful. Because if we attack or defend, we will not keep a clean sheet.

[Templar]

My prediction for tomorrows team Tommy's favourite. 4:5:1

 

[Templar]

[The Saintee]

I'm all for a General Custer the best form of defence is attack scenario!

[tree house tam]

Offal format, offal team.