*** slayers v St Johnstone 19/12/20

[Ric]

5 minutes ago, Kyle said:

Steps were number 1 with Tragedy in January 2016? Learn something new every day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UK_Independent_Singles_Chart_number_ones_of_1998

A double A side, it would seem. Now you will forgive me, as my knowledge of pithy pop tunes isn't the strongest.

5 minutes ago, Kyle said:

We've been in the semi loads of times since then btw, just not the final

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scottish_League_Cup_finals

I think you'll find I said finals ..

2 minutes ago, Radford said:

I think @Ric must deliberately get something wrong in every post he makes just to ensure he gets a reply.

It's a brave tactic.

I refer the gentleman to my answer above..

Edited December 18, 2020 by Ric

[Kyle]

'Edited just now by Ric'

Rookie mistake - should've gotten one of the mods to edit the post for you, you hate to see it.

 

[Ric]

8 minutes ago, Kyle said:

'Edited just now by Ric'

Rookie mistake - should've gotten one of the mods to edit the post for you, you hate to see it.

That was to fix a spelling error..

[Coventry Saint]

If St Johnstone go three at the back, I absolutely demand that we don't attempt to match them, for three key reasons:

1) 3-5-2 is honking (for us)
2) We tried it at their place and put in our worst league performance of the season
3) The best way to nullify a 3-5-2 is to give the wingbacks so much to worry about that they can't get forward. We have been on the receiving end more times than I care to admit. Therefore the idea of unleashing Dylan Connolly and Ilkay Durmas against wing backs is giving me the sort of awkward semi that St Johnstone will be facing in January.

 

[tree house tam]

7 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

awkward semi that St Johnstone will be facing in January.

 

We're playing Hibs, we are more than a match for them. Hibs are an absolute dream to play against by the way, limit their shots from distance and if you play half decent they give you enough space to punish them. It's the best semi opponent Saints could have wished for.

[RandomGuy.]

32 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

3) The best way to nullify a 3-5-2 is to give the wingbacks so much to worry about that they can't get forward.

Shame we don't play 3-5-2 then.

[Coventry Saint]

3 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Shame we don't play 3-5-2 then.

Ok, the 5-2-3 that you mentioned. Call it what you like, the implications are the same.

[Coventry Saint]

30 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

We're playing Hibs, we are more than a match for them. Hibs are an absolute dream to play against by the way, limit their shots from distance and if you play half decent they give you enough space to punish them. It's the best semi opponent Saints could have wished for.

Thanks for the feedback. I was mainly going for an 'awkward semi' joke tbh.

[RandomGuy.]

Just now, Coventry Saint said:

Ok, the 5-2-3 that you mentioned. Call it what you like, the implications are the same.

Not really.

[Coventry Saint]

2 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Not really.

Do you play a legit back five with no attacking expectations on your fullbacks? Genuine question; I'm intrigued. Also: that must be dogshit to watch.

[RandomGuy.]

Just now, Coventry Saint said:

Do you play a legit back five with no attacking expectations on your fullbacks? Genuine question; I'm intrigued. Also: that must be dogshit to watch.

No, we play wingers in front of wing backs, and have CBs attacking the flanks, so "stopping the wing backs getting forward" isn't as simple as just chucking two players on the wing.

[Mr Positive, sometimes.]

54 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

If St Johnstone go three at the back, I absolutely demand that we don't attempt to match them, for three key reasons:

1) 3-5-2 is honking (for us)
2) We tried it at their place and put in our worst league performance of the season
3) The best way to nullify a 3-5-2 is to give the wingbacks so much to worry about that they can't get forward. We have been on the receiving end more times than I care to admit. Therefore the idea of unleashing Dylan Connolly and Ilkay Durmas against wing backs is giving me the sort of awkward semi that St Johnstone will be facing in January.

 

Its much easier than that against Saints. 

Just get back into defensive positions with urgency and crowd us out in the wide areas. We'll get impatient/lack ability to play through the crowd and try crossing it into the box from deep in turn is relatively easy to defend against as your back in solid defensive positions and not having to defend crosses coming across the 6 yard box/facing your own goal etc. 

In wide area's circa 30 yard ish out we usually end up with the central defender from that side, the wing back, the winger, sometimes a central midfielder close by and striker drifting about + the opposition players dragged in as well all within 10 yards. Making life difficult (IMO) for ourselves. 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Mr Positive, sometimes.

[Coventry Saint]

26 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

so "stopping the wing backs getting forward" isn't as simple as just chucking two players on the wing.

I guess we'll see.

[Valentino Bolognese]

16 minutes ago, Mr Positive, sometimes. said:

Its much easier than that against Saints. 

Just get back into defensive positions with urgency and crowd us out in the wide areas. We'll get impatient/lack ability to play through the crowd and try crossing it into the box from deep in turn is relatively easy to defend against as your back in solid defensive positions and not having to defend crosses coming across the 6 yard box/facing your own goal etc. 

In wide area's circa 30 yard ish out we usually end up with the central defender from that side, the wing back, the winger, sometimes a central midfielder close by and striker drifting about + the opposition players dragged in as well all within 10 yards. Making life difficult (IMO) for ourselves. 

Agree with this. We don't have strikers that attack crosses (not high ones, low to the near post seems to work better for May and Kane), and by overloading the flanks it often means the CB's that should be on the end of the crosses from the winger/wing-back overlaps are actually in a triangle out wide. So, 3 players in an area trying to put a cross in (often poor quality) to strikers that don't get near it. 

Slightly different note but assuming we do get a corner, I'd really like to see that cut back to the edge of the box effort that we saw at Dunfermline again. Unlikely to result in a goal against a wall of bodies but very entertaining.

 

 

[Ric]

I don't really understand why Goodwin changed his formation to play against St Johnstone. Aside from the game against Rangers we'd played well (wins against Livi and Hamilton, draw against County - that last one with 10 men after 'Eagle Eye" Collum's track-side intervention). Then for some reason we rock up in Perth with a different lineup and we were mince. He then continued to chop and change and while other influences played their part we went on a pretty miserable run from there.

Let's hope he's learnt his lesson and sticks with what works rather than experimenting.

[RandomGuy.]

18 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

I guess we'll see.

I imagine we'll offer no threat from out wide, but that doesn't mean it'll be down to anything St Mirren do.

[sergie's no1 fan]

I don't really understand why Goodwin changed his formation to play against St Johnstone. Aside from the game against Rangers we'd played well (wins against Livi and Hamilton, draw against County - that last one with 10 men after 'Eagle Eye" Collum's track-side intervention). Then for some reason we rock up in Perth with a different lineup and we were mince. He then continued to chop and change and while other influences played their part we went on a pretty miserable run from there.
Let's hope he's learnt his lesson and sticks with what works rather than experimenting.

I think it was probably down to Shaughnessy getting that red card, we didn't have much cover at the back, Foley wasn't even fit was he? Folk were screaming for Baird to be given a chance but we were getting rid of him so couldn't play him because he already played for Morton this year.

Goodwin's has been forced to change things up this season for things out of his control. Now he has a fully fit squad to choose from the starting 11 almost picks itself.

Still having nightmares about Sheron. Feel sorry for him as he is a young kid coming up from another country but he was way out his depth.

[Coventry Saint]

3 minutes ago, sergie's no1 fan said:

Still having nightmares about Sheron. Feel sorry for him as he is a young kid coming up from another country but he was way out his depth.

I namedropped him in my post about the Rangers game; I genuinely had to wrack my brains to remember what he was called.

You're right, though: we were all getting very frustrated at the tombola tactics but now the picture is clearer (and Jim's been very honest in that interview), we can see what's gone on and what was driving the decisions, as mental as they looked from the outside.

This was our starting XI last time. Four or five of those won't be starting tomorrow, depending whether Durmus plays. 

[Coventry Saint]

23 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

I imagine we'll offer no threat from out wide, but that doesn't mean it'll be down to anything St Mirren do.

If you hang about near the ground, Jake Doyle-Hayes might sign a copy of the letter you wrote about him.

[Ric]

Sheron should be cover, nothing more. Either an extra body in the defence late on in the game or a disrupting influence in the midfield when closing out a lead. I'm sure he's not a dreadful player but he's been put in a position of responsibility and not risen to the level expected. I'm not sure the length of loan deal he is on, but I'd certainly not be disappointed to see him head back down the road. I don't mean to sound harsh, I am sure that given time he could develop into the sort of player we need(ed) but he's not that player just now.