Another St Johnstone European Tour!

[tree house tam]

Linzer play Sturm Graz tomorrow and there should be a few streams on the go, winner will move into second place. It's a big game for them so I'd imagine it'll be a strong team they put out.

[Fife Saint]

On 14/08/2021 at 19:04, tree house tam said:

Linzer play Sturm Graz tomorrow and there should be a few streams on the go, winner will move into second place. It's a big game for them so I'd imagine it'll be a strong team they put out.

They got pumped 3-1

[tree house tam]

32 minutes ago, Fife Saint said:

They got pumped 3-1

Aye but it was only 1-0 till the last 10 minutes. If we can keep them out and they throw folk forward they leave gaps. They also love longish range efforts, can see Zander either having a brilliant time or watching balls fly in the top corner. 

[Suspect Device]

Saints obviously box office.

 

 

[PauloPerth]

A few decisions to be made in terms of team selection.  Booth/Devine,  Rooney/Brown,  O'Halloran/ Middleton.

I'm guessing Spoony is still out for this?  If so, not much choice in centre midfield.  I don't think we'll start both MOH and Middleton.  Probably weaken us defensively too much, and having one on the bench gives us the option to bring on fresh legs to get us up the park later on.  I'd go Middleton for his goal threat, but feel O'Halloran is probably better defensively as mad as that sounds, so wouldn't be surprised at whoever Davidson goes for.  

Brown more disciplined defensively, but is it worth giving up what Rooney gives us on the ball?  Tough call.  Depends on whether we go very defensive for the first leg with the aim to keep the tie alive for the home leg.  Total guess..

                        Clark

Rooney Kerr Gordon McCart Devine

       Davidson Craig McCann

                  Middleton

                      Kane

 

 

[RandomGuy.]

I think he'll pick Brown. LASK seem fairly weighted to the left side and the two "wingers" seem to roam a fair bit, could see Rooney leaving Kerr massively exposed.

No idea what we do in midfield. We'll see more of the ball due to their style, so we need midfielders capable of building play. Neither Craig or Davidson can do that at this level, but Gilmour/Bryson presumably won't start due to a lack of gametime. Is it a wild shout to say Ballantyne should start? I know it won't happen though.

Middleton has to start.

[PauloPerth]

Not seen much of Ballantyne at all, but he looks the creative centre midfield, just off the front type. That might be wrong.

I’m not sure this is the game for him to start when you expect we’ll be long periods without the ball working at closing down.

I think it’ll be the same three as against Galatasary. 

The alternative would be just McCann and Davidson with MOH and Glenn either side of Kane and press them high up the park. They’ve apparently got a few new defenders bedding in so it might prove fruitful. Would worry at the space we’d concede in midfield, and it would surely have to be Brown if we set up that way.

2-3 centre midfielders out for this is a bit of a nightmare in all honesty.

[PauloPerth]

Highlights of their match on Sunday:

They are not shy about having a shot, need to make sure we don’t drop too far off them round our box.  They do look vulnerable to the counter attack though. The pace of Middleton and MOH might be effective.

f**k knows what they’ll make of the footage of our match from Sunday!

[Valentino Bolognese]

4 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

Highlights of their match on Sunday:

They are not shy about having a shot, need to make sure we don’t drop too far off them round our box.  They do look vulnerable to the counter attack though. The pace of Middleton and MOH might be effective.

f**k knows what they’ll make of the footage of our match from Sunday!

Craig gives me the fear simply because of lack of pace and I can't see how he'd manage yet another high tempo game. 

I'm getting more keen on the idea of Glenn and MOH both starting. On the right MOH does track back so that helps if they're all over that side. He has played WB pretty well before, admittedly not against this level of opposition. 

Is a 5-4-1 a completely mad idea?

                          Clark

Brown  Kerr  Gordon  McCart  Booth

MOH  McCann  Davidson  Middleton

                           Kane

 

[Costanza]

Might we see both Brown and Rooney starting in a 5-4-1 scenario?  Take a 0-0 type of thing.  Would make for a long evening!  

[Valentino Bolognese]

38 minutes ago, Costanza said:

Might we see both Brown and Rooney starting in a 5-4-1 scenario?  Take a 0-0 type of thing.  Would make for a long evening!  

Craig Levein stuff, but maybe not daft. Just keep it alive for a week.

Spoony back the Finn up and running for the return leg ... might just work. 

[FrankChickens1]

Is there any proof for this brown more defensive stuff? Or is it just what people are telling themselves cos he's not as good going forward? He seems a decent squad player but nothing more, and it has to be Rooney for me. 

Craig shouldn't get near the pitch on Thursday.

Valentinos team with Rooney and Devine for me, but Im almost certain it won't happen 

[PauloPerth]

26 minutes ago, FrankChickens1 said:

Is there any proof for this brown more defensive stuff? Or is it just what people are telling themselves cos he's not as good going forward? He seems a decent squad player but nothing more, and it has to be Rooney for me. 

Craig shouldn't get near the pitch on Thursday.

Valentinos team with Rooney and Devine for me, but Im almost certain it won't happen 

What exactly would you be looking for in the way of 'proof'?

He's a traditional right back in a back 4 set up. He's also played centre back.  First and foremost a defender.

I think most folk would accept Rooney's biggest strength is going forward.

Whether that makes Brown better defensively is debatable, but he is certainly a more defensive minded player.

[Saint Huck]

11 hours ago, PauloPerth said:

Highlights of their match on Sunday:

They are not shy about having a shot, need to make sure we don’t drop too far off them round our box.  They do look vulnerable to the counter attack though. The pace of Middleton and MOH might be effective.

f**k knows what they’ll make of the footage of our match from Sunday!

I watched the Arbroath highlights after seeing the LASK ones.  Looks like 2 different sports.....

[FrankChickens1]

52 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

What exactly would you be looking for in the way of 'proof'?

He's a traditional right back in a back 4 set up. He's also played centre back.  First and foremost a defender.

I think most folk would accept Rooney's biggest strength is going forward.

Whether that makes Brown better defensively is debatable, but he is certainly a more defensive minded player.

Maybe proof is the wrong word, but from his performances so far I've yet to see that Brown is particularly good defensively. Or going forward. And although Rooney can be a liability at the back, I'm yet to be convinced Brown is any more defensively capable, just perhaps a bit less dramatic. Is being more defensively minded a plus if he's not any better? 

So let's just pretend for arguments sake with made up but broadly accurate numbers that brown is a 5/10 defensively and Rooney is 4/10. But Rooney is 6/10 going forward and Brown is 4/10. You Pick Rooney.

All the more so where I'd dispute there's any substantial difference between them. 

I'm not meaning to hate on Brown. He's barely played any first team football, tries hard, and looks fine for our squad. But for a massive tie like this I'm proRooney, defensive errors and all

Edited August 18, 2021 by FrankChickens1

[Valentino Bolognese]

4 hours ago, FrankChickens1 said:

Maybe proof is the wrong word, but from his performances so far I've yet to see that Brown is particularly good defensively. Or going forward. And although Rooney can be a liability at the back, I'm yet to be convinced Brown is any more defensively capable, just perhaps a bit less dramatic. Is being more defensively minded a plus if he's not any better? 

So let's just pretend for arguments sake with made up but broadly accurate numbers that brown is a 5/10 defensively and Rooney is 4/10. But Rooney is 6/10 going forward and Brown is 4/10. You Pick Rooney.

All the more so where I'd dispute there's any substantial difference between them. 

I'm not meaning to hate on Brown. He's barely played any first team football, tries hard, and looks fine for our squad. But for a massive tie like this I'm proRooney, defensive errors and all

Don't really disagree with this but having watching him up close on Sunday, Brown certainly seems to sit deeper than Rooney. As I said at the time he looked like a full-back asked to play wing-back. If the team we're playing has pace on that side, we've already seen how exposed Rooney can be. I don't think Brown is technically any better, just less likely to get caught in behind. 

As for Booth/Devine I'd be happy with either but thought that Devine picked up an injury on Sunday? Also, I don't think Booth would have left the gap that Devine left for the goal away against Galatasaray. Maybe harsh as he's been excellent for us, but I'd start Booth as for the stability and bring on Devine as fresh running legs later in the game. 

[RandomGuy.]

17 hours ago, PauloPerth said:

They’ve apparently got a few new defenders bedding in so it might prove fruitful.

Depends how you look at it. It's just one of their 3 CBs they've lost (their version of Gordon I guess), who they've replaced in their set up with the player who used to play RCB. New signing plays at RCB, but the first choice there came off injured at the weekend. 

Other new signings are at right wing back, and centre forward. 

On Brown I think the theory is he leaves Kerr less exposed as positionally he's smarter than Rooney, who's prone to wandering. He's maybe not a strong defender himself, but he makes us stronger as a unit as he's not leaving huge gaps. Guess it's all risk/reward type stuff. You're a weaker side at the back with Rooney, but stronger going forward.

Also see it's been confirmed today in Liam Gordon's interview that Wotherspoon is definitely missing the game tomorrow.

Edited August 18, 2021 by RandomGuy.

[Valentino Bolognese]

Shame the Austrians don't seem to have a comedy forum like the Turks. Enjoyed reading the madness, made more surreal by google translate. 

Very little I can see online from their fans.

[PauloPerth]

7 hours ago, FrankChickens1 said:

Maybe proof is the wrong word, but from his performances so far I've yet to see that Brown is particularly good defensively. Or going forward. And although Rooney can be a liability at the back, I'm yet to be convinced Brown is any more defensively capable, just perhaps a bit less dramatic. Is being more defensively minded a plus if he's not any better? 

So let's just pretend for arguments sake with made up but broadly accurate numbers that brown is a 5/10 defensively and Rooney is 4/10. But Rooney is 6/10 going forward and Brown is 4/10. You Pick Rooney.

All the more so where I'd dispute there's any substantial difference between them. 

I'm not meaning to hate on Brown. He's barely played any first team football, tries hard, and looks fine for our squad. But for a massive tie like this I'm proRooney, defensive errors and all

Don’t disagree with that. Still early for Brown I guess.

As @RandomGuy. says, as he’s less adventurous and attack minded, it means we’re less exposed on that side as we were a lot in the first half in Istanbul. 

All depends on the manager’s gameplan. Do we go pretty much a back 5, or our usual 3 with forward thinking wing backs?

[Fife Saint]

I think if anyone is qualified to evaluate the merits and impact of a particular fullback it is Davidson.