Christmas is coming and for Saints it could be very merry. This is the first of a 5 game run which may go a long way to define how our season will pan out. With the added bonus of the Ormond stand being open for those of us wanting to burst our lungs in song, it's a game I am looking very much forward to. Queens form of late has been inconsistent,verging on pish poor. Since humping Livi 6-1 they have lost five and won only one, conceding ten and scoring only three.On paper we should win this game and our record against queens at McD is pretty good. Of course football matches aint played on paper so we will need to show commitment and a great attitude if we are to secure the three points.Team wise I very much hope Caff is fit and well for this one as I feel we missed him at Dens.I am assuming MMM was out for only the one game ( please correct me if I'm wrong) and if so I would like to see him back in as well.

I'd hope to see something like this...

Main in goals,

a back four of Irvine, Caff, Rusty ( capt.) Craig.

A midfield of Millar, Morris, Hardie and Sheerin.

And Savo and Sherlock up front..


Subs..The Baldyman, Mooner, Swankie, Samuel, Ando.

No place for..James, Peaso, McKoy, Morgan, Jackson.

Think it will be more like

Main
Irvine Caff Rusty Craig
Swankie Millar Hardie Sheerin
Savo Holmes

Subs: Hillcoat, Ando/James, Morris, Moon, Samual

No room for: Peaso, Jackson, McKoy Morgan

McInnes seems to prefer swankie at home, where we are more likely to be on top and his work ethic is not such a problem. Dont think Morris or James looked anywhere near 100% against Dundee and not sure they will start. Swankie or Sheerin could easily fall out to make way for either Morris or Moon though.

To be honest the squads strong enough to make three or four line-ups possible, which if we can keep players fit could be a massive plus over the winter months.

Indeed.

3-0 saints unfortunately.

Keeping you all in suspense! Made a little error with the Tab/Enter keys, then started getting bizarre messages about the database failing.............if all else fails switch it off and switch it back on again!

Dobbie 1-0!

You will get good odds for that at the bookies

I'd classify it as pish poor verging on absolutely shit.

Hopefully McCaffrey will be back to steady the defence, and Hardie to provide muscle in the middle of the park.

I think I'd go;

Main

Irvine Rusty McCaffrey Anderson

Swankie Millar Hardie Craig

Holmes Savo

Obviously with James, Moon and Morris dropping out.

Would take a scrappy 1-0 win right now. We've not exactly looked brilliant the last few weeks, but we've still been picking up points. Hopefully we'll looked more polished in this next game.

Can't see anything other than a St.Johnstone victory, fortunately I'll be taking part in my customary Tayside boycott so will save a bit of time and money and only have to watch the misery on Sky Sports.

I can't see the revival starting at the weekend. I think the most we can hope for is a draw, which I would gladly accept at the moment. No, the winning revival starts at home to the Pars, the week after.

We are Saints....ten matches unbeaten, clear at the top of the league, initiative to get the fans in, Queens on a bad run, most people expecting a comfortable home win....i'd say youre probably spot on!

cant see anything other than a home win, would love to b wrong though

Queens are still a good team with a good group of players and it just takes one little thing to turn around a dip in confidence or a bad run. As always in this league, the first goal will be vital. If we get it then Queens may struggle as they've been very short on goals since mauling Livi and have failed to score in over half of their away matches. If Queens get the opener then I'm sure they'll be able to relax a bit. Their recent record in Perth is pretty shocking though and Chisholm has been very negative on their last couple of visits. Hopefully an increased home support (both in terms of numbers and noise) can spur us on as Dunfermline and Thistle have tough away matches and something has to give at Almondvale.

As for the team, Rutkiewicz and McCaffrey deserve the right to be our number one pairing and the latter has to come back into the team if fit. James didn't do anything wrong on Saturday, especially considering it was his first start since August, but we need to try and maintain the consistency that saw us go on this good run. I don't think it was any coincidence that we had our poorest showing since August when McInnes tinkered with the team at the weekend. I'd also return Craig to left back; Anderson can always come on if needed, as happened at East End Park.

The pace of Samuel could cause Queens problems but I think he has to start with Milne and Holmes again but be prepared to give Samuel a good run out if required. Spoilt for choice in the middle of the park with Morris and Moon both staking claims to start. I think he might find it hard to drop Morris now he's brought him back into the side. Hardie is sure to return though as we missed his presence at the weekend and Millar is probably the first name on the teamsheet this season. McInnes hasn't used Swankie much on the left so I think he might opt for Sheerin to start.

Main

Irvine - Rutkiewicz - McCaffrey - Craig

Millar - Hardie - Morris - Sheerin

Milne - Holmes

Subbies: Hillcoat, Anderson, Swankie, Moon, Samuel.

You just copied MY team ya lazy bam

I was tring to be nice to you all.

I've got Morris, you've got Swankie!

A few months ago, it would have been unlikely that any two fans would post a team with 10 matching players. It's a good thing that there's so little variation in the line-ups now. Consistency is key. I think all six midfielders (the five we've choosen between us and Moon) all have a claim to start, which is also great.

PS - Are any other Saints fans having trouble logging into WAP? I just get a massive coded message whenever I try to log into my account.

It's not like you to be wrong, but I aint got Swankie!!!!!! He's on the bench.
Your slipping Radders

I haven't tried WAP yet I'm still trying to get my heed round the Livi circus...

I've had trouble since yesterday even though I'm not a Saints fan there is definitely a technical issue

Sorry, I was looking at Nel's team. We do indeed have the same side. Worrying stuff!

Even the same subs. Worrying indeed


I got into WAP straight away and it seems to be working fine

After an agony free Saturday somebody always has to spoil things by a pre-match thread.
Based on our record over the last six weeks the predictable scenario is Queens with a 4-5-1 line-up to facilitate damage limitation which will result in a 5-0 home win.
But hey , who knows , this is football.

Ps A lot of Queens fans seem to have found a novel way of overcoming the credit crunch.
Blame all life's ills on the stewards at Perth and Dundee and save money by staying at home.

Do you log in and out on each visit, or are you permanently logged in? I can view it fine but then I try and sign in to my account and get a massive long message with loads of % signs etc...

I am permanently logged in....

You must have a very reliable supplier.

I am too and have had no problems

Yeah, I registered a new account and it logged me in when I activated my account via email but as soon as I logged it, it wouldn't let me back in again. Not a massive problem as I can still view the forum, just wondering if it was a problem specific to me.

I blame Beatson.

This worries me!

Hopefully a good crowd and atmosphere for this one I'd go . . .

Main

Anderson Rusty Caff Craig

Millar Hardie Morris Swankie

Milne Holmes

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I've got the same thing. On the plus side I don't have to read any of SignDave's posts. Although i'm sure i've seen him cutting about on here.

An outrageous slur.
Our recent form has in fact been a model of consistency.

We'll lose either 2-0 or 3-0.

Disappointed that it looks like Hardie will be back for Saints. They seemed to lack his prescence at Dens on Saturday. I suspect Chisholm will set us up to be tough to break down on Saturday. Hoping that one or 2 of our missing players will be back. Our record in Perth is pretty poor other than when we won shortly after Connolly took charge at St Johnstone. I`d certainly take a point now but maybe our ex Saints players will perform well and fire us to an unexpected victory.

Did you go to the match DD? Or are you just going by reports?

No Irvine? He has been very consistent this season (except the dundee game)

I was at the game. Good match. Saints deserved to be up at HT but Dundee were excellent second half and really bossed the midfield especially after McHale came on. Either team could have nicked it in the final minute. Eric Paton was superb again!

Irvine was indeed poor on saturday and was roasted by Malone and O`Brien, though to be fair he got little or no protection from Millar. Maybe Harris and Weatherston can do the same this week.

Irvine/Rusty will nail Weatherston early in the game and he'll be no where to be seen after that... hopefully

I think "Rusty" nailed him at Palmerston but unfortunately for him gave away a penalty in the process. Same again on Saturday will be fine. Suspect Weatherston may well start on the bench though must admit I`d be tempted to play him from the start.

I remember it well. I think the entire saints support knew what was coming when he galloped so far up the park unchallenged. one thing he was good for with us was winning free kicks and penalties.

What is the early Queens team news ahead of Saturday? Are Harris, Barr or Robertson likely to be back and are there any other casualties of note bar Scally? I assume Saturday will be too early for his comeback? Also, is Sives now away back to Hearts?

If Saints played the way they did in the first half at Dens on Saturday, I think it could be a walk in the park for St Johnstone. Queen's form has been poor over the last few games and I think that will continue. I predict a win for St Johnstone. Not sure the score yet though, but nevertheless a win for the Perth men.

Sives' loan spell is certainly over.

I've no idea about the injured players other than it was said about three weeks ago that Harris needed 2-3 weeks rest so hopefully he should be about there. Craig Reid has missed the last week or two injured also. Paul Burns went off injured against Clyde and Dobbie finished the game limping as we'd used all our subs by then but I didn't think at the time either was all that serious.

Queens will be up for this. I hate playing good sides going through a bad streak, you just know they are going to turn it round at some point; I fear this could be the game.

slump over queens to win 2-1. we started to get cocky when we were top now its saints turn. tosher and jt for the goals

I don't think any of the saints fans have gotten cocky?

The players certainly haven't... they're still battling away like they did at the start of the run.

If you're worried about Robertson being fit , you haven't seen him playing or you're the type of person who's sh*t scared of your own shadow.
Most Queens fans I suspect are sh*t scared he is fit.

Millar and Irvine normally have a good understanding and very supportive playing relationship. Millar can almost always be seen covering for Irvine in defence and Irvine overlapping with Millar in attack. It has the potential to be one of the best pairings I've seen in a while. It reminds me a bit of Goran Stanic and Paul Sheerin except Millar and Irvine have a lot more pace to burn. Saturday was a blip for me.

You obviously see more of Millar and Irvine than I do but Saints were wide open down their right side on Saturday, at least in the 2nd half. Hopefully a 2 game blip then but I fully expect them to return to form against us. Millar in particular is a player I`ve always rated who I fully expected to be a great signing for Saints.

EDIT to add the forecast looks grim this week for Perth. Weather Clicky
Presumably with Saints on a good run and us on a horror spell of form they`ll do everything to get the game on but what`s the local view even allowing for undersoil heating, covers etc.?

Heavy snow thursday...two days of sunny intervals to melt it. Nay probs.

Our problem can be the K2 descent through the car park to get to the ground. The Health & Safety mob have a field day about that at times....and flickering lightbulbs, but thats another story.

Heavy snow is forecast for Wednesday night into Thursday morning with Saturday to be the warmest day of the week so far at a mighty 6 degrees. I'm not overly worried about the game being cancelled.