Double Winning St Johnstone FC Thread

[RandomGuy.]

20 minutes ago, mizfit said:

The spirit in the squad today from the moment we went down to 9 men was phenomenal.

Clark and Kerr were on top form again. Here’s hoping that’s the wake up they needed.

I think going to 9 made it easy for us, as we could just camp everyone around the box. The defence was still an absolute nightmare before the cards, and is still a massive worry. Kerr is so soft in the tackle, him, Duffy and Ralston are all beaten far too easily one on one.

[PauloPerth]

Great point for our nine men. As many deficiencies as our defence has, that's an Aberdeen team who have put 3 goals past each of Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Ross County in the last 5 weeks, so we have to take that positive out of it.

I still read folk saying Kennedy has no end product despite being the best attacking player on the park by a mile, scoring a good goal and skinning his man and putting a few decent balls into the box.  

Time for a bit of realism from Tommy. Stevie May is not the same player he was. Yes he will have his part to play this season, like the whole squad, but to have him as this undroppable striker will do us no favours.  Kane did more in his first 5 minutes on the park today, and it needs to be horses for courses, or retaining your place after making an impact.

Great to see Zander come up with the goods in the last 15 minutes.

I really hope we are working like mad on signing McCann up for longer.  Him and Kennedy should be massive priorities before January.

[PauloPerth]

Hamilton, Hearts, Livi and Ross County all losing this weekend means it's a decent point for us.  Obviously could have done without st Mirren's late winner, but we have 5 teams within 3 points of us, and given how desperate we feel our first third of the season has been, things could be a lot bleaker.

[nelsjfc]

I wonder how long we persist with May. Some will argue he's "isolated" but he's not offering any out ball outside running offside every time we break (to be fair, he might have been asked to stick to the last man). I'd argue that Kane currently would offer a better out ball. I'd argue more vehemently that May has looked a downgrade on Watt so far.

I pray it's a case of slowly regaining his feet but we need more from him now

[RandomGuy.]

11 minutes ago, nelsjfc said:

I'd argue more vehemently that May has looked a downgrade on Watt so far.

He's already equalled Watts tally of league goals from last season, and has equalled the amount of league goals Kane has scored in the past 20 months. He's playing in a worse side than either played in last season aswell.

He's not been great, but we're not playing to his strengths at all. In 13/14 MacLean was injured and missed 15 games. May was played up front, on his own at times. He had a run of 7 games where he struggled horrendously, the only shining light was his hat trick against an absolutely abysmal United, the other 6 games he failed to score. He also later went on a run of 4 goals in 14 games. He's currently on 2 from 9.

Can we give him a chance before we all gleefully bound on this bandwagon that he's finished? The last thing he needs is fans booing him at home (and they will, folk were booing Kerr after 10 minutes for some unknown reason).

Edited November 24, 2019 by RandomGuy.

[Shaggy Jenkins]

Kane and may together gets the best out of both of them I think 

[tree house tam]

Kane can gtf.

[PauloPerth]

Theres a lot of this Stevie May getting dreadful service, or us not playing to his strengths.  It's the same service that Kane and Hendry get stick for doing little with.

To compare his goals record to Kane's over "20 months" is disingenuous considering May starts every game, whilst Kane is generally lucky to get two consecutive starts.  Hendry possibly has a better scoring record than both.

Yes it's a thankless task being a lone striker for us. But ffs we're a mid table (usually) Premiership team.  It's not Barcelona or Man City he's playing for.  There's going to be balls in the air, over the top or generally poor passes. Your job is to make the defenders life as uncomfortable as possible.  Challenge the centre back so we can pick up a second ball, or get a throw in from a poor clearance due to pressure. Or turn a shite ball into something every once in a while.

No one is going to boo him or write him off.  But like everyone else, he shouldn't be a guaranteed starter if he's not performing.  He might even make a bigger impact coming on when the game's opened up a bit.  Kane's finishing has been poor, but he brings a lot more in terms of putting defenders under pressure than May does.  I'm just saying we should be considering other options rather than feel we have to start May every match simply because he cost a lot of money and what he brought the first time around.

[RandomGuy.]

19 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

To compare his goals record to Kane's over "20 months" is disingenuous considering May starts every game, whilst Kane is generally lucky to get two consecutive starts.  

Okay. League only.

2019/20 

Stevie May - 10 games (9 starts) - 2 goals; 783 minutes - Goal every 392 minutes

Chris Kane - 9 games (3 starts) - 0 goals; 370 minutes - N/A

Callum Hendry - 9 games (0 starts) - 2 goals; 162 minutes - Goal every 162 minutes

2018/19

Tony Watt - 29 games (22 starts) - 2 goals; 1,938 minutes - Goal every 969 minutes

Chris Kane - 30 games (14 starts) - 3 goals; 1,600 minutes - Goal every 533 minutes

Callum Hendry - 12 games (5 starts) - 2 goals; 406 minutes - Goal every 203 minutes

 

So, over the past two seasons, if you rank them by "Goals per minute", its...

1. Callum Hendry - 21 games (5 starts) - 4 goals; 568 minutes - Goal every 142 minutes
2. Stevie May - 10 games (9 starts) - 2 goals; 783 minutes - Goal every 392 minutes
3. Chris Kane - 39 games (17 starts) - 3 goals; 1,970 minutes - Goal every 657 minutes
4. Tony Watt - 29 games (22) starts - 2 goals; 1,938 minutes - Goal every 969 minutes

There you go, do whatever you want with that information, no idea why the player with the least amount on minutes is the one getting written off though. Myself? I'm willing to give him more than 9 starts to find himself, Liam Craig and O'Halloran should both prove returning players can start poorly and still regain form. Chris Kane goes over 700 minutes if you include the Cups, fwiw.

Edited November 24, 2019 by RandomGuy.

[PauloPerth]

Are your stats for Callum Hendry for this season's minutes per goal correct, looks like it should be a goal every 81 minutes?

I don't think Chris Kane is a great goalscorer, but I think he provides more energy and makes life harder for opposition centre backs in his all round play.

Like I said, all of them will have their part to play over the season, I just hope Tommy doesn't feel he can't drop May when he's not performing.

[The Saintee]

Anyone ITK able to confirm that we'll be signing at least a CH in January? 

[tree house tam]

7 minutes ago, The Saintee said:

Anyone ITK able to confirm that we'll be signing at least a CH in January? 

Maybe even before.

 

 

 

I am in no way ITK.

Edited November 25, 2019 by tree house tam

[The Saintee]

3 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

Maybe even before.

 

 

 

I am in no way ITK.

Then you are no use to me.

 

All I'm thinking is that Brown might have other ideas. Especially as TW has obviously spunked the budget on attacking options.

Edited November 25, 2019 by The Saintee

[RandomGuy.]

6 minutes ago, The Saintee said:

Then you are no use to me.

 

All I'm thinking is that Brown might have other ideas. Especially as TW has obviously spunked the budget on attacking options.

I seen a comment, cant remember who by, that we need around 6 wages off the books before anyone will be signed.

[The Saintee]

36 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

I seen a comment, cant remember who by, that we need around 6 wages off the books before anyone will be signed.

Yikes. A few options there I suppose.

[nelsjfc]

I seen a comment, cant remember who by, that we need around 6 wages off the books before anyone will be signed.

Was this on Twitter? If so, I think those comments were a bit tongue in cheek.

[RandomGuy.]

4 minutes ago, nelsjfc said:

Was this on Twitter? If so, I think those comments were a bit tongue in cheek.

Aye, and I hope so. Could fully understand if Brown wanted the wage bill brought right down as soon as though (I'll counter this by saying that regardless of who leaves, we need to sign at least one defender).

Booth, Vihmann, Holt, Callachan, Swanson and McMillan moved on permanently and we barely even notice on the pitch, IMO.

Edited November 25, 2019 by RandomGuy.

[Valentino Bolognese]

7 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Aye, and I hope so. Could fully understand if Brown wanted the wage bill brought right down as soon as though (I'll counter this by saying that regardless of who leaves, we need to sign at least one defender).

Booth, Vihmann, Holt, Callachan, Swanson and McMillan moved on permanently and we barely even notice on the pitch, IMO.

I'd keep Holt and Booth out of that lot if possible, for cover, otherwise we would be very very thin indeed. 

When do we get young Northcott back from Glasgow? Does anyone know how he's getting on? 

[Kyle]

Six off the books you say? Easy.

Booth, Swanson and Callachan - mutual terminations/allow their contracts to expire

Ralston and Vihmann - tattie bye - loans cancelled

Craig seems to be falling out of the first team picture. Give him a job as a coach.

McMillan and Anderson - if the parent clubs are willing/able, release them to let them sign permanently for their loan clubs.

Sign a competent right back  and an experienced centre half as replacements and, if theres anything left over, a seasoned striker.

Only Ralston leaving from that lot above would have any negative effect on the first 11. That's only because we'd have to play Duffy there until we signed just about anyone else to take his place.

 

[PauloPerth]

Important to remember Wallace Duffy is only 20 years old. He's made about 9 first team appearances in his life.  Zero before he joined us.

Hes been thrown in at Premiership level, in a struggling defence possibly not even in his preferred position.  There doesn't even seem to be the opportunity of protecting him by taking him out the first team when he's had a poor game.

He's obviously struggled at times, but then who hasn't for us this season?  Fair play to the lad, plenty would have crumbled under the pressure, hopefully it'll be the making of him.