St Johnstone vs Livingston 16/10/21

[FrankChickens1]

Possibly the worst Saints performance I can remember in the top division.

Might be tempting to say things like that you can't read too much into a game where we give away those two freak goals, but take those away and call it a 1-0 and its still possibly the worst Saints performance I can remember in the top division.

0/10 for - Craig, Spoony, May, Ambrose. 

Hoped May would take a lift from recent goals but was back to looking finished. Craig is absolutely done and has been all season, despite the plaudits thrown at him. I don't think Davidson can truly argue making Melamed sit out until Christmas paid off so sad to see us doing it again with Vertainen. He must be shit in training. 

MacPherson looked every bit the St Mirren loanee yet also probably our best player, despressing. Kane probably the best though, gave everything but won't score playing like that.

Play like that in games without giving away freak goals and having heads go down early, and can't see us getting top 6.

 

Can't argue with Livi players playing on for the third. The referee arguably should have stopped it instantly and called on the medics, especially with the ball looking like it was out for a corner so the two feigning injury being unlikely. However, he didn't and having not done so I don't see any way he can then rule out the goal, so was just embarrassing to see Craig whine about it for hours and again at half time. Seems to be his only role in the team these days.

Bit of a shit full-subs celebration from Livi for the third goal in a 3-0 win with two players on the deck, but definitely sub element of sour grapes to that. More embarrassing than disgraceful, and less embarrassing than we were today.

[FrankChickens1]

4 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

We've learned nothing from last season. Still no clue how to break sides down. Manager didn't even really try and affect the game until we were 3-0 down, and even then his "game changing" subs involved bringing James Brown and Murray Davidson on. Why pay £30k for a striker to offer something different then refuse to play him when 2-0 down at himeand creating nothing? Because you don't think he can defend? It's just weird now.

He definitely gives the impression of writing down his subs the night before. Far from the first game we've all come away thinking it.

[EdinburghLivi]

1 minute ago, FrankChickens1 said:

Can't argue with Livi players playing on for the third. The referee arguably should have stopped it instantly and called on the medics, especially with the ball looking like it was out for a corner so the two feigning injury being unlikely. However, he didn't and having not done so I don't see any way he can then rule out the goal, so was just embarrassing to see Craig whine about it for hours and again at half time.

Yeah I was slightly uneasy with us playing on but referee should have stopped the game. He didn't have a good game at all.

[RandomGuy.]

2 minutes ago, FrankChickens1 said:

He definitely gives the impression of writing down his subs the night before. Far from the first game we've all come away thinking it.

Can't believe he didn't try and change anything at half time.

Hard to question him due to the success he's had though.

[RandomGuy.]

Just now, EdinburghLivi said:

Yeah I was slightly uneasy with us playing on but referee should have stopped the game. He didn't have a good game at all.

Mark me down as one who thinks it was fine to play on. It's not as if you carried it down the park or anything, it was literally a tap in when it became clear it was a serious head knock.

Easiest way to avoid it would be for our players to not be absolute clowns.

[The Saintee]

Bizarre not to "trust" Vertainen when Muller and Dendoncker have been chucked in with little or no experience.

[Cptn Hooch]

Bit of a shit full-subs celebration from Livi for the third goal in a 3-0 win with two players on the deck

I get why you might say that but as you say it's the refs prerogative to stop the play there. The big celebration was down to who scored. Pittman has been a vital player for us since the league 1 days and he's had a tough time with injury and struggling to come back at his best. The relief was painted all over his face after the goal and it was brilliant to see.

[The Real Saints]

I think, more than anything, today’s match really just confirmed how terrible Dundee are. Think we maybe got a bit over-excited after our previous home match.

Honestly think that McCart and Ambrose stunk out the place in equal measure. Efe was unfortunate not to score three times, but even a hat-trick wouldn’t have redeemed that defensive performance.

Otherwise, was impressed with McPherson and that’s about it.

This book signing might be a bit awkward tomorrow.

 

[Biscuits]

So someone not good enough to make our bench is now your best player [emoji1787]

[Lex]

So someone not good enough to make our bench is now your best player [emoji1787]

It’s good we are sending our youngsters out to St Johnstone to get some much needed game time.
Would be happy for this to become a more regular arrangement.

[PSJ.84]

Usually try not to get too down over football…but 3-0 at home to a similar sized club, conceding the goals we did, makes that a quite difficult. Fair play to Livi, solid defensive display all afternoon and when Stryjek was called upon, he answered with a phenomenal save. No qualms about playing on for the 3rd goal, refs duty to stop play. Ambrose giving us the first glimpse of the Ambrose we’re all used to seeing. 
 

 

[mizfit]

Okay, home now and had a chance to reflect. If anything this is a kick up the arse for the squad.

It felt like we were getting back into it before Rooneys injury. Once that happened we were up against it.

Wotherspoon starting is a strange decision, Middleton did more in 30 than he did in 60. A strange decision to start him when he’d have returned yesterday.

Also, get Ambrose back to the bench. Can’t rely on him making mistakes every game, he’s got lucky in his last 4 games but this get like the game that he was going to f**k up in.


At least we can get back to it next week against *checks notes* f**k, never mind.

[PSJ.84]

1 minute ago, mizfit said:

Okay, home now and had a chance to reflect. If anything this is a kick up the arse for the squad.

It felt like we were getting back into it before Rooneys injury. Once that happened we were up against it.

Wotherspoon starting is a strange decision, Middleton did more in 30 than he did in 60. A strange decision to start him when he’d have returned yesterday.

Also, get Ambrose back to the bench. Can’t rely on him making mistakes every game, he’s got lucky in his last 4 games but this get like the game that he was going to f**k up in.


At least we can get back to it next week against *checks notes* f**k, never mind.

Really looking forward to next week. Sure Eetu is as well. 

[Biscuits]

It’s good we are sending our youngsters out to St Johnstone to get some much needed game time.
Would be happy for this to become a more regular arrangement.

A kind of feeder club arrangement you mean?

[RandomGuy.]

15 minutes ago, Biscuits said:

So someone not good enough to make our bench is now your best player

He was poor, for me. Sprays some good passes about and some good set plays, but he constantly let folk run off him and I'm fairly sure the first comes from his losing his runner then absolutely shitting it out a tackle.

It's an unfair comparison to make but he's not even a budget Ali McCann. If anything he reminded me of Sean Goss a bit. Good technically but constantly loses his men, and even when he wins a tackle it only looks impressive as its a last ditch one because he's already been beaten.

[PauloPerth]

Are folk still pinning hopes on Eetu being any good?

[EdinburghLivi]

[Troy.1995]

Livi did what they had to to get that result today.Saints weren't at the races today.Unchareteristic deferences lapses from them allowed the Lions to capitalise and in the end ran out deserved winners.Cant wait for our friend Scrutinizor to summarise the game.He normally comes up with some belters.Itl be priceless to listen to his observations. Over to you Scrotum,sorry Scrutinizor .

[Zamora Fan]

I’m not sure we were as bad as is being suggested. Dreadful day at the office for every player in the back six minus Booth and to a lesser extent Lars, and goals 2 and 3 were astonishingly poor goals to give away. Wotherspoon also not at his best but I think everyone else was reasonably fine.

I thought for large spells we controlled the ball well and looked quite likely to equalise at 1-0 until Zander howler made it 2-0 - would agree we maybe should have switched things up at half time after falling out of the game. Needed someone up there willing to take a risk on the ball or find gaps, perhaps a Finnish striker we spent money on maybe..

But despite that we were still just about okay before Efe contrived to shoulder barge O’Halloran in the box and it’s 3-0. Shit happens, we’re unlikely to defend like that again (Gordon back in next week pls) and to their credit Livi were really solid and seemed to know exactly what to do to create chances on the break against us. Martindale is a good coach. Certainly wouldn’t be describing that as anywhere close to being our worst performance since getting back into the top flight (?). Have watched plenty of Tommy Wright sides fail to register a shot on target against below average diddy teams - I don’t think that was close to looking as aimless. One to forget and lessons to learn but not sure we were that bad tbh.

If anything is embarrassing it’s the St Mirren and Dundee fans stinking the place out - we’ve really done a number on them. If any of their fans truly think their wee team can finish above us this season I’d be happy to put a charity bet on it…

[PSJ.84]

Definitely seen worse performances since coming back up but there’s a lot of tidy possession without creating anything clear cut. 16 shots with only two on target is quite astonishing.