SJFC 🔵 ⚪ v 🔵 🔴 ICTFC. Playoff Final.

[Radford]

Inverness were streets ahead of Saints in the first half. It actually ended up similar to Friday where the team in the ascendancy was made to pay for not capitalising on their dominance. Billy Dodds didn't want to use that word post-match to describe their first half but he would have been perfectly entitled to. 

They looked dangerous every time they broke forward and dealt with anything Saints could muster with great ease. We were in massive trouble.  I think if we'd conceded the first goal, we'd have been done for, I just couldn't see us scoring. 

The opener was actually a bit of incisive play though, breaking a line with a pass, a midfield runner opening up space for Brown, a good delivery, another midfield runner and someone alive in the box. Far too rare this season. 

The second was obviously fortunate and Inverness didn't have the same ability to change things as they did on Friday. A couple of nice finishes from two big players to cap things off. No point in worrying about what might have happened if Inverness had pulled a goal back when Saints were only a couple ahead. 

Great to see both sides so well supported and as unconventional an achievement as it was, it was right that it was celebrated and the players given some appreciation. It wasn't over the top and hopefully has closed this chapter in the club's history. 

[Jacksgranda]

Listening on the radio Saints just ran riot in the second half.

[tree house tam]

Celebrating mediocrity isn't for everyone. A small show of relief and a thanks to the players leaving was all that was needed imo. Each to their own though Saintees.

[kingjoey]

2 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Listening on the radio Saints just ran riot in the second half.

They didn’t really. They ran riot in the last four minutes. Caley had a couple of great chances to get a goal back with enough time to get a second, but in particular an awful finish by Doran cost them dearly.

[kingjoey]

6 hours ago, Old Pack said:

Absolute PISH

Are you able to elaborate?

[jagfox]

Just now, kingjoey said:

Are you able to elaborate?

No, i think he's peaked with that effort tbh....

[Jacksgranda]

2 minutes ago, kingjoey said:

They didn’t really. They ran riot in the last four minutes. Caley had a couple of great chances to get a goal back with enough time to get a second, but in particular an awful finish by Doran cost them dearly.

Maybe I should have said "sounded like" Saints ran riot.

[kingjoey]

11 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Maybe I should have said "sounded like" Saints ran riot.

Caley were clearly the dominant team in the first half, and although Saints were by far the better team in the second, Caley were still in the game until they put their whole team up front with a few minutes left.

[Bigmouth Strikes Again]

12 hours ago, Sir Tarmo said:

Davidson 

GIRFUY. Cunto.

Thank you.

[The Marly]

Relieved. Worrying about next season can wait a couple of weeks. 

[FrankChickens1]

After sleeping through my 0230 alarm I woke up and started watching at about the 80 minute mark. Even at that stage, although it categorically wasn't backs to the wall or desperate like Friday, ICT had a few decent chances and if one had gone in it felt like another would have followed. 

Annoyingly I forgot to turn off fotmob so knew about the 3rd before it happened 

[RiG]

Hard to grumble much about the result. Saint Johnstone were clear and deserved winners over the two legs. Whilst we looked a lot better in the first half last night I'm struggling to remember too many good chances falling our way. Perhaps the header from Broadfoot (I think) which Clark tipped over. Apart from that I don't feel like we really troubled Saint Johnstone.

The opening 5 minutes of the second half just knocked the stuffing out of us. Horrendous marking for the opening goal and a cruel deflection for the second killed the game. Some of players were already on their knees at this point. When Welsh saw a shot blocked and Doran sclaffed one wide I knew that was game over. We simply had to take one of those chances to get back into the game and we didn't.

By the end we were going all out to get something, thumping long balls forward and leaving acres of space at the back which Saints ruthlessly exploited on the counter attack. 4 - 0 was really harsh I feel but, ultimately, Saint Johnstone deserved their win. We just didn't have enough left in the tank to do it.

Edited May 24, 2022 by RiG

[mizfit]

After sleeping through my 0230 alarm I woke up and started watching at about the 80 minute mark. Even at that stage, although it categorically wasn't backs to the wall or desperate like Friday, ICT had a few decent chances and if one had gone in it felt like another would have followed. 
Annoyingly I forgot to turn off fotmob so knew about the 3rd before it happened 

The main difference being when they were putting us under pressure we actually hit them on the counter, something we didn’t try on Friday. Was nice to see a side go for the kill and not sit back.

[SuperSaints1877]

Anybody heard from @TheScarf

Hope he’s feeling ok.

[Coventry Saint]

16 minutes ago, RiG said:

Hard to grumble much about the result. Saint Johnstone were clear and deserved winners over the two legs. Whilst we looked a lot better in the first half last night I'm struggling to remember too many good chances falling our way. Perhaps the header from Broadfoot (I think) which Clark tipped over. Apart from that I don't feel like we really troubled Saint Johnstone.
 

On the plus side, you have to be in with a shout of automatic promotion next season if you can keep that squad together/add a bit of quality.

First time for ages (since 13-14) that the league hasn't had a 'big spending' team in it. At least one of Hibs, Hearts, Rangers, Dundee United and Killie have been in the league since then. Plus strong title tilts from us and Ross County in amongst that.

Dundee the obvious candidates, but they could also totally implode. Depends which manager they get in.

[Widge]

I found it interesting watching Davidson on the side. He was telling the players to get out and up the pitch, until about 20 minutes from the end when he was actively telling players to stop pushing forward. I think last night was very much a case of the players ignoring the instructions and trying to play with the shackles off. If we'd of done the same in Inverness the tie would of been out of sight on Friday. It's still massively frustrating as there's clearly ability and a willingness to play football on the deck in this team, but they're being prevented by something, most likely the management team and their tactics.

[SandyCromarty]

Controlled the first half and then humiliation and shambles in the second, deserved what we got and you can't give away howlers.

 

[Zamora Fan]

Skewing it so much in favour of the top flight team does kill things a bit. Very few Championship teams gain promotion this way and IMO that indicates there's a problem.

People always say this but a ratio of 3/8 championship sides promoted isn’t that bad given the financial gulf etc.

I don’t really disagree with your general point, but would also point out that your proposed solution would leave the premiership side playing more games and would mean there was little difference in finishing 2nd or 3rd in the championship. The system as it is provides lots of entertainment every year and generally close or at least entertaining ties between the top flight and championship teams. If I could tweak it, it would be to introduce a slightly bigger gap between rounds and games to give the 3rd/4th placed sides a fairer shot.

[RandomGuy.]

It should be 2nd v 3rd then winner v 11th.

Match the 2 legs with game 37/38.

Both finalists play 38 games before the Final and have the same break beforehand.

The idea a team finishing 4th in 10 team division can get promoted is ridiculous to me.

Edited May 24, 2022 by RandomGuy.

[saint in exile]

40 minutes ago, Widge said:

I found it interesting watching Davidson on the side. He was telling the players to get out and up the pitch, until about 20 minutes from the end when he was actively telling players to stop pushing forward. I think last night was very much a case of the players ignoring the instructions and trying to play with the shackles off. If we'd of done the same in Inverness the tie would of been out of sight on Friday. It's still massively frustrating as there's clearly ability and a willingness to play football on the deck in this team, but they're being prevented by something, most likely the management team and their tactics.

Yep.Calum said he was shouting Rooney to get back when he was sprinting up to score the 4th.You wonder how much his over cautious tactics have effected our results this year