This is how it feels (St. Johnstone 24 08 19)

[Smartie]

I really like Middleton but he was horribly isolated at times.

Our players and formation just doesn't seem to work. Stevenson struggled to get up to help Middleton, none of the central midfielders got over to him, the strikers were miles away. When a team is playing well you have little units within a team playing well, and that's just not happening for us right now. I've used the example of Middleton but it is happening all over the park.

[number9dream]

Rocky lucky to avoid a red card and from where I was appeared to just dive out of the way when O'Halloran fired his shot in at the near post.

We've been very unlucky with injuries in full-back areas and that looks like continuing with Gray's latest mishap. Stevenson is going to get better with a few more games. Mackie might have blown his chance.

Jackson solid in defence and a threat at set-pieces. Probably needs more of a ball-player in with him and that should be Hanlon but the big man has been poor for a long while now. Porteous and Jackson? Maybe they are too similar but I'd feel more confident about them keeping the opposition out.

Midfield; where to start? Allan is the heartbeat of the team, so find a system that suits him. Can Hallberg & Vela do the necessary graft? Where does Mallan fit in? Is Slivka an option? Murray looks more talented that the lot of them but where does he play? Was he missing after that kick against Morton? Is Newell already a forgotten man?

Wingers? Horgan hot and cold, Middleton still a bit off the pace, which is understandable.

Two up top? Really not sure it's going to work. Very few teams adopt that system anymore and it leaves a lightweight midfield exposed unless we are totally on top. However, I'm not sure we have the personnel for an effective 4-3-3 with Boyle out.

I'm stumped and it looks like Hecky is too. Difference is that it's his very well-paid full-time job to sort it out.

[Iain G]

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Rocky lucky to avoid a red card and from where I was appeared to just dive out of the way when O'Halloran fired his shot in at the near post.

We've been very unlucky with injuries in full-back areas and that looks like continuing with Gray's latest mishap. Stevenson is going to get better with a few more games. Mackie might have blown his chance.

Jackson solid in defence and a threat at set-pieces. Probably needs more of a ball-player in with him and that should be Hanlon but the big man has been poor for a long while now. Porteous and Jackson? Maybe they are too similar but I'd feel more confident about them keeping the opposition out.

Midfield; where to start? Allan is the heartbeat of the team, so find a system that suits him. Can Hallberg & Vela do the necessary graft? Where does Mallan fit in? Is Slivka an option? Murray looks more talented that the lot of them but where does he play? Was he missing after that kick against Morton? Is Newell already a forgotten man?

Wingers? Horgan hot and cold, Middleton still a bit off the pace, which is understandable.

Two up top? Really not sure it's going to work. Very few teams adopt that system anymore and it leaves a lightweight midfield exposed unless we are totally on top. However, I'm not sure we have the personnel for an effective 4-3-3 with Boyle out.

I'm stumped and it looks like Hecky is too. Difference is that it's his very well-paid full-time job to sort it out.

Rocky
Gray Porteous Hanlon Stevenson
Vela Hallberg
Horgan Allan Middleton
Kamberi

Start there and use the squad and subs well to change it as required.

[Hermit Crab]

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Rocky lucky to avoid a red card and from where I was appeared to just dive out of the way when O'Halloran fired his shot in at the near post.

We've been very unlucky with injuries in full-back areas and that looks like continuing with Gray's latest mishap. Stevenson is going to get better with a few more games. Mackie might have blown his chance.

Jackson solid in defence and a threat at set-pieces. Probably needs more of a ball-player in with him and that should be Hanlon but the big man has been poor for a long while now. Porteous and Jackson? Maybe they are too similar but I'd feel more confident about them keeping the opposition out.

Midfield; where to start? Allan is the heartbeat of the team, so find a system that suits him. Can Hallberg & Vela do the necessary graft? Where does Mallan fit in? Is Slivka an option? Murray looks more talented that the lot of them but where does he play? Was he missing after that kick against Morton? Is Newell already a forgotten man?

Wingers? Horgan hot and cold, Middleton still a bit off the pace, which is understandable.

Two up top? Really not sure it's going to work. Very few teams adopt that system anymore and it leaves a lightweight midfield exposed unless we are totally on top. However, I'm not sure we have the personnel for an effective 4-3-3 with Boyle out.

I'm stumped and it looks like Hecky is too. Difference is that it's his very well-paid full-time job to sort it out.

Agree, that was a shocker of a tackle.

[cabbageandribs1875]

ER is a bit of a happy hunting ground for st.johnstone in recent years, and we've only got 12 more league wins against them since 1925

[ancient hibee]

If you keep on chopping and changing the midfield or giving them different roles it’s not surprising that the team is disjointed.At least twice during the second half two midfielders went for the same ball and it ended with neither getting it.There appears to be no set formation or style.I’m at a loss to understand what Vela is supposed to be doing.The League Cup should not have been about rotation but about establishing the main part of the team-the midfield.The main(only?)function of a manager is to establish the ethos of the team and put the right team on the park.The reason Alex Ferguson was so successful was that decades before he retired he gave up the coaching and concentrated on having the right players and playing them right.

[Hiber-nation]

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If you keep on chopping and changing the midfield or giving them different roles it’s not surprising that the team is disjointed.At least twice during the second half two midfielders went for the same ball and it ended with neither getting it.There appears to be no set formation or style.I’m at a loss to understand what Vela is supposed to be doing.The League Cup should not have been about rotation but about establishing the main part of the team-the midfield.The main(only?)function of a manager is to establish the ethos of the team and put the right team on the park.The reason Alex Ferguson was so successful was that decades before he retired he gave up the coaching and concentrated on having the right players and playing them right.

No idea either. If anyone has a clue what type of midfielder this guy is I'd like to hear it. Not a defensive one that's for sure and also not a playmaker.

[The Harp Awakes]

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No idea either. If anyone has a clue what type of midfielder this guy is I'd like to hear it. Not a defensive one that's for sure and also not a playmaker.

It sure is a strange one. The thing is I've no idea if Vela is decent or not. Yesterday he just seemed to trot around and was never on the ball to prove himself. It did look like he hadn't a clue what his role was in the team.

[Greenbeard]

Just watched the highlights. Is that Steven MacLean in the middle of their fans and losing his balance with his exuberant celebration of their late goal?

[Greenbeard]

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Really good account, with fine insight, as usual.

Thought Middleton looks a player. Some great touches.

The fact that PH doesn’t know how to play our best player says a lot.

Jackson looks a player too imo and we’ll see the best of him when there’s a fit defence playing around him.

Rocky needs to sort himself out with that dithering nonsense creeping into his game.

Tin hat on here but I think Flo’s sudden consistent excellent form is him playing for that transfer.

Not needed. Bleedin' obvi.

[Hermit Crab]

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Just watched the highlights. Is that Steven MacLean in the middle of their fans and losing his balance with his exuberant celebration of their late goal?

Who edited them? Completely miss the build up to St Johnstone's first goal!!!


From memory Hanlon is at fault for the first and the second there is nobody near Kerr when he heads it in. Shocking stuff.

[Peevemor]

One of my Breton mates (a Rennes ST holder) is across in Scotland on holiday and went to the match yesterday.

His neutral view is that Middleton is great and the ref was unbelievably bad.

[jacomo]

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One of my Breton mates (a Rennes ST holder) is across in Scotland on holiday and went to the match yesterday.

His neutral view is that Middleton is great and the ref was unbelievably bad.

True the ref was poor and did us no favours at all.

But we still should have won. Our problem was conceding possession repeatedly and allowing st Johnstone in at our back four repeatedly.

[Hermit Crab]

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True the ref was poor and did us no favours at all.

But we still should have won. Our problem was conceding possession repeatedly and allowing st Johnstone in at our back four repeatedly.

The ref done us a massive favour by only booking Rocky because his tackle was an absolute shocker and deserved red imo.

[Peevemor]

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True the ref was poor and did us no favours at all.

But we still should have won. Our problem was conceding possession repeatedly and allowing st Johnstone in at our back four repeatedly.

I know. It was the first full match I've watched this season (Hibs TV stream) and as the match wore on I could feel my enthusiasm draining away. The last time I felt like that was under Williamson.

I posted my mate's comments as I found it interesting coming from a foreign neutral whose opinion I respect. I'll obviously get more of his thoughts when he gets back.

[LaMotta]

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The ref done us a massive favour by only booking Rocky because his tackle was an absolute shocker and deserved red imo.

Yellow card all day long.

[matty_f]

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Yellow card all day long.

Yep. Deserved the booking but it was never a red card.

[basehibby]

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Really good account, with fine insight, as usual.

Thought Middleton looks a player. Some great touches.

The fact that PH doesn’t know how to play our best player says a lot.

Jackson looks a player too imo and we’ll see the best of him when there’s a fit defence playing around him.

Rocky needs to sort himself out with that dithering nonsense creeping into his game.

Tin hat on here but I think Flo’s sudden consistent excellent form is him playing for that transfer.

Pelters deserved - give the lad some credit for having a good pre-season and playing as well as we know he can - no need for the negative spin.

[Hermit Crab]

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Pelters deserved - give the lad some credit for having a good pre-season and playing as well as we know he can - no need for the negative spin.

Its no coincidence that the last 2 games he's played really well there has been scouts from Basle in the stand.

[MSK]

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Its no coincidence that the last 2 games he's played really well there has been scouts from Basle in the stand.

Or he is actually playing really well regardless of scouts being there or not..

[Todi114]

St Johnstone’s 2nd goal is clearly offside
linesman should have flagged
goalscorer on his way back when he headed the ball