***Official St Johnstone FC Vs Heart of Midlothian FC Match Thread***

[Tennant's 6's]

1 minute ago, Craig1997 said:

Need to beat Aberdeen on Saturday. 

With them no doubt having plenty of the play, that might actially suit some of our attackinf players to hit them on the counter attack, as we do seem to struggle against packed,low block defences

[Homme]

3 minutes ago, VALDOS' said:

 The unbeaten thing can play on the mind.

 

We've came back from a goal down in three away games if you want to put a positive spin on it. 

 

A year ago when that Ross County, Rangers or St J goal goes in we are beat without the slightest hint of a whimper.

[Stone1992]

1 minute ago, Halliphax said:

 

Sorry should've been more specific, taking the last 4/5 games into account...

If we draw the rest of our games and assuming losses from Rangers and Celtic then Motherwell or Hibs, who are both six points behind us, can easily leapfrog us.

 

We need to win games, we can't keep drawing them.

Why are you assuming we would

lose to hibs or Motherwell?

 

We have won games. We aren’t losing and didn’t look like losing in the last two which is a good platform to build from. 
 

Cut out defensive mistakes and should pick up more wins

[Papa]

18 attempts but only 4 on target and one goal. Couple of defensive errors and lose a goal. Result = draw. We need to cut out the errors and take more of our chances. 

[Jambo61]

8 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

Is there anyone in this team who can cross a ball / beat the first man?  It’s frustrating as ****, time and time again watching a player just batter the ball against the nearest defender (whether it’s a set piece or in open play).  What the **** do they work on in training?

Defending!

[NLTFTh]

Just now, Gizmo said:

Perhaps tiddlywinks would be an easier game for you to understand?
 

Yeah. I don't even think it's just the strikers either. We need a midfielder to bang some goals in - I had hoped perhaps Halliday would have his shooting boots on tonight. 

We were unlucky with some chances but we've been saying that after every match. 

Plus points - utterly dominant once we settled and played some good attacking, passing football. Gino scoring was good to see too. 

Tiddlywinks. 

 

Keep toaking on the crack son.. 

[jambopilms]

4 minutes ago, Tennant's 6's said:

That's a good way of putting it,  kinda typifies Robbie's approach, despite his rhetoric about winning games.

 

Savage was on his phone anytime the cameras when to Neilson, hopefully he was concluding deals for a striker and attacking mid for Jan..

Absolute bullshit. Are you suggesting we didn't try to win the last two games ?

[Kiwidoug]

8 minutes ago, manaliveits105 said:

Few disappointed vermin on here tonight - cheer up yer hangin on to 6 th equal 

ya wallopers !

They have to be here in fairness.  .net is back in lockdoon.

[Malinga the Swinga]

Not result we wanted but the performance was decent and the team went for the win.

Anyone who thinks we will be bottom six and who cant see improvement from last season is at it.

[Rocky jamboa]

The lack of urgency at the end is disappointing as well. We had the ball about 30 yards out with a few minutes to go and not one player in the box.

 

Same with dundee on Saturday. 7 minutes injury time. You think we would be totally going for it but just passing the ball about like we're 3-0 up! 

[Tennant's 6's]

1 minute ago, KyleLafferty said:

Halkett has been one of our best players this season, had a nightmare tonight but he’s been outstanding.

He's a willing worker, a trier, but I'd like better. I wouldn't mind him being a squad player, if there's not an able Academy player that's on the threshold of thr first team, which I'm not so sure that there is.

[The Real Maroonblood]

4 minutes ago, Cut The Crap said:

Frittering away our decent start tbh. Disappointing. 😔

[Fozzyonthefence]

2 minutes ago, jambopilms said:

The problem with dominating games is the other team just sit in and it's hard to break down. Early goals are needed, not giving away stupid goals in the first ten mins.

Like others have said take our chances and we have far more points than we do. That said if you dominate games you will win more than you lose.

I do wonder how many folk that said we would be in relegation trouble this season are raging at being third.

I think anyone suggesting we might struggle at the bottom end was basing it on the shite squad we had last season.  This season’s squad is night and day compared to last season but we desperately need another striker, maybe even two.  And someone that can cross a ball into the box!

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

Still undefeated but we could easily be 10pts better off had we taken our chances against hibs, Aberdeen, ross county , dundee and tonight 

[Cruyff]

Just now, Taffin said:

 

True, but you can also see why it's not that outlandish given their points all this season.

 

We should be beating Dundee, St Johnstone and Ross County home or away and beating Hibs and Aberdeen at home. If we'd won even just 3 of those 5 we'd be putting serious pressure on the OF...but we didn't because we're not very good, nor are they, but better than us.

We’ve come up from the Championship and we don't have enough depth and quality to win these tight games. That's been the case for most of our lifetimes. In time though, as we build, we might get there. The fact we're looking like we are best of the rest already is encouraging to say the least. After years of being a shitshow, we've finally got a team that reflects what we expect and the fact folk expect more shows how far we've come. We need to cut out the stupid mistakes, that's something we can currently change. Upfront we just don't have the quality unfortunately. 

[iantjambo]

20 minutes ago, Barack said:

Halliday can honestly **** off. 

He was beyond shite tonight. Should’ve been hooked at half time

[Newton51]

15 minutes ago, Maple Leaf said:

We're quite good at passing.  We're very good at passing backwards and sideways.

 

We're mediocre to poor at almost everything else.

There was a pundit at the weekend talking about how possession means nothing if just passing the ball about at the back and not going anywhere 

[Gizmo]

2 minutes ago, NLTFTh said:

Tiddlywinks. 

 

Keep toaking on the crack son.. 

 

If I wanted to obliterate my senses and ability to think, I think I'd probably take whatever you're on, sunshine. 

[KyleLafferty]

Just now, Tennant's 6's said:

He's a willing worker, a trier, but I'd like better. I wouldn't mind him being a squad player, if there's not an able Academy player that's on the threshold of thr first team, which I'm not so sure that there is.

I don’t know how well Flatman is progressing. We are hard to beat and picking up points. We are drawing too much but Christ all mighty what a difference from a few years ago. First full season with Savage and the recruitment team aswell 

[jr ewing]

5 minutes ago, 5-1Jambo said:

Still undefeated. 

No prizes for that. 

[JimmyCant]

We’ll we just need to keep plugging away like this until January. Many said it was a big mistake not signing another striker (we actually needed 2 IMO) and it’s biting us in the arse big time just now

[Seymour M Hersh]

6 minutes ago, One five said:

A striker in January is a MUST.

 

I dare say we'll not be the only ones looking but who can we realistically afford who would improve the team immediately? 

[Gambo]

6 minutes ago, Homme said:

 

Zero defeats is all right though.

 

We are chapping on the door but it's going to take a bit of luck in the January transfer market.

We will probably get a striker, but we will probably alternate him with Boyce.

 

We are shouting out for the same type of players we've been shouting about last 2 or 3 windows....penalty box striker and attacking midfielders.

 

The lack of cutting edge in our game is down to more than just the solitary striker.

 

[martoon]

We could end up like Perugia, 1979.

 

Unbeaten in the Italian League but their title dreams were killed by draws. 

 

pld 30

won 11

draw 19

 

Runners up and just 4 points short of Inter.

 

Sorry.

 

Just thinking out loud.

 

[Italian Lambretta]

6 minutes ago, Craig1997 said:

Need to beat Aberdeen on Saturday. 

It'll be another draw. 

[Hearts007]

1 minute ago, JimmyCant said:

We’ll we just need to keep plugging away like this until January. Many said it was a big mistake not signing another striker (we actually needed 2 IMO) and it’s biting us in the arse big time just now

Agreed

[Morgan]

1 hour ago, Jambo61 said:

You'd enjoy that too much......there's a good lass!

Does ‘go to Hell’ suffice?

 

 

[Pasquale for King]

1 minute ago, OTT said:

 

The difference between Walker and every other player in our attack is that if the ball drops to him at the edge of the box, its going in or at least on target. The laddie can score goals and do it consistently. He's had a shit run of luck for injuries but he could absolutely do a job for the last 20 minutes in stuffy games where we need someone to step up. He'll be motivated far in away more than anyone else, because if he cannot get an extension here his next move is down. 

 

We're absolutely awful in front of goal and its ruining the good work and solid defensive unit that we have. If you squander chance after chance invariably it bites you on the arse. We seen it against Dundee and we'll see it again and again until something changes. We should be 6 points to the good, instead we're 2 and it feels like we've lost twice. The OF are already starting to take off now too, so any fleeting hope we had of doing something special has been pished up a wall by an utterly woeful attack. 

I think we need to have more attackers on the pitch, 8 defensive players who offer little in the creation of chances is holding us back. It’s only going to get worse in the second round of matches as teams get used to us. 
Walker shouldn’t really be needed to come on and score as many times as he did last season and now this. 
Not sure why he didn’t come on tonight, subbing McKay at 89 minutes, what chance did GMS have to do anything at that point, once again not really going for the three points in the latter stages. 

[tian447]

I ****ing hate when we draw games (or lose them), not because it's a shite result, but because it means the same tedious posters, who only ever post on negative threads and match day squads, crawl out of the woodwork to post the same absolute shite, and post it repeatedly. 

 

Different arsehole, same shite. 

[Tennant's 6's]

2 minutes ago, jambopilms said:

Absolute bullshit. Are you suggesting we didn't try to win the last two games ?

We did try to win them,but seem to struggle against teams that sit deep. Whether that's the approach of the play or the fault of the players themselves, maybe a bit of both.

 

I just don't think that Robbie is always ballsy enough to really go for the 3 points and is satisfied with the continuation of ggd unbeaten rin

[jambopilms]

Need to play with two strikers or at least bring on a second when things aren't going well. 

[Arthur Morgan]

I thought Ginelly was our best player tonight after being really disappointed with him this season so far. Imo I reckon he would be a good option up top, his finishing is pretty good and has genuine pace. Stick him up top in the 343 or switch to a 352 and have Boyce paired with Ginelly or Woodburn.

Edited October 27, 2021 by Arthur Morgan

[WageThief]

11 minutes ago, Halliphax said:

 

Sorry should've been more specific, taking the last 4/5 games into account...

If we draw the rest of our games and assuming losses from Rangers and Celtic then Motherwell or Hibs, who are both six points behind us, can easily leapfrog us.

 

We need to win games, we can't keep drawing them.

 

What a load of absolute shite.

[Halliphax]

9 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

So selectively picking a few games... How about you take the league leaders recent run of results and try and convince us they'll be bottom 6 too? 😂

My bad I'm misremembering our results, thought we had four draws on the bounce.

 

Either way, the top 6 spots are tight right now, we don't have a buffer/luxury of dropping points so my point stands - if we keep drawing like this then we're boned sadly

[Morgan]

These feckin draws will be the undoing of our season.

[Tennant's 6's]

2 minutes ago, KyleLafferty said:

I don’t know how well Flatman is progressing. We are hard to beat and picking up points. We are drawing too much but Christ all mighty what a difference from a few years ago. First full season with Savage and the recruitment team aswell 

Yeah, I'm pretty confident in us bringing in decent quality with the structure that's in place now. 

No more wyscout/ youtube videos or recommendations of agents

[DS98]

1 minute ago, Italian Lambretta said:

It'll be another draw. 

Without a ****ing doubt!

 

One good thing maybe is that Aberdeen will actually come out and attack us. The last two games have been like a defence v attack training game with hee-haw space for our attackers. 

[whodanny]

Did Halliday and Mackay play together for sevco ? Because they looked like total strangers tonight. Thought Mackay played well but there seemed to be no understanding between them. At least Kingsley knew where Barry was.

[4marsbars]

2 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

We’ll we just need to keep plugging away like this until January. Many said it was a big mistake not signing another striker (we actually needed 2 IMO) and it’s biting us in the arse big time just now

 

Maybe not a mistake. Perhaps the right one wasn't available. Signings have been good lately. A little patience is all.

[Pasquale for King]

12 minutes ago, Tennant's 6's said:

That's a good way of putting it,  kinda typifies Robbie's approach, despite his rhetoric about winning games.

 

Savage was on his phone anytime the cameras when to Neilson, hopefully he was concluding deals for a striker and attacking mid for Jan..

Spot on, don’t lose rather than chase a win. 
Savage and Neilson don’t seem to have much chat tbh. 

[Taffin]

Just now, Cruyff said:

We’ve come up from the Championship and we don't have enough depth and quality to win these tight games.

 

 

 

We should be beating the bottom three teams in this league with the depth and quality we have. No doubt about that imo. Evidently you're correct, because we didn't but for the money spent failing to beat all 3 of them is poor.

 

Just now, Cruyff said:

That's been the case for most of our lifetimes. In time though, as we build, we might get there. The fact we're looking like we are best of the rest already is encouraging to say the least. After years of being a shitshow, we've finally got a team that reflects what we expect and the fact folk expect more shows how far we've come. We need to cut out the stupid mistakes, that's something we can currently change. Upfront we just don't have the quality unfortunately. 

 

 

We're doing really well and I'm pleasantly surprised by it but if ever there was an OF there for the taking it's now. We've actually done the hard part and fallen over on the 'easy stuff'.

 

Up front I think Boyce and Gnando are about as good as we can hope for quality wise. Our issue is Boyce isn't a striker and we play a 343 so that's a problem...and we don't really have wing backs. Those 3 positions are a big part of where our goals and assists should come from, it's no surprise we're lacking in the goals for tally really.

 

Maybe we'll address it in January.

 

Overall, I'm still happy with where we are for sure.

[Halliphax]

1 minute ago, WageThief said:

 

What a load of absolute shite.

 

I'd love to be proven wrong so guess we'll see where we are in the next couple of games

[merrymac]

1 minute ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Not result we wanted but the performance was decent and the team went for the win.

Anyone who thinks we will be bottom six and who cant see improvement from last season is at it.

I think the improvement is there for all (except an obvious few) to see.

The worry is our forward players. Our central striker is pretty much on his own in the box most of the time.

Tonight Mackay was playing so deep, often behind Halliday, our two sitting midfielders rarely get forward, and Smith/Halliday no longer have the juice to get right forward.

It means when we are crossing the only target is big Armand, normally with 2/3 defenders marking him.

It was the same against Dundee.

Ginnelly was certainly much better in the supporting role and getting into good positions.

I think the basis is good, just need wide players who know where the goal is, rather than just create.

 

[Morgan]

11 minutes ago, Craig1997 said:

Need to beat Aberdeen on Saturday. 

Another draw, probably.

[OTT]

1 minute ago, Newton51 said:

There was a pundit at the weekend talking about how possession means nothing if just passing the ball about at the back and not going anywhere 

 

I hate how often our 'wingbacks' take a ball stationary and end up having to turn it back when they get closed down. 

 

I think any notion that they're supposed to be helping in the attack is wishful thinking. We're playing with 3 Centrebacks, 2 full backs and 2 holding midfielders. Probably explains a lot of our attacking woes. 

 

Wonder if its time to look at mixing up the formation. 3 at the back suits Halkett, but doesn't appear to suit anyone else. 433 or 4321 might best going forward. 

 

Suspect Robbie is just going to soldier on with this pish though. 

[jambopilms]

McKay should have been hooked 15 mins earlier he was knackered and playing too deep.

[Tennant's 6's]

Just now, Morgan said:

These feckin draws will be the undoing of our season.

It is annoying, but all the teams are similarly dropping points too, although celtic appear to be motoring now.

 

Just wish our crosses/ passes into the box weren't as hit'n'miss as they are..

 

A good Jan window would do us the world of good for the second hakf of the season. 

[Madjambo21]

23 minutes ago, upgotheheads said:

 

On the field for 15 minutes?

I mean his end product, couple of wild shots.

Not sure if it was him or Devlin that played the ball through for Gnando but it was over hit forcing Gnando wide.

 

Think if he can grab a goal he will kick on though

[151]

We are shite unfortunately. Going unbeaten is irrelevant if you can't beat anyone either. 

 

The teams around us have lost games.

 

Applauding that pish is why we won't compete. It's all been said before though even in seasons gone by.

[HillmanHearts]

We’ve sorted so much out so credit to Robbie and Savage for that, but we still don’t look like cutting teams open often enough when we are on top.

It’s the next step.

But Quality strikers are thin on the ground in our price range.

 

Annoyed at the focus and intensity in the first quarter tonight but quite encouraged by the intent and energy from then on.