*** The official St Johnstone fc vs Heart of Midlothian fc match thread ***

[TyphoonJambo]

9 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

This will be a tough game. We are a far better footballing team, but we are going to have to fight really hard to earn that right. 

The pitch will be very heavy, with all the recent rain and more to come.

I wouldn't be surprised if the game got called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

There was a game there a few weeks ago and it looked like the somme. There's been a lot of rain recently and rain/snow forecast for Saturday . Add to that the recent injuries up there and you have every reason for them not to try too hard to sort the pitch out.

[William H. Bonney]

Our current form is poor and St Johnstone away is always a tricky fixture.

I think we’ll lose 2-0. 

[John Findlay]

16 minutes ago, TypoonJambo said:

There was a game there a few weeks ago and it looked like the somme. There's been a lot of rain recently and rain/snow forecast for Saturday . Add to that the recent injuries up there and you have every reason for them not to try too hard to sort the pitch out.

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

[May one-six]

19 minutes ago, TypoonJambo said:

There was a game there a few weeks ago and it looked like the somme. There's been a lot of rain recently and rain/snow forecast for Saturday . Add to that the recent injuries up there and you have every reason for them not to try too hard to sort the pitch out.

The pitch is a disgrace. That's one of the reasons I reckon the game will be off. Even the slightest bit of rain will make it a complete mudbath.

[August Landmesser]

1 hour ago, Sooks said:

St Johnstone suffer huge injury blow in relegation battle ahead of Hearts clash (msn.com)

 

St Johnstone could be missing some of their better players. 

Clark

Rooney - Booth

O'Halloran - Hallberg - Bryson - MacPherson - Wotherspoon

Hendry - Ciftci - Kane

 

Nicked this off P&B - St J fan has picked a half-decent team from all their injured players

[Sooks]

1 minute ago, August Landmesser said:

Clark

Rooney - Booth

O'Halloran - Hallberg - Bryson - MacPherson - Wotherspoon

Hendry - Ciftci - Kane

 

Nicked this off P&B - St J fan has picked a half-decent team from all their injured players

 

That is a fairly decent team for them actually. They sorely miss Wotherspoon. 

[theshed]

With their injury’s I really hope this game goes ahead. 

Surely won’t have a better chance of a win up there against what could be half a reserve team 

[micole]

If we turn up on the day we win,however, if we revert to or usual away game then we struggle.

[HMFCforever]

Has anyone who is saying this game will be called off actually checked weather?  The last of the snow ends on fridya lunchtime and there is no further snow/rain after then till Sunday morning. Winds die down Saturday as well - no chance game will be off!!

 

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/gfj8cfqv3#?date=2022-02-18

 

 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, martoon said:

 

Not doubting you but, if true, that's shocking.

 

Mind you, I don't need statistical proof of our poor away record over the last decade. We are, in the main, honking outside Edinburgh.

 

Different story in the days when I followed Hearts up and down Scotland. We seemed to win our fair share in the 80's and 90's, Hampden excluded. 

 

 

We had some terrible away form in the 90's. Awful, particularly between 93 ish and until JJ came in. 

 

From the mid 80's we were generally solid in the league. 

The early 80's tho we were utter shite. Proper shite, as in yo yo team. 

 

So it was a mixed bag, and our away form this season is above average compared to many seasons in the 80's and 90's.

 

Your going back 30/40 years tho so a little bit of nostalgia sets in and clouds reason. It's expected. 

 

Some on here can't remember the last few years. 

 

 

 

[Jambof3tornado]

GMS to move to LWB role to get the best out of him.......in other words cochrane is shite.

 

Must win to get back on track.

[peebles jambo]

Hate to say it, but, they need to win to save their mangers arse 

 

Hearts are the most sympathetic team in the league, so, I think they'll win

 

I really hope  I'm wrong

[briever]

11 minutes ago, Jambof3tornado said:

GMS to move to LWB role to get the best out of him.......in other words cochrane is shite.

 

Must win to get back on track.

If you think Cochrane is shite wait until you see GMS.

[SomethingAboutObua]

9 minutes ago, Jambof3tornado said:

GMS to move to LWB role to get the best out of him.......in other words cochrane is shite.

 

Must win to get back on track.

I just can't wrap my head around how Neilson sees Halliday as a better option than Cochrane, Woodburn and GMS and yet didn't feel that warranted a new left sided player in any position in January 

[davemclaren]

Just now, briever said:

If you think Cochrane is shite wait until you see GMS.

I’m no big fan of Cochrane but he still has time to develop. GMS at wing back sounds very scary. 

[His name is]

Almost a must win!

 

We need a bit more intensity and take the chances when they come.

[Sooks]

5 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I’m no big fan of Cochrane but he still has time to develop. GMS at wing back sounds very scary. 

 

I think Cochrane is decent. He is also the best option for the left wingback position. I wish Neilson would stop dropping him.

[Bunny Munro]

Gordon

Souttar Sibbick Kingsley

Smith Devlin Haring Cochrane

McKay Simms Gino

 

For me.

[PapaShango]

Got to get back to winning ways and anyway possible will do on Saturday. Can't make the game does anyone know if they have a ppv option?

[Jambo92]

4 minutes ago, Sooks said:

 

I think Cochrane is decent. He is also the best option for the left wingback position. I wish Neilson would stop dropping him.

 

Cochrane is solid enough but isn't providing very much going forward. We should be having at least one forward thinking wing back, either GMS or Ginnelly, to give us that attacking threat behind the front 3.  When one wing back goes forward the other wb or one of the Centre mids drops to make it a back 4.  Recently its been a back 5 with our defensive players which just invites pressure on to us.

[John Findlay]

Just now, Jambo92 said:

 

Cochrane is solid enough but isn't providing very much going forward. We should be having at least one forward thinking wing back, either GMS or Ginnelly, to give us that attacking threat behind the front 3.  When one wing back goes forward the other wb or one of the Centre mids drops to make it a back 4.  Recently its been a back 5 with our defensive players which just invites pressure on to us.

If Cochrane was 3-6 inches taller he would play in Kingsley's position in a back 3 and Kingsley would play the LWB role.

[Mirror]

Funny how these things turn out, the end of last season GMS was playing up front.

[Sooks]

3 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

 

Cochrane is solid enough but isn't providing very much going forward. We should be having at least one forward thinking wing back, either GMS or Ginnelly, to give us that attacking threat behind the front 3.  When one wing back goes forward the other wb or one of the Centre mids drops to make it a back 4.  Recently its been a back 5 with our defensive players which just invites pressure on to us.

I think Atkinson is that player.

1 minute ago, John Findlay said:

If Cochrane was 3-6 inches taller he would play in Kingsley's position in a back 3 and Kingsley would play the LWB role.

The two of them were dovetailing more earlier in the season and it was working really well. I would like to see us go back to doing that.

[AlimOzturk]

I am predicting a return to form. 
 

             Gordon

Smith Souttar Sibbick

Atkinson.          Kinskey

          Beni.    Devlin

Mackay.      Boyce.      Simms. 

[The Apprentice]

12 minutes ago, Sooks said:

 

I think Cochrane is decent. He is also the best option for the left wingback position. I wish Neilson would stop dropping him.

He's very much in the 'meh' category for me. He's negative in possession and not great defensively either. 21 years old and this is effectively his first season playing regular first team football, and it shows. 

 

He's being rotated with Halliday because neither are good enough to make the position their own.

[AlimOzturk]

35 minutes ago, peebles jambo said:

Hate to say it, but, they need to win to save their mangers arse 

 

Hearts are the most sympathetic team in the league, so, I think they'll win

 

I really hope  I'm wrong

Robbie isn’t getting sacked. Teams have a poor turn in form it happens. Neilson isn’t blameless but this “needs to win to save his job” is utter none sense and needs to stop. He is going knowwhere and rightly so. 

[AlimOzturk]

1 minute ago, The Apprentice said:

He's very much in the 'meh' category for me. He's negative in possession and not great defensively either. 21 years old and this is effectively his first season playing regular first team football, and it shows. 

 

He's being rotated with Halliday because neither are good enough to make the position their own.

Think he has potential tbh. Halliday offers more attacking but his defensive side is poor. Cochrane is the opposite. Fairly solid defensively but poor going forward. Think he rotates them depending on what we are looking for. 

[martoon]

49 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

We had some terrible away form in the 90's. Awful, particularly between 93 ish and until JJ came in. 

 

From the mid 80's we were generally solid in the league. 

The early 80's tho we were utter shite. Proper shite, as in yo yo team. 

 

So it was a mixed bag, and our away form this season is above average compared to many seasons in the 80's and 90's.

 

Your going back 30/40 years tho so a little bit of nostalgia sets in and clouds reason. It's expected. 

 

Some on here can't remember the last few years. 

 

 

 

 

Well, that's me patronised for the day.

 

It's usually the wife's job.

[Waterboy]

No wins in 16 through there, going back to 2010.  That, plus our form, doesn't fill me with confidence.  However, this is the sort of game we have to start picking up wins in if we're to kick on a level - and no better time than the present

Edited February 16, 2022 by Waterboy

[Sooks]

7 minutes ago, The Apprentice said:

He's very much in the 'meh' category for me. He's negative in possession and not great defensively either. 21 years old and this is effectively his first season playing regular first team football, and it shows. 

 

He's being rotated with Halliday because neither are good enough to make the position their own.

 

4 minutes ago, AlimOzturk said:

Think he has potential tbh. Halliday offers more attacking but his defensive side is poor. Cochrane is the opposite. Fairly solid defensively but poor going forward. Think he rotates them depending on what we are looking for. 

 

He has scored a couple of goals from the wingback position this season. I think he would be doing better if he was not getting constantly dropped for Halliday. Players need a run of games to find the groove and I think it is better to remain patient with them when their form takes a slight dip.

[Sooks]

9 minutes ago, martoon said:

 

Well, that's me patronised for the day.

 

It's usually the wife's job.

 

 

[Vin1874]

4 hours ago, Bainy said:

Ticket sales look slow but they have only just gone on sale. Plenty available. 

 

We're due a win there and hopefully with the newbies getting in some proper training and tactical work this week we will be in a better place. 

They went on sale last month?

[Pasquale for King]

31 minutes ago, AlimOzturk said:

Robbie isn’t getting sacked. Teams have a poor turn in form it happens. Neilson isn’t blameless but this “needs to win to save his job” is utter none sense and needs to stop. He is going knowwhere and rightly so. 

He’s talking about the St Johnstone manager.  

[Bazzas right boot]

38 minutes ago, martoon said:

 

Well, that's me patronised for the day.

 

It's usually the wife's job.

 

😳😳😳

 

Appoligies....... 

 

 

 

 

To your wife. I didn't want to steal her thunder. 😂

Edited February 16, 2022 by Bazzas right boot

[MattyK82]

…..St Johnstone win 🤣🙃 

In all seriousness, we probably wont have a better opportunity to end this awful run in Perth.

 

It’s good there is no midweek game this week as it feels like they have been non stop following the winter break.
 

It’s clear the team have lost a bit of urgency, a bit of spark in their play. I hope Robbie and co are working on freshening things up & on aspects of our game which clearly need attention.
 

Corner kicks being one - I believe we have scored 1 goal from about the last 160 odd corners. TBH, I don’t even recall many instances when we’ve nearly scored or even got a shot off/header on target from a corner. Throw ins in attacking areas too - it’s been painful viewing the last few weeks - seems to be absolutely no urgency. And of course, getting more of an attacking threat from the WBs. I read Robbies comments about GMS being deployed at LWB - I thought he did quite well against Livi. I’m not suggesting he’s the long term answer by any means but in games where we are likely to have most of the ball, like Saturday, perhaps we could try him there. 
 

 

[davemclaren]

59 minutes ago, MattyK82 said:

…..St Johnstone win 🤣🙃 

In all seriousness, we probably wont have a better opportunity to end this awful run in Perth.

 

It’s good there is no midweek game this week as it feels like they have been non stop following the winter break.
 

It’s clear the team have lost a bit of urgency, a bit of spark in their play. I hope Robbie and co are working on freshening things up & on aspects of our game which clearly need attention.
 

Corner kicks being one - I believe we have scored 1 goal from about the last 160 odd corners. TBH, I don’t even recall many instances when we’ve nearly scored or even got a shot off/header on target from a corner. Throw ins in attacking areas too - it’s been painful viewing the last few weeks - seems to be absolutely no urgency. And of course, getting more of an attacking threat from the WBs. I read Robbies comments about GMS being deployed at LWB - I thought he did quite well against Livi. I’m not suggesting he’s the long term answer by any means but in games where we are likely to have most of the ball, like Saturday, perhaps we could try him there. 
 

 

I think that would mean Smith at RWB as he’s stronger defensively than Atkinson. 

[vegas-voss]

Another team desperate for points.Feck knows how anybody can be confident of a win in this.Again we should beat them but it needs the players to apply themselves.Everybody can have a go at Neilson but the players had a shocking attitude in that Dundee defeat.

[davemclaren]

6 minutes ago, vegas-voss said:

Another team desperate for points.Feck knows how anybody can be confident of a win in this.Again we should beat them but it needs the players to apply themselves.Everybody can have a go at Neilson but the players had a shocking attitude in that Dundee defeat.

Getting to the time of year when teams have most to play for and really battle for points We need to have that attitude as well as it was certainly lacking against Dundee. 

[MattyK82]

17 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I think that would mean Smith at RWB as he’s stronger defensively than Atkinson. 

Possibly. It would be interesting to see how we fare, with two attacking WBs. It may leave us exposed on the flanks during a counter but at the same time, it would give us more attacking threat. The back 3 would need to get extra protection from Beni and Devlin in this instance to help temporarily plug any gaps. 

[Rogue Daddy]

1 hour ago, Pasquale for King said:

He’s talking about the St Johnstone manager.  

😆 easy mistake on here!

[Pasquale for King]

17 minutes ago, Rogue Daddy said:

😆 easy mistake on here!

Indeed 😆

[Pasquale for King]

48 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I think that would mean Smith at RWB as he’s stronger defensively than Atkinson. 

You sure about that? Jota ripped him to pieces as he gave him the freedom of Tynecastle, Atkinson got tight to him and he was substituted. 
We need the attacking thrust that Atkinson gives us, not the pass/throw backwards and poor crossing from Smith. 

[davemclaren]

2 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

You sure about that? Jota ripped him to pieces as he gave him the freedom of Tynecastle, Atkinson got tight to him and he was substituted. 
We need the attacking thrust that Atkinson gives us, not the pass/throw backwards and poor crossing from Smith. 

I am pretty sure. I think Atkinson/Cochrane is a decent wing back combination which, I see as more attacking than Smith/Cochrane but Atkinson/Mackay-Stevens is a step too far imo. However, if it’s tried and works then I’ll happily change my mind. 

[vegas-voss]

49 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Getting to the time of year when teams have most to play for and really battle for points We need to have that attitude as well as it was certainly lacking against Dundee. 

Totally agree

[martoon]

2 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

😳😳😳

 

Appoligies....... 

 

 

 

 

To your wife. I didn't want to steal her thunder. 😂

 

No problem, bud. 😄

[Pasquale for King]

14 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I am pretty sure. I think Atkinson/Cochrane is a decent wing back combination which, I see as more attacking than Smith/Cochrane but Atkinson/Mackay-Stevens is a step too far imo. However, if it’s tried and works then I’ll happily change my mind. 

If it was fullbacks I would agree but wingbacks need to be attackers first and foremost. 
Smith is done as a FB/WB and is now just a back up CH. 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Pasquale for King

[TexasAndy]

It's never a pretty game up there.  We have basically got to get stuck in and match their effort or we will get muscled out of this.   I think we'll be settling for another 1-1

[davemclaren]

7 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

If it was fullbacks I would agree but wingbacks need to be attackers first and foremost. 
Smith is done as a FB/WB and is now just a back up CH. 

it’s all about balance for me. I don’t think GMS can defend at all and that needs compensated for. I think Smith can still play on the right but it’s clear that Atkinson is the future first choice wing back. 

[GinRummy]

33 minutes ago, TexasAndy said:

It's never a pretty game up there.  We have basically got to get stuck in and match their effort or we will get muscled out of this.   I think we'll be settling for another 1-1

Pretty much. Their injury list kind of gets my hopes up for a better than usual outcome. 

[Kiwidoug]

With St J hard hit with injuries and St M unsettled with Goodwin speculation, I confidently predict a Hearts Livingston double.