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

[Pasquale for King]

46 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

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. 

Three CHs and two DMs gives all the protection the two wing backs should need against St Johnstone in their current state. 

[gregzy2k7]

Thanks mods ☺

[MattyK82]

30 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Three CHs and two DMs gives all the protection the two wing backs should need against St Johnstone in their current state. 

Yeah - I’d agree in a game like this, the DMs can help protect the back 3 if the WBs have bombed forward. Against the better teams, I would be more wary. 
 

St Johnstone are without a lot of their best players. We need to find our rhythm again and take the 3pts.

[Drumjambo]

5 hours ago, briever said:

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

 

Cochrane is pretty shite but Strangely however he is a massive upgrade on anyone else we've had playing left back over the last 5 or 6 seasons Bar kingsley of course who is pure class 

[tian447]

St Johnstone away is always a minging fixture for us, and has been for years.

 

I'd like to see us get that punted right out the window and start aggressively and pressing the ball high up the park.  They are absolutely nothing special, so we don't need to worry about aimless punts up field to one forward standing on his own.  I'd also like to see us start shooting from outside the box and trying to test goalkeepers, instead of always trying to score from inside the box.  We never seem to have someone who can have a pop on target, whenever we do end up with someone having a go, it's blasted miles over.

 

I think we'll win by a goal or two, unless both teams get picked up by the wind and carried away.

[Chillidigits]

10 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

There is another storm warning right at the back of this one. Friday night to Saturday early afternoon. storm Eunice or Edith or some other E name

Predict Dudley own goal. Wind assisted.

[davemclaren]

56 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Three CHs and two DMs gives all the protection the two wing backs should need against St Johnstone in their current state. 

Not with GMS at lwb imo. 

[Jambof3tornado]

5 hours 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 just dont think we have good enough players to use wingbacks and its beginning to hamper us on the pitch.

[Jambof3tornado]

9 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Not with GMS at lwb imo. 

He'll have very little defensive responsibility though.

 

Worth a shot,IMO, but still Robbie going with square pegs in round holes.

[maroonlegions]

6 minutes ago, Jambof3tornado said:

He'll have very little defensive responsibility though.

 

Worth a shot,IMO, but still Robbie going with square pegs in round holes.

Yip tinker man will tinker and haters goanna hate.

[wavydavy]

8 hours ago, Midloth_Iain said:

 

Any time a club is desperate for points, its a good time to play HMFC . 😏

 

Yes like Dundee and that was at Tynecastle.

[Ex member of the SaS]

23 minutes ago, tian447 said:

St Johnstone away is always a minging fixture for us, and has been for years.

 

I'd like to see us get that punted right out the window and start aggressively and pressing the ball high up the park.  They are absolutely nothing special, so we don't need to worry about aimless punts up field to one forward standing on his own.  I'd also like to see us start shooting from outside the box and trying to test goalkeepers, instead of always trying to score from inside the box.  We never seem to have someone who can have a pop on target, whenever we do end up with someone having a go, it's blasted miles over.

 

I think we'll win by a goal or two, unless both teams get picked up by the wind and carried away.

I don't get this " it's a bogey ground " talk. If the manager does his job then the players should not have a mental block going to any ground. Ok if the ground is a lower league and is a tip then you can expect the locals to do better on a pitch they are familiar with. St J's ground is up to a standard and we should go there thinking we will can win.

They are also without one of the better keepers in the league ( injured last night ) so I would expect us to batter their goal from all angles and not try to walk the ball into the net.

[Chillidigits]

Ginnelly down the middle got us some joy last time.Maybe worth trying. And at least at some point I'd like to see our box to box attacking midfielder McEneff given a chance to actually do what he says he's good at.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

6 hours 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.

 

St. Johnstone are a club with very few goals but a normally stout defence. Great time to try GMS at LWB—he won't be as strong defensively but he can't help but offer more going forward than Cochrane has recently, and we won't need his defense nearly as much in Perth.

 

GMS is second on the team to McKay in assists. His passing has remained strong even as his goals have dried up.

 

For me:

 

       Smith Souttar Kingsley

Aktinson Devlin Baningame GMS

      Ginnelly Simms McKay

 

They're going to be hard to break down and we need goals.

[Jambof3tornado]

20 minutes ago, Led Tasso said:

 

St. Johnstone are a club with very few goals but a normally stout defence. Great time to try GMS at LWB—he won't be as strong defensively but he can't help but offer more going forward than Cochrane has recently, and we won't need his defense nearly as much in Perth.

 

GMS is second on the team to McKay in assists. His passing has remained strong even as his goals have dried up.

 

For me:

 

       Smith Souttar Kingsley

Aktinson Devlin Baningame GMS

      Ginnelly Simms McKay

 

They're going to be hard to break down and we need goals.

Is it not on them to come out and attack given their position??

[Watt-Zeefuik]

1 minute ago, Jambof3tornado said:

Is it not on them to come out and attack given their position??

 

Given their position I imagine they'd be content in a Hearts game to just grind out a point in a 0-0 draw. Draws against top teams and a handful of wins over their rivals should be plenty to see them clear. They have games against County, Livingston, and Hibs before the split that almost certainly look like better opportunities for 3 points.

[Boris]

Hopefully the players and management are up for it and we comfortably win. 

 

One nil would do!

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

1-1

 

Simms

[Vin1874]

Anyone else’s tickets still not arrived?

 

[Bainy]

6 hours ago, Vin1874 said:

They went on sale last month?

Pretty sure it was just this week 🤷‍♂️

[davemclaren]

15 minutes ago, Bainy said:

Pretty sure it was just this week 🤷‍♂️

This certainly implies they went on sale on Monday. 🤷‍♂️
 

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/article/ticket-info-st-johnstone-a-1-2-3

[The Treasurer]

25 minutes ago, Vin1874 said:

Anyone else’s tickets still not arrived?

 

I thought it was just a print your own option 

[briever]

3 hours ago, Drumjambo said:

 

Cochrane is pretty shite but Strangely however he is a massive upgrade on anyone else we've had playing left back over the last 5 or 6 seasons Bar kingsley of course who is pure class 

I don't think he's shite, the person I replied to does.

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, Jambof3tornado said:

I just dont think we have good enough players to use wingbacks and its beginning to hamper us on the pitch.

Indeed, which two windows in isn’t great. 

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Not with GMS at lwb imo. 

Possibly,  but if the ultra cautious Mcinnes used him and Hayes at wing back he can’t be that bad there. 

[neilnunb]

1 hour ago, Bainy said:

Pretty sure it was just this week 🤷‍♂️

 

1 hour ago, davemclaren said:

This certainly implies they went on sale on Monday. 🤷‍♂️
 

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/article/ticket-info-st-johnstone-a-1-2-3

 

 

Definitely went on sale at start of the month as bought mine on the 4th and I'd waited a couple of days.

 

Anyway, anyone remind me if you need to book to park at the ground or just first come, first served? 🙂

[davemclaren]

9 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Possibly,  but if the ultra cautious Mcinnes used him and Hayes at wing back he can’t be that bad there. 

Maybe not though we was a bit younger then. Anyway, we may find out soon enough. 

[airthjambo]

10 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

 

Definitely went on sale at start of the month as bought mine on the 4th and I'd waited a couple of days.

 

Anyway, anyone remind me if you need to book to park at the ground or just first come, first served? 🙂

It was certainly 1st come, 1st served for parking at the midweek game earlier this season

[neilnunb]

2 minutes ago, airthjambo said:

It was certainly 1st come, 1st served for parking at the midweek game earlier this season

 

 

👍 cheers

[The Mighty Thor]

When I saw the headline that Neilson know how to get the best out of GMS I genuinely thought we'd released him.

 

Sadly not ☹️

 

St Johnstone 2 Hearts 0

[Carl Weathers]

PPV is £17.50. 

[Unknown user]

7 minutes ago, Carl Weathers said:

PPV is £17.50. 

Bloody hell

[Debut 4]

4 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Three CHs and two DMs gives all the protection the two wing backs should need against St Johnstone in their current state. 

Why not a back 4 with Kingsley offering support to GMS (as a winger or wide left midfielder!) at left back?

 

Honestly, I think the wing back system has slowly subdued our ability to turn defence into attack quicker. In turn, you end up with too many players behind the ball. We lose a body in an attacking position.

 

It was working early season but another element could be that teams

now set up against it.  
 

When RN said he won’t change the way we play, I wasn’t sure if he meant the passing game or his system?  I like the idea we are working at being better in possession but the system is clearly hindering us at the moment, and possibly player selection. 

 

[Pasquale for King]

8 minutes ago, Debut 4 said:

Why not a back 4 with Kingsley offering support to GMS (as a winger or wide left midfielder!) at left back?

 

Honestly, I think the wing back system has slowly subdued our ability to turn defence into attack quicker. In turn, you end up with too many players behind the ball. We lose a body in an attacking position.

 

It was working early season but another element could be that teams

now set up against it.  
 

When RN said he won’t change the way we play, I wasn’t sure if he meant the passing game or his system?  I like the idea we are working at being better in possession but the system is clearly hindering us at the moment, and possibly player selection. 

 

I’ve been an advocate of a back four for a while but as you say it doesn’t look like he’s changing it anytime soon. 

[Pasquale for King]

24 minutes ago, Carl Weathers said:

PPV is £17.50. 

Hopefully Hesgoal will have it. 

[soonbe110]

3 hours ago, The Treasurer said:

I thought it was just a print your own option 

It was/is. 

[McNelly15]

1 hour ago, Pasquale for King said:

Hopefully Hesgoal will have it. 

Hesgoal will definitely have it on 👍🏽

[Pasquale for King]

25 minutes ago, McNelly15 said:

Hesgoal will definitely have it on 👍🏽

🤞, **** giving them £17:50. 

[davemclaren]

36 minutes ago, Barack said:

Storm Eunice going to make this a ****ing nightmare for travelling for folk. 

 

 

We should sign him. 🧐

[Bazzas right boot]

51 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

We should sign him. 🧐

 

Her. 

 

Dudley is a him

Then a she, Eunice

Franklin is next. 

 

No gender neutral names in the sequence tho. 

Disgraceful. 

The met Office needs to get with it. 

 

 

[InternationalJambo]

1 hour ago, Barack said:

Storm Eunice going to make this a ****ing nightmare for travelling for folk. 

 

 

Hopefully be ok come Saturday morning. 

[davemclaren]

8 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

Her. 

 

Dudley is a him

Then a she, Eunice

Franklin is next. 

 

No gender neutral names in the sequence tho. 

Disgraceful. 

The met Office needs to get with it. 

 

 

Sorry. I took Storm to be a male first name. 🤷‍♂️

[Bazzas right boot]

9 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Sorry. I took Storm to be a male first name. 🤷‍♂️

 

Alternates. 

No idea how I knew that as general knowledge. 

I just checked to be sure. 😁

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

9 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Sorry. I took Storm to be a male first name. 🤷‍♂️

 

Alternates. 

No idea how I knew that as general knowledge. 

I just checked to be sure. 😁

 

 

[Unknown user]

3 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I’ve been an advocate of a back four for a while but as you say it doesn’t look like he’s changing it anytime soon. 

Weren't you adamant we are playing a back four the other day? Don't recall you giving him any credit when you thought that.

[Kiwidoug]

Must say I'm surprised at the number of posters to date who believe that we will lose to an injury ravaged side which sits on the bottom of the league.

[We_are_the_Hearts]

6 hours ago, Kiwidoug said:

Must say I'm surprised at the number of posters to date who believe that we will lose to an injury ravaged side which sits on the bottom of the league.

Me and you both. st Johnstone have been decent in the past but this team isn’t. Add the injuries to that and we should be confident of going there and taking 3 points. 

[TheBigO]

Gordon

Souttar Sibbick Kingsley

Smith Devlin Beni Halliday

McKay Simms GMS

 

That's somewhere between prediction and my own.  I'd personally be playing Souttar in the middle of the three, especially with Smith at RWB.  Sibbick been dropped in at deepend in the middle there!  Not that he's done poorly but hopefully the week of training will have helped him.

 

I'd never particularly choose to play Halliday but think these games are ones Robbie will like him for.

 

I can't say it enough, we need Simms running in behind time and time again.  Keep curving those runs - expect the pass, don't wait for it.

[Thomaso]

Seeming we haven’t beaten them in the last 14 games up there! 😳

[King prawn]

1 minute ago, Thomaso said:

Seeming we haven’t beaten them in the last 14 games up there! 😳

1 win in 17 😕 grim reading but there doesn’t seem like a better opportunity with the number of players they have out - especially Wotherspoon and Zander Clark