We Need Some Resolve. Call Petrov (Or Duff & Phelps).
What’s that noise? Aye, it’s air being let out a party when our Tam Rogne scored a second against them yesterday. Yes, our plan was perfectly executed.
80 minutes of pure unadulterated pressing the self destruct button then proving that the nightmare wasn’t real and a wee 10 minutes of proving who was the boss wie 9 men no less. See what went before boys? Forget it. It was all part of a plan to bring them back down to earth with a bump and leave them thankful their wasn’t another few minutes. We would have equalized you know.
Forgive me for indulging my myopic and petty whim and believing that for a few hours. I had to grasp something. It’s been a difficult week.
R*ngers are a wreck of a football club but even a dying man can get aroused on his death bed. The players are bestowed with the triumphed and seldom seen team spirit and I’m told that’s something we haven’t got. I remember our team spirit used to return for meaningless games after being missing for months in the 90’s. Plus our players didn’t have to put themselves in the shop window after getting their contracts very publicly altered to include get out clauses as long as the suitor meets the shortfall in wages.
I also remember that team spirit being lauded when they were blowing a 15 point lead quite spectacularly before any administration nonsense.
Call Duff and Phelps. We need to buy that. 20p in the pound.
Despite getting giddy at the thought of winning the league at Ibroke on Saturday afternoon in the cold light of the Sunday we were never going to win the game. A combination of cheating, a still lesson not learned about how to handle the dark art of hoof ball, our recent habit of sleepwalking into games, the fact that it really did mean more to them and – let’s not be shy about this – our own failings is a cocktail that leaves hangover of massive proportions.
We were once again facing a team that has no big games left this season. Our players have the comfort that they can redeem themselves but even that is looking slim in this fading early summer light. We have reached a physical and mental wall. We have won so many big games since falling 15 points behind that it’s took it’s toll. Remember we won the only derby game to mean something this season. One that put us 4 points clear. One that started the daylight between us. That’s pressure that’s a biggie.
Folk look to the Cha Du Ri sending off as the game changer while I would question his selection more. He has the physical attributes of Danny Alves and Ashley Cole but plays like a Bernard Matthew turkey with it’s head cut off. In the Route De Lorient he scored the worst goal I have ever seen us concede. Yesterday he got caught on the wrong side of Wallace, yes, the touch was minimal but his position was criminal.
No, the game changer was the first goal. We don’t do losing the first goal. In the last 72 derbies on twice has the team that has scored the first goal went on to lose. This season we have lost the first goal on 6 occasions. We have lost 4 times. Thank god we usually score first then. 24 times we have scored first and won 23 times. The game was lost as soon as we lost the goal. The problem for this side is our resolve isn’t tested often enough for us to learn how to cope. And…….instead of us learning to cope I want to get back scoring first. That suits us more.
It’s clear that this team isn’t comfortable staring at greatness. They can handle the pressure but they need something else. I think we can say that they need help to make the next step and ensure they stay on that step on a constant basis. 21 games unbeaten runs are fabulous but they are also rare. We need to learn resolve and that needs to get brought in.
Not that I’m saying losing at Ibroke is a sign of weakness. No, we have had some pithy and weak performances (including ones were our coaching staff all played) and there was even one where Kris Boyd scored against us. Going to Ibroke is akin to going down the rabbit hole and ending up in blunderland. It’s another world were normal perceptions and rules don’t apply. It’s crippled better players than the ones we have just now.
The next step will still see us lose games. Losing games at times is normal. The next step in the progress is to bring in experience that will see us through tough games. Know how. Nounce. A mentality. While typing this I’m watching MNF football. Sir Alux has just brought on Paul Scholes. Over on the Blue Moon Mancini has buckled and picked the man who gives Frank Ribery beauty tips.
I threw Scholes name out today to friends of the blog. Pujol came back with the answer. Not Scholes but every effort must be made to bring the out of contract in the summer Stan Petrov back to the club. That’s your captain and he should just be for starters.
The manager knows this. His slip back into last season mode is pure protection and deflection from his faltering squad. Two defeats lets berate the MIB and blame them. He has some justification in his protestations but for me it’s pure mind games. His sending off for, eh, something, was stupid. His team needed him more than the point he was trying to make.
Another SFA appearance is the least of his problems. Adam Matthews can ball watch like a stoned student watching Bargain Hunt and Victor Wanyana’s rashness was a symptom of burn out (as is Matthews). The spark that Forrest gives us has been lost with, see above, and injury.
The positives are that Broonie, Samaras, Rogne and Double F showed some sort of form. Commons made a difference when he came on and Izzy didn’t look as rusty as a hut door after a hard winter.
Plus……St Johnstone have more than one cup final left this season.