St Johnstone are a Premiership team on the floor and only the most optimistic of Perth fans will hold out hope that a seven-match losing streak isn’t about to become an eight-match one on Boxing Day.
Courier Sport picks out four talking points following the dispiriting, if predictable, 2-1 defeat to Ross County.
Final confirmation that an overhaul is the only option
If there’s any good news to be taken from Saints losing their seventh game in a row, it’s that the waters are now crystal clear.
Beating Ross County and jumping two places up the league table might have thrown a bit of mud into them.
But the continuation of the winter form curve and the contrast County provided on Wednesday night leaves nobody in any doubt – certainly not the manager – that the only way to sort the mess is to gut this team.
Obviously, that won’t mean 11 in and 11 out but it will mean that after the Celtic match is over, the side could and should be unrecognisable when Saints’ season resumes at Tynecastle on January 18.
📺🆕| Callum Davidson spoke to #SaintsTV following tonight’s match. #SJFC pic.twitter.com/T1dLsWcPVM
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) December 22, 2021
The task in the January window?
Reduce the loan count, get some athleticism into midfield, provide league-ready competition for the wing-back slots and sign two strikers (one who comes alive in the box and one with a physical presence).
It’s the least a double-winning manager short-changed in the summer deserves.
That little lot will be easier said than done but if those signings are of the calibre of the first one through the door next month, Daniel Cleary, then Saints will have a fighting chance of a second half of the season comeback.
Early break a relief
Losing the gate receipts from thousands of Celtic fans packing out McDiarmid Park on Boxing Day as a consequence of the SPFL’s decision to bring the winter break forward will irk the club’s money men.
🆕 | We can confirm that our Boxing Day fixture against Celtic will go ahead with a reduced attendance of 500 supporters.
Those chosen to attend the game will be selected from a ballot of season ticket holders and will be accommodated socially distanced in the East Stand.#SJFC
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) December 23, 2021
But on the footballing front, it’s a blessing.
Quite simply, the less games Saints have to play before the reinforcements arrive, the better.
They may still lose to Hearts and Livingston with Cleary and hopefully a few other new faces in the team.
But Davidson will certainly have a greater chance in those two away fixtures than he would have with the side he’s got just now.
Changed days for Ross Callachan
The irony won’t have been lost on Saints fans that a player they let go because he couldn’t get a game is exactly the type they now need in midfield.
Jacob Butterfield is a very smart, technically efficient footballer with a willingness to shoot and now a goal to his name.
But, like Craig Bryson and Ali Crawford, he isn’t the type to eat up the ground and prevent gaping holes from opening up in the middle of the pitch.
Cammy MacPherson was supposed to be that player but the jury is out on whether he can come back from injury and be the team’s midfield engine.
He hasn’t shown it so far, that’s for sure.
Back in 2019, Saints had a 31-year-old Murray Davidson holding down a place, Liam Craig playing regularly and a young man called Ali McCann breaking through.
Callachan wasn’t up to their standards then but he would walk into the first team and elevate it right now.
The worst year to be at the bottom
They will need to be better than one, let’s be even more optimistic, two teams in the division.
Even if you accept Saints will sort themselves out, this is the worst season in recent memory to be hoping for a collapse from a rival.
Unless they lose their best players next month, you can probably count Ross County out of the relegation battle.
Ross County inflicted a 7⃣th consecutive defeat on Covid-affected St Johnstone.
Highlights 👇 pic.twitter.com/9bfCBYqLzu
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 23, 2021
They are a team on the up, with players who can defend, run, pass and score.
Dundee, Livingston and St Mirren all have more in their locker than Saints just now as well.
Seven-game losing runs aren’t on the cards for any of them but those three are likely to be the only sides Saints can reasonably expect to catch.
