3 things on St Johnstone wish list over the next week, including Charlie Gilmour stating case in midfield

St Johnstone’s start to the season wasn’t as they would have wished.

A 0-0 draw against a team of League Two part-timers, albeit a man down for two thirds of it, did little to foster optimism in the McDiarmid Park stands.

Three games in a week offers the chance to change that.

It also offers the chance to crystalise a few things in the mind of manager Callum Davidson.

Courier Sport picks out three boxes that will ideally be ticked in the remaining League Cup Group F clashes with Queen of the South, Elgin City and Ayr United.

Charlie Gilmour back in midfield

When last season ended, I expected a Murray Davidson-type central midfielder to be a high transfer window priority.

Perhaps even the transfer window priority.

As of yet, there hasn’t been an attempt to sign one.

The tweaked system the manager is deploying (two in the middle as opposed to one) arguably makes that style of player less essential.

But I’d still want to see one recruited.

Unless, that is, Charlie Gilmour can state a persuasive case he should be that Murray Mark Two man.

Gilmour has had plenty of game-time in pre-season but it’s largely been covering for an injured Drey Wright at wing-back.

He brings some desirable attributes to the role but doesn’t have the same attacking instincts or crossing strengths of either Wright or Adam Montgomery on the other flank.

With the former Hibs man returning (hopefully this weekend), giving Gilmour a couple of decent spells alongside Melker Hallberg should settle the issue of whether Davidson needs one more midfielder or not.

Lightening the load for Theo Bair

Centre-forward was another position I felt needed attention after the top flight survival mission was boxed off.

Again, I still do.

Theo Bair is definitely on the right track now. He looks far closer to Premiership ready.

But he drifted out of the game against Annan when Saints needed to lift the tempo.

To go from fringe player barely getting on the pitch at the end of one season to main man up top at the start of the next is quite a leap.

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨: 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙤 𝘽𝙖𝙞𝙧 🇨🇦🐻

We had our camera focussed on Theo Bair in training today 💪

Who would you like to see us focus on next? 🤔#SJFC | #COYS | @ttbair pic.twitter.com/IaEHpndOj9

— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) July 4, 2022

Stevie May playing like he did in that second half against Inverness Caledonian Thistle – or the fast half away to Livingston, actually – would help lighten the load.

He’s at the other end of his career but, like Gilmour in midfield, May has to seize the day.

Whatever happens in the next three matches, though, the need for another goalscorer won’t go away.

Starts for Carey and Murphy

Saints’ greatest area of strength this season is likely to be at wide forward.

Ali Crawford appears to suit the left-side of a number nine role nicely and the same goes for Max Kucheriavyi on the right.

The Ukrainian is a star in the making.

And David Wotherspoon should be coming back in late summer/early autumn.

🔵 Now that Twitter is back, we return to McDiarmid Park and catch up with captain Liam Gordon plus @StJohnstone's new signings Drey Wright, Jamie Murphy & Graham Carey 👇 pic.twitter.com/U7mHFIoo4o

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) July 14, 2022

But Jamie Murphy and Graham Carey are both class acts.

They’ve come off the bench in the last two matches and Davidson may well be building their minutes up with a view to starting them in the league opener.

He’ll certainly want the option to do so.

Fitness levels permitting, I’d select Murphy and Carey in the first 11 against Hibs and plan to introduce Kucheriavyi and Crawford when they begin to tire.