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ERIC NICOLSON: St Johnstone’s missed chance(s) against Hearts, long-range woes and best back three

There were heads in hands on a few occasions for St Johnstone. Images: SNS.
There were heads in hands on a few occasions for St Johnstone. Images: SNS.

The St Johnstone players left Tynecastle a bit perplexed about a game getting away from them that felt like an evenly-balanced fixture for virtually all of it.

Robbie Neilson’s post-match comments struck a similar tone.

Courier Sport picks out three talking points from a 3-0 defeat that hasn’t done any damage as far as the bottom of the Premiership picture is concerned nor for the top six, albeit there’s one less game to bridge the gap.


A different story to normal

Leaving goals out there hasn’t really been a recurring theme of St Johnstone’s season.

There were a couple of games when they could have made life easier for themselves when they’ve been on top (the first trip to Tannadice springs to mind) but not many.

This game was a bit different and the numbers back that up.

Saints had more shots than Hearts (15 to 12).

They had more shots inside the box than Hearts (nine to seven).

They also made more final third entries and were just one behind in touches inside the opposition box (22 to 23).

The word ‘clinical’ came up more than once when Callum Davidson and Cammy MacPherson reflected on the contest.

And no wonder.

Clearly things went wrong at the other end for the first part of the scoreline to be a three.

But the nil half of the full-time equation was arguably more significant in the story of the match.

To have any chance of getting a result at Tynecastle you need to score when you’re on top and put away free headers and shots around the six-yard line.

It’s that simple.

And, as for outside the box……..


Long-range woes

Now this has been a recurring theme.

Saints’ threat from set-pieces – or rather not enough of one – is ground that I’ve covered plenty of times.

You can add open-play shooting from the edge of the box into the mix as well.

Zander Clark made a couple of saves on Saturday but they were ones you’d expect him to keep out.

Given the shooting quality Graham Carey, Melker Hallberg and MacPherson possess, Saints should be finding the net far more regularly – particularly in games like this when they get half-a-dozen good sights at goal.

Carey, James Brown, Drey Wright and Theo Bair have scored stunning goals in 2022/23.

But it still feels as if, in general, Saints have under-performed in this facet of the game.


The best back three

Saturday was a story of two boxes (or very close to the boxes).

Plenty of people will say a back four should have been deployed for this contest.

Plenty of people say that every week.

When you look at the overall flow of the game, and the foothold Saints had in it for the vast majority of the 90 minutes, it wasn’t case of a system being exposed.

The other two matches against Hearts, perhaps, but not this one.

Saints got as much territory and as many chances as any manager apart from Ange Postecoglou and Michael Beale could wish for at a venue no team outwith Celtic and Rangers has won at in the league this season.

The decision-making for the three goals wasn’t on point, though.

And it was emphatically exposed.

There needed to be more aggression in the press for the two long-range shots that found the net (albeit in freakish circumstances on both occasions).

Josh Ginnelly scores to make it 1-0. Image: SNS.

And Alex Mitchell got sucked into closing down a man who didn’t need to be closed down for the result-defining Hearts’ second.

Two out of the three centre-halves weren’t playing in their best position.

Andy Considine and Ryan McGowan remain the most natural wide players in that defensive unit.

And if and when they’re fit it’s a case of choosing between Liam Gordon and Mitchell in the middle.

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