St Johnstone’s shock opening day defeat at Stenhousemuir is no cause for panic, according to veteran defender, Andy Considine.
The 1-0 Ochilview loss was a bad enough performance to necessitate a “looking in the mirror” response from the players involved, he admitted.
But the former Aberdeen and Scotland centre-back is confident there will be no lasting damage for Saints’ 2023/24 season.
“We’ll dust ourselves down and have a hard week,” he said.
“Each and every one of us will have a long look in the mirror over the weekend and we’ll be ready to go on Monday.
“Mentally and physically, I think the boys are in good shape.
“You get results like this but it’s about how to react. And we’ll react in the right way next Saturday (at Alloa).
“We need to make sure it’s one we look back on as a minor speed bump.
“For this competition, because it’s the first game we’ve got time to turn it around.
“We have to win all three games, it’s as simple as that.”
‘Solid’ pre-season
Considine saw no signs in training that Saints were in danger of starting their League Cup group campaign with such an ineffective display against League Two opponents.
“I feel like the core of the group you saw out there have had a solid pre-season,” he said.
“There were some really good training sessions.
“But I thought we looked sluggish from the start.
“We weren’t getting enough bodies in the box and getting on the end of things.
“We know it’s more difficult on an artificial surface. You can’t zip the ball about like you would on grass.
“It’s about breaking down these teams who will sit in but we simply didn’t do that job well enough.
“It was really disappointing.”
Signings
That new signings are on their way to McDiarmid Park is welcome news for a squad already being stretched by injuries.
“From what I’ve seen in pre-season, there are four or five of the younger lads who can make the step up and play at this level,” said Considine. “The likes of Max (Kucheriavyi), Fergie (Alex Ferguson) and Taylor (Steven).
“That’s encouraging.
“If there are a few more faces coming in, brilliant.
“But the group already here need to do so much better.”
He may be 36 now but Considine is ready for the slog of another long top-flight season.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I wouldn’t turn up unless I thought I was.
“That was my first 90 minutes so it feels good to get that in the bank.”
Unlike this time last year, he’s playing in a central defensive partnership rather than a trio.
“There’s a lot more asked of you in a back four, especially when you’re playing against teams who have a low block,” said Considine.
“You’ve got to step in and find passes.
“At times there can be more space for strikers to run in behind you.
“I would say it’s harder than playing three at the back but I’ve played in a four many times in my career.”
