St Johnstone are yet to win (or even draw) at home this season in three attempts but Saturday provided far more encouragement than their previous two games at McDiarmid Park this season.
Battling qualities synonymous with a Steven MacLean team in the previous campaign were back in the 2-0 defeat to Hearts, while new boys teased bright futures.
Courier Sport picks out three talking points, as thoughts turn to the areas still in need of significant improvement.
St Johnstone have got themselves a good goalie
Dundee United’s goalkeeping issues last season are still fresh enough in the memory to act as a timely reminder of how detrimental getting your number one recruitment badly wrong can turn out to be.
There were other positions in that team which became weak links opposition sides exposed but you’ll find plenty of Arabs who are convinced the Tangerines would still be a Premiership club if they had a capable keeper between the posts.
St Johnstone still have it all to prove in defence, midfield and attack over the next few months but it appears that in Dimitar Mitov they have a goalie who will win them far more points than he costs them.
❤️ Here are both goals as Hearts won 2-0 at St Johnstone in Frank McAvoy's first competitive game as head coach. pic.twitter.com/DJYPtSwdXW
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 5, 2023
There doesn’t appear to be an obvious weak link to his game.
Mitov’s kicking is reliable, he’s quick off his line to cut out crosses and back to back saves in the middle of the second half showcased his reaction speed to shots low and high.
Form can implode, of course, but you really can’t over emphasise the significance of Saints potentially having one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
The young debutants
All eyes were on St Johnstone’s 21-year-old at centre-back and 22-year at full-back.
Even though the result and performance seven days earlier lessened the risk factor, this selection double on the right side of defence still had the potential of going wrong.
Many a young player on debut has frozen in less pressurised situations.
It was reassuring to see all the key assets needed to be effective performers at this level of football – and the ones identified by MacLean – on display.
Dare Olufunwa won’t be beaten in a foot race by many wingers when he’s deployed at full-back.
As Hearts began to find more spaces in the second half following Alex Lowry’s introduction, he perhaps allowed himself to get dragged too far in-field on occasion but it was nothing alarming.
The jury is still out on whether Olufunwa can be a useful overlapping and underlapping weapon when Saints enjoy more of the ball.
But, all in all, this was a first appearance in senior football to be proud of.
#SaintsTV spoke to Sam McClelland after our defeat against Hearts this afternoon.#SJFC pic.twitter.com/furGcOf06h
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) August 5, 2023
Even though Sam McClelland is the younger man, he brought with him to McDiarmid Park greater first team experience.
It looks like he’s going to make the jump from English League Two to Scottish Premiership with ease.
Liam Gordon was called upon to make more headers but the most impressive part of McClelland’s game was his positional sense.
Snuffing out danger at the near post when a low cross came in from the left in the first half was a stand-out moment in that regard.
Like all accomplished defenders, he only went to ground when he absolutely needed to.
A slide tackle to rob danger man, Lowry, on the touchline and then have the composure to get back on his feet, assess his options and pick out a team-mate was impressive stuff.
Final third shortcomings
That Mitov, Olufunwa and McClelland all did well was not only crucial in terms of stemming the McDiarmid Park bleeding.
It will also reassure those who need to be reassured that MacLean’s recruitment decisions appear to be sound.
Saints need to keep the transfer window momentum going.
A bursting forward from midfield type, a pacy wide attacker and (with no realistic prospect of Chris Kane or Nicky Clark returning anytime soon), another centre-forward are all needed.
Pressing and intensity were back in the St Johnstone team but creativity, cute forward play and capacity to change a game from the bench remain in need of attention.
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