St Johnstone’s Premiership season is up and running.
The Perth side looked as if they were heading towards a heavy defeat from Aberdeen by the mid-point of the second half before mounting a late push that left their time-wasting opponents relieved to hear the final whistle.
But he’d have been thrilled to see the stadium he built almost full for an occasion which impeccably marked his contribution to the club.
Courier Sport picks out four talking points from the action on the pitch.
Intent
You can’t guarantee a statement performance.
But Monday night demanded a statement team selection and display of intent.
Craig Levein needed to show that this season wouldn’t be a continuation of the three that preceded it, particularly in home games.
McDiarmid Park was packed and the end of an old era/beginning of a new one theme of the night had to include an element of having a go.
Levein delivered.
The team he picked was set-up to try and take the game to Aberdeen – a back four and two pacey central forwards.
It was right that he changed his formation at half-time to react to a match that was threatening to turn into an armchair ride for their opponents.
Supporters won’t forget the half-hour in the middle of the first half when Saints were cut open far too frequently but they will have recognised the desire to make watching their team play football a more enjoyable experience over the next 10 months.
And they will also have appreciated the fact the side didn’t accept its fate at 2-0 down.
Talk of “taking positives” is pretty standard post-match stuff in defeat but it felt appropriate in these circumstances.
Midfield vacated
Lack of central midfield control won’t be at the root of all the games St Johnstone lose this season and, with the likes of Benji Kimpioka, Adama Sidibeh and Makenzie Kirk a long ball option, they may even win some despite it.
But it’s a shortcoming, alright.
Positional awareness was lacking on Monday night all too frequently.
One passage of play, which led to the opening goal, summed it up best.
When Josh Rae delivered a ball up the pitch, both starting central midfielders, Cammy MacPherson and Aaron Essel, challenged for it in the air when one would have sufficed
Sivert Heltne Nilsen won the header and there wasn’t a single Saints player in the centre circle to snuff out an attack that put Ester Sokler through on goal in the blink of an eye.
Josh Rae made an excellent save but the Dons scored from the subsequent corner.
Yes, an experienced player for that position is a non-negotiable.
But preventing gaping holes from appearing can also be improved with the midfielders already at the club.
Return to form
There was a St Johnstone midfielder who played very well.
Even in the company of the likes of Nilsen (a class act), Graeme Shinnie and Jamie McGrath, Matt Smith was a man of the match contender.
There have been times when, tasked with playing a bit wider, the former Manchester City man has looked like a square peg in a round hole but this certainly wasn’t one of them.
Smith made sound decisions on the ball and off, was able to beat a man or pass round him and was a bundle or running and energy.
In the second half, he was just as visible and effective centrally, post-formation change.
Smith was one of Saints’ best players in the first half of last season before his form tailed off in the last two to three months.
This was the return of the player Levein needs him to be.
Spotlight on Rae
The St Johnstone goalkeeper has passed a real test of character.
Rae knows his manager is contemplating bringing in a more experienced option for his position and he made mistakes in the last two Premier Sports Cup group matches, which cost his team goals.
This was his Premiership debut, live on TV and in front of a near capacity crowd.
Oh, and the goalie in the opposition team was the one who was the runaway player of the year at McDiarmid last season and was rightly applauded on to the pitch by the Saints supporters who last saw him saving a penalty that helped keep them out of a relegation play-off.
There was serious pressure on Rae and a bright spotlight.
The former Airdrie man should be proud of his night’s work.
The save of the match was his to deny Sokler.
That it counted for nothing after Nicky Devlin wasn’t picked up from the corner that followed was a real pity.
Saints still need a goalie in their squad nearer 30 than 20 but Rae has enhanced his reputation (and you’d like to think, his confidence) on the back of an accomplished first game in the top flight.
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