St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari admitted that his team suffered a “catastrophic” defeat to Dundee.
And the Finn revealed he made an attempt to speak to Perth supporters who congregated at McDiarmid Park’s front door in the wake of a 3-1 loss that leaves the club eight points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership.
Saints were 3-0 down after just 22 minutes of the Tayside derby, at which point some fans had seen enough.
The performance got better in the second half but the damage was irreparable.
Valakari does not believe staying up is mission impossible.
However, you won’t find many in the Fair City who share his optimism.
“The result was catastrophic,” said Valakari. “It was a local derby.
“It was a shock to be 3-0 down at the start. We tried to recover. Sometimes miracles happen but not today.
“It’s the first time I’ve been angry.
“I’m angry about myself. I’m angry for the fans. I know they want answers.
“I went to the front of the main door to see them (a small group of Fair City Unity members).
“Our hardcore fans had been voicing their opinion but I missed them unfortunately.
“I’m standing here for the good times and I’ll be standing here for the bad times even more.
“I understand their frustration.
“This was a local derby – how we performed in the first 15 minutes, I totally understand.
“I went there to tell them we do care about this club and I understand how they feel.
“I choose the team and the way we play, so I take full responsibility.
“The players did everything they were capable of. Is it sometimes good enough? No, as we saw today.
“We’re doing too many silly things and we’re too soft sometimes to play against.
“The games after Kilmarnock to this game have summed up what we are as a team and what we have not been able to fix.
“The level goes too up and down and we are punished as we were today.
“It was a very bad afternoon but a very telling one about where we are.
“We can talk about the January transfer window but these are the players we have now.
“We need to be better with what we have.”
Huge hole to get out of
On the bigger picture of digging themselves out of the hole they find themselves in, Valakari said: “When you don’t pick up points at this time of year the gap will become massive.
“Is it mission impossible? I don’t think so.
“It’s maybe the hardest and most difficult job for this club. It is a massive, massive job.”
Saints needed their best start to a game this season.
Instead, they produced their worst.
They were 2-0 down in 10 minutes.
For Dundee’s opener, Josh Rae was unable to collect a high ball, Drey Wright booted it out of his hands (not far enough) when it looked like the keeper would collect it at the second attempt and Simon Murray cashed in.
A long VAR checked ensued, with a potential Luke Graham foul on Rae under the microscope, but VAR official, Alan Muir, deemed that the goal should stand.
Dundee’s second was scored by Seb Palmer-Houlden, who stabbed home a Clark Robertson shot at the back post.
At the midway point of the first half, two became three when a swift counter-attack down the visitors’ right culminated in an unmarked Lyall Cameron curling the ball beyond Rae.
Valakari made two substitutions before the game had even reached the half-hour mark.
Neither Andre Raymond nor Matt Smith could have any complaints about being taken off.
Mind you, the same could have been said for several others in blue.
Max Kucheriavyi and Aaron Essel came on and the latter’s cross nearly produced a headed Nicky Clark goal.
Kucheriavyi played well and so did Josh McPake after he was introduced in the second half.
The former Dundee forward’s goal on 67 minutes was a beautifully struck low 25-yarder on the angle.
Saints dominated the ball for almost the entirety of the second 45 – and had they grabbed a second, the away fans would have feared another late collapse.
But plenty of balls into the box and a few long-range shots was as close as they came to making it an interesting finish.
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