Too many of St Johnstone’s problems this season have been self-inflicted.
That it was no different at Tannadice will feel particularly frustrating for everyone connected with the club, given the hard work that went into last weekend’s incredible win over Celtic.
Everything came together against the Hoops.
It didn’t exactly fall apart in the City of Discovery – Saints were comfortable for long spells against their Europe-chasing hosts.
But they fell behind from a goal that came from an entirely needlessly conceded corner kick, at a time when the game was progressing favourably.
The Perth side had plenty of time to play their way back into the contest, but, even after a late flurry in front of the United goal, nothing fell their way.
Courier Sport was at Tannadice to assess Saints’ final performance before the Premiership split – and what it means for the crucial fixtures to come.
Too little, too late
Saints looked comfortable right from the start at Tannadice.
Having won the toss, they opted – shrewdly – to turn United around and deny them their preference for shooting down the slope in the second half.
Stephen Duke-McKenna was a lively presence on the left flank, teaming up frequently with Barry Douglas and Makenzie Kirk to find pockets of space from which to cross.
“Good early work” feels a decent way to describe what the Perth side were up to at that point.
The mistake that led to the unnecessarily conceded corner from which United took the lead was of the sort that just shouldn’t happen.
It was a basic failure of communication – near enough at the half-way line – that cost Saints a decisive corner.
In the aftermath, “more of the same” felt like a sensible approach, such was the level of comfort Simo Valakari’s side had earned themselves up to then.
But even as the substitutions – both tactical and injury-related – mounted, and as the clock kept moving forward, Saints’ level of urgency stayed where it was.
That’s to say there simply wasn’t enough of it – not until the final 10 minutes.
By that time, Saints had just two recognised defenders – Daniels Balodis and Barry Douglas (along with goalkeeper Andy Fisher) – left on the park, with eight midfielders and attackers making up the 11.
Nevertheless, they did not come close enough to scoring until that final flurry, when efforts from Josh McPake x2, Benji Kimpioka and Nicky Clark all came close.
Had the match continued for another five minutes, Saints might have found the equaliser they were looking for.
But they should have gone looking for it with more intensity, earlier in the match.
Another defensive injury
The last thing St Johnstone needed over the weekend was another defensive injury concern.
They got one anyway.
When Zach Mitchell slumped to the turf just before the half-hour mark, he did so of his own accord, without having been subjected to an obvious, triggering challenge.
Worryingly, the on-loan Charlton centre-back appeared to be clutching a hamstring and there was no debate about whether or not he would continue.
With no defenders on the bench, Valakari replaced Mitchell with Sven Sprangler; a midfielder by trade, albeit one who has stood in at centre-back already this season.
Following hot on the heels of Drey Wright’s likely season-ending injury sustained in the win over Celtic, the prospect of losing Mitchell feels an ominous one.
There really is no dressing it up – if he is ruled out, Saints survival chances will be damaged.
Expect news on that front early in the week.
Five games, five points
Such is the ever-decreasing amount of room for manoeuvre, a defeat, in and of itself, is not the only thing Saints have to concern themselves with, come the full-time whistle.
It’s the potential consequences of a defeat.
In this case, it gave Dundee a chance to stretch their advantage in 11th place to either six or eight points, if they could find a way to take something at Easter Road.
In hindsight, with the Dark Blues having slumped to a four-goal hiding, there was no need for concern.
But this is the position Saints now find themselves in.
With five post-split games to go, they are five points behind Dundee and six behind Ross County and Kilmarnock.
Their task is simple on paper – win games.
But they must also hope their rivals cut each other’s throats.
“Would we like to be closer to our opponents? Yes, but we could not get there,” was the manager’s post-match assessment at Tannadice.
“Now it’s five games. Let’s see where we go.
“When you play against your rivals, it makes each three points more valuable because either you get them or your direct opponent.
“Every moment counts. And that’s why I believe there are lots of crazy things still to happen.”
Let’s hope so.
Conversation