I doubt this will become a regular feature...but it seemed to work okay last week and there's enough decent material to do it again this week, so let's see how it goes!
What's gone wrong at Ross County?
Even when the Staggies weren't playing well last season, they never rolled over like they did in Perth on Saturday. The first two defeats of the season could be blamed on an experimental formation and the absence of Richie Brittain and Ivan Sproule, but Derek Adams offered no excuses after the third loss in succession, though his claims that St. Johnstone are "are not the prettiest guys but they do the ugly side of the game very
well" goes in the 'damning with faint praise' category.
A major concern will be the defence, which was an area of strength for County last season; however only one member of the back four from the first half of 2013 - Scott Boyd - started at McDiarmid Park. The decision to leave out Mihael Kovacevic, one of the best right-backs in the league last season, was baffling.
I still expect County to come good, as Adams has proven before that he can identify and fix problems, but they need to get going pronto if they are to repeat last season's top six finish. The visit of St. Mirren to Dingwall next weekend would be a good time to start playing.
Tommy Wright must think this management lark is easy
Take away that disappointing loss to Minsk - where St. Johnstone were booted off the park - and the former Northern Ireland keeper has had a phenomenal start after replacing Steve Lomas. The results and the performances are still coming, and Wright carries none of the baggage of his predecessor. It's all looking very rosy indeed.
Jamie Langfield should have just let Georgios Samaras score
I fully expected TV replays to show the Greek striker leaving his feet behind to win the spot kick at Pittodrie - in fact, he didn't need to, as Aberdeen's keeper clumsily tripped him with his right hand. Clangers has enough experience to know better. Aberdeen would still have been one down had Samaras scored, but they would still have had eleven men and a chance to get something from the match. I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels that backup Nicky Weaver is a superior goalkeeper, and he will now get his chance to prove it.
Scott Robertson may not have done Hibs any favours
The midfielder's late strike earned the Hibees their first point - and their first goal - of the season, but in the long term it may delay the inevitable exit of Pat Fenlon. The stick he got from the home support when they went behind - and when he moved Lewis Stevenson to right-back again (the utility man has been torched on multiple occasions when playing in that position this season) - just adds to the impression that the game is up for the beleaguered boss. There will be no turnaround at Easter Road until the current manager has gone.
Partick are a goalscorer away from being a really good team
Friday night's BBC Alba broadcast was the first time I've got to watch the Harry Wraggs this season, and I couldn't help being impressed by their tidy midfield interchanges and their ability to get their full-backs into threatening wide areas. But a lack of firepower in the final third prevented them from converting their dominance of Hearts into goals. Kris Doolan and John Baird are hard-working forwards but neither will get into double figures this season. That said, Partick would have won had they not switched off after scoring and let Jamie Walker waltz through to equalize - a reminder that top flight teams will punish them for losing concentration.
Kilmarnock may not be crippled by Kris Boyd's absence
Criticizing the former Rangers striker's lack of work-rate brings me dangerously close to a Monty Python "what have the Romans ever done for us?"-type rant, given he's scored both Kilmarnock's goals this season. But his sending-off yesterday for punching Jim Goodwin (yes, we've all wanted to do that at some point) will probably mean a two match ban, and it will be intriguing to see if Killie are more effective in attack with the rather more industrious Paul Heffernan as the focal point, as Heffernan has proven before that he can play the lone striker role effectively and bring his teammates into the game.
It doesn't get any better for Inverness
I suspect managers adore Saturday afternoons where their team is two up at half-time and are able to coast through the second half in second gear, as Caley Thistle did against Motherwell. ICT are yet to drop a point or concede a goal...but that record is unlikely to last beyond next weekend, when they travel to Celtic Park. It's fun seeing my team sit at the top of the table, but it can't last...can it?
McFadden and Vigurs are being wasted
Motherwell are very tidy indeed at passing the ball in their own half...but in contrast to last year their attacking play on Saturday was alarmingly one-dimensional, focused on long balls to John Sutton. As stated last week, Stuart McCall needs wide players, and he needs them immediately; instead he had to deploy Iain Vigurs on one touchline and James McFadden on the other. Both are talented players, but both were utterly wasted in those positions - the former was in fact a liability as he failed to track David Raven's marauding runs from right back. Motherwell will be a much better side when they can get the duo into the thick of the action.
Gary Harkins has a grudge against Kilmarnock
Harkins had a pretty disappointing 18 month spell at Rugby Park which ended last January; he starred and scored in a victory for Dundee there at the end of last season and popped up with another strike against his former club for St. Mirren yesterday. Danny Lennon needs to hypnotize him and make him believe he's playing against Kilmarnock every week.
What does it take to attract fans to games?
2,800 at St. Johnstone, 3,000 at Inverness (250 of which were Motherwell fans) - don't the people of Perth and Inverness realize how special their local teams are right now? It doesn't help, of course, that ticket prices remain extortionate - £26 to get a main stand ticket at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. If fans won't pay through the nose to support their team when the going is this good, then they never will.
L.
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