Danny Lennon takes the lead in the sack race
St. Mirren are a total shambles. They used exactly the same tactics in Dingwall as they did when Ross County pumped them 4-1 last season...and not surprisingly, they were pumped again. County are a far better side than their recent form suggested, but that should not detract from the sheer ineptitude of their opponents on Saturday. Stuart Kettlewell's superb opener probably wasn't preventable, but the third goal, from the simplest short corner routine ever seen, was car crash stuff.
The starting lineup itself was bizarre, with a central defender (Darren McGregor) at right back, a defensive midfielder (Jim Goodwin) in central defence, a central midfielder (Kenny McLean) on the left wing, and a second striker (Paul McGowan) in central midfield. Gowser's talents in particular are being wasted just so Danny Lennon can fit the enigmatic Gary Harkins into the team, but the Buddies would be far better suited building their side around McGowan, a far superior player. Just as worrying is that talismanic striker Steven Thompson suddenly looks very old indeed, while goalkeeper David Cornell has had a rough start to life in Scotland.
St. Mirren have now won only one out of the eleven games since they lifted the League Cup. Their current squad just does not have the quality required, and there are increasing concerns that their manager doesn't know how to get the best out of them. Danny Lennon needs to do significant business before the transfer window closes, or it could be a long season in Paisley, and he could be out of a job soon.
Glorious Hearts
If only Hearts could bottle some of that team spirit - plenty of other clubs would pay such good money for it that the financial problems at Tynecastle would disappear in a flash. Adversity only seems to drive them on further, as shown by the response of their ten men to Aberdeen's equalizer. It was a special moment for substitute defender Jordan McGhee, only 17 in July, who grabbed the winner and sent a boisterous and numerous Jambo support absolutely barmy. Hearts are now only nine points adrift, and would be third in the table but for their points deduction. Whilst their youngsters will inevitably have difficulty keeping this level of performance up, especially as injuries and suspensions mount, there is credibility to their belief that they can avoid relegation.
How good are Dundee United, and how good are St. Johnstone?
I was beginning to really fancy the Perth Saints for second place in the league - but they were absolutely smashed at Tannadice. Tommy Wright's back four, normally so solid, was run ragged all afternoon. I'm not sure the blame can be entirely put on goalkeeper Steve Banks, but the 41 year old did look very sluggish at a couple of the goals and has none of the presence of the injured Alan Mannus.
Traditionally, St Johnstone do get a doing from Dundee United at least once a season. After a poor opening to the campaign, Jackie McNamara's side clicked beautifully, with Gary Mackay-Steven putting in a virtuoso display. Jackie Mac will be dreading the possibility that another club will make an offer he can't refuse for the wonderful winger before the transfer window closes. I still think United's defence is dodgy, but that front four is delightful and if they can be kept together, it could yet be a very good year for the Arabs.
How far is Neil Lennon from a crisis?
You had to feel for Celtic and their manager at the weekend - their injury problems left them severely weakened to the point where they could only field eight internationals in their starting lineup (the other three players, incidentally, were Fraser Forster, Amido Balde and Tony Watt). Worryingly, the same defensive frailties exposed by Shakhter Karagandy, including a inability to defend long throws, were fully evident once more. Virgil Van Dijk - presumably not used to coping without his brothers Scott, Alan, Gordon and John (arf, arf, arf) was partnered by Efe Ambrose this time rather than Steven Mouyokolo, but each of these central defenders looks like a bombscare. It has been said before that an Old Firm manager is always only three games from a crisis - if Celtic can't turn around their Champions League tie this week, then Lennon might be under the teensiest bit of pressure.
Spurious stat of the week: Celtic have only been in the lead for 4 minutes in the league so far this season when they have been playing eleven men.
Scott Vernon is a shadow of his former self
The English striker scored 28 goals in his first two seasons at Pittodrie, but now has scored only 4 goals in his last 46 league appearances dating back to March 2012. A spell in central midfield last season, a role for which he was ill-suited, appeared to wreck his confidence, but he was handed his first start of the season at Tynecastle on Saturday and found himself in excellent goalscoring position more than a few times...only to fluff the lot. Given the big hulk that is Calvin Zola proved far more effective when brought off the bench, it may be a while before Vernon will get another chance to stake his claim.
Maybe Allan Johnston should stick with the kids
Kenny Shiels thought the Kilmarnock kids were good enough; his successor, who deployed six summer signings in his lineup against Hibs - only one of whom, Celtic loanee Jackson Irvine, is under 25 - clearly disagrees. He also appears to have ditched the attractive passing game that graced Rugby Park in recent seasons for something far more direct, a decision which is not paying dividends so far. Whilst veteran Barry Nicholson showed he still has it with a wondrous goal, the jury is out on the others so far after a defeat that leaves Killie winless so far this season. Out of their recent youth team graduates, only Mark O'Hara played. Maybe Magic should give the youngsters another go?
Motherwell are a long way away from where they want to be
There isn't really much new to say here after this ditchwater-dull encounter - Partick were stuffy again but lacked quality in the final third once more, while Stuart McCall's side were not drastically better than last week against Inverness, despite the positive result. Interestingly, McCall left Iain Vigurs and Paul Lawson on the bench after poor performances last time out, and at one point in this game they had two full-backs, Zaine Francis-Angol and Fraser Kerr, playing as wingers. As I've stated previously, they need to bring in new players this week if they are to challenge for the top six this season.
Referee Watch
Obivously my main gripe was with Craig Thomson, who waved away a very decent ICT penalty claim in the second half, as Van Dijk appeared to barge Doran over. But it's too much to expect officials to give penalties to the away side at Celtic Park ;-). It was a much harder day at the office for Alan Muir, who sent off Kevin McHattie and gave Aberdeen a spot kick that goes in the 'mebbes aye, mebbes naw' category (McHattie gets the ball but appears to be giving Zola a hug that bordered on groping), but then booked serial diver Peter Pawlett for diving when he had clearly been poleaxed by Jamie Walker. Muir also missed what appeared to be a foul on keeper Nicky Weaver at Hearts' winner, and finished his fine day's work by sending Dons boss Derek McInnes and Hearts assistant Billy Brown to the stand. Rumours that Brown was "strugglin, strugglin" to climb the stairs have not been confirmed (if you don't get that joke, please look up Billy Brown on Youtube immediately). Except Muir might not actually have been finished...
Funny stuff
...if it is indeed true that Hearts captain Danny Wilson was sent off in the tunnel after the match for shouting "Get it round ye, ye sheep-s****ing bastards!" at Aberdeen players, (and it hasn't been confirmed yet at the time of writing) then that is both the most terrific and the mosr stupid reason for getting a red card I've heard for a while...
And not so funny stuff
I was incredulous when my mum told me the Caley Thistle supporters bus gets a police escort from the motorway to Celtic Park - how pathetic that this should be the case. Yet it is clearly justified, as said bus - on which my mum was a passenger - was attacked by missiles including a brick after the match. Thankfully the plexiglass held and no-one was hurt. For the record, our supporters bus does not contain drunken teenage 'ultras' (I use the word with disdain) - it is mostly a mixture of middle aged women, children and an elderly man who travels with an oxygen cylinder. On this occasion, it actually also had on board some Celtic fans whose vehicle had broken down on the way south from Fraserburgh, and who had been offered a lift and some Highland hospitality. I can only live in hope that the hooligan responsible for this is tracked down, and that his weapon of choice is inserted into him in such away that he becomes the first person to literally s*** bricks.
L.
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