Should St. Mirren stick with Danny Lennon or not?
Saturday's defeat at home to Partick Thistle was more of the same for Buddies fans - players in the wrong positions, baffling team selections (Paul McGowan and Gary Teale were only left on the bench) and a complete crashing of bottle after conceding a goal. Following on from a gubbing in Dingwall and a midweek cup exit to Queen Of The South, it's been a rough week down Paisley way.
The stats are damning indeed - only one win and nine points from the thirteen league games since their League Cup win, and only three league wins in 2013. But the transfer window has now slammed shut (why does it always slam? Can't it be closed gently and quietly?) and, barring a free agent or two, St. Mirren are now stuck with the squad they have until January. Do they bring in a new boss who will have to try and turn things around with Lennon's players, or do they stick with the manager who has brought them recent silverware? These questions will undoubtedly be pondered by the club board during this international break.
Lack of depth could be Hearts' undoing
It was a rough day in the Highlands for the young Jambos side, who looked shattered after being taken to extra time and penalties by Raith Rovers, and who were ripped apart at will in the second half by a profligate Caley Thistle team. Hearts' back four at Inverness contained two teenagers along with utility man Dylan McGowan in the centre and veteran Jamie Hamill playing out of position at left back. Gary Locke didn't have much choice, given the absence through suspension of Danny Wilson and Kevin McHattie. McGowan in particular had a nightmare afternoon, unable to cope with the movement - or, at the first goal, lack of movement - of Billy McKay, who ran him ragged. Given that a couple of Hearts' subs looked like they'd been in school studying for standard grades the day before the game, Locke's squad is clearly down to the bare bones already, even with only a few absences. If they are to survive, they can't afford more injuries or suspensions.
Lack of depth won't be Partick's undoing
It must be hugely reassuring to Alan Archibald that he can turn to his bench and see players who have the ability to change the game in his favour. The Jags were behind against the run of play at St. Mirren Park when they brought on Ross Forbes and Kris Doolan. The latter proved far more effective than the lacklustre John Baird and his industry helped produce the winner for the former. Forbes has lost his place in the team because he can't be relied on to do his defensive work, but he has one of the sweetest left feet in Scottish football.
Is Pittodrie the dullest place in Britain to watch football?
Given St. Johnstone's traditional stuffiness, the odds on a goalless draw in the North East must have been pretty short. Dons fans clearly thought so too, given that the crowd was less than half of that which turned up to watch them play Celtic a fortnight ago. Aberdeen have now failed to score in 15 of their last 28 home league games going back to December 2012, with only 49 total goals scored in those 28 games. If Derek McInnes is to make his team more watchable, he needs to get Barry Robson, Willo Flood and Jonny Hayes fit sharpish, and he also needs to find a partner for Niall McGinn. Josh Magennis was the third different player to start up front alongside McGinn in eight days, and looked no more effective than Calvin Zola or Scott Vernon before him. Worryingly, McGinn is yet to score from open play so far this season.
Ross County totally own Hibs
The goalless draw at Easter Road was the first league point the Hibees have picked up off County, but the Staggies are still unbeaten after six total meetings between the sides. They probably should have won this one as well, and the boos at the final whistle suggested that the home fans knew it too. After a rocky start, Ross County are showing that they will not be afflicted by the mythical 'second season syndrome'. After a rocky start, Hibs look...well, still pretty rocky.
Allan Johnston needs to find his strongest XI, pronto
Kilmarnock have already used 21 different players in their first five league games of the season! Allan Johnston seems to have decided that he wants a 4-4-2 focused on Fat Kris Boyd, which is why Paul Heffernan was deemed surplus to requirements. But he still seems uncertain on who else should be in the team. Curiously, Manuel Pascali has yet to start a match this season, even though the side are crying out for a robust and experienced player at the back. Instead, Johnston went with young Celtic loanee Jackson Irvine in central defence, who blundered for John Sutton's winner. Killie will hope to get more out of Michael Gardyne than Dundee United did, but the loan signing played the best football of his career in the hole behind a lone striker for Ross County. Can his new club accommodate him in that role? I'm not sure.
No post-European hangover for Celtic
Unquestionably, Celtic were at their most vulnerable last season after European matches. You'd have thought Tannadice might have been an anti-climax compared to the atmosphere at Celtic Park in midweek...but for the fact that Dundee United had won only 2 of their last 54 games against the Bhoys. Whilst it took till the last few minutes for them to find a breakthrough, Neil Lennon's side were utterly dominant and always in control. The home side defended well, but their front four were surprisingly impotent. Nadir Ciftci in particular needs to learn that though his tricks look good, there's no point doing them if they aren't benefitting the team.
Billy McKay should never be allowed to take penalties ever again
It's come to something when Terry Butcher feels he can take a strop after a game that Inverness have actually won. He was seething after the final whistle because Billy McKay had missed a late penalty that would have brought him his hat-trick. McKay has now missed his last three spotkicks, and wasn't the designated penalty taker - Jamie Vincent has those honours. Of course, it had no effect on the outcome of the game. Butcher's focus on that incident shows how these wins are becoming increasingly routine for Caley Thistle...who, by the way, are still top of the table and are the joint second-top scorers in Scotland (after Rangers). As stated above, McKay was unplayable all day, but special mention must go to Aaron Doran and Nick Ross who were terrific for ICT as well.
Transfer deadline day was no fun at all
To be fair, transfer deadline day in Scotland is rarely entertaining, especially as we no longer get Derek Riordan To Hibernian stories. The biggest transfer, Celtic's move for Teemu Pukki, had been in the pipeline for a while. As a consequence, though, Tony Watt was allowed to go out on loan...to a Belgian club. Did no-one in Scotland want him, or did the player fancy a change of scenery? Watt's progress has stagnated in 2013, but hopefully the talented young striker can set the Jupiler League alight.
What goes around, comes around
Jamie Hamill's late sending off is worth watching, if you haven't seen it yet - Jon Beaton dismisses him for deliberate handball after he clearly blocks a shot on the goalline with his forehead. Frankly, Hamill's obscene shaved-head-and-bushy-beard combo deserved a red card in itself - it went out of fashion with Limp Bizkit. The full back was accused of feigning being headbutted to get Raith's Dougie Hill sent off a few days earlier, so was this perhaps a bit of footballing justice?
Beaton was just generally dreadful in Inverness, but his boo-boo was the most obvious one of the weekend. Kudos to Steven McLean for booking Nigel Hasselbaink for a dive against Aberdeen. Not so Craig Charleston, who missed a shocker of a challenge by Simon Ramsden in the first half, though the Motherwell man was sent off later on. Meanwhile, Dundee United raged after Anthony Stokes' winner came from a very soft free-kick where the Irishman appeared to dive. He then moved the ball back a yard or so to make the attempt a little bit easier. Stokes went on twitter to tell everyone that he'd seen the TV replays and he was pretty sure he was fouled - you'd think, being the player who was tackled, he'd know without seeing the replays? That said, given his connections in Ireland, I wouldn't want to argue with him...
L.
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