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I think Kanga is progressing along fine and will just get better as the season goes on.

It's a good measure of how much they believed in their new approach. They have been on a similar poor run as us, but while Alfred and the coaching staff were very clear we were going to stick to our principles while tightening things up, St Mirren have very quickly reverted to their old style. I was surprised it took 86 minutes for Gogic to get booked.

Looking forward to seeing how we fare against an 11 man Dundee United and finding out if Goodwin really has become a convert to The Church of Jens. If he has, we might be able to get some joy up top. But will we be able to keep the door shut at the back? Could be an interesting game. Would shake hands on a draw right now. But back to back wins would be a pretty nice feeling going into the break.

Maybe Alfred needs to do a Jens and go without a recognised striker? Problem with that is he would have to give up going long, unless it is the ball over the top for Maswanhise to chase.

Vigurs was a talented footballer. His problem was the desire to be one. No hunger, no fight. When the going got tough, he went missing. But then, I guess thats why someone with his ability was with us in the first place and not playing at a higher level.

You raise an interesting point here. As fans we like to see players in their natural position but often that can be at the expense of having the best 11 football players on the pitch. I agree that you would wish ultimately to see the above mentioned players all play. The problem is how does it affect the balance of the team. A good problem to have after the injury woes of the last few months. I was a huge fan of Iain Vigurs when he was at Motherwell and on his day he was the best midfielder we had at the time ( in my opinion) but he sometimes did not complement the balance of the midfield on a particular day with Lasley etc in the team.

Tell me a team in the SPFL thats not shit. That why there is fuck all points difference between 70% of the teams.

A win obviously the aim but a draw wouldn't be too bad unless it was due to conceding another late goal. A win would put us 1pt behind utd. Hopefully yesterday has given lads confidence and would be great to get a positive result before 2 week break. COYW

agree - I do think we need to flex formation and that is something that we did well last year without compromising what we were about. From modified to attack Ideally I'd want to find a way for Fadinger, Priestman Hodge, Said, Lowry to all play - rather than have a front 3 as is that doesn't quite work. Thankfully I think we have some real quality in those 5 so hoping Alfred can figure it out - he seems a smart enough guy to do that.

A much better overall performance and a deserved win. However, let’s not pretend that was anything other than two shite teams, and we only won by a penalty. St Mirren were awful and offered absolutely nothing except cheating and thuggery. And the referee was even worse. Another concern is that MM and JGR don’t appear to communicate with each other at all. It’s a recurring feature across this team. The only time they actually spoke was when they appeared to be arguing as they walked down the tunnel at HT. What is the manager coaching them?!

Article this week asking if Utd have best midfield three in league at moment. Could be an interesting game especially if Oscar fit enough to start but we do seem to have options available to counteract and maybe some of the (more accurate) long balls will suit the game. definitely at least a draw.

Can we do it again? Another three points? Let’s lift up our Tammie’s tae Motherwell fc COYW

Phillips is an absolute wall puncher. I hope you caught the moment when there was a very mild scuffle (don't even think a foul was given) and phillips tried to thump the ball off one of our players... missed and instead hit and winded his own player who was lying on the ground 😂

I'd settle for a draw next weekend, with evidence of a more solid defence and an attack that can put the ball in the net from open play.

We played the long high ball a bit too much for my liking yesterday. I quite get the long ball over the top for Longelo and Maswhanise to run onto, even if it was poorly executed. However, SPH isn't cut to challenge hulking defenders in the air so that needs to stop. No problem though with mixing it up a wee bit from JBA's approach.

I thought Kanga had a decent second half. He struggled first half with the pace & physicality of the game, slipping a fair few times on a slick pitch. But he grew into the game and was one of the few constantly showing for a pass into midfield. He is young and inexperienced, but I think the raw materials are there.

Another good performance and a point next week at Tannadice, and we can go into the international break feeling good about ourselves. 3 points would be great, but no longer essential.

Pretty much the point I was trying to make. Playing Hodge alongside Priestman and Fadinger should, in theory, allow us to keep better control of the ball and hence the game. But Lowry is our most creative midfielder so you have to play him if fit. That leaves you an issue with formation as it doesnt fit a traditional 4-3-3. Bottom line is you need to get your best players playing in their best positions, so formation needs to be flexible right now. The caveat is that Im not sure Alfred is 100% sure on who his best players are yet.

Yes, cynical hod-carriers and a team lacking any creativity: they look far more like candidates for the drop than we do, yet they beat Aberdeen last time out. They too look vulnerable, as long as they keep Robinson. With Oscar back in CM we can only improve and if McGinn stays fit to bring some calm and organisation to the defence and Williams returns to LB to release Longelo into midfield, I'm sure we'll climb the table. Pity Thor didn't score with his weird header because I think that that would have done a lot for his confidence. He needs a run at CF imo because he seemed to rummle up the Fuddies' plough-boys nicely at the back after he came on, while Seb P-H simply didn't. He's still young though and might toughen up. The referee looked like a clone of Craig Thomson: a dreadful display from him which culminated in a ludicrous booking of Hodge (whom I thought looked good yesterday). He also amazingly ignored a kick on Maswanhise while he lay on the ground. SM stole yards at every opportunity and dived all afternoon and yet he was apparently oblivious to it all. And yet this guy gets the big games like OF ones regularly............ As Bugs B. used to say, "What a maroon!"

Agree totally, I was thinking Robinson was back in charge of them yesterday. Usual embarrassing antics. I didnt see any change of style from them

I was very disappointed in St Mirren yesterday. Apart from their footballing performance, I thought they were cynical and nasty. Streetwise or dark arts, however you describe their approach. It wasn't down to impetuous actions but rather an overall approach and their manager must take responsibility for that. A performance characterised by play acting and time wasting. Maybe I'm alone in this but I don't recognise their description in the media as a total footballing side. Some weeks ago I read Craig McLeish described as a disciple of JBA - really? The MSM needs to call them out on this but of course it won't. That brings me to the referee - Don Robertson. Arguably the poorest performance I've witnessed for a while. No major decisions to call apart from the penalty, in which has was assisted by VAR - we could even see the handball from the far end of the POD. A very weak and inconsistent display. St Mirren totally conned him and played him like a fiddle. Hodge's card and Maswhanise's "foul" were nothing short of incredible. Craig McLeish really ought to take his out of control hoodlums, Carr and Phillips, aside and give them the hairdryer treatment; but we all know why he won't. Both were carded yesterday and are 1st and 3rd in the SPFL's yellow card account. If all that seems harsh then just have a look at the SPFL's stats centre. St Mirren have the Premiership's highest foul count and highest yellow card count. Nuff said.

For midfield 3 - I'd be tempted to go with Oscar, Fadinger and Hodge Pushing Lowry into attack with Said. Leaving a debate of with who else Seb, JT, Hendry ,RCC, Kanga , Thor This could add a fair amount of strength in midfield and attack.

Pretty much my view although I thought we played some decent football at times. The important thing yesterday was the result and we achieved my target of 4 points out of 6, so credit to Alf for that. It was close run thing though as we had to rely on a VAR awarded penalty. Still, a clean sheet against a poor but very "streetwise" St Mirren side. We also achieved that victory without any good luck, so that was plus. I think McGhee has now staked a claim for a starting slot, be it in central defence or preferably at RB. Kanga should not have started and ought to have been subbed at HT. As one of our group commented, at this point he's an impact sub. SPH made little impact against St Mirren's leviathans and Thor rumbled them up more when he was brought on. He was unlucky with his diving header - a horrible cross to control. It was good to see the hard working Priestman, McGinn and Hendry return and again McGinn is a good option for RB or CB. We controlled much of the game and should have won it 5-1 or thereabouts. We were wasteful in attack and that could have proved costly as we all expected a St Mirren sucker punch to come at some point. Our central defence gives me the fear though and although Saints were toothless (in a footballing sense) their big lads made JGR and Moormann's life a bit uncomfortable at times. We badly need more physicality in the side. Longelo looked good until he picked up a knock. The midfield still doesn't look right as a unit, but I thought Said and Fadinger really did the business. Maswhanise looks to be getting back to his old self and put in a power of work. Our off the ball work, especially when not in possession, has regressed badly since last year. It lacked intensity, and ostensibly effort or organisation. Still, a wins a win and we draw a little away from the bottom.

This is exactly what we were saying. JGR and MM don’t have the confidence to play to Fadinger / Hodge in the centre or midfield is not offering in the same way McGinn/Welsh did with Watt Just/Faddy did last year. Last year the ball would have gone to Watt to start the build or create the space. with Oscar back we hopefully see a bit more of that as it subtly shifts the space available for those in front of it’s a real shame that neither P-H or JT could convert the move in first half as it was as well worked as anything last year.