Interesting crowds are showing a steady rise now, especially considering this season is us a tier lower and without the away crowds of Dundee/United/Aberdeen/Hearts/Hibs? Wonder if its the free u12s scheme taking hold eventually?

Wouldve assumed, and think we were maybe preparing for, Thistle to play 3-5-2 with Watt and Samuel up front Hes missed 2 games, i think, and both times theyve gone 4-3-3ish with Chalmers/Fitzpatrick wide Not sure what they do with no O'Reilly, Smyth, Chalmers, or Watt, maybe Fitzpatrick up front?

Charts so far this season, 300+ minutes. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Was intrigued to see how this came out purely because i wanted to see where McPake ended up Used "received passes", which doesnt include from crosses, converted it to "per90" then worked out what % each player was from the team total every game Teams making us go through Baird?

Is Kai the guy? A brief look at why Fotheringham has likely been targeted medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Stumbled upon this again tonight so updated it. A win tomorrow puts Valakari level with Connolly (?!) in terms of win %. Manage to win the next 2 and he goes above Lomas Top 3 remain the "gold standard" for St Johnstone managers though, and thats the levels we need to him to hit

Put long passes in to help show the difference in styles. Both approach the game differently. Abroath happier to sit off opponents and catch them out by going more direct (20 % of their passes "long")? but very effective at doing so and getting good chances. Dangerous team.

Think County done a decent job man marking our midfield on Friday, which made the performance look like a struggle for spells. Not sure on figures yet but felt more balls up the channels to Sidibeh than previous weeks too. His work rate so important. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

xG on Sat of 3.03, think its the highest since a 3-0 over Motherwell in 20/21 (3.1 including a penalty). Avoiding penalties takes you back to a 3-2 over Hamilton in 19/20 (3.1) Last season averaged 24 "build up" attacks, 28% ending in a shot. Sat saw 35 with 34% ending in a shot

Quick look while i have time at the "fluid" nature of Gullan/Mallan in our set up and how it gives me hope that we can cause problems for any side in the division medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Thread of our signings so far: Jack Baird - Strong, old fashioned, CB who we hope should dominate our own box, but may struggle with the possession side of things? Morgan Boyes - Similar to Baird in a lot of ways but likely weaker in the air. Can play CB in a 3 or 4.

2 more rumoured. Unsure of Boyes, not a great defender and okay in possession. Might be more back up CB/LB like Douglas was meant to be. Experienced at this level + entering peak years though Gullan I like. Hard working and gets goals Valakari can improve both and I think Gullan could surprise

First signing of the Summer, Jack Baird from Morton. Tops the Championship in terms of headers won in his own box, winning 71.1% of them. In terms of players with 1000+ minutes, he sits 3rd for shots blocked too. Feels like a "proper" defender?

Strikers to finish. Hard to know where to aim or what type to get until we know if any of Kirk/Sidibeh/Ikpeazu are leaving or if all are staying. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

CMs now. Think Holt/Svedberg/Griffith/Franczak is a strong base to build around even more so if Sprangler extends his stay. Can add any type of profile to the group and also be better off though. Maybe 1 experienced one, and one project, best? medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Wingers now. With a chance that Steven, McPake, Wright, and Franczak, are all signed up, this might not be desperate, but i think we need proven quality signed up for a title challenge. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

CBs now. Mikulic should be good, but a lot hinges on whether Balodis stays or goes. Maybe fine for starting CBs if he stays, maybe need one if he goes. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Right backs next. Think Franczak, and hopefully Wright, reduce the need for numbers here, but a more physical natural RB is needed? medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Left backs up next, since we potentially have none for next season medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Going to attempt to do one of these for each position (or group) this Summer. Should really do these earlier but wanted to wait until next seasons division was clearer. Goalkeeper most important so goalkeeper up first. Transfermarkt expiry dates used. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

Tonight marked the end of a journey that started over 20 years ago, when on the 15th of April 2005, Owen Coyle took charge of a club who'd just finished 8th in the second tier, just 7pts above relegation. First few years laid foundations which the later success was built on.

The journey is over, officially Manager and players needed to have a good night and they let themselves down. Something they've done far too often Post mortem can start from now, I guess No blame needs flung at anyone but ourselves, ever refs and VAR, this is self inflicted

Still not sure what to think of Watt but clear he helps control the midfield better than anyone else. Be fine if him and Holt are preferred in midfield until whatever end now.

County now our only hope of someone to catch.' Frustration for me is we should've been closer to them, if not higher, but just consistently shoot ourselves in the feet, although they're crashing hard. Both sides deservedly bottom two based on their attack as much as anything.

Lowest points tally at this stage since promotion, as far as i can tell Ross County join us below the 40pt line, remaining game against them so important. Their form has absolutely plummeted and they're on a 5 game losing run, picking up just 3pts since we beat them 2 months ago

Feels like we're back in a situation where the midfield just leaves acres of space/runners constantly, and it just causes huge panic? Tommy Wright would bring in a Liam Craig or Murray Davidson to sort this. Valakari doesn't have that. medium.com/@StAnalysis/...

New St Johnstone badge, since I don't think the club are on here officially yet? More I look at it, more I like it.

Maybe just a 5 horse race now? Hearts seem unlikely to get dragged in to me. Motherwell have the advantage of already having the points in the bag, but performance wise look woeful. Killie better than their position? Our attacking play collapsed again.

Reminiscing great when your team is struggling, so why not go back to our last season in the second tier when a return there feels inevitable? FM09 it is, and heres the squad. Unreal depth in midfield and attack, with Andy Jackson a real wonderkid.

52 minutes of a must win match and, by far, the most passed to player is the goalkeeper. An oddity of football that Carey completes 0 passes in open play last week but sets up the winner, but can't create a goal this week with 36 passes. Right side offered little.

Couldn't understand why these kept breaking when making them, but seems Carey didnt complete any open play passes? Sets up the winner so who gives a fuck, just a weird quirk I'd never have guessed This team just doesn't quit. Split usually a game of bottle and this lot have lots

Be interested to watch the game back and see how it looked tactically. Felt like 4-4-2 at the game, with the usual one striker always on McGregor. Didn't notice it first half but in second Carey, then Sprangler, were always following Taylor too. Holt/Griffith with a huge shift.

Dundee and Ross County feel like they've simply picked up more points during their high points than us, and thats the main difference. We've been slipping, performance wise, since the win over County and not declining again just before the split. All but us on course for 40+ pts

Never been a fan of the "passes too much" criticisms of Valakari, but yesterday was hard to watch and think any differently. Aimless passing between CBs then a lack of ideas in the final third. Hibs press good but we were so woeful playing from the back it didnt need to be.

Seemed okay early on but didnt really seem an actual plan to get the striker chances. Assumed it would come but the approach never really changed despite how the game was going. Strikers dont stand a chance of looking good in this team. Not sure why Ferguson didnt start.

Some more players now creep above the 600 minute limit. Sanders still too highly rated but stuck with that one. Fisher a clear upgrade on previous keepers but harsh on Mikulic? Curtis good but still room to improve further? Nicky Clark maybe deserves another chance?

Table this calender year so far.

Strikers just not involved in the slightest, really. Kimpioka completing more passes in 18 minutes than Sidibeh managed in 72 wasn't what i expected. Need one of the front three to create something and just now it won't be Sidibeh or Kirk so a huge weight on the other.

That's Dundee, Livi, and today, where things have felt "flat" to me. Not sure what it is but just a spark missing that we probably need to get ~10pts in the next 8 games. Getting good at earning points but just scored 2 goals in a game once in last 3 months. Margins too tight.

Possession stuff now solid? Defensive play getting better and suspect goals conceded with Fisher in goals looks a lot better? Just attack to solve now. Knoester the CB to press? Morris/Okkels/Keskinen/Gueye the runners? Aberdeen use the wings a lot? Beware the big switch.

Valakari leaps above Davidson, Clark, and Levein, by win% after tonight. Turn some losses into draws and keep the defensive record since January and things can look rosy.

Its not really been a great season for anyone. Hearts resurgence peaking while Hibs are maybe due to falter. Dundee + Motherwell remain the sides to chase while, underlying numbers wise, we're rising again. Still a slither of hope but we need results more than performances now.

Starting to flatline a bit again, even 2 wins in our next 2 games doesnt put us back on track. Its harsh but theres no room for a single slip up now. Dundee also falling away but their win at McDiarmid looks a bigger result every passing week. Slow start to the window so costly.

Just a Gordon wondersave away from a point, in some respects, but do think the starting line up was wrong. Duke-McKenna simply has to play as much as possible and think Watt has played himself out the side too. Middle of the park lacks aggression.

Interesting to see this confirmed by a player. Did feel like a few got caught out by the speed of play against Kilmarnock and it cost us, but it might have been a necessary loss to learn from and maybe good it came before this week. See what lessons were learned today.

A disjointed performance probably not a surprise. Think 4 players made thier league debut today? Manager still clearly working out who can do what/who works best with who, and Kilmarnock played so well we couldn't get away with it. Needed more from Watt.

Biggest test so far for the new players with an unbelievable press from Kilmarnock and many, if not most, failed. No time to feel sorry for themselves, there's still enough games left where this could be a reality check and lesson they learn from. Things have to be quicker.

Amazing how controlling the game also turns luck in your favour. Maybe just coincidence but feels like the more we keep the ball/dominate, the more balls drop in our favour and/or deflections go our way.

Scottish Cup remains a special thing for St Johnstone, this the season I'll remember forever. youtu.be/UGAms_mCXzA?...