TFOD 4 Saintee 0 League Table
Here
Team :: Main,McQuillan,Il
Biscotti,Dods,Griffin,Kane,Scott,O'Neil, Legend,O'Halloran,Simao
Subs :: Whiteford,Ferguson,Nathan the Ginger
One,Bollan,McMahon
No doubt like the wonderful performance of Sturrocks Chosen Ones today this report will start out enthusiastic. If however, after 2/3rds of time I cant be arsed describing anything else and just while away the remainder don't be surprised. I mean if the lazy-arsed gits that were on the park today cant be bothered why the hell should the support.
Everything started nicely - new signing Miguel Simao (the Portuguese winger from Thursdays closed-doors match) signed this morning and made his debut in the friendly family atmosphere of Hells Pasture. Legend was left in the team whilst Paddy and Dasovic both failed to make the side, although Gerry McMahon recovered from his hamstring strain to make the bench.
TFOD has us under the cosh right from the start. Make no bones about it, we chose to defend on the 18-yard line and with most of the time spent making panicky clearances and a non-existent midfield and painfully slow forward line it was always looking desperate for Saints. Kanchelskis, Wallace and Amato all had early chances whilst McQuillan did his usual and constantly drifted into the middle allowing Jorg the Hun Hun a free run down the right wing. Christ we even made the Scotland U-21 'star' Barry 'Token Scot' Ferguson look good.
Whilst Dods and Danny looked reasonably solid in the centre there was far too much pressure being put on them and despite and attempt to play the offside trap in 26 minutes, Kanchelskis got behind them onto a Ferguson high ball and lobbed Main to make it 1-0. That might not have been so bad but for the fact that they'd tried an identical move 3 or 4 times prior in the match. Things got worse on the stroke of half-time when van Bronckhurst volleyed home a 20-yarder. No one could have stopped the shot but it was sloppy play by Kane in midfield that gave the ball away.
There were no real attacks by Saints for most of the first half. Roddy was well-marked by Amoruso and the wingers didnt get much of a chance to push forward. O'Neil and Kane looked just plain shite and totally uninterested whilst Phizzy tried to do everything himself. The new signing Simao on the left wing looked like an out and out winger but showed some pace and an excellent first touch. Still the jury will remain out on this one.
Second-half started a bit better for Saints with Legend coming close with a low shot and a header. However it has to be said that even 2 or 3 years ago the chances would have been buried and though it pains me to say it Roddy shouldn't be playing in these big matches where we will only get a few sniffs of goal. Of course the token Saints attack wouldnt last and despite TFOD giving the impression they were now treating the match as a training exercise they still managed to go 3 up on the hour when Rod Wallace broke through the middle - if Saints intend to play the offside trap then they've got to develop more understanding in defence.
El Luggino took off Simao, OHalloran and Preston to be replaced with Lowndes, McMahon and Bollan. And in my opinion Lowndes looks like an excellent signing - definitely in the O'Halloran mould and willing to get stuck into the attack. He came close with a header and caused a lot of problems. McMahon and Bollan had little effect though.
With time running out (like TFOD fans through the door), referee Dallas (who didnt have that bad a game) followed the tradition of giving the Huns a penalty after it appeared that Dods looked at one of TFOD the wrong way. Jorg the Hun Hun made it 4-0.
There were bookings for Dods and Kane but it wasnt that dirty a game. However there are several players that need to take a good look in the mirror - Kane O'Neil and Roddy were to put it mildly shite. I can take a lack of ability against TFOD but I dont like to see the lack of effort that was on show today. Thats the crap that got us relegated last time.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Points |
| Rangers | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 9 |
| Celtic | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Hearts | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Aberdeen | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Kilmarnock | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Motherwell | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Dunfermline | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Saints | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Dundee Utd | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Dundee | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Remember to vote on todays ref Hugh Dallas (Motherwell) - send marks out of 10 to refvote@grange.demon.co.uk