We’re right here once more. Again at the moment of 12 months when managers and gamers carry out the large e-book of cliches as they put together for the ultimate knockings of the soccer season.
Everyone seems to be taking issues one week at time. No one is getting forward of themselves. It’s at all times the identical.
For St Johnstone? Effectively, they’re now in every-game’s-a-cup-final territory. It’s only a disgrace that they don’t have an precise cup ultimate to stay up for — Celtic noticed to that in fairly brutal style final Sunday — as, in all chance, it’s going to be a grim few weeks for everybody related with the Perth aspect.
They’re staring down the barrel of relegation from the Premiership for the primary time in over 20 years. It’s a tragic state of affairs for a membership which has introduced a lot to the highest tier, however it will take a courageous soul to foretell something apart from Championship soccer being the staple food regimen at McDiarmid Park come August.
But, regardless of their deficiencies — and there are many them — confidence has by no means been a lot of a difficulty. In reality, perception hasn’t wavered throughout the squad since Simo Valakari first walked via the door in early October.
And it’s in all probability a giant consider why their destiny has not already been sealed.
St Johnstone supervisor Simo Valakari maintains perception that his aspect can keep away from relegation
Callum McGregor received on the scoresheet as Celtic hit 5 in opposition to the Saints at Hampden
McDiarmid Park might quickly see the return of second-tier soccer for the primary time since 2009
It can due to this fact be fascinating to see if final week’s 5-0 skelping by the hands of Brendan Rodgers’ Treble-chasers can have any knock-on impact on the gamers as they take to the sector in opposition to Motherwell this afternoon.
Twenty league defeats from 33 outings is a dismal document. However, beneath Valakari, there haven’t been too many events when his group have been uncompetitive.
Celtic hit 4 with out reply in December, whereas Hibernian made gentle work of issues at Easter Highway on the tail finish of final month. Apart from these meek shows, St Johnstone have been in virtually each different contest.
However, because the desk reveals, when the group are capturing themselves within the foot each different week at one finish and failing to take probabilities on the different — Makenzie Kirk is prime scorer with seven — issues are destined to finish in catastrophe.
All of the discuss popping out of the membership within the build-up to the journey to Fir Park has been bullish, as you’ll count on. Valakari insists there can be no Hampden hangover, and that the gamers stay assured of pulling off a minor miracle.
Something apart from three factors at the moment may simply be sufficient to lastly burst their bubble.
Floor tensions between relegation rivals
Since getting the higher of Kilmarnock on the primary weekend of March, Ross County have fallen off a cliff. 4 video games, 4 defeats.
The best way issues are going, supervisor Don Cowie can’t afford to have a go at his gamers. No level in kicking them whereas they’re down, is there? So he may as effectively chuck some jibes within the course of this week’s opponents then. See what sticks.
Kilmarnock supervisor Derek McInnes has hit again at criticism over the Rugby Park floor
Many visiting groups have struggled to familiarize yourself with the plastic pitch lately
Cowie’s evaluation of Killie’s much-maligned plastic pitch within the build-up to at the moment’s journey to Rugby Park was lower than complimentary. Evidently, he’s not a fan.
He pointed to Kilmarnock’s dwelling document as proof of its damaging influence on its guests each different week. And whereas that idea would have stood as much as scrutiny final season when it offered the bedrock to their push for European soccer, it hasn’t supplied a lot in the way in which of a bonus this time round.
County received on it in January. Certainly, they’ve come out on prime in all three video games in opposition to Derek McInnes’ males this season.
Cowie’s reverse quantity was by no means going to let the criticism slide, describing the floor up in Dingwall as ‘terrible’ on their final go to to the Highlands. Photographs fired.
Provided that each side discover themselves perilously near the dreaded relegation play-off spot, this was a fixture that didn’t require any additional needle to assist ramp up the strain. But it surely’s a welcome addition however.
Robson going beneath the radar at Raith
In Scott Brown and Neil Lennon, the Championship managerial roster boasts two of Scottish soccer’s most embellished and most talked-about characters.
Ayr United and Dunfermline — and the league as a complete for that matter — ought to contemplate themselves fortunate to have them.
But it surely shouldn’t be forgotten that there’s one other former Celtic midfielder standing within the dugout this 12 months, and what a job he’s doing.
Barry Robson has guided Raith Rovers to the brink of the play-offs with two video games remaining
When Barry Robson took over at Raith Rovers in late December, the membership have been eight factors off the play-offs and missing any sense of course following the shock departure of Neill Collins.
It wasn’t an ideal begin by any stretch, struggling three league defeats on the bounce. However, slowly however absolutely, Robson has steadied the ship.
Final week’s dramatic late win over league leaders Falkirk prolonged Raith’s unbeaten league run to eight and has moved them inside touching distance of the play-offs.
They tackle Morton this afternoon in search of the win that may hold their unlikely promotion dream alive going into the ultimate day.
