Kmcalpin

I agree overall, but the jury is still out on Moses, for me. You may be right, but its too early to form a definitive conclusion. I'd maybe retain SOD, as experienced back up. McGinn was a steadying influence for much of the season but his form tailed off. At 33 going on 34, his legs won't be a strong as they were this season and he's not going to be of the same standard. .

Thats it for me. Historically, a slightly worse season than normal, but there are mitigating factors. SK has credit in the bank for turning it around after Stevie Hammell left us in a mess. He also cleared a lot of deadwood, with which he was left. A bad crop of injuried didn't help. But, the manager now needs to up his game considerably in terms of tactical nous. No more overthinking please. We also need a good summer in the transfer market - that will be a massive factor in how we do next term.

They did indeed, but the team itself was chopped and changed unnecessarily from the off. I expected a settled familiar line up to start, with the young lads being introduced gradually late on to a recognised set up. That didn't happen. They were asked to fit in with a disorganised and ineffective hotch potch of a formation.

Pretty much the result I expected, but not achieved in the way I envisaged it. I’m not overly fussed that the players hit the beach, but I was deeply concerned that our manager appeared to. That sent out the wrong message beforehand to the players. St Johnstone were always going to be up for it and fortune certainly favoured the brave in their case. The game itself was a cameo of our season; losing cheap first goals; defensive calamities; throwing on 500 strikers willy nilly late on. We took 3 points out of a possible 12 against St Johnstone this season. Let that sink in. What concerned me most was the manager’s team selection and tactics. Going by the personnel he selected, it looked like a very ambitious attacking team, but the formation seemed to contradict that as it appeared to be very defensive. In other words, square pegs in round holes. I thought at first it was a back four but then seemed to revert to a back 3 with Nicholson playing wing back, as Melvin Bragg suggests. Nicholson was played out of position as was Paton and that made them look ineffective. Up front Bair was all too often left stranded and isolated. Our confused defensive formation was definitely a factor in St Johnstone’ s first goal. All so avoidable. The subs too baffled me. I simply don’t understand Vale playing in a deep midfield role and SK is was not getting the best out of him there. I didn’t get the need to hook Lennon Miller nor bring on Callum Butcher. Just downright confusing. Clearly the players didn’t fully understand the set up either. Like others, I would have understood if he’d stuck with our normal set up but maybe brought in a player or two who is staying or perhaps giving the likes of Luca Ross or Dylan Wells 10/15/20 minutes in the second half. By unnecessarily tinkering with the line up and tactics today and overthinking, he set the tone for the players not performing at their best. All these issues are part of much deeper concern for me. They indicate that SK is not learning from his mistakes. That does not bode well for next season. Overall he’s done quite well this season given the constraints he’s had to work under like budget limitations; injuries; and having to work with another manager’s players, deadwood and all. He’s kept us in the Premiership finishing in 9th spot. He has a huge summer ahead in terms of team building. If he continues to make the same mistakes, the fans will not be so forgiving next term.

I would re-sign one but not both. We will require experience in the team. SOD is a few years younger than McGinn. The latter has been a steadying influence in defence but has tailed off, of late. He'll be 34 this year.

Maybe Casey and Devine were also unfit. But why were all 3 on the bench? It's the only rational explanation, in part, for SK's apparent pre match brainstorm.

Sorry we fell well short. Given where we were months ago, 9th spot was fine. We deserved to finish 9th and not 10th or 8th.

A null vote from me.

£60k cheque on its way from Perth tonight.

Absolutely. To me it's a mixture of talent, achievement and service to the club.

I've done a lot of thinking over the past 24 hours and revised my preference a little. I agree with your take Minty. The danger is, if we don't compete financially, then we drop down the leagues and lose fans. Make no mistake, if we couldn't compete financially with the likes of St Mirren and St Johnstone today, then we wouldn't be able to compete financially with the likes of Dunfermline, Partick and Falkirk tomorrow. And so it would go on. Such teams will be looking to new investment opportunities sooner rather than later. Whatever else it does, the Society needs to become more commercially astute and aware. I don't subscribe to the "Bowling Club" mentality that some fans have of the Society, but there's a grain of truth in their concerns.

Probably one from Hughie Ferguson, George Stevenson and Bobby Ferrier.

I'll make a controversial and outrageous prediction....................we won't keep a clean sheet.

According to a post/rumour on P &B SOD has been offered a 2 year deal and Butcher will be leaving.

Other things being equal, which they aren't, I"d prefer the Society to devise its own investment plan. However, its going to have to come up with the goods. That's the bottom line.

A very good summing up Sinjy.

Andy Halliday is a doubt for the game. Is it just me or does he always seem to have injury/fitness problems? Would a good pre season solve them at all?

Everything has gone very quiet hasn't it. Possibly down to the non disclosure agreement. Any further word of the Well Society proposal?

According to Graeme McGarry, writing in the Herald, Liam Kelly is definitely offski. Its worth signing up to his weekly email.

Ewan Wilson?

Conflicting issues here. For us there's nothing at stake, bar professional pride and finishing the season on a high for the fans. Maybe give some youngsters a bit of gametime? Against that there's a need to stay competitive and fulfil the fixture properly, with sporting integrity. SK and SF will know individual players' frame of mind and yes there's the issue of not picking those who are moving on. For my part I hope we go out to win the game, starting with our strongest line up. .

I'd bring back Davor and Paton, in some formation, for this one as we're going to need bite, energy and aggression in midfield. Qualities that were sadly lacking last night. They might not be the best team in the league but the farmers will be up for this one. We must match that spirit.

SK said tonight, in his post match comments, that we were not aggressive enough off the ball. Thats been our problem all season long - giving opponents too much time and space on the ball.

Whatever his strengths, SK has been unable to fortify our defence and defensive midfield this season. Hopefully this will be addressed over the summer, but given his track record in this regard we simply cannot afford any "projects". Within budget contraints, we need to bring in solid reliable defenders and a solid defensive midfielder.

A draw is no use to St Johnstone.