Kmcalpin

Just reading all the comments about Spittal's lack of pace and Biereth being isolated. They could have been written last week or even months ago. The 3-5-1-1 or more likely 5-3-1-1 formation suits neither Biereth nor Spittal.

With that set up it's no great surprise. However the 3 points are there for us if we want them badly enough. COYW

Yes, a perfect chance folks to get involved and ask questions.

As others have said, there's a balance to be struck. We should trust the Society and club Directors to take care of the day to day running of the club, and commercially sensitive issues, and not get involved. Strategic decisions are a different matter entirely. Since Alan Burrows' departure, communications have been poor. From what I hear there also have been more general issues since before he left. Currently the club is rudderless off the field. This isn't good enough for a fan owned club. Yes, some of that is down to the Society and probably the Club itself. Thats not in doubt. It ought to be more accountable to the rank and file members. However, there is another side to the issue. Members themselves need to do more to become involved. That might only mean submitting comments prior to Society Board meetings; it might mean attending AGMs either in person or remotely; it might also mean, heaven forbid, volunteering! Elected Board members or paid officials can't do it all on their own, nor should they. Its not good enough for us all to say "Its nought to do with me - try somebody else". The recent Society elections were an opportunity to change things. I would like to know what percentage of members voted in the recent elcetions. That will be interesting. There are some new Board members voted in and they have my support. I hope they can encourage change. There are also some hard working and able existing Board members lets not forget. Its all very well for us to come on here and have a good grouse but we have to get more involved, even if only in a minor way.

Agreed. If they part company with him then it's really too late to bring in a new manager and let him bring in some new signings of his own.

Agreed. What if we lose the next 3 which isn't unlikely, and then draw with Livingston?

Oh dear not what was intended presumably!

Agree with that. Long aimless balls over the top haven't been successful and don't bring out the best in him.

Biereth would still be as isolated in that format as he was on Saturday. Spittal does not have the pace for that role. Biereth needs another striker to link up with him.

It was interesting yesterday that there was a tackle on Bair not dissimilar to the one for which Paton was red carded against Dundee. He just won the race to the ball and the St Johnstone defender caught him high and momentarily late - no malice intended. The referee waved play on - no foul. Maybe the difference was that Bair didn't roll about on the ground.

Yes, he can play wide, successfully, but only when we're dominant. If we're breaking out of defence, Biereth is often left isolated with no support from Bair/Obika/whoever. That needs to change.

Agreed Allan, so long as they play together and Bair plays as a striker.

From an objective point of view, a draw was the right result yesterday. for St Johnstone it was a must not lose game and they didn't. They came for a point and were patient in waiting for the inevitable chance via Kelly but they wouldn't have been fussy as a goals a goal irrespective of who gives them it. They played as we knew they would. Dull, reliable, solid, well organised, hard working, streetwise, and physical. In contrast we did look a bit more solid but did not seem to have any gameplan as to how to attack. I thought Gent played very well and gave us something new on the left. Davor was fine, although a little lightweight. Why haven't these 2 lads been starting? Up front though Biereth was all too often on his own. Obika didn't link up with him and was played too deep. Although he scored a cracking goal, SK is simply not getting the best out of Biereth. He has much more to offer. A must win game for us and we fell short....again. The referee was poor. He was weak and inconsistent and allowed Saints to run rings round him. Again timekeeping was inexplicable. In short a limp conclusion to a winnable run of important games. We are just papering over the cracks with late equalising goals

The club is rudderless just now and we are crying out for clear leadership. I suspect however, that things have not been right behind the scenes for a year or two though.

I agree about Kelly. What would be the right time though? 3 very tough games coming up. No slight on him if we lose all three. That then only leaves the crunch game with Livingston. If we part company after that, you're looking at a new manager late in the January window. Too late to do his own thing. Can we trust SK to bring in more of his own choices next month given his summer acquisitions.

No problem. I stand corrected but 2 points from 9 is still unacceptable

A change of manager pdq. I like SK and he's articulate but our results speak for themselves. We're far from being down and out and there's plenty of time to change things but the current run is relegation form. There's little sign he can turn things around.

We have the bones of a good squad. They're not rubbish as a few have suggested, but SK is not getting the best out of them.

That's it for me. Today simply papers over the cracks. That's 1 point from the last 3 winnable games. We should have been aiming for 7. Relegation form in anyone's book. Queens Park who are on a similarly poor run fired their manager today. It's now over to the directors. A crunch game coming on the 30th and the window opening soon. Time to act

We reckoned 6 or 7 minutes but we're not Celtic.

If we lose tomorrow and the Board doesn't pull the trigger then the heat will be firmly on it.

Paton is suspended for tomorrow.

Agreed. Within reason, most fans couldn't care less who the manager is, so long as the team is doing well on the pitch i.e. getting results. Most businesses de facto do take into account the views of their paying customers if the products they're selling are poor; they stop buying them, and sales plummet.

Some merit in that David, but a business or organisation that ignores the views of its paying customers or fans, especially a large number of unhappy ones, is asking for trouble.

Didn't notice that but did pick up that for a fair chunk of his interview, he didn't look at the camera. He did look uncomfortable.