There’s no need to hit the panic button
The doubters were handed a healthy spoonful of fuel for the fire this week, weren’t they?
It’s pretty clear to everyone watching the Saints over the last seven days that there is much work to be done.
The glorious drive for salvation last season seems like a distant memory after a crushing defeat at Morton was followed by a dismal win over East Kilbride in midweek.
Nearly 2,000 Buddies visited Cappielow on Saturday to support their team and were served up a display reminiscent of the darkest days under Alex Rae at their worst.
Losing 4-1 against your biggest rivals is bad enough, but to do it in the manner that they did leaves more than a few question marks for that vociferous travelling band of Paisley’s finest.
Fast forward three days and things weren’t much better.
Boss Jack Ross made six changes to the side that lost the Renfrewshire derby – understandable on two counts.
Firstly, the Morton display was not good enough – so this was the perfect chance to give some fringe players the opportunity to prove they deserve their chance.
And secondly, they were up against a team in Kilby, who, with all due respect, should have been thinking about how many they were likely to have to pick out of their net by the end of the night. But it didn’t quite work out that way. In fairness to Ross, he has accepted his side’s defensive weaknesses of late and has vowed to put them right – but the players must start taking responsibility for those problems.
In the season past, talking a good game was about all St Mirren were good at.
Week after week we would hear how they were working hard to put things right only to go out and sink to another defeat.
Now, we are nowhere near that level yet. Not by a long shot.
The case for the defence needs some work but going forward St Mirren are not far away.
Even during the Morton game it was clear that the Saints had enough to compete all over the pitch, and most observers would agree that they probably got the better of the early exchanges.
Two penalties and a sending-off put paid to that however.
Saints fans aren’t hitting the panic button yet. And with one good reason – Jack Ross.
Under previous stewardship the black and white army might have already pushed the big red button marked “not again” but things are different. Ross has a plan, that much is clear. It seems a novelty for Saints to have a manager who is not looking beyond the next match – but that is exactly what Ross is doing.
He is trying to build a team and ethos, and that takes time.
The boo boys have had the odd run out this season but, in general, there is an acceptance that fans need a level of patience with this team, and that through hard work and diligence things will come good again.
There are plenty of fresh faces at the club, and many are still bedding in. It takes time.
Tomorrow’s game is a big one – they all are.
Livingston have already dished out a 1-0 defeat to the Saints this season – a display that is probably best skimmed over. It’s a chance to put that right.
But remember, it’s not just tomorrow’s result that matters. Keep an eye on the horizon too. That’s where it really matters, and that’s where Jack Ross has fixed his gaze.