Saints are at risk of being left behind
But St Mirren haven’t exactly made things easy on themselves.
Whatever way you look at it, whatever accusation you want to level, for better or for worse, so far it’s not so good for a side that – on current viewing – are a shadow of the one that lifted the Championship title just three months ago.
How is it that the fortunes of Saints, a side representing a town so buoyed by last season’s success that a top-six spot actually seemed a sure thing as Jack Ross leaving, should now find themselves so down in the dumps you’d think that relegation was already confirmed?
How is it that, for so many, everything just feels so wrong?
Saturday’s surrender to Livingston opened the eyes of some.
A scan at the Sunday papers would have brought ‘Nam like flashbacks for those that braved the 90 minutes of what was nothing more than a non-event.
St Mirren’s failings were painfully evident.
Nothing up top, a fragility at the back, a starting midfield of four central midfielders, which unsurprisingly was lacking in width.
Livingston bossed it. There can be no complaints there.
Crisis club? What crisis club? Livingston were anything but.
It might be early in the season – after all it is only three-weeks old in terms of the league. However, already St Mirren are being punished in the same manner, week in, week out.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what St Mirren need. Adam Eckersley’s injuries mean that Saints do not have a natural left back.
Hayden Coulson does his job, but it is clear he is more comfortable playing higher up the pitch.
Injuries to Josh Heaton and more importantly Gary MacKenzie have also left St Mirren scarily lacking in the middle of the backline. Even with those two fit, arguably Saints need to strengthen further.
Lewis Morgan’s departure was always going to cause problems, and although Myles Hippolyte was never the answer, he has yet to be replaced.
One shining light to come out of the poor start is perhaps Danny Mullen – but even his confidence seemed drained in the Livi game.
Recruitment has been an issue, and Alan Stubbs has admitted that it has proven to be a “frustrating” window.
But as the transfer window closes at midnight tonight, it could be debated just how much or how little, the squad has been strengthened when stacked up against that of its predecessor.
Things don’t get any easier this weekend with a trip to Tynecastle to take on the unbeaten league leaders.
But it cannot be underestimated how important it is for St Mirren to get out of this rut before it has even begun.
Three defeats on the bounce don’t tell the whole story, and after all
St Mirren’s attacking woes are all the more galling when you continue to see former Buddies hammering home the goals.
Lawrence Shankland is on fire for Ayr United and looks the opposite of the Shankland that struggled to make his mark in Paisley.
It just goes to show that there is life after the Buddies, they have came against Rangers, Aberdeen and Livingston, two out of the three you would have perhaps predicted Saints to lose.
However, losing can’t become a habit and a rot can’t be allowed to set in.
St Mirren won’t be judged on trips to Ibrox, Pittodrie and Tynecastle in the long run, but for what it is worth, they need to pick up something, somewhere, sooner rather than later.
with his relatively young career seemingly stalling after his second loan spell.
He struggled that much that Jack Ross decided to cut his loan deal in order to bring Cammy Smith on board.
That decision obviously paid dividends but Shankland has gone on to prove a lot of doubters wrong. Striker wanted: Contact St Mirren for further details.
Saints pursuit of Kenny Miller came to an end this week as the experienced forward elected to join Dundee.
As things stand, that leaves St Mirren with just three strikers heading into the next four months, with only Danny Mullen, Nicolai Brock-Madsen and Cody Cooke to rely upon.
Miller, although never going to be a fans’favourite even if he had signed, would have solved a number of those problems.
No goals in the last three games tells its own story with the Buddies’blunt forwardline failing to make it’s mark.
With only a few hours to get a deal over the line prior to the window closing, you have got to assume that a striker is top of Alan Stubbs’ hit list.