KEEP DEE AT THE BOTTOM
Foster targets a quick start as Saints head for Dens Park
Foster wants away fans to be celebrating St Johnstone’s Blair Alston is facing another two weeks on the sidelines.
The midfielder is struggling to shake off a thigh injury picked up before the international break.
Manager Tommy Wright confirmed: “Blair is struggling a bit because it’s not healing as we expected and he’s had to go for another scan.
“With the type of injury it is it needs to be 100% before he can come back but right now he’s only able to get to 95%.
“The scan showed he’s going to be out for another couple of weeks at least which is unfortunate because he’s been working hard and is desperate to get back.
“It’s right at the top of his thigh, it was a dead leg and they either clear up quickly or in Blair’s case you are unlucky and it takes a while.”
While Alston is out, striker Denny Johnstone is pushing for a start against Tayside rivals Dundee this weekend. St Johnstone defender Richard Foster is planning to pile more misery on winless Dundee when the teams clash this weekend.
The Perth team bus makes the short journey along the A90 for a Tayside derby against a Dens Park side who sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership pile.
Full-back Foster is determined to send the travelling support home with a smile and make sure that Neil McCann’s men continue to search for a first victory of the season.
“We’ve had a tough time of it at Dens recently but we’ll be looking to take advantage of Dundee’s slow start” Foster said. “We know what to expect. They are very good
Wright said:“Denny has been doing very well so he’s giving me something to think about.
“I brought him here to play, not sit on the bench, so he’s knocking on the door.
“He has been a bit unfortunate because we have been doing well with the formation we have been playing but it’s something we’re always looking at.”
Dundee currently sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership and are yet to pick up a league win this season.
Wright added:“Dundee’s two centre backs have done very well but Darren O’Dea is fit again so Neil will have a decision to make there.
“But all we will focus on is ourselves and preparing our team for the game.
“Murray Davidson is back in light training, he’s over his illness, but we will have to assess him in the build up to the game.” going forward with a lot of attacking players.
“They always make it tough for you, especially away from home. We are under no illusions with how difficult this game will be.
“We feel we are good enough to win the game. If that means we pile on the pressure and misery for them then so be it. We’re looking after ourselves.
“They have had a slow start and it’s been difficult so we’re hoping if we get on top early, then maybe their heads will go down.
“We will be looking to put them under a lot more pressure.
“I know what it is like to be in a team who are struggling.
“If a team comes at you, keeps applying pressure and score early then it’s easy for your head to go down.
“That is what we want to do to them. They are in a sticky spot at the moment, and we’re hoping to make it even worse for them come Saturday night.”
While Saints remain unbeaten in the Premiership, Foster is aware that the performance needs to step up a notch from the club’s most recent appearance at Dens - a 3-0 defeat - and last week’s draw with Hibernian.
Foster said: “We’ve had a good start but we know that there are no easy games. This league is very competitive this year.
“The Hibernian game was a strange one and it was like someone flicked a switch. We started well, but let’s not forget, Hibs are a good side.
“They brought on our player of the year last year which shows their
strength in depth.
“To not play well and still get a point shows how far we have come.
“Hopefully we can be better on the ball this weekend but have the same determined defence with the blocks, tackles and headers. If we add the attacking ability then we will have a right good chance.
“We feed off each other and ultimately we all want to win as many games as possible. You are doing your own bit towards the team and it shows on the pitch that we fight for each other.
“If one guy makes a mistake there is always someone else there to bail him out.
“That has been a reason for the success at St Johnstone.
“The one thing we have is teamwork.”
Foster added: “It was a strange game at Dens last season and they scored a couple of first half goals.
“We tried and tried but it was one of those days where the final pass was a little off. We never posed much of a challenge.”