Patience must be Saints’virtue Wright’s set for another crack at Celtic
Patience could hold the key to success as St Johnstone attempt to pile more Premiership pressure on Celtic.
That was the message from Perth boss Tommy Wright as the Scottish champions prepare for another visit to McDiarmid Park.
The Parkhead side defeated Saints in the Betfred Cup quarter-final last week, requiring a late Leigh Griffiths strike to advance.
League business is on the cards this weekend and Wright said: “The cup game was frustrating. The players had worked hard and weathered the onslaught when they got their winner.
“I thought we had done enough to take it to extra-time. So there was huge disappointment about going out. You have to be patient, be solid and your keeper has to play well and we did that in the cup tie. We also posed a threat at times.
“Obviously Celtic have dropped more points this season and that gives teams confidence going into games. But in the back of players’minds they might still be thinking there’s not a lot you can do if Celtic turn it on.
“But it is a competitive league again and teams are taking points off the bigger teams.
“There’s a general feeling teams can take points off them but I have always thought that way and we did it last year against Celtic.
“Despite their results no team sets-up to go gung-ho against them. There is still respect for the players they have got.
“Kilmarnock beat them by playing very deep and having a counter attacking game which was successful.
“You have to make sure you are difficult to beat. That is what I will do. I want to get a team and a formation that provides a balance between making it difficult for them, with and without the ball.”
While Celtic sit in an uncharacteristic fifth position in the Premiership - six points off the top - Wright still believes they are the ones to beat.
“Celtic are happy to keep the ball, move from side to side and wait for an opening,”he went on. They have a patient build-up. Other teams are maybe more direct.
“I don’t think they were particularly tentative against us. There is a measure of control in their game and how Brendan wants to play. They will be under more pressure this season with Hearts doing well, Rangers have been ok and Hibs are flying.
“We will have to see what that brings. But I still think they are going to be the team to beat.
“You just have to look at the quality they can bring off the bench.” Wright wants to make life difficult for Celtic on Sunday