BATTLE CRY
Davidson rallies Saints after cup agony
Murray Davidson has warned that St Johnstone have no time to feel sorry for themselves after another heavy loss against Celtic.
Hopes of an extended Scottish Cup run were shattered on Sunday when the men from the east of Glasgow smashed five past Saints.
It was the third defeat in quick succession against Celtic but Davidson says those results won’t define the Perth club’s season. And he is already eyeing a return to winning ways when Saints make the trip to Ibrox this weekend.
“The scoreline is not great but we need to dust ourselves down,” a disappointed Davidson said.
“We’re still in a strong position in the league and have a lot to play for, so we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.
“I’d much rather be focusing on the league and the Scottish Cup. But we only have one focus now and that is the league.
“We’ve got some big games coming up and right now we’re sitting in the top six.
“The games that are coming up are against teams that we’ve got results against in the past.
“We need to re-group and have a full week of training before the Rangers game, so we’ll go again.
“We’ve had so many games recently but now we have a full week to recover from any knocks, bumps and bruises.
“We’ll know our jobs by the time next Saturday comes. It’s a big game and we’re looking to get back on track.”
Davidson highlighted how strong Celtic have been this season and admits they are a side packed full of quality.
“We’re disappointed to be out of the cup,” he said. “Nobody likes being beaten and they’ve done that to us three times in 12 days.
“They are a top-quality team, there is no getting away from that.
“If Celtic play to their maximum then they are going to win most games, that is a given.
“That’s not being disrespectful to ourselves or to any other team in the league.
“Celtic are the best team in the league and they have proven that over the last seven years.
“They are breaking records here, there and everywhere.
“But you never turn up expecting to lose. We felt we could get positive results but we haven’t done that.
“We’re not the first team to lose 5-0 to Celtic and won’t be the last.”
Speaking specifically on Sunday’s game, Davidson knew Saints needed to go on the attack in the second half after finding themselves two down.
“It’s difficult to play Celtic in a one Saints struggled against Celtic on Sunday
-off game, never mind three games in 12 days,”he told the Perthshire Advertiser.
“I actually thought we had control of the game at 2-0 down in the second half. We were far more in the game.
“We said at half-time that we may as well have a go. We could have sat in and let the game peter out but we felt we had to have a go.
“Celtic showed how good they are and how clinical they can be when we do put two up front and press high.
“The first game was 2-0 and we didn’t really lay a glove on them.
“The one at Perth, we had two great chances to go one ahead and there were far more positives.
“To lose a goal so early on Sunday was a blow and we are as disappointed as anyone.”