Club-by-club preview 2018-19
Saints look to Watt for goal boost
First of all, I am still in shock that Steven Gerrard is the Rangers manager. He seems to have rectified the defensive problems with the acquisitions of Connor Goldson, Nikola Katic, Jon Flanagan and Allan Mcgregor – we look much more solid. We have done well in Europe so far especially last week, the win against Osijek. Hopefully we will now have killed off that tie.
Domestically, though, I am looking for a proper title challenge and couple of victories over Celtic. Will we win it? I don’t know but I expect us to be more competitive. In the cups, it’s essential that we win one of them. We’ve gone far too long without a major trophy and that has to change. But so far all in all I am pretty pleased with what I’ve witnessed both on the park and transfer-wise.
JAMIE CURRIE It has been the changing of the guard, with several stalwarts moving on at the end of last season, and loan deals coming to an end. But Tommy Wright has been active on the transfer market and has brought in Drey Wright and Matty Kennedy, pictured, to operate on the wing and provide pace and width and weigh in with goals and assists as he tries to guide the Mcdiarmid Park side to a top-six finish.
Last term’s eighth place finish was a disappointment after so many years of the club punching above their weight but although it will be a tall order with Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs all back, showing their might in the top flight, they will be keen to be back among them come the split.
Key to that could be another newsigning Tony Watt, provided he can find the form everyone in Scotland knows he is capable of and maintain those standards.
The club has a proven track record of bringing out the best in some notable wayward talents
very good performance in a
competitive friendly against Aberdeen provided initial hope. Tight games against East Fife, Montrose and Falkirk, which allowed most of the squad game time, were seen as causes for concern by some. A good win at Forfar and optimism emerges. Fickle!
It will be another season of transition with a much younger squad. The introduction of a couple of entertaining wide and will hope that they can do the same with the former Celtic and Hearts striker. If they can then he should be able to improve on last season’s goal tally, which was the worst of any side in the Premiership in home games. But, as always, the strength of Wright’s team will be the sum of the parts, organisation and the way he gets them playing for eachother. They will again be a tough proposition for any opponent but consistency will be vital to climbing the table.
players and a new partnership up front has produced some entertaining football. Jason Kerr and Liam Gordon have made good cases to become the youngest Saints central defensive pairing since Danny Griffin and Stuart Mccluskey.
Where we finish might depend on how quickly the squad gel and prove consistently competitive.
Canny wait for tomorrow.