We were a bit off, says baffled Saints boss
St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson said the opportunities spurned by his team had left him baffled and angered.
They conceded an early goal at Fir Park but still had 84 minutes – and eight more of stoppage time – to claw that back. However, in spite of having plenty of the ball, they couldn’t make their possession count,
Too much of that possession was pointless, with the ball going backwards and sideways and Davidson knows that won’t win matches.
“It wasn’t the most attractive of games but when you get chances you need to take them,” he said.
“Motherwell did take their chances but we also gave them a chance to fight for something in the game.
“I’d wanted us to be strong in the first ten minutes and to frustrate them – and I told the boys that.
But that didn’t happen. Then, when our chances came along, we didn’t take them.”
He refused to be too downcast, though.
“I want my strikers to get into the right areas and, as long as they’re getting there, I won’t criticise them because In know that the goals will come.
“We’ve performed really well at times this season, we were just a bit off it today. We’re capable of a lot better but we have to credit Motherwell because they sat in and defended well.
“I watched them when they did the same against Celtic and it’s hard to break them down, especially when they made it difficult after they got the goal.”
Davidson refused to single out individuals for blame but he wasn’t happy that Allan Campbell was allowed the freedom of Fir Park to break the deadlock.
“There are always faults in goals but I’m just disappointed we gave them that chance to hang on to something,” he said.
Perhaps tellingly, though, Davidson insisted that he’s still looking to strengthen his squad, with adding a cutting edge a priority for the McDiarmid Park boss.
“We’re working hard,” he insisted. “It’s a long transfer window and there are always players coming up. Hopefully, we can improve.”