The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Tiny margins – not tactics – are costing Saints
It is tiny margins not tactics that are costing St Johnstone, according to manager Tommy Wright.
The Perth boss insisted that he is using the best formation to suit his players, and his faith that those players will get the team moving up the Premiership table once the error-count is reduced remains intact.
“I pick the team, I pick the tactics,” said Wright.
“You could argue they aren’t working at the moment because of the results but I don’t think it is about how we are set-up.”
Wright continued: “The system isn’t the problem. Individual errors cost us again against Motherwell. Most teams in the league are playing one up front.
“I don’t see how it can be negative starting with Drey Wright, Stevie May and Michael O’halloran as a front three, with Murray Davidson supporting.
“We played with one striker for most of last season and we don’t have a Steven Maclean type player who can drop in and handle defensive type duties.
“It is a work in progress because we aren’t getting results. The result was poor but the performance wasn’t.
“I believe with the players we have here 4-3-3 suits them best.
“Motherwell scored three at Hearts and have got a lot of goals this season. We managed to nullify them and restrict their chances.
“Their keeper, Mark Gillespie, was man of the match and they played really well defensively. It’s tiny margins and we are on the wrong side of it at the minute.”
Wright is adamant that self-belief isn’t becoming a problem for the winless Mcdiarmid Park squad.
“The bottom line is that we lost the game,” he said.
“But I don’t think belief or confidence is the problem, otherwise we wouldn’t have responded the way we did in the second half against Motherwell. I have total faith in these players. If they keep working hard the results will come.”
The injury situation remains the same, Wright reported. He said: “Liam Craig will miss the Ross County game but should be back after the international break. It is a groin problem but his recovery is going to plan.”