Davidson in dire need of festive fillip
FORGET Christmas. The greatest gift that can be presented to this St Johnstone team is the winter break.
If it hadn’t already, the glow of the most successful season in their history has faded. The double cup winners are now in trouble at the foot of the Premiership.
The characteristics which defined their remarkable run to glory — doggedness, a fighting spirit, a sheer lack of mistakes — seem to have vanished and opponents have been scenting a weakness in recent weeks.
Now on a run of six defeats in a row in all competitions, and no wins in seven matches, next month’s break can’t come quickly enough as they surely look to boost their numbers. Time, at least, is on their side to ensure this season doesn’t become memorable for all the wrong reasons. And that’s before the complications of Covid no doubt continue to resurface.
Callum Davidson’s men were severely limited as an attacking force as Motherwell sealed this comfortable victory to move up to fourth spot. Dean Cornelius, a local lad, scored his first goal for the club in the first half before Kevin van Veen added a second ten minutes after half-time.
Saints find themselves a point behind Ross County ahead of their crucial rearranged game against the Staggies at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night.
‘It’s a sore one to take,’ said Davidson. ‘If I simplify the game, Motherwell won first contact and reacted to the second ball. That’s what lost us the game, which is the biggest disappointment for me.
‘It wasn’t as if they beat us tactically, passed it round and got chances with good play. They fought, won the first ball and reacted to the second ball better. It’s hard to take.
‘As a group, we said: “How do we get out of it?”. It’s all about hard work and sticking together. We need to pull each other out of a hole and make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction.
‘We can’t have seven or eight players doing it and no one else following them. I said it in the dressing room. There is not a simple answer. It’s all about hard work and sticking together. We’ve got to respond.’
Cornelius, Liam Donnelly and Sondre Solholm Johansen returned to Graham Alexander’s starting XI.
Glenn Middleton, Callum Booth, Craig Bryson, Stevie May and Viv Solomon-Otabor — making his first start following his arrival on a short-term deal — were back in the Saints team.
Eetu Vertainen dropped out of the squad after Davidson criticised him for a mistake in the build-up to Rangers’ opening goal last Wednesday night.
‘His girlfriend has Covid,’ revealed the Saints boss afterwards. ‘I’ve lost Chris Kane and Eetu — two thirds of my strike force, so I couldn’t make any changes during the game.
‘It’s unfortunate, that’s Covid and it’s affecting all of us. It has hit us hard in these last couple of games.’
Cornelius, a boyhood Motherwell fan, had a moment to remember on 17 minutes when he struck the opening goal. Jamie McCart’s header was not cleared far enough and the ball fell to the 20-year-old just outside the box. He chested it down before hitting a sweet half-volley into the bottom corner.
It took until just after the half-hour mark for St Johnstone to threaten when Liam Craig let fly from 25 yards but his shot sailed wide.
Just before the break, Tony Watt’s delivery from the right was fizzed into the box. The ball hit Sean Goss — who seemed surprised that it had arrived at him rather than attempting to score — and Saints goalkeeper Zander Clark was relieved as the ball bounced wide of the post. Motherwell moved further ahead ten minutes after the break. Solholm’s ball forward found Van Veen, who jinked one way then the other as he ran at McCart on the left side of the box. The Dutchman made room for himself before firing the ball through Clark’s legs. St Johnstone’s attacking threat had been almost non-existent but Liam Kelly was finally tested midway through the second half.
May’s cutback from the left found Booth advancing but the wing-back’s effort was tipped over the bar by the Motherwell goalkeeper. Watt was replaced by Jake Carroll with just under 10 minutes remaining.
The Fir Park striker has turned down a contract extension and can now freely talk to other clubs before his deal expires in the summer.
Despite his unclear future, the Motherwell fans warmly applauded him as he left the pitch.
Asked about the importance of Wednesday’s match at home to Ross County, Davidson added: ‘To be honest, this was a huge game today. They are all huge.
‘It is my responsibility to get their confidence back up and get them playing with enthusiasm and energy that they had at the start of the season, especially in Europe, and last season.
‘Confidence is low but you get out of it with hard work.
‘I want to get on the right path. Results have been disappointing and it’s important I take responsibility for that. Team selections have been hindered a few times but I have to take the players back to their levels.’