Euro high seems so long ago as United continue to freefall
Saints inflict even more agony on under-fire Ross
COMPARE Dundee United’s stirring European home win over AZ Alkmaar to this pitiful, toothless surrender and the two games look and feel light years apart. In truth, a grand total of 16 days separated them.
How quickly this mad old world can turn. Or how quickly the wheels can come completely off a bogey.
God knows what has happened to United in the intervening period, other than losing seven in the return leg in the Netherlands and seeing any and all confidence evaporate, but they are in a sorry state right now.
Fair play to St Mirren, first and foremost. They were the better team from the first whistle and thoroughly deserved their win through Curtis Main’s first goals for the club and a last-gasp effort from substitute Alex Greive.
The lack of spirit, guile, penetration and will within United’s ranks was utterly alarming though. They look bereft of any of the qualities needed to get out of this mess. There is no dig, no grit, no physicality in midfield.
Jack Ross, who passed on a return to St Mirren as manager in February before they plumped for Stephen Robinson, ended the afternoon with the boos of his new club’s fans ringing in his ears — and the travelling support from his old one chanting about how he’d be getting sacked in the morning.
We maybe aren’t quite at that stage yet, but it might not be far away.
United cannot keep playing as badly as this. Ross, himself, admits that they aren’t functioning properly in any element of the park and he has to fix it pronto.
Since beating Alkmaar, they have lost 15 goals in four straight losses — and scored one.
They never looked like adding to that total here. Until Ilmari Niskanen replaced Aziz Behich just after the hour, the only time visiting keeper Trevor Carson had been called into action was to usher a Glenn Middleton free-kick over the bar in the most straightforward fashion.
The Finn did force a low save with a decent drive afterwards, but it says much that he stood out over everyone else in tangerine. This was just one of those grim afternoons where no one could claim pass marks.
When a guy like Main, hardly a player who has been riding on the crest of a wave, is trying to score a hat-trick late on with a scissor-kick from 30 yards, you know things have gone badly wrong.
All three goals came from United losing the ball up the field. Whenever that happened, St Mirren were pretty much allowed to charge forward and create chances without any opposition. It was really quite shocking.
The final possession stats were 70-30 in United’s favour. Yet, St Mirren just sat off and let them knock it around in pointless areas before showing exactly how being forceful and playing with intent should be done.
‘I thought we were disciplined, allowed them to have the ball in areas that wouldn’t hurt us,’ said visiting manager Stephen Robinson. ‘(Keanu) Baccus and (Mark) O’Hara had the legs to spring us on then we took chances when they came.
‘Jonah (Ayunga) set both up and Curtis scored. They are a handful up front. I have to also mention the three subs who came on. They showed the character and attitude of the players.
‘(Eamonn) Brophy and Greive combined for the third. To be successful you need that. You don’t need people moping about. Joe (Shaughnessy) showed discipline and character after we decided to take him out. As a group, there are no egos and that has to remain. We feel we’ve found a shape that works.
‘If I showed you our pre-game video, the way the game went was very close to (the plan), but there are fine lines at this level. We took our chances when we needed to when we broke.
‘We’re a team that goes out not to be beat. Being solid is a No1 priority.’
Right from the off, St Mirren looked brighter and sharper with Ayunga passing up a great opportunity within the first 60 seconds.
Marcus Fraser advanced up the right, swung in a super cross and
the former Morecambe and Bristol Rovers man headed wide from a good position.
Ayunga was involved again on the half-hour when heading a cross from Ryan Strain into the path of the onrushing O’Hara at the edge of the area. The midfielder’s first-time effort just lacked the necessary conviction, though, and allowed Carljohan Eriksson to save low to his left.
Saints then claimed Behich, already on a yellow for a foul on Strain, had handled in the area from an O’Hara header, but referee Matthew MacDermid — taking charge of only his second Premiership game — refused to give the spot-kick.
It mattered little. With five minutes to go before the interval, the visitors got the goal their overall play deserved.
O’Hara poked a ball through from the left that took a deflection off the backtracking Dylan Levitt and landed perfectly in Main’s path. His finish when one-on-one with Eriksson — thrown in for Mark Birighitti — was low and clinical.
His second after the break was a masterclass in finishing too. Middleton was short with a pass to Levitt and O’Hara nipped in to win possession for the Buddies.
He fed the ball out right to Ayunga and, after he’d been confronted by Ryan Edwards, it broke to Main just inside the area. Wasting no time, he took aim and released a lovely, right-footed effort that gave Eriksson no chance.
With the game in time added-on, Greive, not long on the park for Main, tied it up. Having broken upfield again, Brophy played the ball inside to the New Zealand striker, he got there ahead of Eriksson, who had charged miles from goal, and poked it home.