{"id":15930,"title":"Walking on Broken Glass","description":"By Andrew Christie","content":"

By Andrew Christie<\/em><\/strong>\"\"
Following last week\u2019s away win over Dundee Utd and a comfortable (and proper proper fun) 2-0 cup win in Ayr, feelings were high going into Tuesday night\u2019s SPFL Premiership game with Aberdeen. St Mirren have looked much stronger since returning from the winter break and seem set to leave early season woes behind them.<\/p>

The new year high continued as a floodlit SMISA Stadium played host to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Stephen Glass\u2019 men; a brilliant second half strike from Connor Ronan sending Saints ten points clear of the foot of the table and, more pertinently, three points from sixth place.<\/p>

Picking up where they left off at Tannadice last week, Saints pressed Aberdeen with an intensity and desire that would have impressed the onlooking Jim Goodwin on the sideline. The manager had put himself somewhat in the spotlight pre-game, with his decision to bring Jamie McGrath back into the starting lineup. McGrath sat out Saints\u2019 first two games of the year amid increasing uncertainty regarding his future at the club.<\/p>

The decision was one that \u2013 in my eternal quest to prove I know nothing about the football \u2013 I was critical of at the time, but you have to say the Irishman impressed. His application, work rate and desire was far from that of someone who has downed tools.<\/p>

In order to facilitate McGrath\u2019s return, Connor Ronan would move into a deeper midfield role (Ethan Erhahon dropping to the bench) with McGrath occupying a wider left attacking midfield position, similar to that which he has played for the Republic or Ireland national team.<\/p>

The worry many had upon seeing the starting eleven was that the inclusion of McGrath would negate the efficacy of in-form Greg Kiltie (as we saw when the two played together at the start of the season), but the decision to play McGrath proved to be a sound one.<\/p>

Knowing that Aberdeen would look to control possession (Stephen Glass\u2019 Real Quiz Army had 68% of the ball on the night) Goodwin identified his front line as being key in winning the tactical battle on the night.<\/p>

As it was at Tanandice, Saints\u2019 press was a joy to watch, with the front line of Kiltie, McGrath and Eamonn Brophy working tirelessly to stifle and pressure Aberdeen at every opportunity. The three recorded a combined 10 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 blocks and 18 recoveries. With Connor Ronan and Jay Henderson also featuring in midfield, it was a very attack-minded lineup \u2013 yet St Mirren retained their defensive shape well throughout. Organised and hard-working - Saints kept Aberdeen at arm\u2019s length, with Joe Shaughnessy, Charles Dunne and goalkeeper Jak Alnwick having one of the most comfortable 90 minutes they\u2019ve had in the black and white.<\/p>

While Saints were found slightly lacking in clear cut chances (as was the entire game, tbqh) the signs were there. One such \u201cIt\u2019s Probably Going to Be Fine, Lads\u201d sign was Connor Ronan\u2019s 61st minute wonder goal.<\/p>

It was a thing of beauty.<\/p>

Chasing a Greg Kiltie cutback (Kiltie\u2019s assist his 4th goal involvement in 3 games), Ronan curls a stunning edge-of-the-box shot past a helpless Joe Lewis \u2013 sending the onlooking Paisley crowd wild.\"\"
The Irish U21 international\u2019s 4th goal of the season (3 of which have come against Aberdeen) ultimately proved the difference on the night, with Dons boss Glass left lamenting his side\u2019s inability to lay a glove on the hosts.<\/p>

While there are still improvements to come under the new formation (with the attacking options we had on the pitch - Saints 27 successful long balls from 82 attempts continues to be a bugbear for many), overall Tuesday was a consummate performance from a side desperate to leave their early season troubles behind them.<\/p>

Continuously hard to beat (only the top three of Rangers, Celtic and Hearts have lost fewer games) and with 8 points from ties against Hibs, Celtic, Rangers, Dundee Utd and Aberdeen, a more ruthless attacking game could see us become a real force in this league.<\/p>

This Saturday sees us head to Dundee to take on James McPake\u2019s travelling circus of Bad Vibes, themselves eager to turn in perform after a 0-0 draw with bottom placed St Johnstone in Perth.<\/p>

The foundations are there for a very fun second half of the season.<\/p>","urlTitle":"walking-on-broken-glass","url":"\/blog\/walking-on-broken-glass\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/walking-on-broken-glass\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/miseryhunters.co.uk\/blog\/walking-on-broken-glass\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1643282116,"updatedAt":1643284773,"publishedAt":1643284773,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":106606,"name":"Misery Hunters"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/3f1ytelvulzf9ddlq5dqnhmqd3duw5pz411aoaccx7vli28a.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/3f1ytelvulzf9ddlq5dqnhmqd3duw5pz411aoaccx7vli28a.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/3f1ytelvulzf9ddlq5dqnhmqd3duw5pz411aoaccx7vli28a.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":16226,"title":"All Too 'Well","url":"\/blog\/all-too\/","urlTitle":"all-too","division":106606,"description":"Fresh from an eventful deadline day that included the signings of Jordan Jones, Alex Gogi\u0107 and the departure of Jamie McGrath, St Mirren welcomed fourth-placed Motherwell to the SMISA Stadium on Tuesday night. Since losing talismanic striker Tony Watt to Dundee United, Graham Alexander\u2019s side have felt like a team struggling with their own footballing identity, picking up only a single point from three disappointing, tactically disjointed displays this side of the winter break. Upon seeing Saints\u2019 new boy Jones start in an attacking 4231 \u2013 fan\u2019s confidence of a fourth win on the bounce for the Paisley side was high","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/0zkqcx2d43po4dzqi9jmr7u4hnf0mvqjbrdsdkzg0kkivtfp.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/0zkqcx2d43po4dzqi9jmr7u4hnf0mvqjbrdsdkzg0kkivtfp.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":17165,"title":"Humble Peh","url":"\/blog\/humble-peh\/","urlTitle":"humble-peh","division":106606,"description":"The scenes in the away end as Marc McNulty\u2019s bundled a 96th minute winner into the back of the net gave St Mirren fans an agonising taste of what might have been, rounding off a pretty torrid week for the Paisley side. The onlooking home support (including Tony Fitzpatrick in his last game as CEO before retirement) were left ruing yet another performance devoid of any of the characteristics we have previously prided ourselves on. While the 2-1 defeat to Dundee Utd hasn\u2019t mathematically killed off St Mirren\u2019s top six ambitions, it was the latest missed opportunity in a season that has felt full of them","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/yrdyfljilwlbgtjw87h6a7qxglhsggcnlwsln9t7sxzzvvtl.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/yrdyfljilwlbgtjw87h6a7qxglhsggcnlwsln9t7sxzzvvtl.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":16922,"title":"Waiting For Robbo","url":"\/blog\/waiting-for-robbo\/","urlTitle":"waiting-for-robbo","division":106606,"description":"Boy oh boy, remember how long we spent in the first half of the season sweating with a back three against teams we'd expect to be comfortably putting away on our road to a top six? That was rough.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/oxcwhmejquvkkj0a9ufvgqfnscjf6zdutyusnwsvmblp1hfu.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/oxcwhmejquvkkj0a9ufvgqfnscjf6zdutyusnwsvmblp1hfu.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}