Manager on Thursday
Thursday, 21st Dec 201721/12/17: "It has been a poor second quarter of the season and we know that we have got to majorly improve."
Allan Johnston claimed to be as frustrated as everyone else after another Saturday without a win. He told the media on Thursday that he felt that his side deserved to get beat by St Mirren and he is not underestimating meeting a side without a League win all season.
"If we keep playing like that then I`m sure that we will turn the results around. We have watched some of their highlights and obviously we have seen them playing as well.
"Their game against St Mirren was really tight and they deserved something out of the game. They drew against Dundee United so it is not going to be an easy game.
"It is one where we have to be patient and we have got to make sure that we expect to go and win the game."
Patience is something that the home fans will also possibly require, the manager said that it is up to his players to go and put in performances on the pitch.
"We need to get them right behind us. If they show the same commitment and quality as they showed on Saturday then I`m sure the crowd will get right behind us and that`s what we need to do."
No one should expect an easy win over Brechin City warned the gaffer:-
"It is going to be a hard game. They will sit in and make it really difficult, they will put five across the back and obviously try and hit you on the counterattack. They have a bit of pace upfront - Isaac Layne scored a couple of weeks ago against St Mirren. They have quality going forward but we have good players as well so we have to make sure that we cause them problems, get back to scoring goals and winning games."
The team is desperate for a win just to get back on track and is eyeing the games that will come thick and fast in January. The manager continued:-
"There are games coming up against teams round about us and it is a great opportunity to start climbing the table again. Where we are is not acceptable. It has been a poor second quarter of the season and we know that we have got to majorly improve."
The fans made their feelings known after the last home match which was a heavy defeat to Queen of the South and Allan said that it was part of a manager`s job to take the pressure.
"Every manager, not just in Scotland, is under pressure at every game that is the nature of football unfortunately especially when you go through a run like we have been through ourselves. You just have to use that and come back even stronger to get the results that you need."
Confidence has taken a dint of late but AJ is hopeful that his players will take some from last Saturday`s good performance against a good team. He did however note:-
"We had a good performance against Dundee United as well and then we followed that up with probably the worst performance of the season against Queen of the South.
"We cannot let that affect us, playing at home should be an advantage so the crowd have got to stick with the players as well. Sometimes it is a nervy atmosphere so they need to get right behind the players and give them that wee bit extra push to get the result that we are looking for."
Apart from an unnamed player injured in training on Thursday the gaffer has a full squad to select from if you omit the long term injured Aaron Splaine.
"Hopefully we can get positive results and get back to challenging the teams at the top. Andy Ryan is getting sharper, last week he only really trained on the Thursday but he is getting closer. He is a goalscorer and it was just unfortunate that he got the injury when he did because he was starting to look really good, really sharp and scored a couple of goals. He is getting back to where he was.
"Aaron Splaine saw the specialist on Tuesday. Him and Kenny Murray went to the hospital and they were really happy with his progress. Obviously it is going to take time, it is going to be slow progress to come back."
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