Manager on Thursday
Thursday, 20th Sep 201820/09/18: AJ - “We need to be better in the final third.
Manager Allan Johnston has contrasted the buzz of winning the opening league match at Tannadice and the creditable home performance in the Betfred Cup against Hearts, a team that currently leads the Premier League, with the goalless draw at home to newly promoted Alloa Athletic and a haul of only one league point from the last twelve available. He commented:-
“Sometimes when you start losing goals it affects the whole team. We need to get back on track. We have had a couple of clean sheets in the last two games and now we need to do the other side of it, starting to score goals.
“We need to start catching teams up above us because it is not acceptable where we are just now. We have got to be up challenging near the top of the league. There is still not much in it but we need to start winning again.
“It comes with not forcing things, showing that wee bit of composure in the final third, picking the right pass - somebody with a bit of quality to go by somebody and finish it off.
“That is what we need to improve on, get back on right and there are a lot of games coming up where we feel that we can put a run of results together and start working our way up the league and start challenging again.”
Last Saturday Dunfermline discovered like several before them that Alloa Athletic are not the easiest to beat. Expectations of a win are hard but they frustrate, sit in and make it difficult.
“Teams are always going to get a chance. They are hard games and we have no given right to win any game.
“Looking at the first half we had a lot of good opportunities in real good areas. We failed to find that final pass or to work the keeper. It is something that we have highlighted to the players that needs to improve on. We need to be better in the final third.
“I don’t think they could believe how many times they were in the last third, past their midfield with four v four, five v four, three v threes. It must have been fifteen or sixteen times. We have to make that count and it has got to end up with a shot, working the keeper or ending up with a goal.
“Hopefully we can take what we have been working on into the games and start scoring goals again. With the players that we have, with no disrespect to Alloa, we should be winning games like that, I don’t care whether it is home or away we should be winning these games if we want to challenge for the league.
Having tried three at the back and a four, AJ was asked whether he had worked out his favoured formation?
“We have good players, boys who can play in a number of positions. Sometimes when you are going through the run like we are going through just now, you need to make sure that you doing the basics well. That is what we need to get back to.
“We need better end product with crosses into the box. That has to be better so everybody has to take responsibility, it is not just the forward players or the midfield players. It is full backs getting forward, putting crosses in as well. So there is a lot that we can work on but I still think we are capable of doing it.”
Turning to Saturday’s opposition, Morton at Cappielow, the gaffer stressed how difficult it is to get a result there:-
“Morton have a lot of experience in their team. When you look at the middle of the park, they have got McAllister, Chris Miller and Tidser. They are good players if you let them play. They have a lot of experience of playing at a really good level.
“They have brought in Denny Johnstone up front who I think is a really good signing, he gives a physical presence. Morton have always got boys like Oliver and McHugh who have good pace and get about the pitch.
“They have got good options but it is a chance for us to get back on track and close the gap on Morton as well.”
The Pars will still be without Kallum Higginbotham who had an hernia operation on Wednesday. It is estimated that he will probably be out for at least six weeks. Lewis Martin is on the way back but is still a few weeks away from being fully fit.
Ryan Williamson has been running but is being given until the last minute to see if he is fit again.
Sean Murdoch is still out, so there are a few injuries but players like Tom Beadling are coming back.
“He played 45 minutes in the reserves on Monday so he is getting closer. He felt absolutely fine, felt good, felt fit and scored. That will do his confidence a world of good. He was an important player for us last year.
“You could see what he gave to the team in the middle of the park, not just defensively but going forward as well. Breaking things up, is passing and his physical presence as well. We just have to make sure that we are careful with him.”
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