St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes was speaking about the team and striker Peter MacDonald about himself, but they both came up with the same word to describe the collective and individual goalscoring tally respectively “embarrassed”.
There’s still a mathematical chance that Saints can finish in the top six, but it’s a straw that nobody at McDiarmid Park is attempting to clutch.
All but certainly the 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock on Saturday killed that dream, and the analysis of why they’ll find themselves on the lower side of the cut in a couple of weeks won’t take long.
“This match sums up our season, really,” MacDonald said. “To play 30 games and score just 18 goals is nowhere near good enough. I think we’ve had 11 clean sheets in the league, which is the sort of standard for teams looking to qualify for Europe.
“Strikers are judged on how many goals they score in a season and I’m ashamed to say that I’ve played in about 15 games in the league and not scored yet. There’s nobody more embarrassed by that than me.
“The boys were really disappointed not to score again today. There’s not much more I can say.”
He believes their ineffectiveness in the opposition box is inextricably linked to a notoriously uneven McDiarmid playing surface, which Kilmarnock’s playmaker Alexei Eremenko insisted even the greats of Barcelona would fail to shine on.
MacDonald said, “It’s disgraceful. There are big holes coming out of it. You should see what it’s like when we’re doing our shooting practice before the match. Balls are bobbling all over the place.
“That’s why we do our main warm-up under the stand to try and preserve it a bit. I know the chairman has said he’ll sort it out in the summer, but it’s a bit embarrassing. McDiarmid used to be one of the best parks in the league.
“Personally, I think the pitch is a big factor. Other than that it’s been a combination of a few things a bit of bad luck, good goalkeeping and bad finishing.
“There’s not one of the boys goes out there and doesn’t try. You can see that every week. We’ve got too much respect for each other and the management.”
Saints had chances in the first minute and the last at the weekend, not to mention plenty more in between.
Continued…
Seconds after the kick-off Collin Samuel lobbed keeper Annsi Jaakkola but Frazer Wright was in the right place to head clear.
On four minutes MacDonald failed to connect with a teasing Danny Grainger inswinging free-kick and the rest of the first half saw a succession of strikes at goal from around the 18-yard line.
With Killie offering little up front themselves, the home side created even better openings in the second period.
Among them were a MacDonald header which Jaakkola tipped on to the bar, a Michael Duberry shot which the comeback defender lashed over from 12 yards, and a Murray Davidson header which was saved at point-blank range.
To heighten Saints’ frustration, thrown into the mix were two penalty claims. The first was when MacDonald looked to be held back by Jaakkola in the six-yard box, and the second when debutant substitute Jordan Robertson was so adamant Jamie Hamill had handled a shot of his that he got booked for his protestations to the referee.
MacDonald had been replaced by Robertson so he couldn’t speak to the strength of his team-mate’s case, but he was in no doubt about his own incident.
“The keeper spilled it and my foot was close to his body. When I went to go for it I couldn’t move my legs because he had a hold of them.”
A suspension means MacDonald will have to sit out the Scottish Cup semi-final against Motherwell, which now becomes the main focus.
“It could still be a great finish to the season. We knew we had to win today to make the top six, so that’s gone for us now.
“Our aim is to get to the final. I can’t buy a bit of luck just now but if we can get there I’d settle for a goal in the cup final.”
MacDonald’s frustration was matched by his manager Derek McInnes, who said, “We’ve been here before and it’s a bit repetitive saying the same things. Kilmarnock are a very good side and we were streets ahead of them in every department.
“The ‘goals for’ column doesn’t reflect well on any of us. I’m embarrassed we’ve scored so few and it’s the reason we’re not in the top six.
“Nine clean sheets in our last 10 home games is form Rangers and Celtic would love to have. It’s title-winning form if you’ve got somebody to score at the other end.”
Killie caretaker boss Kenny Shiels didn’t take any great satisfaction from the performance, but pointed out, “Our normal flare and invention wasn’t there but it’s important we now strive to finish as high as we can.
“St Johnstone probably had more motivation to win and maybe we went out there feeling a point would do.”