It is perhaps a bit dramatic to say this, but tomorrow's game is a must win fixture for ourselves. If we are going to do anything other than fight relegation this season, games at home to the likes of Kilmarnock and St Johnstone are ones we have to be winning. We failed to do it against the Saintees so we absolutely most do it against Killie.
There's no reason we can't. Until last season we had a pretty good record against them in the SPL and it's about time we got back to winning ways against them. They showed last season that it is possible to play attractive football while getting results at the same time. We've managed the first part of that process, now we need to work on the second part.
We have managed just four goals in the league so far this season. We have shown some lovely passing, but it has rarely been effective. We don't create enough chances, don't work opposition keepers enough and haven't managed a goal in our last three and a half SPL matches. The passing about at the back will quickly wear thin if it isn't producing goals and results. It is beginning to look as if this will be another season battling it out at the bottom.
In fairness, that did seem to happen a bit less against the Saintees during the week - and it surely no coincidence that we managed to record a victory. Going by reports it seems we were by far the better side and played great stuff, particularly in the first half. The difference was that we also had a bit of an end product. OK, so our goals came from a Saintee and a midfielder getting his first goal for nearly three years, but they all count. I certainly won't complain if we score in similar circumstances tomorrow, but a big part of our win was our willingness to be more direct and we have to keep that up.
I've not been a big fan of Gary Teale so far this season, but it seems the slight change in playing style was a big help to him during the week. If we keep playing like that, there's no reason he can't come alive tomorrow afternoon and finally start playing like we know he can. The same goes for Paul McGowan if he's recalled. That would be harsh on Kenny McLean, who was outstanding during the week, but you really can't see McGowan staying on the bench again. His passing is superb at times and if we can get him playing further up the park he will surely flourish.
The result during the week means we'll probably have to wait a bit longer before we finally get to start seeing the best of Graham Carey, while Joe McKee will be left kicking his heels on the bench again. It'll be up to the likes of McGowan, Steven Thompson and Nigel Hasselbaink to get the goals and we really need to play to their strengths. Thompson likes the ball to feet - he is not a target man - while we need to play the ball over the top for Hasselbaink to run onto. Personally I think Aaron Mooy would slot into our system personally but sadly he's injured, along with Hugh Murray and Darren McGregor.
In Kenny Shiels, Kilmarnock have found themselves a man who sounds just like the really boring priest from the Christmas episode of Father Ted. He appeared on Sportscene the day after we beat Hibs at Easter Road and it's fair to say they won't be asking him back any time soon. However, while he may appear to lack in charisma and passion, his side certainly does not. He has carried on with Mixu Paatelainen's philosophy of playing attractive, attacking football and is beginning to get rewarded for it. Admittedly they have only won twice since he took over towards the tail end of last season, but the results are beginning to come. They've yet to win away from home in the league under him, so no doubt that run will come to an end tomorrow!
Shiels had to spend time in the summer replacing Alexei Eremenko and Conor Sammon, two key cogs in last season's well drilled machine that are no longer at Rugby Park. The replacements aren't exactly as glamorous, but they are proving just as effective. Dundee's woes allowed Killie to pick up Gary Harkins - long linked with a step up - for a cut price fee and he has been in great form since his arrival. I must admit to having a laugh when Shiels pinned his hopes on Paul Heffernan - a typical Football League journeyman - to take Sammon's place, but the fact he has scored eight so far suggests it was a good bit of business.
Shiels has also taken the step of bringing in his son, with Dene Shiels coming in on loan from Doncaster. When he was with Hibs I seem to remember him being a pretty handy player so it could be a good move - providing he isn't just getting a game because he's the boss' son. Other summer arrivals included Dutch midfielder Danny Buiks, Spanish striker Jorge Galan and Englishman Ben Hutchison, who was laughably bad when he was at Celtic. Playing for a smaller SPL team is perhaps more his level and he can console himself with the fact he was nowhere near as bad at Parkhead as Josh Thompson.
While Killie have brought in a number of players from abroad during the tenures of Paatelainen and Shiels - Patrick Ada and Zdenek Krocan are just a couple of the other foreigners who arrived during the summer - they are not quite as devoid of Scots as the Old Firm sides of the early 2000s. Cammy Bell - who was weirdly linked with a move to Paisley in the summer - is a superb keeper and Killie fans would have been delighted when the Scotland keeper agreed a new deal. Garry Hay may be getting on in years but still has a wicked left foot, while Liam Kelly really broke through last season. From slightly further afield, Englishman James Dayton has started the season in tremendous form and could be a real handful.
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