This has all the makings of an exciting game. We like to pass the ball around - far too much for most people's liking - and Kilmarnock also like to get it down and play. They also don't seem quite as willing to get men behind the ball as most teams so for once our passing style could pay off. It did back in September when we hammered them, although the scoreline probably flattered us about. With no sign of Danny Lennon abandoning his philosophy, even though it hasn't worked in the league this year, this may actually be our best chance of a win so far in 2012.
But we're going to have to work hard for it because Kilmarnock are on a high. They recorded a terrific win over Celtic in the League Cup Final - a result appreciated by fans of "diddy" clubs everywhere - and followed that up with a handy three points against Motherwell last week. As a result they're still in with a shout of making the top six, although need to win tomorrow and next week to have any chance. Considering how we're doing at the moment they should keep things alive for another week at least. Sadly, our dreams of top six football finished long ago
If we insist on passing the ball around, as we usually do, we need to do it far more quickly. We need to be more willing to take a chance, start playing the ball for people to run onto and be more direct. It's possible to be direct and still play a passing game - that is how we scored at Ibrox - and we have to start doing that more often. Kilmarnock are more likely than most sides to leave gaps and we have to start exploiting them. We are still vulnerable to a sudden Hibs or Dunfermline comeback and we have to start getting points, and wins, on the board. A win tomorrow would match our highest ever post-split tally - let's hope the collapse we saw when we achieved that in 2009 doesn't follow!
Dougie Imrie is still looking for his first Saints goal since joining from Hamilton in January. Ironically our goal problems started since he arrived although that may well just be a coincidence. The forward hasn't looked too impressive since his debut against Celtic although apparently did well against Dunfermline last week. Hopefully he can continue that form tomorrow and finally break his duck or, at the very least, get himself an assist. It's also time for the similarly busy Paul McGowan to start scoring. He keeps getting himself into good positions but for whatever reason doesn't seem to be capable of taking them.
It'll be interesting to see which of our other attacking players joins them, although Steven Thompson and Nigel Hasselbaink should both start. Gary Teale provided the cross for Thompson's goal last week which should be enough to keep him in the team. Jeroen Tesselaar is also being lined up for a return which is good news as it should allow Graham Carey to move a bit further forward, while Aaron Mooy is surely due a run out but will probably be on the bench yet again. Darren McGregor and David Barron are both close to returning but it would be a surprise to see either start and the same goes for Kenny McLean, who has been back in full training this week.
It is fair to say Kenny Shiels has gone about things in an interesting way since taking over at Kilmarnock about a year ago. After struggling to register a first league win he's done well to have the side pushing for a top six place and well clear of the relegation battle, while he's also bagged Killie's first silverware in 15 years. However, it's his antics off the pitch that seem to have got him a reputation. It's great that a manager is prepared to speak his mind and while he seems more intelligent than your average manager, some of his comments have seemed a little bit odd. His staring contest with the referee during his last trip to Paisley was most amusing as he tried to avoid being sent off for something he'd said.
Shiels did well to fill some of the holes that had been left in the team following the departures of Alexei Eremenko and Connor Sammon towards the end of last season. Gary Harkins has been outstanding in the middle of the park after arriving from Dundee and shown he should have been given a shot in the SPL a long time ago. Sammon has been replaced by Paul Heffernan, whose scoring record down south was far from impressive. 15 goals this season, as well as a few assists, shows he has what it takes and Killie could struggle to keep hold of him in the summer. Another influential player has since gone missing as skipper Manuel Pascali is injured.
The same could be said for Dean Shiels, Kenny's son making his loan move from Doncaster permanent in January. The fact his dad is in charge probably played a large part in that as Killie are unlikely to be offering Championship wages, while his eight goal return shows he's not just getting a game because he's the boss's son. Shiels' connections, although not family this time, also allowed him to bring Ben Gordon back to the club after a successful spell on loan from Chelsea last season. Celtic's Lewis Toshney was another loan arrival at the turn of the year with centre-half Michael Nelson also arriving on a permanent deal from Scunthorpe.
As most people will be aware, Killie's League Cup triumph was tragically overshadowed by the loss of midfielder Liam Kelly's father Jack, who suffered a fatal heart attack at full time. The midfielder has yet to play since then and will no doubt get a rousing reception if he returns tomorrow. Other Hampden heroes who probably won't need to buy pints in parts of Ayrshire any time soon include Belgian striker Dieter van Tornhout, who headed in the winner, and Lee Johnson - who provided the cross. But Cammy Bell's contribution will arguably be the one that's remembered most as the goalie played the game of his life to keep Celtic out. Kilmarnock did well to keep him last summer despite interest from other clubs (including, laughably, ourselves) and he is one of a number of players in the squad to be developed by the club along with Kelly, Garry Hay and James Fowler.
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