Scottish Premiership: What does each club need for a happy new year?
- Published
Which issues face Scotland's top-flight managers in 2021?
It is the time of year for reflection and contemplation, vows to eat better, exercise more and drink less.
So, in what kind of health are Scotland's Premiership clubs as 2021 dawns and a frantic dash towards the league finish line begins?
Which issues and flaws must they address to meet their targets? Let's take a look...
Aberdeen
Aberdeen have looked short of a little guile in the final third, a play-maker who can thread a killer pass or cleave open a stingy defence.
They have no shortage of industry and dynamism in midfield, but perhaps what Derek McInnes' men need most is a number 10 to convert possession into goals. Scoring 27 in 22 games is by no means a poor return, but nor is it a blistering haul for a team near the summit of the table.
Scott Wright has filled that role admirably in the past but is on the verge of leaving.
McInnes has spoken of his desire to recruit a "game-breaker", but then said on Friday no new recruits will be coming in unless someone goes out.
Celtic
For a champion side, Celtic have an alarmingly vulnerable defence. The weakness starts with £5m goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, who has struggled to perform since arriving in the summer, and manifested itself in a slew of avoidable concessions.
Six of the last nine domestic goals shipped by Celtic have originated from set-pieces, with another two scored via the penalty spot.
With Christopher Jullien injured, Neil Lennon would benefit from a rugged, commanding centre-back to rule the skies and dominate his penalty box. Shane Duffy was supposed to be precisely that, but the loan move from Brighton has hardly been a success so far.
Celtic have conceded 15 goals - hardly a crisis, but at three times the figure of Rangers in three fewer games, it remains a significant problem.
Celtic are nine points worse off than at this stage last season
Dundee United
Sixth place is a decent halfway return for a newly-promoted side, but the numbers suggest United have significant work to do at both ends of the pitch.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist has - rightly - been showered with praise for a string of brilliant performances, but it must be asked why the goalkeeper has been forced to make a dozen more saves than any other stopper in the Premiership.
Similarly, only two teams have scored fewer goals than United's tally of 17 this term. Lawrence Shankland, their illustrious striker, has mustered just three.
In a congested table, there are nine points separating the Tannadice men from the league's bottom two. Micky Mellon has a talented squad, but to keep them in the top six, he is going to have to get more out of them and, crucially, more service to his strikers.
Kilmarnock
The worry for Kilmarnock fans will be that their team is stagnating under Alex Dyer, lacking an effective style of play.
Too often, Killie have been predictable - short of attacking spark and guilty of conceding soft goals - perhaps guilty of sticking too rigidly to what worked under Steve Clarke without the same quality of personnel.
A run of five straight defeats was ended by a much-needed win over Motherwell on 30 December and only a freak Danny Rogers own goal denied the Ayrshire side victory over St Mirren several days later.
Dyer must devise a way to get more out of what he has and imbue his team with some more creative intelligence as they sit just four points above the bottom clubs.
Livingston
Let David Martindale pick your lottery numbers. Fair chance you may well land the jackpot.
Everything the new Livingston manager touches turns to gold at the moment. Nine wins in 10 has rocketed the West Lothian club up to fifth, with victories in their two games in hand enough to bring Hibs within touching distance.
Improving on home form is perhaps the one thing for Livi to focus on. This term they still have lost more at the Tony Macaroni Arena than they've won - three and five - along with one draw.
So far, just 10 points divide fifth from 12th. Continue to be fantastic on the plastic and Livi could be in with a shot at Europe this term.
Martindale aims to keep Livingston in top six
Hamilton Academical
If Livingston's home form is patchy, Hamilton Academical's is positively rotten. In 11 league games at the Fountain of Youth Stadium, Accies have managed two wins, and just nine goals, conceding an eye-watering 20.
A unique artificial surface is supposed to help the team used to playing on it, but even goal-shy Ross County and St Johnstone have emerged from Lanarkshire with three points.
Hamilton have a horrific defensive record - their tally of 45 goals conceded is the highest in the league - and Brian Rice's men must sort themselves out at the back and make their home ground a more formidable venture to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle.
Hibernian
Shoring up a defence that started the season robustly but has conceded six goals in its past three games is the priority for Jack Ross.
Hibs could do with reinforcements in central defence and at right-back to challenge Paul Hanlon, Ryan Porteous and Paul McGinn, who have played in the majority of games this term with only the ageing Darren McGregor and David Gray backing them up.
Indeed, part of the recent malaise stems from Hibs' lack of options - a squad heavy in quality but light in numbers. Ross' players seem to have struggled with the sheer volume of festive fixtures and the lack of rotation.
Having Stevie Mallan, Jamie Murphy, Kyle Magennis and Scott Allan back from injury will certainly help, but Hibs look every inch a team in need of freshness.
Motherwell
Stability is the key for Motherwell. And a potential clear out.
Stephen Robinson resigned on Hogmanay after their wait for a maiden win since October rumbled into the year. Now with Graham Alexander at the helm, the Fir Park club need to find their feet - and quickly.
It isn't rocket science. Motherwell concede too many and don't score enough, but the sum of their parts is greater than the whole at the moment. New players may come in, but last season's third-place finishers need the new manager to bring some structure, belief and conviction to their play.
Graham Alexander says he has been impressed at what he has seen at Motherwell.
Rangers
Rangers' resolution is simple; their task for the rest of the season obvious - don't let standards slip. The Premiership crown, and halting Celtic's charge for 10 titles in a row, is within tantalising reach, but Steven Gerrard will be all too aware of how spectacularly his team have combusted at this stage in the previous two campaigns.
They have an almighty lead of 19 points over Celtic - even allowing for their rivals' three games in hand - have yet to lose a league game this term and have conceded only five goals while rattling in 57.
It is a phenomenal record. Rangers have depth and quality - keep trucking along and the title will be theirs.
How Rangers' 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns stack up after 22 Premiership games
Ross County
In a word, goals. Ross County have been staggeringly impotent this season, netting just 13 times in their 22 Premiership matches. Prior to sinking Hibs on 30 December, they went six games and nearly 550 minutes without scoring.
In many matches, they have struggled to create, lacked the craft and guile to carve teams open and the ruthlessness to seize what opportunities they do conjure. Combined with a limp defence, it has been a dire cocktail that spelled the end for manager Stuart Kettlewell last month.
The Highlanders do look more threatening under new boss John Hughes, but becoming more clinical is their overwhelming priority and will be absolutely pivotal to their quest to pull clear from the bottom of the table.
St Johnstone
The Perth club are too wasteful. Only Rangers and Celtic have had more shots in the Premiership this season, but St Johnstone have managed just 19 goals.
Patently, they are creating chances but failing to take them. They spurned a glut in their two most recent matches, a draw in Dingwall against County and a goalless stalemate against Hamilton.
Having Stevie May, Chris Kane and Michael O'Halloran hitting their best form would be a precious boost, as would getting Guy Melamed up to speed.
With only 22 senior players, Callum Davidson has one of the smallest squads around and, if funds allow, a couple of well-judged January additions could be crucial too.
St Mirren
Like Livi and Accies, St Mirren are another side looking for home comforts in 2021.
Just two wins from a possible nine in Paisley have stunted the growth of Jim Goodwin's team so far. While a respectable seventh, it would not take a lot for the Irishman's side to get reeled into a dogfight at the bottom.
St Mirren have recruited well. Collin Quaner and Eamonn Brophy will offer strength in attack and the latter will have a point to prove after failing to make a success of himself under Alex Dyer at Kilmarnock.
Get Brophy firing and the top six may well be beckoning for the Buddies.
Eamonn Brophy scored 35 goals in 115 appearances at Kilmarnock