Football Season Guide

St Mirren

In


Oan Djorkaeff (mid) FC Nantes; Tony Andreu (mid) Coventry City; Dean Lyness (gk) Raith Rovers; Ilkay Durmus (mid) Wacker Innsbruck; Sean McLoughlin (def) Hull City - on loan, Sam Foley (mid) free

Out


Mateo Muzek (sp)(def) Sheriff; Adam Eckersley (sp)(def) Airdrieonians; Anton Ferdinand (sp)(def) free; Simeon Jackson (r)(att) free; Laurentiu Corbu (sp)(def) Dinamo Bucaresti, Mihai Popescu (r)(def) Dinamo Bucaresti; Anderes Dreyer (r)(mid) Brighton - end of loan; Brad Lyons (r)(mid) Blackburn Rovers - end of loan; Danny Rogers (sp)(gk) Aberdeen - end of loan; Jordan Holmes (sp)(gk) Bournemouth - end of loan; Kyle McAllister (r)(mid) Derby County - end of loan

A hugely disappointing season has ultimately seen St Mirren come good as they managed to stay up under Oran Kearney via the playoffs. However, after being far too fragile at the back, that doesn't look like changing this season after Kearney's departure and Jim Goodwin's arrival. St Mirren haven't made enough strides to replace Mihai Popescu or Mateo Muzek respectively. Anton Ferdinand has also left the club, and that's left Saints hugely short at the back heading into the new campaign. The current centre-back partnership of Jack Baird and Paul McGinn hasn't impressed in pre-season. Goodwin's main arrivals so far have been Tony Andreu, who should play just in behind the strikers this season as a number 10. Combine that with the potential of Oan Djorkaeff, and it does look as though there's been an injection of freshness to the midfield. Unfortunately, goals continue to be hard to come by, with more needing done to sort out Saints' lack of goals too. They've scored just three goals in four League Cup matches against lower-side opposition. They've also won just one of them after 90 minutes. Uncertainty surrounds the club, and Goodwin desperately needs more signings at the back and in the final third. At the moment, Saints look seriously lacking up front. They can't afford another campaign with the same lack of goals as Kearney's St Mirren team provided. That must be the main concern heading into the new campaign, with no solution in sight.

Target


Avoiding relegation without needing the playoffs must be the target this season. Anything above looks hugely ambitious at this stage.