St Mirren's Semi-Final Win: A Tactical Masterclass
Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou had the perfect verdict on St Mirren's dominant semi-final performance - that they were "really, really good at executing their gameplan." And execute it they did.
The Paisley side's 4-0 thrashing of Motherwell at Hampden Park on All Saints Day was a masterclass in tactical football. St Mirren set out to contain the opposition and prevent them from playing their style, which Askou praised for its "tactical maturity." The Paisley side dropped off slightly to allow Motherwell possession, then snapped back into formation to press for counter-attacks.
This gameplan worked to perfection as St Mirren weathered early pressure before launching a devastating counter-attack. Mikael Mandron opened the scoring with a quick free-kick in the build-up, and from there on in, it was one way traffic. Dan Nlundulu's stunning second goal just before half-time sealed the win.
For Motherwell, the problem was that St Mirren were able to neutralize their star players. Elliot Watt, Elijah Just, Tawanda Maswanhise and Ibrahim Said - all key players for the Steelmen - were contained by St Mirren's defensive unit. The Paisley side showed a sense of discipline and cohesion that belied their reputation as a physical outfit.
As Motherwell manager Askou admitted, "We let them have the ball in areas we wanted them to have it... Then we won it back numerous times." St Mirren were the epitome of patient, probing football - always looking for opportunities to strike.
And what a statement win this was. It's been 12 long years since St Mirren last appeared in the League Cup final, and they're now one step away from making history again. This victory will only serve to fuel their ambitions for the rest of the season.
For St Mirren, it was an emphatic demonstration that they are a team on the up. With this kind of form, there's no reason why they can't challenge at the top of the Scottish Premiership. And as manager Stephen Robinson insisted, "We're not reinventing the wheel... We just do it really well."
Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou had the perfect verdict on St Mirren's dominant semi-final performance - that they were "really, really good at executing their gameplan." And execute it they did.
The Paisley side's 4-0 thrashing of Motherwell at Hampden Park on All Saints Day was a masterclass in tactical football. St Mirren set out to contain the opposition and prevent them from playing their style, which Askou praised for its "tactical maturity." The Paisley side dropped off slightly to allow Motherwell possession, then snapped back into formation to press for counter-attacks.
This gameplan worked to perfection as St Mirren weathered early pressure before launching a devastating counter-attack. Mikael Mandron opened the scoring with a quick free-kick in the build-up, and from there on in, it was one way traffic. Dan Nlundulu's stunning second goal just before half-time sealed the win.
For Motherwell, the problem was that St Mirren were able to neutralize their star players. Elliot Watt, Elijah Just, Tawanda Maswanhise and Ibrahim Said - all key players for the Steelmen - were contained by St Mirren's defensive unit. The Paisley side showed a sense of discipline and cohesion that belied their reputation as a physical outfit.
As Motherwell manager Askou admitted, "We let them have the ball in areas we wanted them to have it... Then we won it back numerous times." St Mirren were the epitome of patient, probing football - always looking for opportunities to strike.
And what a statement win this was. It's been 12 long years since St Mirren last appeared in the League Cup final, and they're now one step away from making history again. This victory will only serve to fuel their ambitions for the rest of the season.
For St Mirren, it was an emphatic demonstration that they are a team on the up. With this kind of form, there's no reason why they can't challenge at the top of the Scottish Premiership. And as manager Stephen Robinson insisted, "We're not reinventing the wheel... We just do it really well."