St Patrick's Athletic Something isn't right about St Patrick's Athletic this season. They clearly have the talent in their squad and they are capable of blowing teams away, but inconsistency haunts them like the Ghost of Christmas Past. Five success
St Patrick's Athletic Something isn't right about St Patrick's Athletic this season. They clearly have the talent in their squad and they are capable of blowing teams away, but inconsistency haunts them like the Ghost of Christmas Past. Five successive defeats before the mid-season break tells the story of a team that is low on confidence. Conceding 14 goals in that period is quite worrying and so too is the fact that they have scored just twice - thus showcasing that they have issues at both ends of the pitch. The loss of Christy Fagan to injury is massive and should not be understated. But manager Liam Buckley is not one for excuses, he prefers to power on and play their play out of trouble. And there is enough quality and experience in the squad for them to comfortably finish in a mid-table position. Mid-Season Rating: C- It hasn't been good enough so far. With 33 goals conceded, there are leaks in a defence that has a lot of promise. While it is encouraging that Buckley wants his team to play football in a positive, attacking way, they need to earn the right to do that. Best Player: Ian Bermingham Taking on the role of captain can be a daunting thing for many players, but Bermingham has fully embraced it. The Dubliner remains steady in his own position - left-back - but is now a key voice on the pitch when encouraging his team-mates and organising patterns of play. Most Promising Newcomer: Jamie Lennon Many people will point to the neat technique of Thomas Byrne or the powerful presence of Kevin Toner, but the assured nature of Jamie Lennon sees him pip the rest in the race to claim the Saints' Most Promising Newcomer. Lennon is a midfielder with the guile and awareness needed to success at this level. Area They Need To Strengthen: Centre Forward With Fagan out for the season, Buckley has been largely turning to Jake Keegan to lead the line. The American has netted five goals so far, while Thomas Byrne has three to his name. For a team with aspirations of climbing the table, they need someone who will hit double figures.
