Boombox & throwing stones - how Saints lured Baccus?

BBC News

2 days ago

Keanu Baccus sat by his window in Mansfield, day-dreaming the summer away from the anonymity of the scary end of the League One table.The Australian couldn't help but let his mind wander back to the old gang in Paisley. A year may have passed since swapping Ferguslie Park for Sherwood Forest, but there they were still upsetting teams who don't like being closed down or tackled, coasting to the top six yet again on a wave of niggly fouls.*Tap*What's that at the window?*Tap* *Tap*Why, it's Stephen Robinson and John Park tossing up wee stones in the front garden! Park is holding a boombox aloft which is blaring Under the Moon of Love by Showaddywaddy, Robinson is making the "Can I get the cheque?" signature gesture over a two-year contract with the option of a third.And that, I assume, is how the lovable Messi-pocketing Socceroo came to be back in Paisley this past week.Similar to the commencement of his first spell, the relentless midfielder was called on for a full 90 minutes while the ink on his signature could still be smudged.The midfield equation containing equal parts Mark O'Hara, Killian Phillips and Baccus is still to be fully balanced. Phillips has made the right-hand side of a midfield trio his own since arriving at the SMISA Stadium, leaving Baccus to slot into the central holding role vacated over the summer by Caolan Boyd-Munce.Interestingly, this new combination allowed O'Hara to be sacrificed for attacking reinforcements in the second half without compromising much by way of battling and pressing. These three parts could well be rotated as duos as the season progresses, allowing Robinson to get two wingers on to the pitch with greater regularity.Saturday's game itself, despite the fever-pitch build up as a home opener and chance to see Baccus once more, fizzled out to little excitement.Jens Berthel Askou's Motherwell have the mild air of Simo Valakari's early St Johnstone - visibly comfortable on the ball though hesitant to do much with it.In an off day for the Buddies, the home side managed more shots on target (and better chances they were too; eminently buriable) despite very limited possession. For stats fans, that's a shot on target for every 71 attempted passes compared to the Steelmen's 200.A midfield with Baccus back at the helm will likely not spell passive tiki-taka, but should make the experience of playing the Saints an unpleasant one for almost every opponent this season.Bring it on!Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external