Who knows, maybe Saturday was just one of those days when the international merry-go-round took the edge of a squad whose collective confidence would have been sky high from the victory at the cesspit. Or maybe flying around the world to participate in the WC qualifiers just drained the squad of its collective energy. But any which way you care to look at it, Saturday was one of those 'well thank feck that's over' days.
There is nothing like a stodgy start aided and abetted by a goal gifted to the opposition to sweep away the cobwebs of complacency among the support that a smashing win at the cesspit usually brings. Our lot did not disappoint.
Ladies and gentlemen, maybe it is just me, but I do believe we have cause for concern regards our defence. By my basic primary school arithmetic, laced with a wee bit of middle aged cynicism admittedly, I make it that we have shipped in four goals in our last three league games and all could and should have been routinely dealt with.
The mix up between McGregor and Weir and Pittawdry, the ludicrous failure of Weir and Papac to clear their lines at CP, the placing of the wall at the same venue allied to the goalkeeper's positioning. And then Saturday's debacle when McGregor with arms outstretched still failed to clear the ball from his opponent makes for some grim reading for this bear.
Even the lead up to Kilmarnock's goal gives us cause for concern. Papac was skinned for pace and all over the shop down his flank, but when the ball was crossed over Broadfoot on the other side of the pitch found himself in acres of space to control the ball and from there put the ball back to the goalkeeper or find a colleague. He of course opted for neither and the rest as they say is history.
Some people may want to regard the goals lost thus far in splendid isolation; I reckon however, they are symptomatic of a deeper malaise. As for the claims made on the FF message board on Saturday night that Papac took 'a hit for the team', That may well have been the case; I just hope they remember that both his bookings came purely and simply because of his lack of pace.
Further forward Mendes and Davis toiled initially to get into the game in the middle of the park; possibly missing Thomson's presence but eventually took control in the second period. It's far too early to make any presumptions regards Edu, he certainly looks physically capable to compete in this league, but who knows what lies ahead?
The forward line remains a problem. Beasley, was completely out of sorts on Saturday and it took the introduction of wee Nacho to provide some impetus up front in the second half. Miller ran about a lot and put in a shift. Kris Boyd on the other hand had another off day but in the end up we still relied on him to grab us all three points. Yup, even I sometimes feel a tad sympathetic towards the manager's plight, now and again.
If we are to believe the rhags, it looks like the yahoo's Japanese conceptual artist; a genius if you will in the art of diving has a yen to return home. The headline should have read; 'The diver wants to leave the dive' but hey this is the Scottish press we are talking about. As an aside who knows what the ridiculous figure this mob will try and put on his head. After all, geniuses don't grow on Bonsais you know.
I see also that Lord Herman Ousley the former Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality and the driving force behind 'Kick it Out' has joined the Council to represent the Racial Equality Advisory Group, set up by the FA.
Speaking about the experiences of coloured managers, Paul Ince at Blackburn for instance, he says among other things; "The experience of John Barnes at Celtic showed how dangerous it is it is to dive in at the deep end."
For a greater insight into how the yahoos really operate maybe Lord Ousley should get in touch with Mark Walters, 'Chicken Tonite' or the Israeli chappy, Berkovich to see just what reality is all about at the cesspit. Mind you a tit, who had no problems with the fascist scum who produce the TAL fanzine embracing (hijacking more like) his Kick it Out drive is actually a dangerous man to wield such power.
Next up the anti-sectarian drive here in Scotland, which to be fair many people at FF and beyond have said from it's inception is no more than an anti-Rangers/Protestant pogrom, has once again shown itself up as the sham it really is, always was and always will be. I could beg of the Chairman to stop apologising for what we are and get Rangers out of this farce, but there's more chance of the filth touring Japan this year. You just have to ask when or where it will all end.
Getting back to matters football. For all our half decent start to the SPL campaign, this midweek will see us come back down to earth with a sickening bump. No doubt the FF messageboard on Wednesday and Thursday morning will see us enthuse over this player or that player, or that pass, or that move, or that goal, or that save as we think back on the CL highlights of the night(s) before.
However, even if we don't watch them physically, part of our collective psyche will be hoping the yahoos get tupped in every game they play. And that folks is the true footballing depths the management of this club has brought us to this season. We should not have been bothering with them, we should only have been bothering about our own participation in the same tournament instead.
Here's another wee point for you to ponder. Ten years ago Real Madrid sacked a manager who had brought the European Cup back to the Bernabeau for the first time in 32 years. At Ibrox, a management team that delivered us our European equivalent of Berwick remain bomb proof.
No standards, no ambition, the reality is, we are merely playing at being in amongst the main players on the European scene. That is another lasting legacy of the David Murray era. And if that doesn't make you sick, then nothing will.
Hey, what can I say? Night shift brings on a certain moodiness.
The Govanhill Gub.