Later in April I believe. I don't know whether it was the pitch, but Zach aside (he got nothing wrong) the individual ability of a lot of the players tonight didn't impress me. Apart from the Celtic match, I would like to think that Zach will be amongst the best two or three players on show in every match he plays, because the level we demand by comparison is much better that what was displayed generally this evening.
You could go through the team and identify several eight out of 10 performances from St Johnstone players.
Jason Holt justified his recall.
He was back to the perpetual motion, keep things ticking over, put yourself in the right place at the right time, central midfielder Saints need.
Stephen Duke-McKenna justified his first start.
Harrogate Town must be a good team to let this man out on loan. Not everything comes off but his crosses off both feet are, and will continue to be, a pivotal part of the new-look Perth side.
Sam Curtis made a big leap forward in terms of his distribution and Daniels Balodis is quietly improving game on game.
But one man stood above the rest.
Zach Mitchell, who only turned 20 last month, was tasked with replacing Saints’ best-performing centre-half, who has cruelly suffered a second career ACL injury, on the first occasion he had been picked in the starting line-up since arriving from Charlton Athletic on loan on deadline day.
Pick any aspect of central defensive play and Mitchell excelled in it.
Ronan Hale and Jordan White are at different ends of the striker skillset spectrum but neither troubled him.
Mitchell was vocal – more so than anybody else in the backline.
He read the game – the interception on the left side of the pitch that nearly resulted in Curtis scoring just before half-time was the perfect example of that.
And he was able to turn defence into attack, either with a quick right pass to the right man or by stepping into midfield.
It won’t be like this all the time.
A player as inexperienced as Mitchell will turn over possession on occasions, purely as a result of his positivity and the law of averages.
But it is such a potent weapon for a team to have that ball-playing intent in a centre-half.
Let’s see how the next few weeks go – and there’s recency bias at play when assessing Mitchell’s midweek contribution – but I’m struggling to think of a St Johnstone centre-back who has played better than this on his first Premiership start.
Aye, Mitchell is some find. No way he's here after the summer. At 20 he looks like a veteran.
Fisher is exactly what we've needed, just a steady pair of hands. Some excellent saves tonight. If he'd played the whole season we'd be way up the table.
Was never going to be easy and we plodded along but felt we always had enough to win it.
Carey changed the game completely....not just by scoring, totally different dynamic in midfield. Feel for Svedberg, not quite clicking. Some nice moments but needs to impose himself a bit more.
Aye, Mitchell is some find. No way he's here after the summer. At 20 he looks like a veteran.
He reminds me of prime Steven Anderson. Wins more one on one battles and seems to pick the right option on the ball more often than not
Zach Mitchell is a class act. He looks like an experienced defender in the way he plays the game, yet has only turned 20 years old. If he can avoid injuries, I can see him playing at a higher level than Charlton in the future.
I don’t really think Zach is a traditional defender or stopper type. Certainly not in the style of Jones or Dizzy. Zach can be very effective bringing the ball forward a bit and then lighthousing a good pass. I suppose Ramsay does that, but Ramsay is also a very effective physical unit at the moment, Zach is not like that yet, his game is more artistry than bombastic.
Zak is clearly a good player, and this loan is good for him, to play 10 or so games on the bounce. He will be pushing for 1st team starting place next season that is for sure.
From what I've seen, some more aggression and dominance to go with his skillset and I can see him being part of the first team playing squad. Hope he continues to impress on loan.
From what I've seen, some more aggression and dominance to go with his skillset and I can see him being part of the first team playing squad. Hope he continues to impress on loan.
I don’t think he’s any less talented than those 3, it’s more that CB (and GK) is a difficult position for a young player to break through, as consistency is so important, and as you say adding a bit more aggression than needed at academy level. It’s even harder this season with Ramsay and Jones being so impressive.
I see Mitchell, Laqeretabua, Enslin and Dixon as the u21s who have the best chance of moving into the first team next season.
From what I've seen, some more aggression and dominance to go with his skillset and I can see him being part of the first team playing squad. Hope he continues to impress on loan.
He would seem to be the most natural cover/replacement for Ramsay so he's definitely got a natural path into the squad.
Zach played the full match and didn't seem to put a foot wrong from what I saw. St Johnstone won 1-0 with a worldie, and were then drawn to play against favourites Celtic in the semi final at Hampden Park.
Thanks for that, Seth.
Rather out of the loop here in Tenerife but have been keeping an eye on the St Johnstone score tonight & like you, pleased to read that Zach played another 90+ minutes.
Hopefully he get more attention in the Cup semi final.
Aye, Mitchell is some find. No way he's here after the summer. At 20 he looks like a veteran.
Fisher is exactly what we've needed, just a steady pair of hands. Some excellent saves tonight. If he'd played the whole season we'd be way up the table.
Was never going to be easy and we plodded along but felt we always had enough to win it.
Carey changed the game completely....not just by scoring, totally different dynamic in midfield. Feel for Svedberg, not quite clicking. Some nice moments but needs to impose himself a bit more.
Aye, Mitchell is some find. No way he's here after the summer. At 20 he looks like a veteran.
He reminds me of prime Steven Anderson. Wins more one on one battles and seems to pick the right option on the ball more often than not
Zach Mitchell is a class act. He looks like an experienced defender in the way he plays the game, yet has only turned 20 years old. If he can avoid injuries, I can see him playing at a higher level than Charlton in the future.
‘Higher level than Charlton’ ? Just checked and from this 2017 list it seems there were 66 clubs that are higher than the Valley’s 14.9 metres above sea level
Mitchell always have been a star "baller" in the making, but playing as a CB he also needed to develop his strength and nous to battle with big lump centre forwards, which comes from game time like his current loan.
Ball playing centre backs are such an asset these days, the way the top teams play. Thankfully he is under a long contract now, as I can't see us keeping him for long.
Mitchell always have been a star "baller" in the making, but playing as a CB he also needed to develop his strength and nous to battle with big lump centre forwards, which comes from game time like his current loan.
Ball playing centre backs are such an asset these days, the way the top teams play. Thankfully he is under a long contract now, as I can't see us keeping him for long.
Hopefully he either grows with us or if he progresses faster then we get a big fee. Just look at the difference a year at Brentford made for Konsa - we sold for around £2m, a year later they got around £12m for him, and he’s probably worth £40-50m now as an England international, and I imagine Brentford included a sell on clause.
The chances are that had Zach been of a similar height he would have been a midfielder like his brother, Billy. Zach's taller and more thick set too but that's not to say that he won't one day move on to become a CDM. The attributes that they both share are intelligence and a certain amount of self-confidence - Billy made his Championship debut when barely 18 and in 2021-22, at the age of 20, made 45 appearances in the first team.
I'm sure that the exposure that Zach is currently experiencing now will make him very much part of the first team matchday squad next season. No one wants to be considered valuable for just being a "jack of all trades" but the fact is, a bit like Joe Gomez at Liverpool, he could give us that versatility to play in a number of positions be that in a back four at CB or at RB, in a back three or as a CDM.
Mitchell always have been a star "baller" in the making, but playing as a CB he also needed to develop his strength and nous to battle with big lump centre forwards, which comes from game time like his current loan.
Ball playing centre backs are such an asset these days, the way the top teams play. Thankfully he is under a long contract now, as I can't see us keeping him for long.
Hopefully he either grows with us or if he progresses faster then we get a big fee. Just look at the difference a year at Brentford made for Konsa - we sold for around £2m, a year later they got around £12m for him, and he’s probably worth £40-50m now as an England international, and I imagine Brentford included a sell on clause.
Getting into the Championship with Zach starting a number of games and proving himself at that level will enhance that value and mean that we aren't forced to sell him on the cheap as we might have to if we were stuck in League 1
The chances are that had Zach been of a similar height he would have been a midfielder like his brother, Billy. Zach's taller and more thick set too but that's not to say that he won't one day move on to become a CDM. The attributes that they both share are intelligence and a certain amount of self-confidence - Billy made his Championship debut when barely 18 and in 2021-22, at the age of 20, made 45 appearances in the first team.
I'm sure that the exposure that Zach is currently experiencing now will make him very much part of the first team matchday squad next season. No one wants to be considered valuable for just being a "jack of all trades" but the fact is, a bit like Joe Gomez at Liverpool, he could give us that versatility to play in a number of positions be that in a back four at CB or at RB, in a back three or as a CDM.
There's a 'jack of all trades' who gives you cover in multiple positions without being a brilliant option in any (eg REG for us), or the Ramsay version who makes you feel like you have an extra player on the pitch because they are so good. Sounds like we might have the latter in ZM.
I've said it a few times before, but I asked Zach a few years ago whether he saw himself as a centre back or defensive midfielder. His exact words were "Definitely centre back."
Now, I'm sure his ability to play in a number of positions is great for the club, but let's not alienate a young player by shoe horning him into a position that he's not as comfortable in...
I have every faith, that in a season or 2, Zach will be one of the first names on the teamsheet.
I've said it a few times before, but I asked Zach a few years ago whether he saw himself as a centre back or defensive midfielder. His exact words were "Definitely centre back."
Now, I'm sure his ability to play in a number of positions is great for the club, but let's not alienate a young player by shoe horning him into a position that he's not as comfortable in...
I have every faith, that in a season or 2, Zach will be one of the first names on the teamsheet.
As a centre back...
We certainly aren't in a position to alienate Zach but, in a few years time, I'm sure that, if and when someone like Pep asks him to play CDM, as he has done with John Stones, or as Klopp did with Joe Gomez last season, he will be only too happy to do so. Another young player, Archie Gray, a year or so younger than Zach, has built his reputation on being versatile. Things change for player but the most important thing for him right now is to catch up on the games he missed for the whole of the second half of last season. Which he is, thankfully, doing.
I've said it a few times before, but I asked Zach a few years ago whether he saw himself as a centre back or defensive midfielder. His exact words were "Definitely centre back."
Now, I'm sure his ability to play in a number of positions is great for the club, but let's not alienate a young player by shoe horning him into a position that he's not as comfortable in...
I have every faith, that in a season or 2, Zach will be one of the first names on the teamsheet.
As a centre back...
We certainly aren't in a position to alienate Zach but, in a few years time, I'm sure that, if and when someone like Pep asks him to play CDM, as he has done with John Stones, or as Klopp did with Joe Gomez last season, he will be only too happy to do so. Another young player, Archie Gray, a year or so younger than Zach, has built his reputation on being versatile. Things change for player but the most important thing for him right now is to catch up on the games he missed for the whole of the second half of last season. Which he is, thankfully, doing.
Bielik also played CB and defensive midfielder for us.
Comments
I don't know whether it was the pitch, but Zach aside (he got nothing wrong) the individual ability of a lot of the players tonight didn't impress me.
Apart from the Celtic match, I would like to think that Zach will be amongst the best two or three players on show in every match he plays, because the level we demand by comparison is much better that what was displayed generally this evening.
Zach Mitchell
Aye, Mitchell is some find. No way he's here after the summer. At 20 he looks like a veteran.
Fisher is exactly what we've needed, just a steady pair of hands. Some excellent saves tonight. If he'd played the whole season we'd be way up the table.
Was never going to be easy and we plodded along but felt we always had enough to win it.
Carey changed the game completely....not just by scoring, totally different dynamic in midfield. Feel for Svedberg, not quite clicking. Some nice moments but needs to impose himself a bit more.
AndHe reminds me of prime Steven Anderson. Wins more one on one battles and seems to pick the right option on the ball more often than not
Zach Mitchell is a class act. He looks like an experienced defender in the way he plays the game, yet has only turned 20 years old. If he can avoid injuries, I can see him playing at a higher level than Charlton in the future.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/videos/c3d80973nyvo
He'll come back a better and more experienced player and still only 20.
Zach can be very effective bringing the ball forward a bit and then lighthousing a good pass. I suppose Ramsay does that, but Ramsay is also a very effective physical unit at the moment, Zach is not like that yet, his game is more artistry than bombastic.
From what I've seen, some more aggression and dominance to go with his skillset and I can see him being part of the first team playing squad. Hope he continues to impress on loan.
I see Mitchell, Laqeretabua, Enslin and Dixon as the u21s who have the best chance of moving into the first team next season.
Ball playing centre backs are such an asset these days, the way the top teams play. Thankfully he is under a long contract now, as I can't see us keeping him for long.
I'm sure that the exposure that Zach is currently experiencing now will make him very much part of the first team matchday squad next season. No one wants to be considered valuable for just being a "jack of all trades" but the fact is, a bit like Joe Gomez at Liverpool, he could give us that versatility to play in a number of positions be that in a back four at CB or at RB, in a back three or as a CDM.
https://www.charltonafc.com/news/zach-mitchell-signs-new-long-term-contract
Now, I'm sure his ability to play in a number of positions is great for the club, but let's not alienate a young player by shoe horning him into a position that he's not as comfortable in...
I have every faith, that in a season or 2, Zach will be one of the first names on the teamsheet.
As a centre back...