It would be easy to rant on about the problems at Saints instead of writing a match report - so I'll try to do that during the week. Instead, I'll focus on the problems in this game. First of all, there were the tactics. Saints went with the same team that did well against Celtic, which was fair enough. However, the formation was changed, with Saints unbelievably returning to a 4-5-1 formation that has produced hardly any points. Even worse were numerous players out of position, with David van Zanten as a centre half and Mark Corcoran as a right winger.
Manager Gus MacPherson said afterwards that the formation was changed to counter Dundee United. What nonsense. We're the home team and - unless we're playing the Old Firm - we should be the ones dictating the play. Other teams should be adapting to our style of playing, we should be taking the game to them. Instead, it's the other way round, with today being a prime example. United bossed the game and dictated the play, while Saints again looked like the away team.
The first half wasn't too bad, with Mark Corcoran having a long range effort deflected over by Billy Mehmet early doors. That was about as good as it got Chris Smith was poor in the first game against United last season, and it was the same again today. He flapped at a freekick that fell to Sean Dillon, and while he saved that effort he didn't have a hope of getting to the rebound, which David Robertson amusingly missed. A lucky escape.
There was another one just after when Smith again looked shaky, coming for a cross he had no chance of getting to and being thankful that Darren Dods was only able to head over.
That was about as exciting as the second half was to get. Saints hadn't looked too bad going forward and Corcoran had provided some decent crosses. You expected Saints to go out and dictate the game in the second half and really have a go. Instead, it was United doing all the play.
Barry Robson curled a corner onto the bar before providing United's first just a few minutes after the break. Someone stupidly showed him onto his left foot, and his cross was met at the back post by Robertson - one of three United players who seemed to be unmarked - to slot home. Smith and the Saints defence had gone to sleep, seemingly unaware the ball wasn't going out of play.
Saints response? Hugh Murray started answering back to what MacPherson shouted at him, before Stephen McGinn - who was doing well - was replaced by Stewart Kean. A few minutes later came an even crazier change, with Franco Miranda - about the only player we have who can cross the ball - being replaced by Craig Molloy. While it was good to see Molloy back from injury, he should not have been replacing Miranda.
Neither change seemed to make a difference, although Corcoran did duff a shot wide when Ian Maxwell played the ball back in. Robertson and Prince Baubin (yes, that's his real name) went close for United before they wrapped things up, Robson's free kick receiving a touch from Dods that caused Smith to spill it straight to Noel Hunt, who finished from close range.
By this point Murray had already been booked for a stupid foul, and another one - this time on Robson - saw him sent packing. The only plus of this is that it means we won't be playing two holding midfielders next week - unless Garry Brady returns, which is possible.
Things got even worse in the last minute, a fantastic run by Margaro Gomis - who, considering he was signed from Cowdenbeath, proves there are decent, affordable players in the SFL if you know where to look - allowed him to set up Willo Flood, and his powerful drive gave Smith no chance.
Then something strange happened. Kean had a shot straight keeper Euan McLean, which he saved with ease. Why is this strange? Because it was a Saints shot on target - the only one all afternoon. Something that sums us up.
We got what we deserved - again. The fans know as soon as we go a goal down it's as good as game over, and the home record is abysmal. The squad is poor, with very few good players in it, and it would probably struggle in the first division. Sod all chances are being created, the opposition can walk all over us, and we leave players unmarked too often.
It's going to be a long, hard winter.