JAMIE McCART believes St Johnstone are causing uncertainty on opposition tactic boards with their new look shape – and he hopes the confusion can help propel Saints into yet another top half finish. 

Callum Davidson, who took over from Tommy Wright this summer, has introduced a fresh style of play at McDiarmid Park and the Perth outfit appear to be improving with every game they play. 

An unorthodox version of a standard 3-5-2 set-up has allowed Saints to get forward in numbers and utilise the pace they have at their disposal. 

On-loan Millwall fullback Danny McNamara and Scott Tanser are beginning to find luck down the flanks, while attacking threats such as David Wotherspoon, Michael O’Halloran, Stevie May and Callum Hendry are beginning to find their feet. 

The new look shape also allows for the three central defenders, Jason Kerr, Liam Gordon and McCart to have more time on the ball to kickstart attacks and find crucial defence splitting passes. 

“It’s been really good. It suits the players we’ve got here and personally, I really enjoy it,” McCart told Herald and Times Sport. 

“You see a lot more of the ball in a three as a centre-back. We’ve been working really hard on it since pre-season and it has been drummed into us.  

“Jason loves to run forward, and I like to get on the ball a wee bit more than doing all that running!  

“We can take advantage of it a wee bit that teams are still trying to work us out. In terms of us trying to use that to our advantage, we are still playing the same way, regardless. 

“We are still trying to play the way the gaffer is telling us to. Nothing has really changed regardless of how the opposition line up. 

“Maybe we change a few small things but that’s on the other team if they want to change. Unless you are playing Celtic or Rangers, we have confidence in ourselves.” 

Saints will look to build-on the important three points they achieved against St Mirren before the international break when they travel to Motherwell on Saturday. 

The win over Jim Goodwin’s team was Saints’ best outing of the season so far and was one of the most dominant 1-0 victories that you are ever likely to see. 

McCart hopes he and his teammates can pick up from where they left off, saying: “It was especially important that we got the win against St Mirren after the two defeats to Aberdeen and Hibs within the space of a few days.  

“We lost late goals in both of them. That win against St Mirren was massive for us. We really didn’t want to go into the break on the back of another loss.  

“We’d played well from back to middle in the previous games. It was just the final third, creating chances where we were lacking a bit.  

“Against St Mirren we had more than 20 shots. As we go on, we’ll be looking to convert more and make the victories more comfortable.  

“That’s the next stage for us. You know what football’s like – you could play terribly and win 10 games on the bounce.  

“But if we can combine what we’ve been doing already and convert even more of our chances that will stand us in good stead.” 

Motherwell go into Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash without having registered a victory this season. 

But despite the Steelmen’s form, McCart is expecting a tough test, explaining: “We have spoken about that in the changing room, it’s very surprising to see a side which finished third last season sitting bottom of the table. 

“I know from speaking to people and I know a few Motherwell boys and they say they’ve been playing well. They have just suffered a few bad results and with a team like them, they are always due a result. We need to make sure we are on our toes and that the result isn’t against us.” 

Saints are currently seventh in the Premiership after a solid start to the season. And with very little separating those in the topflight this term, McCart is confident that a run of victories could turn a good St Johnstone season into a great one. 

He added: “I definitely believe the third spot is up for grabs, you see a club like Motherwell claiming third spot last season so if you take the two big Glasgow teams out of it then it’s all to play for. 

“For us, we certainly have to aim to make sure we get into the top six again. First and foremost, we need to make sure we separate ourselves from the bottom teams, we have had the performances, but we just really needed the wins. 

“With a couple of wins, it can carry you three or four places up the table. We are only focusing on that and keeping up that winning momentum.”