Continental class
Eremenko’s form giving Killie hope of return to Europe
KILMARNOCK supporters can be a fickle bunch. So when they rose en masse to acclaim Alexei Eremenko as he was replaced with a minute remaining on Saturday, one realised something truly remarkable had happened.
Sometimes good performances can be blown out of all proportion, but the Russian-born Finn really did produce a masterclass against Partick Thistle.
In a match dominated by the Rugby Park side, the playmaker contributed two assists — crossing for Manuel Pascali to head home Killie’s second and then releasing Tope Obadeyi for his second of the match.
But even those bare statistics fail to do justice to his command of proceedings.
Dips, feints, nutmegs, flicks and tricks … Eremenko used everything in his considerable armoury to delight those fans and demoralise the opposition.
Bear in mind, too, that the 31- year- old returned to the Ayrshire club in August without having the benefit of a preseason training programme and that he was further hampered by a broken toe, which meant this was his first league start.
That made his outstanding display here all t he more i mpressive. And, with no disrespect to Kilmarnock, it does beg the question as to why he is not at a bigger club.
Celtic, f or example, would surely benefit from having a player with his wit and guile. Eremenko clearly lacks the pace f or Ronny Deila’s pressing game but isn’t there room for a maverick or two at the top end of Scottish football? Especially in Europe, where having someone who can not only use the ball imaginatively but also hold on to it is vital.
As f or t he man himself, Eremenko sees no reason why he can’t help Killie qualify for continental football for the first time in 14 years.
‘ I spoke at the end of last season about how we should be in Europe because of the size of our stadium and the players we had,’ said Eremenko, now in his third spell at the club.
‘When I look at the other teams I don’t think that we’re much worse than them. Celtic are the best but, otherwise, I can’t see a reason for us not to qualify.
‘If St Johnstone and Aberdeen can do it then we can do it as well.
‘This season, we have a really good opportunity because results have proved that every team can beat the others.
‘So, we just need to concentrate in every game. It i s maybe a bit early to start thinking about that — our main priority is to finish in the top six and, once we are there, we can start to think about Europe.’ Eremenko may have been the conductor but everyone else at Killie was on song on Saturday.
Obadeyi had headed them in front from Rory Barbour’s cross after 25 minutes and Craig Samson made a fine double save from Partick’s Steven Lawless and Kris Doolan before it became the Eremenko show.
‘I enjoyed that and I think the crowd did as well,’ he smiled. ‘This was the same as our defeat against St Johnstone in the League Cup in midweek.
‘ The only difference on Tuesday was that we didn’t score in the first half when we had so many chances.
‘I said afterwards that if, we had scored one goal against St Johnstone, we would have gone on to score more.
‘Today we could have scored more than the three we got, so it was a good game. Our first goal was very good, as was the second. In fact, they were all good. We are pleased with the win and the clean sheet.’
Unfortunately f or l eaders Dundee United, who visit on Friday, Eremenko’s fitness is improving rapidly.
He was outstanding in the first half against St Johnstone l ast week before tiring and, ultimately, being sent off.
‘It’s not easy,’ he said after his third game in a week.
‘I feel very tired at the moment. As you get older, this (plastic) pitch does not make it easy for you to play.
‘But I’m enjoying myself and I hope to get even fitter and help the team even more. But if we can continue winning like this then I will be happy to stay as fit as I am now.
‘As l ong as we have t he victories and I can make a contribution, I wouldn’t change anything. Why would you?’ Alan Archibald’s Partick Thistle, meanwhile, must raise their game when fellow strugglers Mother well come calling next Saturday.
Full - back Jordan McMillan accepted that a repeat of this capitulation will not suffice. ‘Too many boys were off it today in the starting XI,’ he said. ‘Myself as an individual and collectively as a team, we just weren’t good enough.
‘It was just an acceptance (of defeat) really and we let them get the goals.
‘It’s early in the season and we know where we want to be.
‘We weren’t good enough at Kilmarnock.’