The absence of Igor Rossi at the weekend meant Robbie Neilson went with a very inexperienced back line, which had an average age of 19.75 with three 19-year-olds and Alim Ozturk at 22 the most experienced.
Rossi missed the Dundee win with the Brazilian defender looking as thought he’ll sit out the St Johnstone trip to Tynecastle too?
A groin injury led to him missing the one-nil win at Dens Park and with Neilson not prepared to take any risks with him, he could sit out once again. However, the Head Coach did admit to the Edinburgh News he could have faced Dundee but that decision not to risk him came into his mind with him taking such an approach going forward.
Rossi isn’t expected to return to training until tomorrow, maybe Thursday and as he doesn’t want to make it a ‘chronic’ injury the signs are pointing towards him playing it safe again, with Neilson saying.
‘Rossi didn`t quite make it. He probably could`ve played but, in the last couple of games, he`s lasted seventy or eighty minutes. He probably could`ve pushed himself to face Dundee but I just felt McGhee coming in gives us cover there.’
Adding if he does sit out at the weekend he’ll ‘definitely be ready’ to return for the games that follow.
‘It`s one of those things that you don`t want to become chronic because Rossi is an important player for us. He didn`t train last week. We were going to train him on Thursday and Friday but I just felt it wasn`t worth it. There are too many games coming up. Igor should be ready for St Johnstone. If he`s not, I think he`ll definitely be ready for the three games in a week after that. I`ll probably give it until Wednesday or Thursday this week before he trains. If he trains and he`s 100 per cent, then we`ll go from there.’
I think it’s fair to say the defence did well enough without him, and as much as we would want him playing we shouldn’t take a risk and also take the if it aint broken approach and all that….
