Coming onto the second part of this prediction we look at the teams who will just miss out on the top six. In all honesty, last season proved that the split format is a complete mess as we had teams being told with five games to go that due to being a point out of the top half you cannot fight for the European spots. Expect a tight split once more with a matter of points being decisive.
9) Motherwell (Image Credit : Licence details)
2022 has only brought Motherwell three league wins out of a possible eighteen. The fact that they take on Sligo Rovers in the Conference league qualifiers tonight is remarkable. Although, trailing the tie 1-0 on aggregate is maybe less so. Last Thursday summed up the mood around the camp in Lanarkshire perfectly: flat and dull. The die-hard fans have expressed that they long for change in management. However, those in power are impervious to the fans’ feelings and call the shots how they see right. That is despite it being a fan-owned club, not all voices are being heard. Yet, Graham Alexander plows on. Cast your mind back to a 3-1 loss to ten-men Rangers last season, that was the nail in the coffin for me. Despite having an extra man, Motherwell could barely string passes together and substitute decisions that day were absolutely baffling. Losing the likes of Donnely, O’hara, Grimshaw, Nirenold and Roberts only piles the misery onto an already bleak situation. So, why will they not be in a relegation battle then? I hear you ask. The signings of Paul Mcginn and Blair Spittal are decent business plus the assumption that a mid-season appointment change will occur, giving Motherwell a needed boost to safety.
8) St Johnstone
Last year was a humbler for the Perth side as they went from double-winners to near escapers. The season started with a draw away to Galatasary yet ended with a play-off victory away to Inverness. Callum Davidson was linked with a managerial move down south after his 2020/21 heroics but stayed on with steadfast determination to honor his contract in Perth. A major culture shock it was though as he showed his craft in the other side of the game, surviving. It was always going to be difficult losing key names and it isn’t set to get any easier. Losing Rooney, Hendry and Mccart only heightens the difficulty of the task ahead. A change of system is most likely on the cards as well, as Mccart was integral to the trio at the back functioning. Although at times last season even that wasn’t enough. Defensively they struggled. Goals were flowing, the majority going into their own net, however.
Andrew Considine will give experience to the back line although, he is hardly a spring chicken and won’t be much left in his legs. Signing Wright, Murphy, Considine and Carey are decent signings and should help propel St Johnstone up the table. Davidson is a quality manager though and will be able to keep St Johnstone in the division for another season.
7) Kilmarnock
Coming up from the championship through winning the title, Kilmarnock may not have the promotion season that Hearts had last season, although should have a solid campaign. Derek McInnes is a man who Aberdeen longed for to leave, although will be eating back their words now no doubt as things just haven’t been as rosy since that departure. With solid signings in Jordan Jones and Alan Power returning plus Liam Donnely being an addition, they are in a genuinely strong place. A goal-scoring asset in Kyle Laffety is a luxury match-winner to posses. Aberdeen were always organized during the Mcinnes era. Should that translate to Kilmarnock combined with an astroturf surface, then it’ll be a real head-scratcher of an away tie. The football won’t be sparkling, pragmatism will shine through but it’ll be enough for a comfortable mid-table finish and be knocking on the door of the top half.
Beyond The Score 
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