Throughout the week fans and commentators have criticised the Saints’ three-point win over the Western Bulldogs, which had an aggregate score of 95 points, the lowest score ever recorded at Etihad Stadium.
Lyon defended his side’s performance last Friday night but admitted the Saints’ attack was not in the best shape at the moment.
“There are a couple of commentators that are stronger on the ugly nature of it and all those things but I can’t change their opinion,” Lyon said at Linen House Oval on Tuesday.
“I think they’ve gone early and they’ve probably made their assumptions on no Nick Riewoldt and made assumptions on what I’m thinking or the instructions I’m giving and you know they’re not going to be accurate.
“That’s disappointing but I think 90 per cent of people acknowledged that we really fought and the players acknowledge that we’re not in our best form but we’re fighting on and we’re scrapping.”
St Kilda’s restructured forward line, due to the absence of skipper Nick Riewoldt at centre half-forward, has struggled to score goals, kicking 13 over the last two rounds.
Frustrated with the low scoring, Lyon admitted he had yet to find the right attacking formula.
“It was wet and windy over in Adelaide and we struggled a bit and certainly on the weekend we didn’t walk away saying ‘we’re rapt we’ve kicked seven goals’. We were really quite frustrated as well,” Lyon said.
“We’re working through it and it’s a work in progress and it’s a challenge but we think we can get on top of it. It’s clearly taken a little bit longer than two weeks so we’ll keep working out on the track.
“As it sits we’re 5-1, and we’ve given ourselves an opportunity and we’ve got another massive game and we’ll fight and scrap again. We’re aiming to turn that offensive form around but like I said against Fremantle it was only three weeks ago that we kicked 16 goals.”
With tall Justin Koschitzke struggling for form, Lyon has had to look elsewhere and defender Zac Dawson might be the man used up forward in Monday night’s clash with Carlton.
Dawson started forward during last Friday night’s win over the Western Bulldogs and has spent some time in attack, kicking the winning goal against Carlton in round 12 last year.
Lyon said Dawson was a possibility to play forward again on Monday, but was still coy on whether Jason Gram would return from a hip complaint in time for the clash against Carlton.
Gram has been training and a decision on his availability will be made later in the week.
