dennyc

I was not referring to you, But my reading is that some are pretty adept at focusing away from what we currently see by focusing on issues that SK cannot really influence. I am looking for him to influence those areas he can control.

We will at least have seen evidence of a Manager that is willing to change things up after some woeful performances. Not one or two woeful performances but too many over the season, including that pathetic cup SF. For some that willingness to change will be a step forward. Might even be enough for those that want to support Kettlewell but currently have serious doubts. Like me. Despite what is promoted on here by some, although a few have been irrationally anti Kettlewell from day one, not everybody wants SK out as of now. But what the false narrative does is deflect from what has been evident for some time and came to a head in Perth. Throw in the injury situation, league position, the youth of some players, officiating, even Graeme Alexander to the discussion and the current issues that are concerning folk are pushed aside. Deliberately or otherwise. History is history and cannot be changed. Where we are headed is the point. On Saturday, yet again, we saw a passive beginning handing the initiative to our opponents. Yet again we saw a formation and approach that exposed the weaknesses of certain players as they are asked to play roles for which they are not suited. Yet again we saw substitutions that had no effect and we saw little leadership on and off the pitch. Even more worrying, for the first time this season we saw numerous players arguing with each other, questioning Managerial decisions, showing less than 100% commitment, hiding when teammates needed a get out ball, and a bunch of players being told to F@@@ Off when they approached fans at the end of the game. Fans who have supported them through good and bad, Bois included. And not in small numbers. So in response to your question, I do not know what happens if we change and lose. That could well happen. I do know for sure that if we witness no change and lose, then things will become even more toxic. What fans are desperate to see is a willingness by SK to adapt our approach, send out a team in a formation that at the very least gives us the hope of a win. The players for their part need to show the unity, energy and belief that has been evident in some recent home matches. I was shocked....but not really that surprised.....by the reaction at full time in Perth. SK, his coaching staff and the players also looked stunned. Hopefully that will have opened a few eyes within the Club and we reset our season starting Saturday. Surely we cannot continue as we are? It's not too late and we can still have a good season. But fans need to regain hope and belief. SK has a huge part to play in that. It won't be easy

Spot on. Sums up my feelings exactly. Current performance is the worry. Focusing on an early season SF and our current league position would be a lot more meaningful if the current signs were also positive. But they are far from positive. It speaks volumes that many fans who were fully supportive of SK throughout last season’s bad run, myself included, are now expressing serious doubts. It is not just those that took an irrational immediate dislike to him that are voicing their concerns on here and at games. Saturday is huge. Result aside, SK and the players need to show that they have it within them to get back on track. Give us something to believe in. Please!

No probs. I think I am beyond angry now. Disbelief and dismay more like…. Although I should know better by now.

I did say "And at other times during the season". And I agree with your list.

I think the majority of the 2000 or so Motherwell fans who were there today would support Casey if he did actually have a go at Kettlewell. in doing so they would not be excusing Casey's own abysmal performance but holding a Manager to account for what has now been dished up in four consecutive away performances. And at other times earlier in the season. As to the future if Kettlewell does leave, any new Manager will also be called out if fans are expected to suffer what we have seen in those four matches and others....... having had two years to build his own squad.. And why shouldn't he be? Like you, like many on here and in the stands I was supportive of Kettlewell when others were not so keen. As you have said, he earned leeway. Injuries, VAR decisions, the youthfulness of some players and our league position have been touted in his defence. Valid to a degree. But enough is enough. Tynecastle was bad. Rugby Park was worse. Easter Road even worse. And then today. And by the way, every team has to deal with injuries and sometimes those injuries can appear overwhelming. That's why teams have a squad and why Boards support Managers in bringing in players as cover. Nobody can deny that SK has been supported in that manner. Again that maybe brings the focus onto the nature of players recruited. I keep hoping he will try something different in an effort to pick us up. Agreed, he does change the line up from time to time but nothing changes tactically or approach wise. If the squad is incapable of changing formation then that is down to the Management team that constructed the squad. Today straight from kick off we handed the initiative to a team adrift at the bottom of the league. A team you would think more fragile than us. I had hoped he would do things differently for once. Something that would encourage me to support him a bit longer. More fool me. Does anybody really think it will be any different next week?

Casey was horrendous today and was rightly hooked. Casey is an old fashioned Centre Back and nothing more. Asking him to play on the right of a back three with responsibility for covering wide right and with no support from a right wing back who appears to have decided defensive duties are not for him is madness. And that is down to Kettlewell. Same applies to the left side. Every opponent we play targets those wide areas for good reason. If Casey was having a go at Kettlewell for repeatedly sending out a formation that exposes him and others, and fails week after week, then good for him.

I think he does want us to win every game we play. But I think his fear of losing makes him over cautious at times and hands our opponents a head start. Especially away from home. We got away with it at Dundee United and even more fortunately at Kilmarnock. But a more positive approach could well have gained us points at Ross County Hearts and Hibs. And I think he overthinks things at times. Trying to be too clever perhaps? Once a poor run gains impetus it is much harder to turn things round. No one wants a repeat of last season, or anywhere near that poor run. I do think Kettlewell has qualities and supported him through that bad spell last year. But these recent away performances have raised huge doubts in my mind. Clearly it is not all down to Kettlewell but he sets the tone. If players are not following instruction or are underperforming he is the one that has the power to chance things. Even allowing for injuries he still has options. Per my earlier post, Wash Rinse Repeat is fine for a while when winning. But him repeating the same approach those last three away games is baffling. Saturday was painful. On a cheerier note, welcome back Callum!

Given those clubs record you highlight, it is even more disappointing that we were so timid when facing them. Some would say we are on a poor run right now and are drifting downwards. Perhaps it is about attitude, positivity and carrying previous successes into games in addition to those factors you list. The impetus we had after the Aberdeen victory is gone. And that's not just down to the players. Perhaps it is about not repeating an approach to away games that has failed miserably three games in a row and hands our opponents a head start. Perhaps it is about learning from previous outcomes and being less predictable. We did not do ourselves justice at Hearts, Killie or Hibs. Had we shown up, competed but still only amassed one point I would be more supportive of our Manager. But we didn't. Each game was a mirror of the previous one. Rinse and repeat. So we should just accept what we have been served up recently and stop demanding improvement? Not for me. And not for any of the fans sitting beside me at Easter Road who certainly voiced their opinion at how little we offered. I did not hear one of them praising Kettlewell for what we were being asked to accept. It was also noticeable that the number of 'Well fans at the game was far less than at Easter Road earlier in the season. Even The Bois, who deserve praise for the support they offered, were much reduced. Maybe partly due to the weather but I fear Tynecastle and Rugby Park played a part. 3900 home fans v Aberdeen. I wonder how many will be at the next Fir Park match should we fail twice in Perth. Or at the next away game where Season Tickets do not play a part. So in answer to another of your points.....Yes, I do believe a Manager has a responsibility to enable performances that do not drive fans away. Irrespective of injuries or who our opponents are. Out of curiosity, what did you think of the performance in Edinburgh, particularly that first half? Or at those other two games. Because you knew what to expect, did the performance not really matter?

The first half performances, tactics and set ups at Tynecastle, Rugby Park and Easter Road suggest otherwise. They suggest a Manager desperate to avoid defeat rather than a Manager setting out to win. Persisting with those same tactics three away games in a row was madness given previous outcomes and reeks of stubbornness or an inability to come up with alternatives. Those three teams have been inconsistent (shite) all season and are not teams we should have been frightened to have a go at. Every one of them was as fragile as we are. Kettlewell handed them the initiative right from kick off so it was not a big ask for them to push forward. We did nothing to stop them. In the first half against those three teams, how many attempts on goal did we have, never mind attempts that tested their goalkeepers? As for not trying to win against the Old Firm, do you really believe we did not try to beat Rangers a few games ago? Had our Manager adopted that same approach to those three away games perhaps we would have gotten a better return than the miracle point we stole from Kilmarnock. God knows what his approach will be if the downward trend continues and we drift nearer the relegation battle. Your defence of Kettlewell is robust. But I wonder how many of those fans that spent good money to attend those three away fixtures agree with you. Those fans were short changed on and off the pitch. A repeat on Saturday and even the most fervent Kettlewell supporter must surely be asking questions. The two positives from Sunday were Andrews and Slattery so let's see if Kettlewell is prepared to utilise them in a more positive set up. Or will you be happy to see a repeat of our recent away matches, with wing backs overrun, midfield short staffed, little attacking intent until we fall behind with attack minded players introduced later on. There is absolutely no reason why we cannot adopt the same attacking intent from the start as we show in the last 15 minutes of a game. The question. Are Motherwell entertaining? On recent showings most definitely not and it is often a chore going along. Some of that may be down to injuries. But that is a ready excuse which should not be used to excuse all things Kettlewell. Other teams from top to bottom of our League have suffered injury setbacks, and some to top players. Our current League position is also used to dampen criticism of our style but it could be argued that the self same healthy League placing is a reason to be more adventurous given that security blanket. .....although that placing is not so healthy following recent performances. Perhaps given that Saturday is a cup tie we might be a bit more adventurous than in away league games of late. We might even be entertained. I'll believe it when I see it.

Remember also that a Manager's job is on the line and a run of wrong decisions by officials could have far more consequences than costing us points or upsetting fans. No wonder Managers lose their cool regularly. Some, like McInnes, get away with it. Others do not. I was encouraged when Collum appeared keen to improve standards and be more open to addressing issues. That optimism has now gone. First half on Sunday Walsh was clearly out to make his point and Kettlewell was a cert for a card. Collum seems to think that apology after apology is sufficient. And nothing is going to change.

That's what gets me. Given how agitated SK was getting and the heated discussions he was having with SF, I think he was concerned. And he must have felt the growing anxiety in the Stands. But despite being the only person with the real power to alter things, he did nothing until Killie scored and the referee also took a hand. An earlier change might not have worked, but had he acted earlier at least we would not have been relying on lady luck or Killie misses. And Killie might have had to change their half time game plan which was working a treat.

The momentum against Killie had clearly changed but it was not just an immediate reaction to us scoring. We were comfortable for the 30 minutes after the goal up to half time. In the second half everyone in the ground could sense the equalising goal coming and the Killie players certainly did. My issue is that, despite that momentum switch, SK did nothing to alter the flow of the match until after Killie got the goal they deserved. Had he acted earlier maybe we could have regained control and gone on to win the match. Evidenced by the impact Maswanhise had when he came on and gave Killie something different to think about. Even with us a man down. As you say, we are well placed in the League and SK deserves credit for that. But, how much better placed could we be if he was a bit more pro active. If he is not happy with the way momentum has switched or the fact we are falling deeper and deeper against his instructions, he has the power to try and change things. But he appears reluctant to do so until the inevitable happens.

There is a huge difference between (a) Fans speculating on a forum about a random player maybe signing up and (b) Someone with insider knowledge stating as a fact that a specific player has agreed a deal before he is allowed to per league rules.

Sounds like a player or his agent has verbally agreed a deal with us without yet telling his parent club. For players out of contract in the summer, when are they officially allowed to talk to other clubs? I think January is the first time a player is able to sign a pre contract but don't know if that also applies to when Clubs can make contact? So perhaps revealing his name at this time would attract unwanted attention from the powers that be? Or maybe he is such a good signing that other Clubs (St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Dundee) would outbid us if it was known he wanted a change. I'll speculate on Newell from Hibs. The type of thug we could do with. Unlikely though.