Hope Springs

The worst senior pitch in Scotland, a horrible windy day and a new goalie: this is a game with mistakes and goals likely but I think our growing confidence should let us keep our noses in front. 3-1 the Well.

There’s no pretending we played well but not we’re we outplayed by a determined but limited Coleraine. We lost our lead to two very, very soft penalties and instead of pushing harder at the start of the second half we did not impose ourselves on them. But after Mugabi was sent off our superior fitness was actually more obvious and I fully expected us to be better set to win the shootout. There are better times not far round the corner. We have a good squad and with a bit mor organisation and leadership on the park and a bit more savvy in the tactics we adopt then with good players coming back to fitness we will kick on. The draw has been very kind to us and we need to capitalise on this. It wouldn’t be the first time we made progress without setting the heather on fire (remember Morton in 91?). Time to support your team and enjoy where we are in Europe

I remember Willie as a slight but wiry and tough player who was so gifted. He was one of those clever and generous inside forwards who must have been a centre forward’s dream to play with. RIP, Willie.

Hi Blue, Welcome to Motherwell and glad you have made such an astute choice. Like you, we have enjoyed ups and downs but the ups are simply brilliant and we’re good at sticking together to get through the downs. Hope you enjoy following the Steelmen. Is your English team from in or around Birmingham?

This is really the only test of fitness, signings, tactics and team selection: a competitive match. I’ve been impressed by the quality and number of our signings, however, and I see this as a clear statement of ambition and intent. So I hope to see this translate into an attacking and ruthless approach that delivers the goals that this squad looks to have in it. Ever the optimist, I think we’ll win this by a couple of goals - 3-1 The Well!

We have not been so good since the winter break but Hearts have been sooo poor all season. Two results - one against a dreadfully mediocre Rangers and another in a game against local rivals that needs no motivation - doesn’t transform them into anything we should fear. I think it might be close but if our midfield is as good as they were this week I think Long is due a goal or two and we should just about edge it. COYW!

Time told

A strong lineup on paper although I hope Turnbull and Watt manage a decent spell on the park. A two goal margin at least would do our confidence no end of good. So 3-0 the Well.

Heaven forbid we should be promoting ourselves as a club or our most valuable player. The media folk did a splendid job and gave our fans an insight into the professionalism and dedication and coherence of our club. Regardless of (some) if its intention to quash the rumours and doubts around David Turnbull’s recovery and to put him squarely back in the market place at a time when a contract extension is increasingly unlikely, this was a polished piece of work that made me take pride in the way our club goes about its business. So congratulations to everyone - everyone - involved in this documentary and please keep up the good work.

The high wind, rubbish pitch and intermittent sleet and snow make this a lottery. Realistically no one should contemplate playing football in this. However, since it is going ahead, I’d want all the space in midfield squeezed and a relatively nimble back three. Given that Long is back and if Watt has recovered from Tuesday’s exertions, I’d be interested to see what they can do together against a fairly raw and depleted Accies. 2-0 the Steelmen!

Good transfer window: retained Gallagher, Campbell et al; removed wage burners (Sloth); sold a promising, entertaining but far from fully developed talent (Scott) for in excess of a million ( and if he continues to develop we make more if not we have a million); and we take a punt on a couple of useful looking talents we can refurbish ( Ndjoli and Aarons). Can’t see any of that slowing our momentum as we push for Cup and Europe. COUW

Illic was badly supported by Grimmy who had a poor game and did not link up with Illic well. I think there is more to Illic and he can still make a better impact if he gets a couple more starts. McIver also showed enough promise and should not be dismissed out of hand. Doubt if Seedorf has enough of a clue - he doesn’t seem to read the game well and often looks pretty lost really

Alan Campbell by a fair distance. Never gives up, combative and creative, he never put a foot wrong and showed for everything. Gallacher might have run him closer had he not got a bit too casual at the end and nearly gifted them a goal.

This was the best three points of the season so far and pivotal in establishing a psychology in the team that we can win tough, tough fixtures, play different styles of football to get results and even do so despite significant challenges from absent players, injuries, trash talk and rumours that seem to have beset us. And I believe Robinson when he says there is more and better to come. This result is the ideal platform for our push for a European place and a cup run. It instils belief and gives us the psychological edge over our nearest rivals. A brilliant, brilliant win. Well done to manager, staff and players.

Aberdeen need to bring their A game to this fixture, and in recent weeks have been well short of that standard. I think we have more to find as well but other than the Accies game we have had enough about us to find ways to win. I’m hoping Robinson gets the tactics right tonight, keeps it tight in the middle of the park ( Donnelly, Polworth, Campbell as a minimum, please), gives Illic a run out to build on two good goals for the reserves, a funds a way to keep Cosgrove locked out (and he would be less exciting if the penalties were not part of his tally). Hoping to see Long keep up his scoring streak too against a pretty ponderous Aberdeen defence, and looking for a better display from Scott to keep them nervous about pushing forward. I fancy we can take all three points which, as well as opening a gap, would be coming at a key psychological moment in the season. 3-1 the Well!

With the right application and preferably an early goal I think we should win this one comfortably. 4-1 the Well

Randolph Tait. Gallacher. Hutchison. Hammell Campbell. Lasley. Law Higdon. Moult. Johnson I would love to have seen Higdon and Moult together!!

What I can’t fathom is having Sloth on the bench v Ross County then he disappears again v Accies. Part of me thinks had he been given a shout in the Accies game he would have been no worse , and as like as not better, than what we had. Glass half full - we remain third with a winter training break to analyse and remedy yesterday’s poor, poor showing. Glass half empty, we dropped three points and lost the chance to widen the gap on a misfiring Aberdeen and I suspect that will come back to haunt us. We also lost momentum going into a tougher set of matches after the break. I hope some good signings in January and Donnelly and later Turnbull on the comeback trail instil some energy that the Accies match took away from us.

Interesting changes: not unhappy to see Grimshaw back; Mugabi not so sure but maybe offers more pace and better distribution than big Pete; happy with Long’s return. The line up suggests a lot of hard running combined with a bit more physicality. The engine room stays the same and is supplemented by pace and power on either flank. Hope we can run over the top of them. If not there is enough threat from the bench to try something different. 3-0 the Steelmen.

Declan Gallacher: made difficult stuff look easy; positional play, distribution and drive all international class; and the winning goal saw him soar over everybody, literally and metaphorically.

A good result - better than the performance but nevertheless deserved. Ross County were very cynical , tugs, blocks and more nudges than a slot machine. They gave their goalie man if the match for the amount of time he took to straighten his socks before each bye kick. Thought Gallacher was a stand out,; he strolled through the game and scoring the winner was poetic justice. Seedorf dishes up 75 minutes of nonsense and then toasted the County defence every time he got the ball. Polworth faded in and out of the game but was worth his place for both assists. Big Scott is better coming in off the wing ( better than Hastie ) and the McIver goal was just lovely. so, all told a good day at the office. Time to give the Accies a hammering, I hope!

Happy Christmas to Well fans, and everyone connected to our wonderful club, wherever you may be.

I’m up north for Christmas with my family and the weather is not too bad - sunny intervals all day tomorrow and showers on Thursday (30% chance of rain during the game). So me and my two sons are going to the game for sure. I think it’s a real litmus of our progress, with County being the only team to beat us unpredictably in recent times. If we can win this it sets up Accies nicely and two wins going in to the winter break will do very nicely thank you very much! The ground should be firm enough and hopefully we see a real drive to avenge the previous loss - the only real blemish on our season. I’d like to see Campbell, O’Hara and Polworth starting with Scott and Hylton running hard at a shaky defence. Long up top and the goalie and back four are stable and pick themselves.

As Well fans, we should know better than be complacent. Assume nothing is the golden rule. However, we are certainly on a strong run with a lot of momentum and confidence on our side. The other side off that coin is that County are not playing well, not scoring and taking a good few trouncings. I think though it may be harder than the form book suggests. 3-1 the Steelmen.

That said an unpopular manager gone, caretaker in charge, got to be a home win then on Saturday, I hope not. Tell that to Austin McPhee. 3-0 to the Steelmen !!