Tweed

I was on holiday during the week and missed this story breaking. Without doubt, Hutchinson has stagnated at Motherwell. We can discuss the whys but I think it is fair to say he is not going to improve any further with us and if he wants to become a better player he needs to move on. However, I don't think that moving to a team in a league below us is going to improve the player, although we have to accept that money can talk. I think it would be a mistake for his development to go to Rangers, for the next two years he is not going to get any challenge he hasn't had with us. However, the problem for him is that he maybe hasn't been good enough for a good English side to come knocking. If he stays here, well and good but I don't think he will further himself.

For me today it was: 1. Vigurs - never wasted a ball, good shooting and crossing and very aware. Great timewasting at the end and seemed right up for it. 2. Carswell - best I've seen him for a while, great running created the first goal. 3. Reid - great reading of the game and his positional sense is superb. Doesn't make many mistakes, I think the capture of him could be the difference between Europe and not. Rate him highly from what I've seen.

Strange first half, we created a few chances and should have been ahead but there were long spells we were poor and we really struggled to relieve pressure and a more competent opponent could have punished us. Was beginning to feel it could be one of them days where we would end up on nil, when Faddy turned in the rebound. Carswell looked fully fit for the first time in a while (I wasn't at Inverness) and that made some difference in stretching their midfield. As time goes on I become more impressed by Reid. Not that he does much creatively brilliant, but he is very steady and rarely makes an error and has excellent positional sense. Vigurs did some great work today as well. Good on the ball and keen to have a go. Also, Wayne Rooney must have been watching as he copied his audacious effort from half way.

I hadn't realised until today that this hadn't been seeded based on last year's finishing places because if they had we not have ended up with Inverness, St Johnstone, Dundee Utd and Celtic all due to come to Fir Park. Given Celtic will have the league won by the split and their fans have chucked it, they should be missing the home game.

Not really, I think if he had dropped back a bit he could have changed the areas where the game was being played a bit. Apart from the first 15 minutes of the 2nd half, the game was being played closer to our goal than there's and I think he and Vigurs lack of defensive awareness was part of the reason for that. Don't get me wrong they both did well going forward but overall I think if they had done a wee bit more of the ugly side we'd have won that.

This was a game where I thought that most players did well for the most part but threw in some mistakes. Hollis - having reviewed again, did well but I now concur he should have been more imposing at goal 2 Reid - quietly effective but some wayward passing Murray - on the whole fine, but massively out of position for goal 3 Hutchinson and McManus - need to command more at set plays but in open play were fine Ainsworth - Marvellous goal but quiet otherwise Vigurs - did lots of good things, great ideas and work ethic going forwards but lots of misplaced passed and didn't do enough defensively Lasley - a couple of poor decisions apart was his usual imposing self Leitch - didn't do much wrong but felt the game passed him by a bit, was much better last week Sutton - Worked like a Trojan, 2 goals but distribution was poor frequently McFadden - involved in everything but decision making at times was frankly shocking So having gone through them all, to me there wasn't an obvious choice for MoTM as when I look for one, I want someone who has done lots of good things and very few bad things and I think they were all a bit Jekyll and Hyde on Saturday and nobody seemed to stand above so I am null voting. Would give all 11 pass marks though.

Hold on a minute, I think I said earlier on my gripe was with our marking, not the keeper. I haven't seen it again yet so my view may change but the number of goals we have lost to corners has been disgraceful. When you can watch Albion Rovers win header after header at corners today, you have to wonder why we can't.

It was only a game changing decision because giving our opponents a corner is about the same as giving them a penalty!

Hollis did all that was expected of him against Hearts, one rogue punch apart, and did nothing wrong yesterday - he also coped admirably well with some bizarre back passes on a rotten pitch with a gusty wind. This was before some of the crucial saves he made. One right before half time when everyone thought the game had been stopped due to a couple of injuries in the D was especially good. In two games, one mistake I remember, keep that up and he'll be fine. The marking ghosts at corners is more of a concern to me. We lost one to Aberdeen, one to Hearts, one to Dundee Utd and two to Hibernian and I haven't even brought myself to watch the St Johnstone game and that is in six weeks. I do accept Gunnar was partly to blame for the Aberdeen one but overall that is costing us more goals than our keepers.

I think the defending set pieces thing could very easily be the difference between 3rd and 4th or 2nd and 3rd. Another two today though I think we were a bit unlucky today as there seemed to be a hand in the build up to the first before Forster's header took a deflection and the second one, the corner should never have been given as we should have had a shy and there is a debate about the ball crossing the line. Thought Hibs had more of the game today from start to finish but in the first half we did seem to have a bit more oomph when we had the ball and got our two goal lead. The subs did change the game. Ours made us more defensive and they brought Heffernan on and he scored twice in five minutes. We were lucky that Hibs look like a team who are shit scared of winning and as soon as they were got deeper and deeper and we managed to get our goal, not that it will win any beauty contests. The real positives today were Murray, I thought looked better and sharper than last week and Cadden looked a lot more confident on the ball and his running back to get us a goal kick was outstanding. Leitch a bit quieter than last week but did OK. Thought Vigurs had one of those days where nothing went for him but still found himself in good positions and never gave up. And to the bloke who moaned about Sutton for the whole second half behind me saying he was lazy, never scored and should have been subbed, if I ever see you near me again - I'm moving. But thanks for making me laugh with the wonderful line of 'he takes Ainsworth off who has scored and leaves that useless cunt, Sutton on' Errm, first goalscorer?

Absolutely. The perfect tackle by Patterson.

So did I, I was only commenting that I thought his lack of pace could leave him exposed at this level.

Nail hit on the head.

Thought Vigurs and Faddy both had their best games of the season today. the ball Vigurs played for the fourth goal by the way, what a cross that was. On balance though I'm going Faddy as he was involved in all the goals but it is a coin toss.

Did they not lose 4-0 at home to Kilmarnock? Anyway, pedantry aside a lot to be happy about tonight. We've bemoaned the defence in recent weeks and that corner apart they did really well. We have now scored 17 goals in the last 5 at Fir Park which is outstanding in anyone's book. Faddy and Vigurs both had their best game of the season today. You would never have known it was Leitch's first start at this level and looked like he had been there for years. Ainsworth is a bit hot and cold but he seems to have both in the same game whereas Humphrey had many days when he was really quiet for the full 90. Really pleased with Reid. Not showy or brilliant but doubt we could have done any better from the out of contract pool available to us when the injuries hit and he certainly didn't let anyone down. Murray looked fine on the ball but not sure he is going to have the pace to survive at this level. The thought of someone like McGinn running at him is frightening. No complaints at all with Hollis. Good day's work.

I think there is a difference though. Gannon was playing kids who were not ready, (i.e. Jamie Pollock v Celtic) whilst leaving available, fit seasoned pros on the bench. It was mental. McCall is now playing half fit players like Lasley v United or players massively out of position like Hammell v United whilst leaving kids who play in these positions in a pretty successful u20 team sitting on the bench or in the stand. I would never never suggest he should be playing Murray instead of Ramsden or Thomas instead of Lasley if they are all 100% fit but when that isn't the case McCall seems to go for the half fit, falling over, square peg in the round hole and it generally doesn't work.

I actually object to that comment, We may have been rudderless, directionless and absolutely appalling in some games but I don't think anyone can fairly level lack of effort at them.

This may be true but: 1. Hibs have drawn with Celtic, are unbeaten against Dundee Utd and have beaten St Johnstone twice. 2. Ross County have won at Inverness, beaten Aberdeen and cuffed Dundee Utd. 3. Kilmarnock a bit like us, they are where they are because they always seem to beat those below and around them. 4. St Mirren have cuffed Dundee Utd 5 Thistle have gone to Inverness and won, beaten Aberdeen. 6. Hearts for all their faults have beaten Aberdeen twice and gone to Perth and drawn So for all they may be rotten, these teams are all capable of beating top six teams on their day and it is a testament to our professionalism that we haven't dropped a single point to any of them thus far at the end of FEBRUARY. Ok, we may have issues the next couple of weeks due to our injuries but even getting to where we are has been fantastic. I'm very kind of meh about where we are at the moment, the way it has gone I think we could be a few points better off and we should not have lost the two cup games we did but I think to write off our form against the bottom six teams is really unfair.

What do you mean bar Celtic? Including Celtic, because they drew at Hibs!

This is a tough game for us. St Johnstone don't often lose at home and having done so today it will be interesting how they will react. As for us, with either an inexperienced central midfield or one still in rehabilitation it is inevitable we will be under the cosh. As such, I agree with MJC's assessment that we will really struggle to keep them out. The game in New Years Day was superb with both teams playing well and the margin of victory only came after they went for it when we went 2-0 and they lost the midfield. If we could start well and force them to chase, I suspect it will be our best chance as if they go for it like they did then they will leave space for Ainsworth to run at them. Not going to make any predictions on the team yet as will no doubt very much depend on how Carswell, Anier and Lasley reacted to the injuries they played with on Friday and also is there any prospect of Lawson being back?, never really heard what was wrong with him.

I think it is a catch 22 situation. We do need to blood them but we also need to protect them and throwing them in against an opponent who could overrun us could damage them. On Murray, I think last Saturday v Higginbotham could have been all right, as much as he is playing well we were always likely to have most of that game and despite some deficiencies in our defending that proved to be true. I think last night against a team who were always going to have more of the game than us and with a struggling engine room in front, it could have been a disaster. Had that game come after a few games and an understanding built up with Ainsworth it may have happened. I also think the fact our wingers are not exactly brilliant at tracking back and protecting may have been a reason for not taking the punt. But on balance, some of these guys need some game time so they can be utilised in situations like last night.

On Hutchinson I agree 100% - decent enough player most of the time but has serious issues with concentration and discipline (both positional and when to go into tackles). As you correctly say it is the same mistakes now as three or four years ago and you would expect a young player to improve over time especially with the positional stuff. Goals like the first one we let in last night happen, better players than him have done things like that but as a general point he makes too many mistakes. Hammell has maybe receded a bit but I still think he can do a job for us at left back. I think against both Partick and Dundee Utd, a lot of the problems have come from Lasley and Carswell not being 100% fit which has increased the amount of pressure on our defence. Sadly it is likely the same pressure will be on them on Perth on Tuesday. Though if Reid gets a few days training it should at least mean we are able to play a back four with everyone in their own position.

I think what is coming to the fore is that when we set up to be a bit defensive we always make an arse of it because of stupid immature defensive lapses. Hutchinson had about ten options, passing back should have been the last one. Second goal, we left two guys unmarked and although there may have been a foul we need to look after ourselves first. I don't think Lasley and Carswell were at their best and no matter what we did we were damned, untested could have been overrun unfit were. Hopefully the injuries ease for Tuesday and we can kick on and get something without further setbacks between now and then. Unfortunate we seem to have had these injury crises against our direct opponent for third.

From the East Stand it wasn't that clear whether he was off the floor, whether he played the ball or the man or whatever but since no Motherwell player or anyone in the dugout it was right in front of seemed to complain we just assumed it was one of these things that happen in football and he was free of blame.

Lasley for me, thought he had a fine game.