MJC_MKI

I loved reading trafficlight's posts.

As well as playing McHugh up front instead of Ojamaa, I'd also move Murphy to the right and play Law on the left of midfield. Murphy is too predictable on the left as was touched on by someone in the St.Johnstone match thread, he always wants the ball on his right foot. I'd line up; Randolph Hateley Cummins Hutchinson Francis-Angol Murphy Lasley Ramsden Law Higdon McHugh

Yes, and I for one can't argue with anything you say there. However the reality - taking everything into account - is that we are going to find ourselves in trouble should we be forced to sell arguably our two best players.

Times have changed a lot since we were in the 1st division(the 80s??) and there is less money in the game now than there was then. We have recently had to significantly cut our wage bill and are going to have to re adjust to having a TV deal in the SPL which provides us with less than before and also have to do without the gate money provided by Rangers fans at least once a season, so you're not telling me that we are going to be in a position to just go out and bring in replacements.

He is/has been far more effectual for us in left midfield where he was deployed last season when we had Jennings & Lasley in the centre.

No it isn't.

I'd like to see McHugh start up front alongside Higdon and Cummins or Kerr at centre half with Ramsden moving to midfield allowing Law to play in his natural position. However I have a feeling we won't see that sort of line up and we'll struggle to create anything again. 2-0 Killie

When John Boyle owned the club and was able to provide the neccessary funds, yes, but he's not here now so who's going to provide the funding?

Oh aye of course I'd be rubbing my hands together in glee, cos that's what I fork out on season ticket money and club merchandise every year for - to moan like fuck and tell the learned people of steelmenonline.co.uk that I 'told yeez so' when it all goes tits up. We've lost players in the past and recovered, yes, no player is bigger than the club. Players and managers will always come and go but the club goes on, I accept that, but on this occasion we appear to be completely potless and unlike in recent years, have no John Boyle around to fund replacements should we lose our key players. Our squad is probably the smallest in the SPL and the likeliehood is that we're going to lose both Law & Hutchinson before the window shuts and if we're not able to bring in replacements then we're in big trouble in my opinion.

Well done Motherwell on turning down those offers if the quoted figures are correct. Those are two of our best players and to let them go for such paltry sums would have been ridiculous, so well done for standing your ground MFC. However I very doubt that this will be the end of the matter and I fully expect both players to be gone in the next few weeks leaving us with a very, very bleak outlook for the season ahead. I just hope that we can get somethings resembling a decent transfer fee for these players but in the current financial climate and given that our club appear to be cash strapped, I won't be holding my breath. Worrying times indeed.

Well if that's the case then I'm sorry, the rant wasn't aimed at you personally, more a dig at Motherwell supporters who are so terrified about this 'h*n without the busfare' tag that they get all worried and upset whenever they see or hear anything that is remotely similar to Rangers in some way.

Thought yesterday was a bit of an improvement drom the DJ, at least what I heard anyway. The hideous Queen/Proclaimers/Kings of Leon mash ups were absent and we even had Scooter as the team came out for the 2nd half! Must have been reading this thread...

That's another story.

Because I'm a Motherwell supporter and I follow the team win, lose or draw. I'm not a glory hunter and don't pick and choose whether to go to a game based on how well I think we'll perform in it.

Yes, I for one like Higdon and if he was given the right support and service then he'll get goals for us. But he's being asked to plough a lone furrow because he gets no service from the flanks and when he's playing alongside Ojamaa he'd be aswell playing as a lone striker because he contributes nothing to the team from what I can see. He is greedy, his ball use is poor and he is not a team player. That does not make a good strike partner for a player like Higdon. I agree that McHugh should get his chance of starting against Killie next week but the fact remains that we really need reinforcements to that squad.

What worries me the most is that we just don't carry any threat up front. We create very little in the way of chances and really don't look like scoring. Our goal today was actually our first in our last six competitive matches, so it's quite clear where one of our major problems lie. Unless we can bring in another striker and a left sided midfielder who can offer something different or at least better service to the frontline then we are going to have a very long season I fear. Problem is though that I don't see us being able to bring in such players.

We got out of jail big time today with that point as we were absolutely awful for the majority of the match. Yet amazingly we almost won it at the death. We looked tired and that was slightly understandable and it was a hot day out there but my goodness we were poor all over the park and St.Johnstone could and should have had the game out of sight by the time McHugh saved our blushes. We were second to every ball in the middle of the park and defensively we looked sluggish to put it mildly. Oh aye and Henrik Ojamaa is gash.

Faddy is the new Freddie Dindeleux on here.

I'm looking forward to it aswell, despite my lack of optimism ahead of this game. There's nothing like Saturday afternoon football at Fir Park. Can't wait to hear what our esteemed DJ has got lined up for the pre-match and half time entertainment. I wonder what mash ups and remixes we'll be treated to tomorrow? Rihanna vs Travis maybe, Umbrella mixed with Why Does it always rain on me.

I won't be going out to Spain but I'll certainly be at the home leg.

We'll get royally creamed over both legs.

Craig Beattie??? That's a superb signing for St.Johnstone, a player who would have improved our squad without doubt.

Right it's pointless continuing this conversation because we're just going round in circles now, so I'm out. I've made my point and I stand by what I said. I'm not going to change other people's opinions on this matter and other people aren't going to change mine so I shall say no more.

Dundee Utd's record against 'better' sides is a lot better than our's is, that's what I base my statement on. I firmly believe it, we would not have drawn with Dynamo Moscow in the Europa League. Can I provide you with concrete proof? No of course I can't because the game didn't happen. I have however seen how we play first hand and we struggle to create and take any chances that come our way against superior opposition. Dundee Utd on the other hand have a much better record against sides like these. Just compare our record against Rangers to their's. Last week they drew 2-2 and by all accounts could and should have scored more goals against DM, whilst we have failed to score in three competitive matches this season so far.

Rotten draw. Let's face it, I think most Motherwell fans accept that whoever we were paired with would have seen us soundly beaten but at least had we drawn a Bordeaux then there would be a little glamour attached to the game. As it is we've drawn one of the less fashionable sides from Spain who have never played in Europe before, yet they'll still give us a right good pasting over the two legs. I doubt we'll see the same problems with queues to get in the East Stand and folk sitting in other people's seats for this game somehow.