MJC_MKI

There seems to be way, waaaaaaay too much confidence within our support just now and that is rarely a good thing with Motherwell. Some of our fans, not just on here, seem to think that we are as good as in the final already but we are anything but. We are not a better side than St.Johnstone, the sides are very evenly matched I'd say and this game could go either way but given that we seldolm seem to deliver on the big stage when we've got what seems like a very good chance then I fully expect us to get beat next week, turning in a dismal performance in the process.

Could you have been any more selective in quoting me? I clearly said at both the beginning and at the end of my earlier post that in my opinion, the jury is still out on Stuart McCall and also that as yet, I am not convinced that he is the right man for the job. However.... Whatever I or anyone else thinks of Stuart McCall, you cannot argue with the fact that he has taken us to the Semi Finals of the Scottish Cup, knocking out the holders with an absolutely tremendous display in the process. That is why I also say that I have backtracked "ever so slightly" on my earlier stance that he was most definately NOT right for the job. I remain to be convinced, but I'm not quite so against him as I was. When I call for consistency, I want to see more consistent performances rather than results. I fully accept that Motherwell cannot be expected to win week in week out, however the manner in which we have gone from being brilliant one week to awful the next, to brilliant the next week, to awful the next, is what concerns me the most. Against Celtic at Fir Park, against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and against United in the cup replay, we were superb and we gave a fairly good account of ourselves against Rangers at Hampden in the League Cup. Yet in and around these matches, we have turned in performances which were as shocking as the above ones were excellent and these have come in games which would be considered less high profile, against the St.Mirrens, Killies and ICTs of this world. That to me could suggest that McCall struggles to motivate the team for, for want of a better word, 'lesser' games and that is a major concern to me. I know I started the 'McCall Out' thread and did so on the night of the St.Mirren defeat at Fir Park and did so because the performance that night, combined with performances before (and also now since) were simply unacceptable. However, we then beat Celtic four days later and have since reached the Semi Finals of the Scottish Cup, so I admit that was somewhat premature in calling for McCall's head when I did, BUT I still remain unconvinced by our manager.

Too young, in my parents opinion.

Watching 'Simply the Greatest' DVD just now. I know it's been said many a time before but what a fucking Cup run, and final that was. Beat the holders at Pittodrie, see off Falkirk in a six goal cracker, get the better of Morton on penalties, beat Celtic at Hampden in a replay after being behind not once but twice and then win the Cup against all the odds against a much fancied Dundee Utd in one of if not thee greatest finals of all time with a handicapped goalkeeper for almost the entire second half and extra time period. And Maxwell's save from Boris Backpass in the dying minutes considering the injury he was carrying...just unbelieveable. All that said, it's just as well I wasn't at the final because I'd have left when Jackson equalised in the final minute of normal time.

I would take a point right now from this game. No way will we be able to play as well, nor will United be quite as poor as they were last week and I wouldn't be atall surprised if they didn't just beat us, but gubbed us in this one. 4-1 United I'm afraid.

At this point in time the jury is out for me. I say that because I was far from happy with his appointment and after some absolutely dreadful results and performances, I firmly placed myself in the 'McCall out' camp as I believed that he was not the man for the job and still do to some extent. I have to admit to backtracking on this view ever so slightly over the past week because yet again last Wednesday night we raised our game and turned in an absolutely superb display, just as we did when we beat Celtic 2-0 at the end of February, when it wasn't just the results that were so good, but the performances that went with them. Also, McCall has guided us to the Semi Finals of the Scottish Cup despite a difficult series of away draws which included the Cup holders and inform Dundee United, so that has to afford the manager credit, and more time to prove himself, whatever I or anyone thinks of him. The big test for McCall now is to get the team playing with more consistency and more importantly, better motivation in the more 'bread and butter games' against sides of similar stature to ourselves. The performances against St.Mirren, home and away against Killie, Utd away in the SPL, Rangers at Ibrox and Inverness away were simply shocking and cannot be overlooked. However, under McCall's watch we have on the flip side of those debalces turned in some excellent displays so as I said, for that he deserves to be given credit and support. Like I say, jury still out...

Maybe not neccessarily a hammering, but I'll predict defeat because it would be oh so typical of us to fuck it up big time against St.Johnstone having seemingly done the harder work by gubbing the holders. But of course I'll be hoping, praying that we can carry on our Cup form this season and get to the final which would be, quite frankly, fucking fantastic.

What a result and what a performance. Total satisfaction and delight from that tonight. Three brilliant goals, completely controlled the game and a big Fir Park crowd goes home happy, except for the huge away support...For once. Well done the 'Well and bring on the Semis.

If we can get through this one then it will be fantastic. Beating an inform Dundee United side who are also the Cup holders would be no mean feat, especially given our injuries/suspensions. It's going to be very tough though and if was to go to penalties then I certainly wouldn't hold out much hope given our dreadful record from the spot in recent times. That said though, I expect United to win in open play, so no 2nd semi final for us this season.

"I've paid my money I'll say what I fucking like and if you don't like it, fuck off and sit somewhere else."

Calm down. I was here when we beat Celtic, and when we beat Aberdeen and I will be here if/when we reach the semi finals. But my stance on this matter has not and unless things drastically improve, changed. I believe that Stuart McCall is not the right person for this job right now. The team have looked under motivated and under prepared for the majority of games so far under his watch and that is my biggest concern. I can take losing and I fully accept that Motherwell are not by any means a big club who can be expected to win more than they lose and compete at the top end of the table on a regular basis. For as long as Stuart McCall is Motherwell manager then I will be hoping that he can get the very, very best out of what he has at his disposal, which I appreciate at this moment in time is not a lot and if he can do this and get the team playing and fighting for the jersey so that when we do lose, we do so fighting. However from what I've seen so far, this has not happened and that is why I say what I say.

Bumped. Yet another reason why McCall is not the man for the job today, yet again a gutless display.

Well that's a non starter of an arguement to be honest because we didn't win today, we lost 0-3 and that, like the St.Mirren debacle, like Kilmarnock at home, like Dundee Utd at Tannadice is yet another poor result and poor performance under Stuart McCall. Had we won today then things would have been different because we would have built on our win over Celtic with a victory against a similar strengthed side in the league and that would have had to be looked upon as progress. But we didn't win today, infact we were easily beaten and this, on top of some of the dreadful results and performances so far have brought me to the conclusion that McCall is not going to cut the mustard for us as manager.

I don't know Dundee well but I would imagine that any of the local restaurants are usually a good option for food and if you want a drink then I reckon a pub's your best bet.

This is what backs up my viewpoint that Stuart McCall is not the man for us. It is the job of the manager to motivate his players and get them up for games against the sides around us in the league and McCall is falling short on this front. It's absolutely no use beating Aberdeen away from home when it's a 'grudge match' and beat a high flying Celtic completley out of the blue if you are losing so meekly against St.Mirren and Inverness immediately afterwards. We are not a good side just now and before anyone says it, I know and understand full well that we are not a 'big club' who should just expect to beat certain teams but it's the manner of our recent losses that is causing me the greatest concern. Although I didn't see the game today, we have looked completey directionless and under motivated since McCall took over and that is simply unacceptable and that is why I am not happy with him being our manager.

Certainly. My stance hasn't changed, I believe that McCall is the wrong man for us. Forget last week, whilst it's great to beat Celtic, we won last week because Celtic had a serious off day. It's games against the likes of St.Mirren & Inverness that we need to be looking to win and those sides have us sussed out. Not good enough.

Well another absolutely pitiful result to add to St.Mirren, Kilmarnock, Dundee Utd, Rangers at Ibrox under McCall. I said it before last week's superb, enjoyable but in all honesty crack papering win over Celtic that McCall is not the man for this job and I stand by that. Oh aye, and I wonder if those Motherwell supporters who like to cheer Richie Foran when he plays against us are happy tonight seeing as he's scored against us?... Shite day all round.

Ooooooooooh you'll get it in the neck on here now. Half the nuggets on here are convinced that Reynolds should be a regular pick for the Scotland national team and would easily hold his own against Fernando Torres, David Villa & Lionel Messi should he ever come up against them. Personally I find it hard to disagree with what you have said about Reynolds. He was a decent player for us, nothing more, nothing less. He was a pacy defender who's form was largely inconsistent but his weaknesses far outweighed his strengths IMO. His distribution and positional sense were absolutely dreadful and he was far too easily shoved about by forwards who had any sort of phsyical presence about them. He was never short of effort though and was a player that despite his shortcomings I quite liked as when he played well he was a decent asset to the team but I never for one minute bought into this ludicrous idea that he was an international class defender as some did. In answer to your question about Celtic & Rangers and how they would fare if they ever got into the Premiership, I firmly believe that in time they would probably do very well. They are both massive clubs with enourmous supports and with the money they would get through the television deals down in England they would be able to shop at the top end of the market and so eventually become forces to be reckoned with. It wouldn't happen over night which many of their supporters would struggle to deal with but given time I reckon they'd be able to hold their own.

That pitch looks even worse in that video. I know it's not really a day to be picking up on things like that but really, how on earth do we get away with that?

Only Motherwell could lose to a struggling St.Mirren then beat a high flying Celtic all in the space of four days. Unfuckingbelieveable. Fantastic result and by the sounds of things we were comfortable and that has to be one of the easiest victories we've ever had over Celtic. And that's the first time that Celtic have failed to score at Fir Park since 1996 aswell so a new record is broken.

"So fucking easy" Shut the fuck up, it's not over yet.

4 minutes added.

No.

We often do when we're playing Celtic at FP. Can't remember the last time they had a player sent off at Fir Park though.

We're going to have someone sent off before too long I reckon. James Forrest on for Celtic now.