Andy_P

Your thoughts and votes please...

I see they are plugging the print at home option on Twitter. Option for you?

Your thoughts and votes please...

When I heard their intentions the first thought that struck me was that it was an intention to "solve" the queuing problems of the League Cup game by moving it inside some function suite. There were folk still coming in about 3:20 last time. I'm sure in their minds if they will have solved the issue if everyone passes through quicker by handing over a ticket rather than turnstile operators messing about with change etc. I'm equally sure they won't have considered that it was the lack of open turnstiles that actually contributed to the queues nor will they give a monkeys about the inconvenience it has caused many supporters to buy said tickets.

Grimshaw strikes me as a player who, perhaps more than most, needs a run of games to allow him to demonstrate his full worth. I'm sure it isn't coincidence that it was only after McGhee gave him a run of games towards the end of his loan spell, the run he got around the Scottish Cup Semi Final and his current run that he's looked at his best. Large chunks of his Motherwell career have either seen him battling to get in the side, struggling with niggly injuries or if he has been involved it's not been sufficiently long enough to make any impact. He's a player I've a lot of time for so I'm pleased to see him involved and making a contribution.

I didn't make it to the Challenge Cup game with County last weekend so don't have the insight that others posters do in terms of their ability but it's certainly to our advantage that our management and coaching staff will have seen them as recently as last weekend and of course that we're at home. I suppose the barometer you take is that we dealt with Queen of the South (after a sticky first 5 or 10 minutes) when Carson, I think, made two or three good saves fairly comfortably. Treat them seriously, make sure we're up for it and I would hope we've enough about us to go through,

Given that only a late change of circumstances meant I was there yesterday I feel quite fortunate to have been present for what was undoubtedly the performance of the season. It was as good as it was unexpected. In contrast to some I thought we started relatively well but began to fade a little after the twenty minute mark. It was a concern then that we'd been the better team but hadn't really thrown a punch in anger. That hasn't been uncommon in home games this season. But fair play, we went on to put that concern to bed. Another concern I had when seeing the line up was the physicality of our midfield but it didn't prove to be that much of an issue, although perhaps Liam Grimshaw might take a huge chunk of credit for that. By the end it appeared Aberdeen players on their left wing looked totally intimidated and shit scared to go into challenges with him. A very well taken opener by Johnson. I think the whole East Stand thought he'd taken the wrong option by not passing to Campbell but he handled the situation magnificently and finished with aplomb. The second came along at just the perfect time. The third was similarly well timed as it put to bed any hopes of an Aberdeen come back and it was just unfortunate that we couldn't add to that, particularly with Grimshaw's effort, which would have been a just reward for an excellent display. Results elsewhere would prove it to a very important win. I can't remember when it was but saw at one stage that next above us in the table a few weeks back were Aberdeen in 8th place something 8 points ahead. I genuinely struggled to see how we might claw back such a deficit, yet, without getting ahead of ourselves we can go to Livingston next week (with the added confidence of knowing we've already won there and great start to the season or otherwise they've not beaten in either game we've played them) knowing we can cut that deficit to 8th place to just two points. Quite an incentive. Much work remains to be done but an excellent response to Ibrox and a much more like the evolution of style of play that I think we hoped to see this season.

Your thoughts and votes please...

It's a slightly curious turn of events that in the corresponding fixture last year we were going up there the week before going to Hampden for the League Cup Final and twelve months later they are heading to Fir Park a week before the League Cup Final. Hopefully a different outcome from last November... They certainly come into the game on a high and with a good bit of momentum behind but they haven't been completely convincing in all of those game. You might get some of them with points to prove to try to nail a spot for the Final but by the same token McInnes might look to protect or one or two, or some may not have their minds fully on the game. I'd like to think there will be a reaction from us. I keep thinking back to the Rangers game at the beginning of the season and the level we reached that afternoon (and how sadly we've rarely come close to matching that intensity). Really need something akin to that to hopefully get something from the game and to try to get the support (or at least some) back on side.

In terms of Robinson's job security I guess it really boils down to what exactly is being asked of him by the board, which of course we aren't privvy too. If, as he has attempted to reinforce repeatedly, he has been given a budget (and I know how much references to budgets rankles with some) and a target that equates to survival then merely scrambling along in 9th or 10th may well be sufficient for the board currently when put in context of the short-medium off field strategy of reducing the debts to Messrs Boyle and Hutchinson. There is a balance to be struck between getting rid of the debt as quickly as possible - if I remember rightly there was a period of 5 years mentioned at whatever terms were agreed - and providing the actual football side of the business with as much as they can to help them be as competitive as they can. Whether you view it as reason or an excuse Robinson's remarks would have you believe that there hasn't been enough emphasis on the latter. The impact of that on the particular on the tactics, formation and style of play that a manager adopts is up for debate but gut wrenching as last Sunday was and soul sapping as many of our games have been this season there are considerations beyond the ninety minutes that will come into play when considering what happens with Robinson.

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About time we won here in the league again....

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Three points in Paisley, now finish the week off with another three...

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So as I was saying about ahem....Wednesday's game... Sorry chaps. Title now amended.

Right. Enough. Three points.

Happy clapper!!! https://binged.it/2D2muMM

I can't see it being an issue in all honesty. The Ross County game is being played over an international weekend so the only barrier to him involved would be if he was included in some Scotland youth squad, although I believe the qualifying campaign has now been concluded. I'm pretty sure that even though he'd played some first team games towards the end of 16'17 and had just broken into the team in the early part of last season Allan Campbell was still involved in the Crusaders Cup game and I'd expect Turnbull to do much the same.

And another opportunity goes abegging. I do have some sympathy for Robinson after this one. If we perhaps didn't deserve to win, we certainly didn't deserve to lose and losing a goal in injury time when you've a man off the park through injury seems entirely in keeping with the current predicament. That said my sympathy only goes so far. Yes, we've had players away on international duty but we've had two weeks to prepare for a game that in the context of the fixture list and recent results, was pretty crucial to win and essentially all we appear to have done was tinker around the edges with a couple of personnel changes. Same formation. Same tactics. No evidence of a Plan B. Pretty disappointing really and I have to confess I expected more. The return of Dunne was a positive as was David Turnbull getting 90 minutes and offer a bit of encouragement there. The performance level too was up on the Livingston game but not exactly massively and I'd counter that by saying St Johnstone were a good bit poorer than Livi. But still no win, and with the sucker punch at the death, not even a point. The result also leaves us stuck further in the group of four at the bottom of the table with the relative safety of mid-table now a couple of wins away. As a bare minimum the reaction and intensity that we all hoped we'd see against Livingston and St Johnstone really has to be produced against St Mirren and Dundee now, these games simply have to be won.

Your thoughts and votes please...

Saturday past does potentially put Stephen Robinson in a little bit of a bind. The growing murmurings of discontent about formation, tactics and personnel won't have escaped him and the performances from the likes Livingstone, Turnbull and Maguire (Hastie too but since he's on loan it's academic until January) will have done nothing to dampen down the growing clamour for their increased inclusion in the team. I think back to when he took over as caretaker and considered some of his selections then to be quite bold. He gave Allan Campbell more of a run than McGhee had afforded him and brought Shea Gordon in from nowhere. David Ferguson was trusted in a few games and Adam Livingstone got one or two off the bench (albeit that might be Inverness dead rubber I'm thinking of). Essentially though he seemed not that bothered about going with a youngster if he felt it warranted it. Perhaps it was different then because none of these players were his signings whereas of course he's had three transfer windows to help shape the squad the way he wants it and the majority of the first team squad are there because he signed them or re-signed them. Maybe that changes the mindset a little. It would be understandable that he wants to give *his* players that extra time to justify in his mind he was right to sign them. Maybe he wants to give them extra time to come good and prove their worth. I just hope that the loyalty he's demonstrated to a number of underperforming player doesn't cross the line and become a stubbornness and that further hinders the chances of some of the aforementioned youngsters who genuinely look like they could make a positive contribution through their ability, energy and on the back of Saturday what must be high morale.

O'Neill's entitled to his opinion of course but it's never particularly pleasant to see a former player, especially one so revered, stick the boot in. He might well have a point about the quality of the squad (time will tell) and the majority will agree on his views on the style of play but that's perhaps where he should have left it. He's forgotten perhaps that Lasley wasn't foisted upon Robinson but his choice for assistant. There's been a number of interviews and remarks attributed to him over the years and rightly or wrongly the impression I've built over that time he feels he's owed something by Motherwell and there's a lingering bitterness that he was never invited to take up a role in the way say Craigan, Clarkson, Hammell or indeed Lasley have. He speaks highly of Tommy McLean and well he might. Without McLean spotting something in a unknown journeyman he was, giving him several months to work on his fitness and developing his talent he wouldn't have those international caps, that Scottish Cup winners medal when he shouldn't have been anywhere nearer the team and the profile that his views are still sought more than 25 years after he retired. Perhaps he might do well let his countryman get on with trying to do the same without some of his unnecessary remarks.

Do feel a little bit for Donnelly. He kind of has a very early days John Philliben/Brian Martin feel about him. Notwithstanding any views on about his actual ability one game right-back, the next left-back, next again left-side of central defence and a niggling injury is hardly the best way to start off your career at a new team. Hopefully like those two he's a bit of a slow burner.

Without a ball being kicked our task is immediately a touch easier given the fact Steven fucking MacLean is no longer with them to score his customary goal against us for them! Sent from my Wileyfox Swift using Tapatalk