pingu

I don't know who Cummings is.

Not sure I rate Danny Wilson particularly highly - I would rather have Hutchinson in my team for example... Heard from my St Mirren supporting boss that Garry Kenneth is getting punted around to anyone who will have him up here, including St Mirren. Bit of chat about that on P&B too somewhere. Assuming Hutchinson goes, would anyone take him to play alongside McManus? Personally I would rather play Kerr or Cummins at CB and develop their game than play Kenneth, but he would probably be a better option (for now) than either. Pure speculation and heresay I know...

What happened to (thumbs up for) Shaun Fagan?! Ainsworth til the end of the season is a positive bit of business for the club.

mccall out

Granted both can be ineffective but neither are out of their depth at this level and to be honest when on form like today both would be a good addition to most SPL teams.

Keep them both if we can. Would be stupid not to.

Still at Barnsley isn't he? I liked JoB - always willing and not a bad player in my book, he would certainly improve this team.

Fat Tony, we've just said pretty much the same thing!

That is some team, who would surely be in 2nd place right now I think! General point not directed at Melvin, but when you look at the quality we have lost it is very hard to bring back in on the budget we have. Like Melvin says, Lawson would be about the only player that I don't understand why he was brought in. You have Ainsworth for Humphrey, Anier for Ojaama, McManus for Craigan/Ramsden, Sutton for Higdon, Vigurs for Law, Nielson for Randolph. On paper that seems quite adequate, however you have to ask why they are not performing as we hoped. None of the swaps 9apart from McManus maybe) are a trade up. That's ok, because we have a budget, but McCall should have by now settled on the best way to play them and get the best out of a settled 11. I think that is his failure. Either that, or there was a deficiency in actually scouting the players in the first place because he thought they could slot in as replacements for those who have left. Regardless, McCall more than deserves the rest of the season and into next to turn things around. If things are still as turgid, then perhaps we need to explore other options. Bear in mind we are nowhere near the bottom of the table, and if we manage to arrest this slide we are still well in competition for European places. The football hasn't been pretty, there has been no entertainment (and granted that's what a lot of people go for), but a little perspective is needed.

It's the Steelmen Online MOTM surely? As in the poll that goes up after each game?

Well I came away from that at 2-0 down and 70 mins when the snow started heavy (although I wasnt to know it would go off). I am a stay til the end type but really, it was fucking frozen, and watching us getting walked over by a much superior side and then getting stuck in traffic did not appeal at all. I think it says a lot to me personally that I took the 'rational' option of leaving. That is, I cannot pinpoint one point in my head where I have enjoyed this season, from 5-0 losses to celtic to scraping 1-0 wins with dire football. The game itself played out like expected. Defended very well for the first 30 mins or so and whilst morons around me screamed for players to chase and close every ball, we sucked it up and got lots behind the ball, restricting them to wayward through balls or long shots. Those tactics might have worked had we kept our concentration better and had some counter attacking pace. We were set up to play counter attacking football with the only pace seeming to come from Moore, who while promising is still very raw. Basically, this season is shite. We are in a bit of a flattering league position and desperately need pace and creativity in the team. McCall has has faults but has more than earned the right to turn it around. heavy losses to the best team in the country by a mile do not shape our season, its the rest that is concerning. Hopefully McCall has some plans for the window or else I fear a completely apathetic 2014.

interesting replies, was waiting for someone to say a keeper! I think a lot of folk forget ojamaa getting pelters for being "a greedy wee bastard" etc. Fickle people who dont have a clue mind you. Higdon would never get the service in this team. I could be inclined to go with an ojamaa or mccormack over a law possibly, on reflection.

No I know one player would not solve all the problems. I am asking who would make the biggest contribution / who of the last while would improve this team and the way we've been playing / which style of player do we miss most? I say Law, someone might say Higdon, someone else might say Craigan for his leadership, others would disagree. It's a purely hypothetical thread, but I was thinking about it the other day and thought I'd put it out there for discussion.

Was thinking about this earlier - if you could try and prevent our slide and improve our season which one player from all players within say the last 5 years would you bring back to the club and why? Almost like a 'which player do we miss the most' poll. I know it's purely hypothetical and assuming money was no barrier. Purely on footballing ability and what they would bring to this team. It might be sort of controversial given where he is now, but I would say Nicky Law. His guile, movement and creativity is sorely missed in my opinion.

Rollercoaster patter is awful. 4-0 Celtic. A slight improvement on yesterday but still absolutely toothless in attack.

Mccall doesnt seem to know what to say...

http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/11/30/mccall-embarrassed-by-cup-exit/

Shambles. Thats all.

Live from the east stand - this is dire dire stuff. We are playing like amateurs. Nielson and ZFA are just not good enough. Mccalls tactics are all over the place too, midfield is getting swamped.

Carswell for me

Im not quite sure what hutchinson did wrong to have such a terrible game? The red card was a professional foul to stop a very likely goal. Would rather he did that than drop 2 points.

Turgid. The standard of the SPL is appalling, cant see that pulling the viewing.figures for bt sport! We all know the problems in the game and thats another story. Did well to keep the lead and there was some excellent defending in there from the likes of kerr, hutchinson, mcmanus and carswell. Mcfadden was rotten. The win will do though

I think the lack of posts on this thread speaks volumes for the apathy towards this game. Anyhow, on my way from glasgow for it and actually quite looking forward to seeing how mccall changes it up. He has to really.

Dont see anything wrong with well 4 europes post tbh. Pretty well balanced. Of course if you spend good money which could go elsewhere, you want a win. Preferably whilst being entertained but like you both say it doesnt always happen and thats football. I was at aberdeen and watched st johnstone on alba, but if I went to the effort of going up to perth I would have been pissed off even more at both games. What is on the park needs to be enough for people to want to come back, win lose or draw and thats the bottom line.

This is one of my biggest frustrations, does my head in. He is incapable of doing anything bar running forward, coming short to collect from Hammell, hesitating and giving him it straight back, then standing there admiring his 3 yard pass. Doesn't matter how much space there is in behind, he is completely unaware of it. Compare to someone like Humphrey or Jim O Brien, who for their obvious limitations were hungry to get in behind the defence. ZFA never looks interested to me.