StAndrew7

We need a mobile & ball winning defensive midfielder before we need another defender right now; that's should be the priority. If he's capable of playing right back and not being turned inside out every week then I'd think about it after we've signed the former. Edit: Also, he's 30 and has had numerous cruciate injuries in his career. No thanks.

If we lose on Tuesday by all means give him the boot. If we win (and win well) give him the Killie game and a few others. I'm certainly wavering now in comparison to earlier on.

I'm seeing the same issues as we had under Gannon in his early days; inconsistency due to adapting to a new system. Thankfully Baraclough doesn't appear to be the nutter Gannon is/was, so if we give it time I think it'll work. The focal point of the attacking system we play is the lone striker and getting in and around them quickly. Unfortunately we lost Erwin who adapted to the roll brilliantly last season and got others (Ainsworth, Pearson, McDonald and Johnson) involved quickly. We've since brought in two players in Moult and Fletcher who need to adapt to the SPFL, their new surroundings and their team mates. I do honestly think we would have gotten something from the Aberdeen game had Fletcher been fit; he's more suited to the lone role than Moult is. The most important thing is getting McDonald to play a more advanced role off the striker; that worked brilliantly last season against Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Hamilton. Defensive mistakes can be ironed out and I agree with other posters; I think Watt should be given a go at right back if Law doesn't improve. Everything meaningful from the opposition seems to come down the right flank (something I noticed at ICT). This is slightly off topic but I do hope that we'll have a go at teams at home more; two up top is a must with McDonald supporting Moult or Fletcher. We've got the pace and trickery to trouble most fullbacks and defences in this league consistently; it's time Baraclough recognised this and allows the team more opportunities to express that ability.

People need to put things in perspective here. We finished 2nd bottom last season; we've so far been beaten by a team who were comfortably top 6 last season and the team that romped the championship in a considerable amount of style. What were we expecting from the first 3 games? 9 points, 12 goals for and none against? Fuck me. Everyone acknowledged when the fixtures came out we had just about as difficult a start as we could have imagined and yet here we are, 3 games in, complaining about the manager, wanting the team gutted and how shite we are? This season was all about rebuilding; just about everyone on here agrees with that. If that means finishing 10th and bedding players in, so be it. People losing the rag after 3 matches need to get a grip. Multiple posters have said that we showed enough against ICT and Dundee United to suggest that we'll win more games than last season and not be in any significant danger. 3 games in to the season and it's panic stations. If we're in trouble after the first 9/10 games and sitting bottom and haven't managed to beat Killy, Partick, Hamilton etc. then yes, I'll agree.

I was just about to say the same; I think the signing of Kerr was a major coup at the time and things would have been totally different if he hadn't been injured so seriously (hindsight/alternate universe, I know).

I'll take 7th or 8th this season; get IB's team and style bedded in and start to push for top 6 and Europe again.

I don't think Ruddy played for England when with us? His call ups came during his time at Norwich.

Fletcher came off on Saturday; not sure how bad it was?

If he does well get him a pre-contract in January. Interesting that there's a break clause in the deal; presumably if he performs Reading might want another look at him..? If he can get on the ball and start some counter attacks he's exactly what we need. He may not be a player to pick apart a team with a raking or intricate pass, but someone who can bring Johnson/Ainsworth/McDonald into the attack quickly to get in and around Moult or Fletcher is an interesting prospect. I agree wither others that based on the initial research/reading up on him he's not what I would've expected; someone who can pick a pass in the final third for Fletcher/Moult is what I'd have loved (Nicky Law style). There's no reason we can't bring someone else in to fill that role if needs be; I still think McDonald has a lot to offer there if he's got a more experienced/solid pairing behind him and once he's match fit, of course.

Found a video of him scoring for Reading last season and certainly looks like he plays left midfield, as that's where his goal came from. Doesn't mean he can't play centrally, though!

http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2015/08/11/jake-taylor-signs-on-loan/ Looks like the kind of player we're needing; a decent bit of experience in the Championship and on loan in the lower leagues. He's recently has his first cap for Wales last October, too.

Aye, because a player who has the quality and skill required to make it at Gateshead after he's left us will have solved all our problems...

Agreed; you can really see that there's a rapport between Craigan, Robinson and Baraclough (going back the celebrations at the end of the Playoff game at Fir Park). That can only mean the U20s will go from strength to strength; if we're playing the same formation as the 1st team regularly/every week and making sure that the roles of each position are exactly the same is paramount to the club growing. If Leitchy does the same with the youth academy, we've got a development system in place that's going to grow players throughout our age groups to step up the first team more often. Onwards and upwards!

This is going to sound ridiculous, but my Director's son is best mates with Brobbel. Was having a chat with him there and he says he's still a bit lightweight but has his head screwed on the right way. Said he did really well with Hartlepool last year; set up some good goals/chances. He won't be a 40 goal a season man but sounds exactly like the young, hungry and eager to impress type of player we're wanting to sign.

Ah. My bad!

I'm nit picking I know but Moult didn't touch it; it was a clearance by the ICT defender (hence the corner straight after it). Unrelated to the above, I thought Clarkson looked lively when he came on for McDonald; certainly looks to have a good understanding with Moult who looks a tricky wee player and was unlucky not to score from Law's rebound (who looks more interested in overlapping based on yesterday's performance).

I believe we're waiting on him getting a scan today.

Laing for me, solid with a couple of marauding runs thrown in, too.

McDonald look a few more games away from his best today. Was never a penalty, so probably fair Skippy missed it. Fletcher looks brilliant. Had a few chances and probably should have had at least another. Few more games and I think he'll be banging them in. Moult was a handful in a different way (pace with some tricky footwork) and could have scored one were it not for a great save from their keeper. Delighted with the result but a bit disappointed we didn't get a few more. We moved them about well when we had the ball and counter attacked brilliantly, a very astute away performance. Pearson's injury changed how we went forward but the good thing is we created chances in other ways without him through the middle.

Probably better getting them on Youtube; supporting animations/photos of the players etc. makes it a bit more eventful.

Apologies, totally missed his name for some reason.

As is Jack Leitch.

Baws, really liked the idea of him signing. Ah well; who's next?

Fairly happy with those, actually. Driving a few of us up, should be good!

Clangers at Fir Park would be hilarious. And never going to happen... I hope.