joewarkfanclub

When it comes to the whole happy clapper/pantwetter debate, I dont think it needs to be "either/or". We should be able to constructively criticise the team when necessary without being overly dramatic about it and maintaining an element of realism about the size of our club and the budget available. I just find certain posters are almost always entirely negative and that becomes tiresome after a while. That doesnt mean we shouldnt expect the management team to spend any money we make wisely for the betterment of the squad/club. Robbo has his faults, but we are not gonna get a manager who doesnt. So while I am in no hurry to have him sacked, if he got a better offer and left, it wouldnt leave me devestated either as Im sure we would replace him with someone of similar stature. I would like to see a more balanced recruitment policy, and potentially use any spare monies to improve the standard of the squad rather than just numbers. That is difficult without increasing our pay structures. Overall I think the club get more right than they get wrong and Robbo does a fairly decent job, whilst still having plenty room for improvement. I guess its where your expectations lie dictate whether your glass is either half empty or half full......

Was between Campbell and Watt for me. Watt led the line and held the ball up very well, particularly in the first half. He was also very cute in drawing some of the fouls that got their players yellow carded. If more of our players were so streetwise we could have taken advantage of the increasing pressure. Went for Campbell though. Led by example once again and only really ran out of steam 2nd half when we were down to 10 men and chasing it. Of the others I thought Grimmy did reasonably well and Polworth kept probing away and played some really nice forward passes. Most disappointed in - Long for a stupid petulant tackle at the end of the 2nd half. We should defend the free kick better, but if he keeps his discipline its a non issue. Gallagher, putting a guy in a headlock seconds after taking a yellow for the team is geoss stupidity. To complain about it on the way off just compounded the situation.

Thank goodness you are on this message board Andy. I was beginning to think I had watched a different game from some of the suicidal posters venting their spleens once again. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but to suggest there was nothing good in last nights performance and that everyone is shite bar Campbell and Watt is raising the doom mongering to new levels. Compared to where we were 3/4weeks ago, we have improved dramatically, and while we beat ourselves last night through naivity and indiscipline, there was plenty in that performance to show that we will be ok this season.

Have we been able to confirm whether Hapoel Beer Sheva are a pub team?

Have we ever had a manager you liked?

I fully expext the same tortuous experience as the last game until / unless we get the first goal and we settle down again!

Standard patter for any club thats just come into a large sum of money to stop other clubs over inflating their prices. Whilst I dont expect us to be running out to spend big money, I think if we were able to wheel and deal to get the right player(s) in, a little cash could be released. Any fee would be small, and the wages still within our pay structure. Obviously limits our market, but we know this anyway.

There is absolutely no chance of Stephen Robinson being fired this side of Xmas. He will get until the window shuts in October and after that there is no point bringing in a new manager until the next window. However, he does need to find a winning formula very soon or the pressure will start to build and things could get quite unpleasant, especially if fans start getting back into Fir Park.

Big Bevis. His best game so far in claret & amber. He was excellent at the back, particularly in the first half. Grimmy had a good first half, but got roasted a bit by Frimpongs pace 2nd half. Long and Watt worked hard and ran the channels well. We need to let this partnership have a run of games. O'Donnell was solid if unspectacular today. Not a lot of opportunity to go forward. I generally like Polworth but thought he had a poor game today. Gave the ball away far to much and delivery from set pieces was poor.

I thought we were actually pretty decent in the first half. We were disciplined with our shape and kept possession fairly well when we got the chance. We were able to advance our position up the pitch and had a couple of decent sniffs at their goal. I thought big Bevis was excellent today, best Ive seen him and remarkably Grimmy had a very good first half at left back. The goal was unfortunate as it happened on the breakaway as we were attacking. I thought Lamie could have done better by showing Forest the outside. Everyone knows he likes to come inside and shoot. It was a shame as he had been doing much better defensively tucked in a bit and we were so close to going in at half time level. The second half was a harder watch. Celtic changed their shape and had a lot more possession of the ball. We found it more difficult to retain it ourselves. That said we were still able to get into one or two dangerous positions, but our forwards were too isolated to make anything from them. The 2nd goal kills us and it was OHara that lost his man. I agree with KMcAlpin that we need to swap roles with OHara and Campbell. Wee Kante is more suited to the holding role and is excellent at breaking up play and moving the ball on. OHara is far more athletic and should be the box to box player. Ive no idea why Robbo doesnt see this. Today was always going to be hard. But I saw lots to be encouraged about if you care to look past the result. My main gripe is that there are obvious changes that can be made that would make life so much easier for us if we keep things simple and play to our strengths but the manager seems to overthink things at times. Here's hoping the international break is kind to is. We need some wins on the board quickly.

I think 4-3-3 could work tomorrow, but ditch the wingers who have provided little and just play throught the middle and get in their faces. As others have said, Ajer and Julyan dont like it, so lets not let them have an easy afternoon. Lets get after them from the start. Id go with Carson O'Donnell, Gallagher, Mugabe, Lamie O'Hara, Campbell, Polworth Watt Long Lang

Dont be silly! There's no way we will score 4!

I usually rely on you to be the voice of reason as well Andy! Feck it! Am off down the bookies to put £20 quid on us at 22/1 to beat Celtic!

Was between O'Donnell, Campbell and Polworth for me. But has to be O'Donnell for that strike!

Dont think we should get too carried away with the result. It was a decent performance, but until they had the man sent off it was still touch and go and we were only one defensive lapse away from a defeat. Credit where it is due though, we totally took advantage of the situation and the manager made a positive substitution that allowed us to press home our advantage. Still a little disturbed at him putting SOD at LB to start with. We need to stop this square pegs in round holes nonsense. The boy is a quality RB just play him (and everyone else) in their natural positions so that that they can flourish and produce their best football. The 2 up top was the right call, but Hastie, Hylton, Land or Seedorf could have played on the left without upsetting the balance. Personally I would have played Hastie as he is probably best of the bunch at tracking back in that formation. Great strike by SOD for his first goal btw!

I think they have proved they cant. Teams have us figured out. Time to rip it up and start again. Our players may not be world beaters, but they are nowhere near as bad as they are being made to look right now.

I presume as its a home game, it will be on MFC tv. Not sure if it will be covered on the season ticket, but it will surely be available on ppv.

The ref and linesman got it absolutely correct. When the ball is played Seedorf is in an offside position. He then moves into the keepers eyeline and becomes active and therefore offside. He also tries to flick at the ball to deflect it. If he had stood still where he was there would have been no problem and the goal would have stood. But he didnt.

Turnbull. The boy is class and starting to show what we all know he is capable of.

Finally something we can agree on! He would walk into our current team!

Ooft! Thats a bold claim!

One of the few good things about playing behind closed doors is that the players wont be subjected to abuse feom the usual suspects in the East Stand should things not be going our way after about 20 minutes tomorrow! We really could do with a performance and a result though, just to buy us some time until the squad settles down.....

As John Greig used to say, "Oot the park wins games son...."

My only real criticism of Watts clearance is that he kicked it straight to a United player which allowed them to knock it straight back in. Out the park or in the direction of a Motherwell player would have been preferable. However, I do concede we should have defended it bwtter from there.

No real obvious choices this week. Cant be Watt, Grimmy or Bevis, as between them they were responsible for the goal. Carson didnt have a lot to do but the one save he did make saved a goal. Turnbull, Gallagher and Campbell were ok but went for Lamie as I thought he coped reasonably well being pushed out wide and put in a solid enough performance without again doing anything exceptional.