Ya Bezzer!

These high temperatures turn people a bit dolally. I'd be looking for a Top Six finish but this is more or less a new team and we don't know how it is going to perform. If we can keep Hutchinson the back four looks strong but remember McManus has a pretty horrific injury record and there is a question mark over the goalkeeping position as many don't rate Hollis and Nielsen is unknown to us. I'm concerned about the lack of pace in the team which was basically the key to our excellent football last season and we don't have a Ojamaa style player in the squad this time which is a huge loss unless we can find another. I hope we can win a cup every year but don't expect to and as for finishing 2nd or even 1st I think we should see more of this team in action before we get our hopes up. Top 6 seems realistic but until we see how this new team gels it's hard to make predictions.

As I said in the shout box this team has a pretty impressive home record. 1 defeat in 22. Although they tend to draw quite a few matches so perhaps we can sneak a narrow win and then get a draw over there, you never know it might happen! Seems to be their first ever European tie as far as I can make out.

I won't be traveling so that's not a concern for me. Sevilla would probably pump us and I don't fancy our chances against the Ukrainians and Russians. Think we would have at least a chance against the rest.

Have to disagree with you on this. To me, we were playing 5-3-2 with Kerr on the right wing back position, ZFA on the left wing back position and Hammell, Hutchinson and Ramsden the three across the back. Hammell played left back in the first half but I'd say he moved inside when ZFA came on.

Difficult to judge a player on one showing, especially when we are up against a side thats frankly much better than we are. He didn't really impress me but at the same time he didn't look out of place. The one thing you can say about him is that he got on the end of things. He had three good chances to score and perhaps if he'd been a bit sharper he would have got one or two. His final effort didn't look far from hitting the back of the net

Sammy Amoebi had the skinniest legs seen at Fir Park since Owen Coyle. And a pineapple on his head.

Not sure you can take much out a game where Lasley played left wing and Stevie Hammell was centre half! We were pretty poor in the first half but improved in the second half. Our two best players came on at half time, Ramsden and ZFA both did very well. The Estonian trialist did OK, perhaps he should have scored as he had three decent chances but he was unlucky with one of them.

A lot will depend on injuries and suspensions. We've been fairly lucky over the last few seasons. I think we should be aiming for a Top Six place if McFadden puts pen to paper but I still have one or two doubts about the strength and depth of the squad. The idea that we are now an unassailable second force in Scottish football is one that I think people ought to dampen down for the time being. Fair enough if we go into November in a good position and some good performances behind us but to expect it before the season even begins is an expectation too high.

I'm preparing my totally sad season 2013-14 SPL statto spreadsheet and I noticed Stevie Hammell is on 399 league appearances. I know the original poster mentioned the 400 games but I assume that was all competitions.

A good signing but I don't think I can enjoy it until the transfer window closes and Hutchy is still here. The prospect of having a McManus/Hutchinson centre back pairing is just too enticing.

Noticed we had have three 'spare' squad numbers. 2 - Craig Reid? 6 - Stephen McManus? 7 - James McFadden?

Don't want to be pedantic but it's Nielsen not Neilson. If you spell it Neilson you scare the shit out of people by making them think we've signed Robbie Neilson.

I'm skeptical about the prospect of McManus being in a Motherwell shirt next season but he is CLEARLY a massive step up to any one else we have at the club for a central defensive position, with the exception of Hutchinson and even then has a wealth of experience than Hutchinson doesn't and probably will never have. However our top picks last season were Hutchinson/Ramsden with Cummins as deputy and since all three players are still at the club I don't see us paying much attention to this position when there are other areas we are much more deficient, especially as McManus would be a high earner. Just my opinion.

I don't particularly have anything against Dougie Imrie but I'd be concerned if we were bringing in a player that was basically a squad player for St. Mirren last season and didn't exactly set the heather on fire at Hamilton before that. You might just about make a case for him being a bench player but as a first teamer you'd like to think we could get someone better.

I think this is a pretty harsh assessment but I agree he'll probably have to move away from Fir Park to get his career rolling, unless a new coach with a new system comes in.

Stevie Saunders deserves a break, if you'll excuse the phrase, so the best of luck to him. The Higdon transfer is a curious one but I hope he does well.

Anyone spotted a team they think we might actually sneak past? I'm thinking Zurich, Omonia, AaB or Debrecen and we wouldn't even go into those games as favourites. Otherwise it looks like it's going to be very tough, especially with a new team.

Saunders was a level up from Page. At least a level.

Don't know if there was a fall out but McCall never seemed to rate him. Remember that Saunders was very much on the side lines before his injury. As for judging Saunders worth, or any players worth, that should be done on first team performances rather than run outs in the U20's. I don't want to sound like a broken record but that's why I think we are releasing far too many promising but unused players from our youth ranks. Often it's players that are superb at youth level that do nothing when promoted and vice versa, players who look average or ordinary that come alive at the top level. You have to give them a chance at the top level before you can really tell if they are going to make it. I just don't believe you can judge a players first team potential from that level of competition.

Will Kerr be our first choice right back? If so I'm slightly concerned about that. He needs to improve on last seasons performances, that's for sure. As far as I'm concerned we are still looking for 4 first team players to be competitive next season and one of those positions is right back.

That's because to argue with someone you have to contradict what they have said, which you've been unable to do.

So he was a goalscorer and creative player with bags of pace and a defence splitting pass? That we went backwards without him last season, playing poorer football in his absence? We were a far better team with Law-Lasley than we were with Jennings-Lasley. It's not even an argument.

What exactly do you disagree with?

Jennings was a good player but I think some of our supporter mistook their affection for him for ability on Jennings part. We were much better without him last season than we were the previous season with him. He works hard, tackles, puts in a power of work but really he has nothing else in his locker. No flair, no goals, no pace, no pass, he's what Cantona once called a 'water carrier'. Teams need a player like that sometimes to hinge the better players around but as you've pointed out we don't need another defensive central midfielder.

I'd suggest this is the case. Was there not some trouble regarding bonuses with them not being budgeted for, in terms of winning as many matches and finishes so high in the league?