Joeboy

I was one of two to go for Bob McHugh, thought he lead the line really well and for me I'd start him in front of Sutton and Jutkiewicz on Saturday.

I just think in Scotland referees are blameless. They aren't allowed to be criticised without disciplinary action, I mean what happened to freedom of speech? Opinion? I mean if for example, I'll pick a player at random, If Giles Coke played rank rotten week in, week out, he wouldn't get a game. But Referee's are immune to that sort of thing in Scotland. I mean footballers make as many split second decisions as Referees do, and they are far more open to criticism. For example take that incident in England, Bristol City and Crystal Palace game, when the ball was in the back of the net and the goal wasn't given. Alright, that was a particularly woeful decision, but the fact that the Refs and Linesman got suspended and were subject to a review was a step forward in my opinion. For them getting a grand a week, the standard of their performances should be monitored more closely.

If there was a good ref at all in Scotland, we may not be saying those things everyweek.

I'd go for: Ruddy Mouatoukil- Craigan- Saunders- Hammell Hateley- Jennings- Coke- O'Brien Murphy- McHugh

I'd say Hearts are the team I get most riled up against! Just really, really hate them, Calum Elliot especially. Became less fond of Killie since Jim Jeffries took the Jambo charm with him. I'd love it if Airdrie were in our division, and we had a chance to play them more often, but I know a lot of people from Airdrie, and I know everywhere in the West of Scotland is old firm dominated, at least in Motherwell you do see Motherwell fans from time to time, In Airdrie you most definitely don't! And as for Accies, they always seem to care about the rivalry far more than we do.

Yeah, I'd say we are only missing Clarkson. I don't feel in a position to judge Jutkiewicz, as all I've seen is his run out against Rangers, but for me Sutton is woeful. People argued last season that he was a consistent goalscorer, although after his 5th game around September time, he never hit the net again until we played Inverurie Loco's in January. He is extremely immobile, and he only ever jumps for the ball when it's five yards away from him, and he isn't a clinical enough finisher to be branded a "proven goalscorer", his miss against Rangers being typical. Clarkson or Porter would relish Jim Gannon's era. In midfield I'd say we aren't missing Hughes whatsoever, he was fantastic in his first season, granted, but in his second season he played hide and seek all too often, and one hard challenge made him shit a brick the rest of the game. On my early impressions, Hateley is a better defensive midfielder than Klimpl, due to the fact he can do the nitty gritty, as well as being able to play a bit. At the back, we aren't missing McLean whatsoever, as much as I thought we would. I do think however, Paul Quinn was a winner and a leader, and replacing him permanently could be a task. Although Craigan is my favourite player in the current squad, it is encouraging to see us coping without him. A Mark McGhee side wouldn't have! Saunders and Hutchinson have been great, giving us depth, and I think Reynolds has been relishing his extra responsiblity.

It is indeed MJ. Last time I skim-read a thread!

Thursday the 24th! The Friday is the 25th.

------------------Ruddy------------------------ Mouatoukil---Craigan--Hutchinson----Reynolds ------------Coke--------Jennings--------------- Hateley---------Forbes-----------O'Brien -----------------Jutkiewicz----------------------- Subs: Kosiorwski, Saunders, Hammell, Lasley, Murphy, Sutton, McHugh.

Just in time then. Leave on the 25th. Cheers.

Is there an exact date for the away shirt yet? Going away for the September weekend, with quite a few Sellick supporters all buying the bumblebee, and I quite fancy spoiling their exhibition with the new well top!

Yeah definitely. Whilst played at right back I think Saunders has looked good, but not natural, and his positioning has been slightly iffy, but he seemed to slot in comfortably at centre half, as that is his position.

I'd still rather have a 6'4" centre half signed recommended by a German contact. But in all seriousness I think it's a great headache to have. Last season we play Malcolm at centre half for ages, when we had these two kicking about, it really goes to show how much faith Jim Gannon has in youth, and it's a breath of fresh air to see him blood many of our own youngsters.

Everytime we play Celtic or Rangers and stop them winning, it makes me glad I'm not associated with either. Their bitter fans are nothing better than a bunch of morons who think they have a given right to win every single game. Yesterday I was very impressed with the way we played from start to finish. Wasn't too happy with Craigan being left on the bench, but the gamble paid off, as has every gamble I can think of Gannon taking so far. Another plus point I thought was that usually if we were to take points off the Old Firm, it would be completely due to stopping them scoring, and having ten men behind the ball, but yesterday we were passing the ball well, and at times they couldn't nestle us off it. Thought there was a number of good performances today, as usual wasn't overly impressed with Sutton, that has to go down as a real sitter in the first half. Hammell however produced a performance that if kept up will soon answer his critics. All credit to Jennings, thought he had a fine second half, which he should have had the opportunity to score the winner. Hopefully he'll be able to answer the critics that wrote him off after 2 starts and 2 brief sub appearances!

Went for Coke myself. So composed and never seems under pressure! Could easily have been Ruddy, Moutakil, Saunders or O'Brien though. Hammell was even awrite yesterday!

Personally didn't make the game on Saturday, but from what I've heard I am embarassed. I don't mind anyone berating McGhee, I'd be first to do so myself. But the fact that we can't do it in anything close to a tactful manner bemuses me. Call him fat, disloyal, question his managerial skills and his German contacts, but calling him a Paedophile is a step to far in my opinion. Although it wasn't in a serious nature, this is nothing for the young generation of the game to pick up on, and not even he deserves that. The only people affected in a bad light by it were us, the Motherwell fans, who painted the club in a bad light on Saturday. Simple as.

I would need to go to the bother of getting this off work, and to be honest I don't think it's worth it. Man United are probably my English team, (ran close by Coventry), but I'd rather use the time off work for a real game.

Slane would be plain stupid to join Celtic! He must be really stupid not to see that. He would not make any slant on the first team and disappear with the Willo Flood's of this world. It would sicken me that a man of his talent would aspire to do that!

I'm going to have to say home games. I love away games too, to be honest I just love football in general. I get to more home games than away games all things considered, which makes the away games you get to great. But I'm a creature of habit, and I'm so used to my Fir Park routine, and I haven't liked any less since day one. Also, it's a shorter journey home if you get beat!

The past seven games he's played? He's only played four according to the official. So I think you know aswell as I do, that your just looking for negatives in a day of positives. How you can judge a player on two starts for a club baffles me. It really does.

Thought we were cracking today again. Have to agree with Sieb that Jim O'Brien was man of the match. He was electric, direct, and was getting as close to the byline as we've seen from him, did brilliantly for the penalty, albeit he should have burst the net at the start of the second half. Thought we were solid throughout the team, but I'd also give a special mention to Saunders, who I thought looked more of a full back than ever before today, and Hateley, who looks like a player you could put in anywhere!

I couldn't agree more. I find now that I can't watch Spanish football as it infuriates me how little urgency they have. Most nations you'll find if they are a goal down with ten to go, they'll throw on another striker, or make some plan to get back in the game, but every time you see this in a Spanish game, they just as ever, pussyfoot around, playing tippy tappy 5 yard passes. I was having a heating discussion last week about Stoke City to someone. I grew very fond of them last season, the person I was arguing with claimed Rory Delap's long shies "weren't football" and that was how Stoke scored all their goals. But for me, watching a team grind out results, with all their fans behind them, happy that they have a team to support- that's football for me.

"Any other week it would be a shoe-in for goal of the month" Pat Nevin makes it so hard not to love him!

I'll believe the team he is referring to:- Smith McLean Craigan Reynolds Quinn O'Brien Hughes Klimpl Hammell Sutton Clarkson In a must win game? Fuck right off, McGhee. And good riddance.

I'd agree with you Jay. The cup run was great that year going to Killie, Clyde, Stranraer and Hampden on the way. The Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Livingston games were great. But I must say it being a results driven business is true. I love to see Motherwell play stylish, attractive football, but at the cost of winning I'd say no. I'd take a scrappy 1-0 over a 4-4 draw any day to be honest. Good football is nothing without end product in my opinion.