Welldaft Mk1

Nor will I mate. I don't know why or how I managed to remain so calm and positive after that result. Must be the prozac working. I expect it will be exactly the same from llanelli next week -so the onus will be on us to break them down. It is a worry that we are very light on quality in crucial areas and playing Sutton as a lone striker clearly will not work again. It wont be easy but if we can score in the 1st 30 mins then that should open the game up and I would expect us to go on and win the tie. All ifs and buts. The imporatnt thing is that we will be there to see if this is how it materialises. Still - looking forward to another away trip in Europe Roll on Thursday

What is more believable - a part time welsh team can score with their only attempt on goal or an SPL team will not score with 90% possession and 80% territory. As much as we were poor in chances created and creativity - Llanelli pulled the rabbit out of the bag. It was the most one sided game I have ever seen Motherwell play - which makes it all the more incredible we lost. But the gulf in class is there and will still be there next week. I suspect Llanelli may play a little better, but crucially we know and JG now knows who has got what and will hopefully set up the side to create more chances. If it happens again then fine but I cannot believe we will dominate a game like that again and not score. IMHO.

In some ways (though not many) had we won the 1st leg 5-0, going down to Wales would have been an anti climax. At least this way - to quote our esteemed owner - there will be a frisson of excitement and trepidation which means it will be a worthwile journey and all the more enjoyable if we get through the tie. Always trying to find a positive angle - god knows it is difficult right now!

This is worrying as i was about to post the exact same. Twice in one day. Llanelli will need to play a hell of a lot better than last night and we would have to play worse for us to go out. Granted we need to be better in the final 3rd but we have another 90 mins to get at least 1 goal. And even if they were to score we still need two anyway which would put through on away goals. I would like to see how often the piss about with the ball if they are 1-0 down in the final minutes. Quite sure their goalie might be able to pick up the ball then!!

All good points Mortonhallwell. But when the dust has settled I think we played some decent footie and will go through to the next round I Know deep down inside you agree with me

Gazzy B is spot on. Yes we lost to a team that we should never have in a month of Sundays. We were lacking creativity in midfield and cutting edge up front. Hardly a surprise considering we had virtually a reserve team out playing. We dominated possession and territory and whatever anyone else says Llanelli rode their luck. They offered next to nothing in terms of threat and we were quite literally hit by the sucker punch that tends to happen following Motherwell. These things happen. I have seen us win games v the old firm when they were all over us and we rode our luck. And in my mind the gap is almost the same as Motherwell and Llanelli in terms of support and resources. It is only half time and I am bullish that we will come through the tie, but I suspect the same tactics from Llanelli and it will be more difficult as they are at home. But we will take a decent support and hopefully be more vocal than last nite.

The guy has inherited a mess - he has been in the door a few days - has had NO chance to add to the squad for last night's game. We had a team out with only 4 1st choice starters from last season. This was not an SPL club that lost to llanelli - this was effectively their reserves. Judge Gannon a couple of months into the new season.

I am disappointed that we lost tonite - off course I am. But what game were you watching?? Llanelli were as poor a football team as I have ever watched Motherwell play. So yes it is galling and hard to take that we lost to them. But to say they deserved to win - that is stretching it quite a lot. They must have timewasted at least 10 mins and were doing so blatantly from the first whistle. They scored with their ONLY shot on target from a dead ball. They had two other shots but apart from that they were rank. They created very little and were it not for the fact that we were so inept in front of goal we would have won comfortably. This tie is over two legs. Both teams will probably play better next week, but if we are as far ahead again in terms of possession and territory then I HOPE we can take a couple of chances that come our way. I am still confident we will come though the tie. Keep the faith.

Interested to hear more about this story. I can see no mention of it anywhere else. He played 10 minutes at the end of the recent Scotland B international at broadwood. Fairly highly respected as a goalkeeper. Could have done worse???

Not quite sure re that point. I know the Sun is hardly booker prize material. But Andy Devlin is a Well fan and as such gets more accurate and timely information than the Daily Rangers. That and they sponsor an advert on the official website + sponsored our game v Nancy last year when no-one else would. For those reasons I would rather read or buy the Sun than that well known other Scottish competitor.

Somebody got out of bed the wrong side this morning. FWIW I like the updates. you can be assured that if there were none - people would be on here moaning that there is no news etc. What a fickle bunch we can be at times. I include myself in that last comment I am trying to look at this from the glass half full angle. I think the SPL will get a deal - it may not be as good as the one Setanta signed from 2010 but it will be better than the current one. ESPN need the SPL content to boost there channel and we need ESPN. That hopefully leaves the new manager with some cash to invest in replacing the players who are being sold and those whose contracts expire. If he does a decent job then we may well have a better team than last season with a fresh squad. My only immediate concern is that our squad is desperately thin for these games against Llanelli. With out strongest team from last year we would win reasonably comfortably IMHO, but with the current squad it will be a real battle.

I too think that my be overly optimistic. Holidays will probably take about 500-1000 off that number with a few more staying away because of the economy/costs. Add in the fact that it is at Airdrie and the opposition are Llanelli - oh and the final point that we seem to be selling off our best players. That said we should get a wee boost if Gannon is paraded tomorrow and gives the right impression. That and the fact IT IS the first ever game by a Scottish club in the Europa Cup and let's not forget one of the few European ties ever by a Motherwell side. I was in my mid 20's when we played in Europe in the mid 90's. I honestly did not think it would take a gap of 13 years till the Nancy game came along. These Euro ties are like hens teeth and for that reason alone I would never be indifferent or unmoved by any Euro game that Motherwell play.

Don't disagree that the Europa Cup is a wee bonus, but surely to god we should be expecting to beat Llanelli??? After the result of the friendly today I have grave concerns. Could we not have kept Clarkson and Quinn at least one or two more weeks. We are seriously short of first team calibre players and it may yet come back to haunt us!! I am looking forward to the trip down to Wales and would have been happy for a 3 or 4-0 scoreline from the first leg. By the way that scoreline is FOR Motherwell But it looks like it will be a lot tighter than anyone originally expected. Only good thing about the scoreline today is that they will be under no illusions that this game will be easy over two legs

Do you think that everyone that posts on here will travel. I think we will easily take 2000 down to Wales. When will the Well EVER play another Euro tie on UK soil?????? Iam 40+ and it has not happened b4. It is going to be a huge party - a celebration of supporting the best team in the world - well Lanarkshire That and our Celtic cousins (pronounced Keltic!) will be up for a good party. Aint missing this for all the world. Many cannot make it because of costs, work committments and pre-booked holidays, at least 1000 that would like to go but cannot. Hopefully we can get through a couple of ties and they can join in

It is only down too intuition - but of all the candidates I reckon that my choice would be Jim Gannon. Why - I don't know - he seems highly rated and there is very little if any negative publicity that has accompanied all the other candidates. I just get good vibes. Youngish and ambitious - let us be his launchpad to managing Real Madrid. Right that is enough whisky. JG - Still my first choice. He de MAN.

33+6 from the East of Scotland MFC supporters club = 39

I for one was always quite calm about the whole affair - eh Melvin

It was used to emphasize the point - no more no less. I am going to get on with my day - as otherwise I suspect i could be on here a long long time.

If it makes you happy Melvyn to take the moral high ground then so be it. Yes I was angry at the thought of missing out. I am sure anger has never got the better of you either. You are a lucky person.

Ah you have one of those clever translation machines. You know the ones that change around the meaning or interpretation a post to suit there own ends. I have been a lifelong supporter for 35 years. Point out where I stated that meant I was a better fan than anyone else. Please do.

I admit my post was scribed with a element of beer and white wine. But so what. I am pissed off and whether my reasons are right or wrong it does not change the fact that Llanelli are acting like schoolweans. Quite simple really - the inference was that they would move the game to the rugby ground if we switiched ties, which UEFA may not have allowed anyway. But since we said no they are now saying - ach well then we will just play at home in front of 3 men and a dog. The flight price and money is not an issue for me in the slightest - quite prepared to lose it. My anger is at the fact I will probably not see Motherwell play their first European tie on UK soil. End of story!

How about you step back and think about what I am saying and the point I am trying to make? The powers that be a Llanelli think we are going to spank them next week and as such would not get a decent crowd for the return leg. So my point is that if it were to end up 1-1 then they have probably kissed bye bye to a sizeable crowd for the return leg all because of their negativity. What I should have said is that I then hope we thrash them 4-0 in the away leg. But then i though most people would have understood that since I have been a life long (35 years) Motherwell fan. There is NO way I would ever wish motherwell to lose under any circumstances or not get through the tie. In future I will have to make it a little clearer for the hard of thinking.

Great riposte Steelboy!

I don't give a flying f#ck what people think. I am disappointed because I have booked flights with many friends that are non-refundable. If anyone on here thinks that that is way off the mark then so be it. What exactly is my crime???????????? Getting excited that the team I love is in Europe for one of the vary few times in it's history and instead of going to a country 5000 miles away we have/had the chance to watch them in Wales - just down the road. Let us not forget that they wanted to move the first leg and seemingly have taken the huff that we did not. I make no apologies for finding their behaviour as a football club rather pathetic. There is NO guarantee we will win the first leg by 3,4 or 5 goals. None whatsoever! If the game goes ahead as is looking increasingly likely at their home park, then I hope we draw 1-1 in the home leg and they can wave bye bye to several 000 fans and all the income that would accompany that at the return leg. It is their decision and their prerogative to play at home - that much I agree with, but it does not change my thinking that it is a defeatist and quite frankly pathetic attitude.

I suspect there is a touch of naivety when you read the post again. For example surely they would have to agree the venue for the 2nd leg before the 1st leg takes place. So how do they know they well take a beating. Somebody should explain that this is Motherwell FC. What if for example it was a draw or a narrow deafeat and they had reached the decision to play at a 1000 capacity ground. Too late to change the decision. The chap also probably did not know that Motherwell could take up to 2000 fans for the return leg which may well make up for any home supporters that decide not to turn up if in the unlikely event we put 3,4 or 5 past them. Hell - Who knows maybe even Pie will go if it is being held at a rugby ground