MelvinBragg

Find it amusing we've gone from having no wingers to three wingers on the bench...

Not really sure about that lineup. Would have had Kerr in the team ahead of Ramsden or McManus. And, and I can't believe that I'm saying this, Josh Law can feel a little hard done by given his recent showings at right back. But Baraclough sees them in training, I'll put my trust in his judgement...

Harsh on Kerr, I'd say...

Wonder if it's to add some Motherwell-mindedness, put across to the players better how much this matters. Shouldn't need to be the case but wonder if it's a factor. Also wonder if he's "in charge" of training or just taking it at Baraclough's instruction allowing Robinson and him to observe more...

To get back on track, have given up a shift which would have made me £100 to get to the game tomorrow. Really hoping it's the one where we turn the corner. Would love Hammell to be back but we've rushed him back a couple of times and it's backfired so would rather wait til he was 100%. Looking forward to seeing Grant and hopefully Pearson. Think if we score first we'll win...

This sums up my own feelings on the matter...

Be realistic...

We won't drop McManus. We should. But we won't...

Kerr can look as solid as he likes, he'll drop out and Laing will be in next week. Why play Ramsden in midfield and have Carswell on the bench? Average age of our two defensive midfielders today is laughable... Good to hear that at least Long and Grant look decent...

McManus?

Another defeat. We knew we were in trouble just emphasises it. Few home games coming up, need to hope we can pick up some points there. Defence seems the area most needing attention...

Assist and a goal on his debut and now Grant gets injured. Can't catch a break...

1-0 down. Hmmmm...

As does Moore. Don't think I'll be totally convinced by the back four until I see Stevie Hammell's name back in it...

Obviously, I hope that I'm wrong but the optimism from some ahead of tomorrow seems a bit misplaced. It's been a while since we've won a game and we don't know how the new guys will perform. Like I say, I hope I'm wrong...

Defence as a whole is interesting. Depending on McManus and Hammell recovering from injury, we have options all across the back four. Laing is suspended but O'Brien, Kerr, Ramsden and Reid all vying for a centre back place, with Kerr, Reid and Ramsden also possible right backs. Just need to hope that Baraclough has spent the last two weeks working out his best combination...

The Accies game being moved actually suits me but means that my son won't make it as he has BBs that night. Swings in roundabouts, I guess. Speaking as someone who does shift work, there are times when games being moved from the Saturday does actually help me. But I know I'm in the minority. But it is important to remember that Saturday 3pm doesn't suit everyone all the time...

The issue for me was that Laing allowed the St Johnstone player to get goalside of him. As soon as that happened, the referee was only going to make one decision. Was it a tangle of legs? Maybe but with a striker goalside of the last defender, referee has to consider whether the defender has engineered the tangle of legs. I have no quibble with Collum over the red card. Couple of other incidents where I reckon he got it wrong but none of them affected the outcome of the game...

Any/many of the new faces playing?

Trialists playing as well? We really are throwing the kitchen sink at staying up...

Straker til the end of the season. Thomas likewise with another year option. Johnson, no idea...

We're going to need a bigger bench...

No Pearson or Erwin? I think this illustrates the balancing act that the manager has now. Blending new faces with some of the good players we had already..

This. We've seen three of Baraclough's signings play and opinions are mixed on them, Pearson being the only one seen so far as definitely an improvement. Grant and Long look to have decent pedigree but you could say the same about Cosgrove and Nielsen in those positions. Will the two new wingers be better than Ainsworth? We don't know. We do have options now and while it's a cliche for every manager to say that "it's a good problem to have", the onus is now on Baraclough to mould a team. He's been backed by the board so even more than before yesterday, the buck stops with him. The hope is that the fight we saw against Dundee United and in the second half on Saturday is taken into the next game and with the freshness that new faces will bring, we can kick on and get some results. But it's a hope. Not a guarantee. Hard work continues...

I only count seven...