MelvinBragg

Aye, average age of a back four of Wilson-Ramsden-McManus-Hammell would be quite a hike from last season when we had Hateley and Hutchinson in there. I'm all for having some experience in the side but some youthful enthusiasm wouldn't go amiss. Average age of our team this season is a lot higher than previous seasons... Which is why as pleased as I am with the quality of our signings this summer, I'm really hoping that the likes of Carswell, Erwin, Kerr, McHugh and Angol make an impact this season to ease the burden when we have to replace key guys who are the wrong side of 30 soon. Lasley and Hammell won't last forever sadly...

Excellent post

What has he done?

By his own admission, he knows nothing about keepers anyway...

What I find interesting is the inclusion of Hollis behind what one would assume is our first choice back four. Could it be that McManus and Hutchinson feel more secure with Hollis behind them? Not a simple case of the best keeper but the keeper that the centre backs are more sure of...?

Could be a straight 442 with Vigurs left, McFadden right. I know Vigurs isn't a winger but neither was Law. Just a shame McHugh is such a different player to Ojamaa. Could play 4231 if McHugh could play wide. Could Moore play that role? Or even at the centre of the three?

I'm disappointed that we haven't signed a right winger but to suggest that it reflects poorly on McCall is laughable. The quality of signings we've made is excellent. Three international players, three guys who've done it in the SPL before and a young guy with potential. Did we sign more defenders than I expected? Maybe, but if McCall is pondering going three at the back, it makes sense. This also negates the need for an out and out right winger. As for having no one to develop and sell on. Cummins, Carswell, Erwin, Moore, Kerr, Angol, just off the top of my head... And despite Kenny Black saying this would be our last signing, I'm not so sure. I seem to recall McCall saying we didn't have enough money for Ojamaa's wages before we signed him. Declaring that we've spent our budget, means that any club we get a loan signing from might not be expecting us to pay too much...

Is tomorrow the signing deadline for next week's game? Is Amier confirmed yet? Must confess, I'd rather have a winger in than another striker. Looking at what we have at the moment, I'd be going with Nielsen Ramsden Hutchinson McManus Hammell Lasley/Lawson Carswell McFadden Vigurs Angol Sutton Don't know whether I'd go with Lasley or Lawson but reckon we need Carswell's mobility. Have put Vigurs in the hole behind Sutton but a wackier idea did occur to me. Against Flamurtari at home, we played Sutton in the hole with Murphy ahead of him. Seem to recall him winning a lot of flick ons for Murphy to run on to. Not likely but an alternative... Not unhappy with that lineup but not much width on the bench...

Anyone paying £65 for a friendly is an idiot. Sorry...

For a country like Scotland, as has been pointed out, you have a load of players who are much of a muchness. Thing is, if you simply pick on form then you run the risk of lack of continuity. So often when someone gets "possession of the jersey", they keep it even if others are in better form. So there may have been occasions in the past where Hammell has been the form left back but others have kept their place as the national team manager sticks with people he knows and has worked with before...

If McFadden plays right wing, we won't need Sutton and McHugh to score that many as I figure McFadden will score more than Humphrey and Vigurs will score as many as Law. So you're looking for Sutton and McHugh to replace the goals of Higdon and Ojamaa. No way will Sutton score as many as Higdon but I reckon McHugh may contribute more than Ojamaa in terms of numbers of goals. On the other hand I think it was you that said to me at one point last season, that on any given day any of our "front four" could be matchwinners. When has that ever been the case with Motherwell? Trying to replace what we had last season, well, that's a big ask...

This is obviously the answer but I could see us being tempted if we sell Hutchinson before Hateley finds a club. Ramsden being used more at centre back would leave us without cover at right back. Of course, the answer there is that in the absence of Kerr, we play Murray or Cummins at centre back... So no, would be my answer. Must confess, while I wasn't his biggest fan, thought he'd have found a club by now. Maybe he's had offers, but not at the kind of clubs he envisaged...

I think I remember saying to Frazzle when he signed in January that my one regret was that we were already out of the cup because McFadden seems to have a sense of occasion. In the post administration season, in the cup run it seemed like he was playing like a man possessed. Which is why I have high hopes for the cup this season.I think he might fancy q a winners medal before his career is over. Don't let me down, James...

Only if he's turned into a winger down there...

West Brom

Didn't realise so many on here had seen so many of their games. Aye, they finished high up their league but so did we. They have Brazilian players? Is there a reason why they're playing for Krasnodar and not in Spain or Germany? Will it be easy? No. Am I ready to write us off? No.. And to think people on here used to slate McCall for talking down our chances ahead of big games...

Nae bother.. Don't bother planning to go to Russia. Save yer money for the next round.. Seriously though, don't see any reason why we can't progress. Will they be that much better than Celtic who we beat twice last season? Aye, hellish journey for our lads but also for theirs. And apparently their record in cup competitions is poor. Too much doom and gloom on here..

Europe, don't give a monkeys. Finishing high up the league? Very enjoyable. But looking at this squad (if we add a winger) compared to the one McCall inherited and took to a cup final, I'm really hoping for a cup this season. Lots of guys in the squad with experience of big games. McManus and McFadden, real winning mentality which hopefully rubs off on the rest of the squad..

Seems like he was an option if McManus didn't sign...

Now he's signing, can we maybe now look foe another winger? Not keen on the idea of 352 being our only formation that brings width. This summer the quality of our signings has been good, just seems too slanted on a defensive approach. One striker and one winger signed, having lost four or five attacking players...

Admin staff missing? I can type and wear a skirt, could've been sorted days ago...

Just to change the subject, anyone heard any names for the other two signings that McCall wants to make on top of McFadden and McManus? Obviously Amier is potentially one and I heard McCall talking up Adam Campbell. Any other names doing the rounds?

Aye, but it'd be pretty dull if he was updating every few hours with the phrase "negotiations are ongoing". What can he really say as I'd imagine that said negotiations are supposed to be confidential? Like everyone, the longer it drags on the more I get a feeling it won't happen. But if that's the case, we move on to other targets. The reason I'm happy for us to let it drag on is the fact that McFadden is head and shoulders above pretty much everyone else in the SPL. We'd be lucky to have him, so I suspect the club are more willing to come and go with his agents to see if a deal can be reached...

Don't try and baffle this forum with logic...

You know me, I'll come up with something. As will you in the absence of Yerdaza...