MelvinBragg

Only misgiving I have on this is the fact I may now have to move seats this season. There's a guy towards the Cooper end of the East Stand who had a habit of shouting "C'mon John Sutton!!" at seemingly random intervals. Having to listen to John Sutton Man as he was dubbed is the only negative I can see here... Streaky? Aye, but his hottest streak was under McCall. Let's hope that wasn't a coincidence...

Who realistically do you expect us to sign? Can't see much wrong with those signings. Nielsen. Been on the books of Blackburn and Man City, benefiting from fitness and goalkeeping coaches at that standard. Trained with some very good goalkeepers. Have to figure he's learned something. Played international football. Sutton. Proven SPL goalscorer. Didn't do it at Hearts but not surrounded by great players there before you even talk about the fact he was benched and sent out on loan by some of the managers there. Kerr. Had some good games last season and a few howlers. But young, that'll happen. What was Hateley's pedigree before he signed? Lionel Ainsworth. Know nothing about him but knew nothing about Humphrey before he came here. McCall has done well enough in the transfer market for me to have faith. Will we be weaker than last season? Possibly, but last season we finished second by a distance and key players left for nowt. Anyone who doesn't expect us to be weaker this season is off their head. But I have faith in McCall that he'll have us competitive. He's already signed a midfielder that scored nine and had nine assists last season in the SPL. Not too shabby. I like a moan as much as the next man but seriously...

Normally, this would be a cue for frenzied speculation but most people seem to be convinced that two of the names will be Sutton and Neilson. Am I right in reading this as a few signings in the next few days with more signings to follow? Or is it a few signings with more details on them to follow?

I don't want it to come across as my criticising Jennings. More my kind of player than Nicky Law (my favourite Motherwell midfielders tend to be guys like Lasley and Valakari). But, and the stats maybe don't back it up, I found last season's team more attractive to watch than the one with Jennings in it. Not to say that there's much in it, both pretty easy on the eye. Anyway, McCall needs to get his finger out and start signing people. If only so we're not here debating merits of centre midfielders that we won't be signing...

Not at all, not in McCall's nature. But last season we really seemed to go for it, more so than the previous season. With only really Lasley and our centre backs being defensive minded, second half of the season saw some of the most exciting football I've seen from a Motherwell team. I'd argue that it was even better than McGhee's first six months which is held up as the best recent Motherwell side...

The duff games I remember last season were early in the season as we adapted to a new way of playing. Would we have seen out the 3-3 game at Pitoddrie with Jennings in the team? Possibly. Would we have scored three goals in the first place with two defensive midfielders playing? And games against St Mirren are bad enough to watch without adding another defensive minded player. I'll take the odd duff game and not winning some games we could/should have if, for the most part, I see exciting attacking football. Despite us losing some of our creative players, listening to any McCall interview, thankfully for me he seems to feel a duty to entertain the fans...

No one is saying Jennings didn't have qualities but personally I preferred watching the team last season. And frankly that's the priority for me. Motherwell being successful is great but for me what was most satisfying about last season was the fact we did well while playing attractive football. Offer me third playing defensive football or sixth playing as we did last season and I'll happily do without Europe...

If we can retain McFadden then for me, it negates the need to replace Ojamaa. Ojamaa played mainly not as a main striker but as the centre of a three in a 4231 last season. This is a role McFadden could fill. So for me, another striker isn't a priority if we get Sutton. A right winger and a defender (ideally like Ramsden, someone who can play full back or centre half) would be where I'd be focusing... I haven't seen enough of Erwin or Moore to know if they could play a lone striker role were Sutton injured or suspended but given McFadden has played up front on his own for Scotland, I don't see a striker who would be sitting on the bench most weeks as a priority. Not when we have three young guys from our youth team waiting for their chance...

If Lasley is on the wane, I'd rather see Carswell given a run than Jennings brought back. Otherwise what was the point of giving him a new contract...

I, like others, thought we'd miss Jennings. But did we? Given we finished second, probably not as much as we thought we would. With Lawson, Lasley and Carswell on the books, we don't really need him now. We need to be looking at more creative players. Although reading further into the article, the guy Clarke might be worth a look. Right back who played for England U19s prior to injury. Could use a spell at Fir Park as Randolph, Humphrey and others have done, to catch the eye of bigger clubs down South...

I'm not that confident that we'll get McManus. Just a gut instinct... Interesting that McCall mentioned McFadden. I had written off our chances of keeping him. Don't think McCall is prone to flying kites when talking about stuff like this so might be a good chance there. Unless he's trying to sell season tickets by hinting at it... Neilson, Sutton, McFadden, a winger (Ainsworth?) and a defender (either to play right back or to allow Ramsden to play there) and we'll look decent.. Neilson _______ Ramsden Hutchinson Hammell Lasley Lawson Ainsworth Vigurs McFadden Sutton Subs Hollis Cummins Carswell Angol Moore McHugh As I've said, could easily live with that...

McFadden, Sutton and three others? Winger, keeper and maybe defender you'd figure. I could live with that...

I'm sure I read quotes somewhere from Kenny Back pretty much saying that the club were expecting Higdon to be away...

Aye, in our dreams...

Nope, McGhee's leaving present to Gannon. McGhee got lumbered with Mensing on his arrival...

Trust me, typing it was enough to give me chills...

Not a massive fan of Daley but if he is unquestionably McCall's worst signing, let"s compare him to other managers' worst signings. Brown - Casagolda Gannon - Moutouakil McGhee - Sheridan or Grabban (could make a case for Michael Fraser) Malpas - Molloy/Keegan/Elliot/take yer pick Butcher - Khemas/Sengewald Was Daley that bad...?

I'd argue even Daley contributed, particularly in his first season. Thinking of Aberdeen and St Johnstone away...

I think if we were to sign McManus then you'd have to think we'll be selling Hutchinson. So leaving us still looking for a right back or a centre half depending on where McCall wants to deploy Ramsden... If we can bring in Nielsen and Sutton that'll be four very decent signings. Reckon we'd then be looking for wingers...

Indeed. He'd have been mad to move for an extra £500 a week given we set up last season to play to his strengths but that's a wage hike hard to turn down. Surprised that Barnsley were still interested given they've just signed O'Grady, another striker whose strength is playing with his back to goal and bringing others into play...

Unless Aberdeen are planning on selling Vernon, it would seem a strange move for them after signing Zola...

Those 30 appearances, how many (particularly in Daley's case) were late sub appearances? To think that 10-15 minutes every couple of weeks would have developed Lawless better than playing week in week out for Thistle, irrespective of how good our side is, is laughable. With all due respect... Original point still holds. No point in wondering what might have been, no way to tell which of us is right on Lawless. The general point regards our developing our young players is one I can agree with. My concern is Carswell. Here we're talking about a guy who with Law leaving could've been playing week in week out but we've signed Lawson. Difference between Carswell and Lawless is the fact that Carswell actually has shown he can contribute...

Indeed. You can add McHugh to that list. McHugh has by my reckoning more goals than starts for Motherwell. Moore, by all accounts, did well at Cowdenbeath. Erwin was highly rated prior to injury problems. If even one of these guys can make the step up, then maybe we won't need to bring in two starting strikers...

The words "gamble" and "not proven" suggest it's not Sutton...

Slightly disappointing as he'd have been an excellent replacement for Higdon...