MelvinBragg

Carswell for Ojaama with 10mins to go..

Would have taken a narrow HT lead before the game, so shouldn't complain. Keep hearing we're suited to counterattacking football. Let's prove it..

If, after Saturday's performance, you're complaining about Humphrey and not Hateley, then you sir, need spectacles.

Problem is that McCall won't put Saunders in. Hateley takes every set piece, McCall clearly sees him as integral to the team. Fact is we have three other players (four if you include Devlin) who can play right back who know that they won't get a game unless Hateley or Lasley is injured. Not the best use of a tight wagebill...

What's the old adage? You're only as good as your last game... I wouldn't suggest punting him but his performances of late have been easily as ropey as those of Fraser Kerr who was sat on the bench yesterday. His crossing is normally one of the strongest parts of his game, even it has been lacking recently. A wee spell on the bench would not be out of the question, in my opinion...

Terrible game but not a terrible performance by most of the team. Thought Hutchinson, Humphrey and Murphy were good. As for Hateley. Oh dear, oh dear...

Number of games doesn't really come into it otherwise Vadocz wouldn't feature either. Like I say, only my own personal favourites. Hutchinson might be a better player than Saunders, as Ross McCormack or Jutkiewicz might be better than Clarkson but I tried to base it simply on players that I had a fondness for. I love the fact that Partridge was a bit of a psychopath (I always think one of your centre backs should be). I love the fact that Humphrey will run all day despite his obvious limits and that's enough to terrify defenders. I can come up with similar reasons for most of my picks. Oh aye, and McGhee wouldn't be manager (friend of mine was going to the Bristol Rovers game today, specifically texted him to tell him to abuse big Shovelface). I'd probably go with Butcher...

Tried to do this a few times and found I was putting in favourites rather than best. So sod it, personal favourites are Randolph Quinn Saunders Partridge Hammell Humphrey Lasley Vadocz McFadden Clarkson Sutton Subs: Ruddy Paterson A McCormack Fitzpatrick Porter Coke O'Brien Obviously, some controversial choices but it is only personal favourites not a "Best".. Sutton gets in on merit on the basis of the 6-6 game. As good as Jutkiewicz's goal was, it was Sutton that dragged us back into that game with his attitude. Guys like Saunders, Humphrey and Fitzpatrick are just players that I have a soft spot for although they all have a degree of ability. Fitzpatrick should make everyone's squad on the basis of possibly the most joyous moment of the last twelve years...

The Lasley/Pearson debate highlights the problem you always face when making these teams up. You can say it should be down to ability but the heart sometimes rules the head and it tends to end up more of a "favourite" than a "best" XI...

At a time when we're cutting the budget, I can't see us replacing Higdon with anyone of similar or better quality. Jutkiewicz was a better allround striker but was never really ours. Porter was someone we could only afford due to Boyle's generosity. McCormack was a different type of player and someone we were lucky to get. Clarkson came from our youth set up, no guarantees anyone else can come from there to fill the gap. And for me, Higdon is better than Sutton. In my opinion, Higdon and Randolph are the only things keeping us from a struggle against relegation...

I think some people will only appreciate what Higdon brings to the team next season when we don't have him. Too many seem focussed on what he doesn't do and ignore the good things he does. I wouldn't like to think where we'd be without him this season...

I thought to play for Scotland that you simply had to be a good SPL player. I'm thinking Andy Webster, David Goodwillie (when he made his debut), Ian Black (apparently capped on last season's performances) or going further back Barry Robson, Kris Boyd or Colin Cameron...

This kind of thread amuses me.. Motherwell fans always go on about how Hibs and Dundee United get better transfer fees for their players because the media talks their players up. We don't need the media to downplay our players' qualities. We do it well enough ourselves. Not that I'm suggesting Murphy should get a cap but why we feel the need to point this out on an internet forum about one of our own is beyond me. Let's have more threads praising the qualities our players do have. As others have pointed out, Murphy generally scores more than ten goals a season while playing wide midfield. Can't think of too many non Old Firm midfielders with that return over a number of seasons. Could he play at a higher level? I don't know but he is a very, very good SPL player that eight or nine other sides in the league would have in their first team...

How many young, inexperienced players played the majority of the game tonight? The young players do need to learn but Carswell and McHugh will learn very little on the bench. As others have pointed out, there are a couple of poor sides in the league this season. For me, this season is a real opportunity to give three or four of these players a run in the team in order to see if they can cut it at this level. Write off this season to an extent and use it to build for the future. More game time for Cummins, Angol, Carswell, Hetherington and McHugh might lessen the rebuilding we need to do next summer. Just my opinion, mind...

Mark McShovelface was fond of it too. Stephen Hughes at wing back vs Nancy and at left wing vs St Mirren in the cup spring to mind. Although at least he was honest about it. I recall him saying in an interview that he only had 12 or 13 players he "trusted"...

Carswell.

Aaron's point aside, hard to argue with you there. Difficult for McHugh to score when he doesn't get on the park...

Me too. And he's not Estonian...

This season..? Really...?

On the basis of...?

I might be alone here but I don't really care that much about the U20s results. Shouldn't be about results at that level, more about developing skills and tactical awareness. Obviously if they are developing properly then results should follow, but I wouldn't care if we lost every game at that level if we manage to produce two or three players ready for the first team...

Maybe he's assuming defeat next week...?

Hammell was injured..

Best goalkeeper I've ever seen in a Motherwell jersey...

Any number of ways that eleven could line up. Straight 442 with Law out wide and either Hateley or Ramsden in the middle (Ramsden can play RB) or more like the 451 that has been suggested. Concern with the 451 is you leave Higdon isolated...