MelvinBragg

If Tanner comes back anywhere near the level he was before, he'll be a real asset..

Game time for the likes of Carson, Sloth and Livingstone? Don't know if Tanner would be risked yet on an artificial surface...

Am I the only one a bit confused by these rumours? Robinson comes out explicitly saying he doesn't want to sign any more squad players. Next thing we are linked with a 20 year old midfielder released by Ross County and a 19 year old defender. Robinson states we have young players coming through and that's why we don't need more squad players. How do these potential signings effect Semple, Cornelius and Devine? Not saying that the guys we are linked with are bad players (have never seen either play) but I can't see either going straight into the first team. So the only effect is to push our own academy players further down the pecking order. In Maciver's position we have Polworth, Sloth and Semple, not to mention Turnbull and Tanner to come back. In Leighton's we maybe only have three first choice centre backs but we also have Maguire who can play there and Devine who we're told is very highly rated. Not saying I wouldn't sign these players if they're good enough. Just strikes me that it goes against what the manager has said before....

Trying to look at the positives, we beat Hearts and get the winners of the Forfar-Livi tie. Who am I kidding? We get through, guaranteed it's Ibrox next...

I wouldn't know as I don't follow him but I'm told the vast majority of 'Celtic related' tweets he has liked have been messages to him from Celtic supporters wishing him a speedy recovery and happy birthday on his birthday..

So who are the non seeded teams through so far?

I know there were issues today but I could swear that we won 4-0. I know we weren't up against much but the players did the job. Unlike other SPL teams this summer. And unlike some Motherwell teams in the past. Not that long ago Albion Rovers knocked us out of the Scottish Cup..

You clearly can't count...

Thought Semple was excellent in the first half but less effective in the second . Liam Grimshaw, I love the guy and on the basis of the group games, he could make a claim to be first pick at right back. And I say that knowing he won't be. But for me, Donnelly was man of the match. A great performance capped by a second goal that was simply magnificent...

I really do think that Donnelly is in Robinson's first eleven. And I think Ilic will end up being first choice ahead of Seedorf....

I think what he's getting at is that St Mirren trousered the fee for Morgan, presumably using it to strengthen the team and retained Morgan for the remainder of the season. Like having your cake and eating it. Hardly seems fair if you're a fan of other teams in the league but argument would be it's up to them to develop their own players that people are willing to pay for six months early and loan back. On the Cadden issue, we'll get some cash but maybe not as much as we'd hoped. Take it on the chin. As others have said, we are no different to any other club in that we probably try and look for any possible advantage in the transfer market...

I'm seeing a lot of discussion of our midfield over the last few games, mainly negative. It's worth talking about. We've gone from a midfield of Gorrin, Campbell and Turnbull to a midfield of Donnelly/Maguire, Campbell and Pokworth. Changing two players in a three man midfield, it's understandable that it will take more than a few games to gel in the same way, irrespective of the quality of the individuals. Gorrin is being held up at the minute as the standard that Donnelly and Maguire should be aspiring to. I liked Gorrin but we're talking about a defensive midfielder who started 16 games for us and picked up 6 yellow cards and a red card. Not flawless. Also worth noting he turns 26 next week Donnelly recently turned 23 and Maguire recently had his 21st birthday. These guys have scope to develop, and I personally don't think they're miles away from Gorrin's level. Those describing them as defenders playing in midfield, I'm assuming have never changed jobs in their career. Tom Hateley was signed as a midfielder, Derek Adams as a striker. Even at a higher level, Vincent Kompany was signed by Man City as a holding midfielder. If the coaching staff feel that Maguire and Donnelly have the skill set for that position (and I gather they've felt for a long time this is Maguire's best position), they see them every day so I reckon they know more than we do. Campbell. I hear on here he's being asked to play further forward. Nonsense. In pretty much all the time he's played for us, he's played alongside a holding midfielder be it Lasley, McHugh or Gorrin. His role has pretty much always been to use his energy to press higher up the field . If he's been slightly further forward the last few games, it's been down to opposition midfields sitting deeper. Polworth. The lack of a killer pass has been mentioned and this probably is focussed on Polworth as the most 'creative' midfielder. He has at least a couple of assists already (and it was his ball that sent Seedorf away for Scott's first on Friday). You can talk about the poor quality of the opposition but that's a double edged sword. We'll play better teams in the league but because of that we'll seldom play teams that sit so deep offering so little space. Also worth noting he has the pressure of replacing a £3m player. Not the same type of player as Turnbull but takes his spot as creator/provider. No one expects Motherwell to bring in players worth £3m so there may be a slight drop off but he's doing ok. Is there room for improvement? It's Motherwell, there always is. But for me, there's a bit more negativity than is required. If we lose our first four league games, then we maybe need to start panicking...

Gorrin was our defensive midfielder, always playing deepest of the three when he played...

I'm sure those at the game will say the performance wasn't the best but we're getting the job done albeit against poorer opposition. Another clean sheet, with a different back four. Another new signing gets off the mark goal wise. Stuff that needs work? Sure but we seem in a better place than many of our rivals...

Goal described as controversial by the BBC. Need to not give the ref a chance to even it up if he feels he got it wrong...

He looked no great shakes at Killie and I have no idea the last time he played a game. No thanks..

You'd wonder whether that signals Scott going out on loan or possibly Danny Johnson? Robinson did say that any further signing would have to be someone who will offer something different and go straight into the first team...

Playing two midfielders is like going into battle with a bow and arrow. Fine if the other guy has a bow and arrow but not if he has a machine gun. Very rarely do teams play with two in central midfield these days because they get outmanned. Even the 4231 which is sometimes quoted as a effective formation, the middle guy in the '3' behind the striker is invariably a midfielder effectively making it a 433. 442 is only used now where the 4 in midfield is a diamond shape or if it's a squinty 442 with one winger and three central midfielders (one may drift wide when attacking). We used the squinty 442 under McGhee when we had Johnson on one wing and Cadden on the other but quite often Cadden would tuck in when we didn't have the ball...

Gorrin did a decent job for a few months but people seem to forget he had a knack of going to ground in the tackle and picking up too many yellow cards. Not saying Donnelly is necessarily the answer, but let's not turn Gorrin into Ngolo Kante....

It seems that Robinson feels that Cole is a wide player. Also was Long not said to be able to play anywhere in the front three? I reckon Semple could also fill in at a push...

Actually thought Donnelly looked as good as Polworth tonight and felt that Polworth got caught in possession a few times in the first half. Also despite what you said, felt Donnelly won his fair share of headers...

Not sure why, but I have a slightly bad feeling about tonight. Hope I'm wrong but just a slight concern that we might come a cropper...

To be fair, only one of Gillespie or Carson can play, Tanner is injured, Kipre was sold and Rose moved back for family reasons. Aldred and Aribiyi were generally successful loan signings, so the fact that only Dunne, Carson or Gillespie and Donnelly might start tonight doesn't say that they've been his only successful signings so far. I wasn't a fan but you could even argue that Main has moved to a bigger club on leaving so doesn't suggest that he was a disastrous signing. With a few notable exceptions (mainly at left back) most of Robinson's signings have contributed something in their time here...

The guy Leighton played as a trialist in a game for Celtic this summer. Would certainly suggest he has options other than us. A case of wait and see but seems unlikely...

Suspect a few of the Levante and Nancy players went on to have decent careers. Not sure Hyypia played that game... EDIT I stand corrected, just checked...