couttsy

Can anyone tell me how that header from Bowman at the end doesn't go in? I was already jumping about celebrating. Few observations today, Jules is never a football in a million years, how he is in the Scotland u21 squad lord only knows (they clearly haven't watched him!) We are missing McHugh massively in the middle of the park when having to play him at the back (all be it he did make 1 huge mistake today). Pearson is a huge part of our problem in midfield, he disappears/hides for a good majority of every game (2nd half at Killie apart), I've said it before, it's no coincidence that our poorest run of the season has come since he came back into the team. Frear looked useful, just that we didn't get the ball to him enough. Hopefully we'll lose less goals when we pair McHugh with Heneghan at the back. Massive 3 games coming up before the split.........6 points at least needed.

Yeh, lets play McFadden as well then going by your rationale......

What I took issue with was the 'far and away the best midfield we have' comment. If we was, would we not have seen a bit more from him than we've seen? Hope to hell im proved wrong and whoever our new manager is can get the best out of Pearson, (as we need anything at the moment), however looks to me like a desperate signing by a desperate manager.......

Pearson is far and away the best midfielder we have?! Really? So in just under 3.5 games in midfield since his return our aggregate score is 16-3! Have we had any other run of results this season anywhere near as poor as this? Coincidence? Eh, no. Whatever he had has gone and allied to that he looks like he couldn't care less, which is even more disappointing given that he should care more than most given his association with the club over the years.

He was playing left mid for most of the game (until McHugh moved into the back 4 and Frear came on) and I agree, he should have been providing more cover for Chalmers, however as I said before the options we have are SO poor that Pearson (if Hammell is out) represents the best of them in my opinion.

Yip that's him and I agree that he looked disinterested, however given the other options are not options in my opinion i.e Chalmers, Jules, Mcmillian. Best option from a very limited choice!

All of Samson, Chalmers and Jules should be out on their ears and never seen again in a Motherwell shirt, shocking performances from all 3. Next game we should start with Griffiths, Tait, Hammell (Pearson at LB if Hammell not fit) Henghan and McHugh at the back, Cadden, Lasley, Lucas, Frear in midfield and Moult, McDonald up top. If McGhee sends out the same back four next week (as he suggested he might) then I believe is actively trying to get himself sacked. How a 'manager' could sit back and watch that for an hour yesterday and not attempt to make any personnel or tactical changes beggars belief. He's got to go and now, before it's too late.

Press coverage of Bowman's tackle is a joke. Was it dangerous, yes, does it warrant discussion nearly a full week afterwards, I think not. Typical Scottish media pandering to the opinions of one of the gruesome twosome. Almonst as annoying as it is predictable....

And you believe that's why the media want to point out Motherwell got away with one? Really, not to do with who we were playing? If it had been Dundee or Patrick Thistle we were playing it would have been lucky to make the sports news on the Saturday never mind three days later......

My point was more that they even bothered to quote what is blatantly and I would imagine, admittedly, massively biased when it comes to matters relating to Celtic! Final point still stands, whilst it maybe was a sending off, if it was the other way around or the game had no OF involvement they would not be printing the article a few days later. Unfortunately it's Scotland and most of us have accepted that's the way things are, although it does still frustrate me massively when journalist talk/write about what the biggest problems/challenges are in our game and never mention the biggest one i.e fact that the vast majority of the country supports 2 teams.

Spot on, the use of the word 'raking' and the fact they quote Celtic TV as a credible source tells you all you need to know about what audience they are pandering too. Put it this way, ask yourself would they be printing articles about a foul by a Celtic journeyman player on a young Motherwell prospect a few days later? Think we all know the answer to that...:

I saw that and thought exactly the same, very similar tackle. The pundits even had a laugh about it at HT, absolutely no suggestion of it being a foul never mind a red card! Just makes it even more frustrating I suppose.....

Struggling to pick a man of the match but Jules & Cadden having the lions share of the votes on here is baffling for me. Jules looked a little slow and very nervous, not great at the third goal, jury's out unfortunately. Cadden is developing well but had one of his worst games today in my opinion. Think I'd have to go for Moult today, not only was he our only threat but he also won a few headers in our own box.

I'd go Samson, Tait, Hammell, Heneghan, McManus, Cadden, Lasley, McHugh, Pearson (if fit, if not then Lucas), Ainsworth, Moult. In a 4-2-3-1 formation with Las & McHugh holding, Ainsworth, Cadden and Pearson/Lucas getting up to support Moult. I suspect MM will go 4-4-2 with Bowman in instead of Ainsworth.

Exactly, so he should have been the one taking responsibility, making tackles, showing for the ball, did he, nah. Anyway that was one game, there are other examples of Pearo going missing in games. Worth having in the squad (maybe even the starting 11 at times), particularly as he gives balance being left footed, however he is far from the saviour some seem to think......

Eh, maybe 6 or 7 years ago and even then......Not quite sharing the love in for Pearo to be honest. Past his best and disappears in games frequently. Anyone who was at Swinecastle last season can pay testiment to that. Have always (and still do) think Pearo plays when he feels like it. Interesting to see most on here now preferring a first choice midfield without Las. I know he's aging but I still think we are better with than without him in the team and for me it would Cadden, Lasley, McHugh plus either Pearson or Lucas (maybe both on Saturday).

Brilliant result! importance of Moult and McDonald in bold and underlined tonight. Keep them both (and they stay fit) we stay up, simple as that.

Better to regret something you've done than something you haven't. Positive change was needed 15 mins before Rangers scored, blatantly obvious. Ainsworth is no world beater but has proven (unlike any of the 3 subs that came on) that he can create chances and score goals at this level, yet he's ignored.........The day we start losing and not questioning the manager and the players is the day we should all just give up.

Well that was another very painful watch. Few observations, O'Halloran's red card not up for debate. Both McDonald and Tiernan's tackles fall into the between yellow and red bracket for me, if one goes both have to go. McHugh and Samson our best players, McManus and Henegan also played well, although I would need to see the first goal again to see who goes to sleep....If anyone needs reminding of how important McDonald is to us just watch the first half at Ibrox last week and the last hour today, he holds the ball, links the play, supports Moult and to be honest is by far our most important player. On to the manager.....where to start. Team selection, Joe Chalmers is a stop gap left back at the very best, playing him anywhere else is a joke, simply no where near good enough. Craig Clay, very average and disappears for long spells in games (can't believe he played the whole game), won't do and should not be selected over Lasley. McMillian at left mid, again is a joke, felt sorry for the boy. Not to make a change in midfield before the Rangers goal when it was obvious we were dead on our feet and getting deeper and deeper was unbelieveable. Then when he does make a change (and we need a goal) he ignores the man with the most goals/assists in the squad (with the exception of Moult and McDonald) and brings on a debutant and a guy that's done nothing with the few chances he's had. Rangers are better than us, however the inferiority complex we have against them (which comes from the manager) is painful to watch. Think we'll stay up as long as we get Moult and McDonald on the pitch in most games, however I rethink is need in the summary, including in the dug out.

Whilst I agree that it should be the linesmans decision to make, it was fairly clear to anyone within 30/40 yards of the line that it had crossed. In fact he saw fit to over rule that same linesman in the 2nd half when he gave us a corner and Beaton changed it to a goal kick. Poor referee, poor linesman and very poor Motherwell performance (particularly 2nd half). For McGhee to say "the 2nd half was irrelevant" maybe tells you all you need to know about why our 2nd half performance was so poor! McGhee again taking no responsibility for managing a team that frankly in the 2nd half looked like they couldn't care less. Dundee won, not because they were any better than us but because they wanted more. With Hearts away and Celtic at home to come we are in big trouble if we don't beat Thistle in a fortnight. Don't worry though, we'll be well prepared for that game, I mean it's not as if the managers got anything else to do with his time........................

Thats similar to what I'd play also, Brill should play and if McDonald and Ainsworth dont start I'm finished with MM. Only other option I would consider is Hammell if he is fit at LB and Clay or Lucas for MacLean.

I'd agree with most of this, although I'd play McHugh on the left of midfield when fit and I'd keep Las in the middle of midfield, rather than Clay and McFadden. Need to get back to playing Moult and McDonald where they are at their best.

First thing to say about tonight was the better team won, however with our tactical line up we didn't half make it easier for them than it should have been. Firstly Scott McDonald does not have the pace to play wide in a front 3 (never really had) and needs to play centrally or not at all. Secondly Louis Moult is a centre forward, in the first half he was regularly in the right back position. These two players in my opinion are the best forward players we have, so for god sake let's play them where they're at their best! Thirdly, sitting off Hearts in the 1st half was showing them far too much respect, we were at our best in the first 20/25 mins of the 2nd half when we pushed up and got Moult and McDonald closer together. Goalkeeper has had a nightmare at both the 1st and 2nd goals and should now be taken out of the firing line. Say what you want about Las, however in my opinion he has been our best centrally midfield by far in the last two games (despite be taken off in both games). In the whole MM has done a good job for us but his stubbornness to refuse he is wrong at times in seriously infuriating!

Complete lack of urgency and competitiveness. Exact opposite of the 1st half last week. Looks like we thought we just needed to turn up. Don't get me wrong they're not much better and only got the goal due to a shocker from Hammell. McDonald looking lost wide left, need to push him up front with Moult or get him off, although god knows who you play there instead....

Las and McHugh for me, with Cadden and Johnson in the wider areas (although the latters billy big b@lls attitude is really starting to get on my nervous). Clay played well on Saturday but would still go with Las and McHugh when all are fit, although in saying that I don't think we can rely on Las to play 40+ games this season in the position he plays.