Del_Superwell Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I actually think if we had played two strikers then we would be in the quarter finals, canny believe he played 451 against a team like St Mirren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I actually think if we had played two strikers then we would be in the quarter finals, canny believe he played 451 against a team like St Mirren Cannae argue with that. Going one up front was an absolutely ridiculous decision. I still can't actually believe we started a cup tie at home to St. Mirren like that. God help us if we get the Old Firm in the next round - a 5-5-0 formation perhaps!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherwell Football Club Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Don't think its been mentioned yet but. Did anyone else notice a massive improvement in D.Smith today. I'm possibly his biggest critic but he seems to have bulked up a bit and seemed more confident today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Echo what everyones said, don't think there was a 'Well fan in the ground that was confussed (even a little!) by the starting formation. 4-5-1 (or 4-1-4-1 which I thought it might be!) will never work if its Clarky up top himself, hes definitely not a lone striker. He needs someone there with him, to win knock ons and link up with. Clarkys not a out and out striker, hes a forward to will get you 10 to 15 goals a season, he really needs someone there. Who that is I don't know, McGhee will decide that, whoever shows the best in training and who will add more to the team should play. Glad we're still in the Cup albeit we need to play again but, surely McGhee can't go wrong again when we play Midden away. With a new surfaced laid at St Mirren we can certainly do it then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Think it was a 4-3-3 formation!! Hughes Clarky and O'Brien being the front three although i think Hughes forgot at times as he kept drifting! Pitch was a disgrace and didn't help our type of game so it's going to be a long season. We've got to remember that we've had a good wee run without losing so maybe encouragement is the answer as that breeds success, as opposed to slating the players who were trying to play football on that surface, our fans at times are never happy no matter what.......and i see fitzy's copping the flack again when he was no worse than the rest of them today!!!! Time to change the record please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Think it was a 4-3-3 formation!! Hughes Clarky and O'Brien being the front three although i think Hughes forgot at times as he kept drifting! Nah mate, I can't see that at all! It looked more like a flat back 4, a flat 4 across the middle, Hughes in a sort of free-role position across the midfield, and Clarky isolated up front himself. Whatever the smaller details of the tactics, it was a disaster first-half! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 We cannot play 4-5-1 and if McGhee wants to do it he needs a midfield runner in the summer. Someone like O'Donnell who can play as a striker in mid move then fall back into the middle. The number of times Clarkson played a beautiful knock on to Cuthbert in the first half was unreal (and I'm not especially blaming Clarkson). Though despite our inadequacies we did have enough of the game in the first half to be unlucky to be behind. Second half saw a much better performance and Sheridan made a huge difference just by giving Clarkson support. Good finish from Hughes. Came from the one good cut back we engineered - lesson is to engineer more of them. Pitch really didn't help us. All in pleased still to be in it and I imagine they are too. the disappointing aspect of the 2nd half was we never really created another real good chance after we levelled. Strange having not had a score draw from mid-August until a fortnight ago thats three Saturdays on the spin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mon_da_well Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 McGhee is to blame for the poor tactics but Stef Hughes has no excuse for being utter gash (one goal doesn't make up for it!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Nah mate, I can't see that at all! It looked more like a flat back 4, a flat 4 across the middle, Hughes in a sort of free-role position across the midfield, and Clarky isolated up front himself. Whatever the smaller details of the tactics, it was a disaster first-half! Hughes was definately supposed to play as a left winger but with instructions to get up front!!, but your right he played as if he had a free role across midfield and kept getting in Fitzy's way which made Fitzy look worse than he was, and left Fitzy in limbo at times!! Have to agree it was a terrible first half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 No offence whatsoever, I know your a relation of Fitzy. But, I am certainly not a critic of his but, sometimes you need to take the Fitpatrick tinted specs off and see that sometimes he isn't upto standard to be in the team. Making excuses for him saying Hughes got in his way is a bit strange. I like Fitzy but sometimes he looks genuinely scared to make a mistake (no wonder the way the East Stand gets at you..), but I wish he'd build a bit of confidence it would help him so much. McGhee can dress it up all he likes that it was still a 4-3-3, but all the supporters know that those players were not adaptable into a 4-3-3 which made it a solid midfield 5 as a 4-5-1. I hope he can learn that those players can't make a 4-5-1 formation and either sticks to 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 and has to play someone along side Clarky.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Regardless of whether i'm a relation of Fitzy's or not i'm still entitled to voice my opinions on this board the same as everyone else!! As for me having rose tinted glasses as you suggest, i would point out that i am one of his biggest critics when i feel criticism is deserved. Most people on this site have no idea what Fitzy's role is on the park, he may play the short pass or at times not see much of the ball but that does not make him the crap player that a big percentage of the fans on this board think he is!!! He does hear the abuse that is shouted at him and some of his team mates from the crowd and although he says it doesn't affect him i'm not so sure, although if the manager is playing him that's all that matters as far as he's concerned. In the case of me getting at Hughes, i didn't mean to criticise Hughes but it was pretty obvious today that there was times when hughes was out of position and getting in Fitzy's way,but other players are allowed wee mistakes or the missed pass and they are not slared for it because they are the fans favourites. I will continue to put my opinion forward for any player, including Fitzy, if i feel the player is being criticised unfairly, no matter what! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 McGhee is to blame for the poor tactics but Stef Hughes has no excuse for being utter gash (one goal doesn't make up for it!). Agreed. Hughes was absolutely chronic today. I have no idea what his signing on fee was or what kind of wages he's on, but there's no way a performance like today can possibly justify them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Well I'm no relation of Fitzpatrick and I thought he was the best of our five in the middle today, though it was probably his weakest game for a few weeks. There were times Reynolds and Klimpl played bad balls that were 'unlucky' and then Fitzpatrick does it and there are cries of get him off. Then some folk start cheering when he gets taken off. No wonder he is scared to make an error - he only made one today! The boy is not a world beater and is not a showy midfielder but he is a solid SPL player - just remember he has played more often than not in McGhee's good runs of form, it can't all be chance. And I don't think the formation helped at all today, there were examples all over the pitch where players didn't seem sure of where each other were going - Fitzpatrick/Hughes being one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfc1886 Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I think Fitzpatrick is a player that does the donkey work. You won't see any flashy touches or flicks, but you will get a good solid shift from him and he will always try to get forward to support the attack. Having said that, I think he is obviously suffering from a lack of confidence. This was clear when he was walking towards the touchline before his number even went up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellfan79 Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 the boy gives it 100% every game, unlike some of our so called top players who can dissapear for ninety minutes and still not cop half tthe abuse Fitzpatrick gets. I for one like to see him in the team every week as while he's not the most gifted player in the team or he performs an unpopular role or whatever at least you know you know he'll put in a good shift. The amount of times he is wide open around the box is unreal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesy Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I missed the game today but from what I've seen over our undefeated run, I'd say Fitzpatrick has been an important part in that and has played consistantly well. Like many others have said he might not be a 'showy' player or the most gifted player in the World but he will always give 100% and it's long overdue for people to get off his back just because he's there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 All this chit chat does not deflect from the fact that MM got his tic tacs badly wrong today and it nearly cost us dearly. In the grand scheme of things it is NOT hugely important - but being a die hard Well fan it was to me. Reading between the lines we played a 4-3-3 yet try getting midfield players like Hughes and to a lesser extent O'Brien to play as forwards and it is and nearly WAS a recipe for disaster. All first half Clarkson was way out on his own and that is inexcusable being at home in the cup to St Mirren. I have huge faith in McGhee but he got it BADLY wrong today. Luckily we live to fight another day........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Whatever the smaller details of the tactics, it was a disaster first-half! Spot on. Last home game I was at was the midweek Hearts game. It was some contrast. My youngest (six) turned to me at half time, gave me a look and said, `I thought you said we were good dad`. Second half was better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 All this chit chat does not deflect from the fact that MM got his tic tacs badly wrong today and it nearly cost us dearly. Good post Welldaft. Given Mark McGhee's pre match comment "But we’re not concentrating too much on their (St Mirren's) strengths", I was totally dumfounded by both his tactics and line up. They were more suited to taking on Barcelona at the Nou Camp rather than St Mirren at Fir Park. As soon as I heard the line at 2.20 I feared for the worst. 12 minutes into the game it became obvious to many that our game plan wasn't working and wasn't going to work. Changes should have been made then. We tried to match St Mirren on a very bumpy and sodden surface. The problem is that they put out a team designed to play in such conditions whereas we don't have the players. They've taken 2-3 years to perfect this style of play whereas we had maybe 3 days. The midfield was a shambles with too many not knowing what they were meant to be doing. Despite having 5 in the midfield we still got caught out wide on a number of occasions. Also, the choice of Davie Clarkson as a lone target man??? Keith Lasley and Maros Klimpl, although different are both central defensive players and their styles overlap to some extent. To start with both gives the midfield a defensive look. Stephen Hughes on the left? It was unreal in the first 45 watching us trying to equalise with one lone striker unsuited to the task he was given. The conditions and opposition called for the long ball and both Sheridan and Sutton should have played at least for most of the game. A packed well organised defence calls for an aerial bombardment if you have the players as we do. All too often we tried to walk our way way through the Saints defence with the inevitable result. It took us until the 53rd minute to muster 2 shots on goal. Despite much 2nd half pressure we rarely looked like scoring. A blown opportunity because of off-the-field errors - time will tell. Mark McGhee is a good manager but he got it badly wrong yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 There's not much to be added to the comments on the first half tactics being way off the mark, I think most of us have got it spot on. On comment I would add though on the midfield situation. Marc Fitzpatrick takes dogs abuse yet dusts himself down and gets into position to collect the ball again and have another go. He will run himself into the ground for our team. He never hides I think the treatment of him from the support is nothing short of diablical. He'll always have my total admiration for the job he has done here and the circumstances in which he has done it. Like I say Fitzy never hides, unlike the houswives and the steelmenonline favourite - who had a shocking first hald in terms of involvement and contribution. Probably the poorest 45minutes I've seen Lasley play. I'm not throwing abuse in Lasley's direction, I'm merely pointing out that yesterday he was extremely poor (almost invisible) and IMHO his overall contribution to our cause this season and more paricularly in recent weeks has been poorer than MF's. However again where is the logic behind the vitriol thrown Fitzy's way? I'm merely highlighting Las to contrast his support to that of Fitzy's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickoza Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Forfar - Rongers is off. Draw now tomorrow at Hampden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_mfc Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Noticed this earlier, why postpone the draw? seems a ridiculous idea. Again Scottish football has got to hang on waiting as a result of something to do with the old firm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewK Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Fitzpatrick deserves a chance, he certainly wasnt the worst yesterday, despite the first half performance. I personally thought Quinn had a worse game than Fitzy and as has been mentioned, Lasley was invisible in the first half. Only slight problem is his tendancy to drift into the middle a bit but its not an excuse for the abuse he takes. Give Fitzy a chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I vented my anger at McGhee early yesterday (Also caused a bit of "discussion" with fans around me) as it was clear he had got it totally wrong in the first half and I applaud him for changing it and I would say getting right as we TOTALLY dominated the 2nd half of the match! 4-5-1 at home to a side who I think on paper are a little worse off than us is poor from a manager. We are unbeaten for about 7 or 8 matches so why change it? I didnt expect McGhee to swallow his pride and make the changes but it did so again should be applauded. At the end of the day there is a reason why we fans are sitting in the stand and not in the manager hotseat. However a management duo of myself and MelvinBragg could work as we both talk a good game! Thought the players done well yesterday and thought Quinn, Fizzy and Clarkson all done well. Sheridan looked impressive when he came on also along with Darren Smith. I however still dont think Smith has it to become a regular player in our side but hope he proves me wrong. Thought Craigan and Reynolds have a few errors in the match (Think Reynolds played the guy onside at their goal & Craigan trying to beat a man in our own half and gifting the ball away!) and they have been pretty impressive recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I vented my anger at McGhee early yesterday (Also caused a bit of "discussion" with fans around me) as it was clear he had got it totally wrong in the first half and I applaud him for changing it But you didn't applaud him, ya negative cu^t. Frazzle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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