Goggles & Flippers Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Partick Thistle Ross County (A) St Johnstone (H) Inverness CT (H) Aberdeen (A) Celtic (A) Motherwell (H) Ross County Partick Thistle (H) Hamilton (A) Kilmarnock (H) Dundee Utd (A) St Johnstone (H) St Mirren (A) St Mirren Kilmarnock (A) St Johnstone (A) Celtic (H) Motherwell (A) Ross County (H) Motherwell Kilmarnock (H) Aberdeen (A) Hamilton (H) Kilmarnock (A) St Mirren (H) Partick Thistle (A) Based on the above fixtures, form and players available I'm confident we're going to climb. Can't see us getting less than 10 points. Aberdeen away is the only one I currently think it will be a big ask to get anything from, all the other games we now have the personnel to get something. St. Mirren lost their best player and didn't bring anyone in of note, Thompson returning is a bonus for them but not enough, can't see them getting anything over 4 points barring a miracle. Ross County, maybe 8 points, they're on a run at present. Dundee Utd away despite their up and down form will be tricky. Partick face the hardest run in, play the top three and us, Ross County and St. Johnstone, 4/5 points max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Its amazing how one decent performance can have you looking at the fixture list in a totally different way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 It's not just the performance, its the strength in depth and quality we have compared to those around us. Skippy has been the final piece in the puzzle. Just need Hammell back for solidity, I just hope we're not putting too much on his return, he was responsible for a swathe of goals at the beginning of last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The African Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 We probably need to be in the position where a draw against our nearest rivals, come the split, is not a bad result. As such, we probably need a gap of four or five points, especially as our goal difference is gash. We have had one good performance and result and now need to hope that this is the start of some kind of decent run. We have not had one this season and are therefore definitely overdue one. Home games are must win And the away fixtures against Killie and Thistle must be seen as opportunities to pick up points as well. Aberdeen away is going to be tough so avoiding a doing and keeping confidence high might be the best we can do. Anything else would be a bonus. We can only concentrate on our own games, let County and Saints get on with theirs. The home game against St Mirren is going to be a real six pointer. I wonder if they will bring 20,000 fans like they claim they did when they were a first division side for a cup tie in the late seventies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
something else Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Looking at that, st mirren have the toughest run up to the split. I reckon we could take 10 points from our games. Ross county could possibly take 8 with saints being lucky to get 5. Just my opinion of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Partick face the hardest run in, play the top three and us, Ross County and St. Johnstone, 4/5 points max. I'd go along with that. They're by no means free of the relegation mire. St Mirren also have a toughish run in. A lot will also depend on how the authorities arrange the post split fixtures. As it stands I think numerically we will be due 3 home games and two away. However, we would only be due to play Ross County and Kilmarnock at home on the basis of fixtures after the split. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Made Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 This weekend could prove interesting. Us against Killie and Ross County up against Partick. A win for us and a draw in the other game may be the best result. However I'd settle for County getting beat as long as we draw or better. As this is the game in hand over St Mirren we need to make it count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Important that we don't get too far ahead of ourselves. Saturday was a vast improvement but it was only one game. Winning our home games would set us up well ahead of the split but easier said than done. Left back remains an issue and let's not kid ourselves, other teams will be aware of this. If we can keep Pearson and McDonald fit and find a solution at left back, we'll give ourselves a chance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 It's not just the performance, its the strength in depth and quality we have compared to those around us. Skippy has been the final piece in the puzzle. Just need Hammell back for solidity, I just hope we're not putting too much on his return, he was responsible for a swathe of goals at the beginning of last season. I think you are getting a bit carried away to be honest. Pearson and McDonald made a huge difference on Saturday but I'd hardly call being more or less depend on 2 players to stay fit as "strength in depth and quality". I also think you are completely dismissive of St. Mirren. You say they brought in "no one of note" but just for a start James Dayton would walk into my XI if we had bought him. They have actually brought in 6 players in the window some of them are unknowns but so is/was Connor Grant. Facts are St. Mirren have been a better team than we have been in 2015 and will continue to be until we back up our win at weekend with more performances and wins like it. We can all imagine a better future. In terms of run ins, if you take league positions as a general indication of form (not completely accurate, Accies have the worst form in the league and are 5th) and assume it's twice as hard to win away from home as it is at home then you can get a rough estimate of the difficulty. If you do that Partick have the hardest run in, followed by St. Mirren, then ourselves and Ross County have the easiest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Important that we don't get too far ahead of ourselves. Saturday was a vast improvement but it was only one game. Winning our home games would set us up well ahead of the split but easier said than done. Left back remains an issue and let's not kid ourselves, other teams will be aware of this. If we can keep Pearson and McDonald fit and find a solution at left back, we'll give ourselves a chance... I would agree with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Killie are by no means out of it. They have to play the bottom 4 7 times by the end of the season. they lose all 7 and they are right back in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 But if you were a Killie fan looking for points, those would be the games you would pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I think you are getting a bit carried away to be honest. Pearson and McDonald made a huge difference on Saturday but I'd hardly call being more or less depend on 2 players to stay fit as "strength in depth and quality". I'm not referring to just those two. We now have a multitude of options in attack. The midfield have grit, endeavour and drive about them again, the defence is still shaky but left back being an obvious danger area. But the main thing is if you now look at the bench and you have a host of options available that could turn a game. I also think you are completely dismissive of St. Mirren. You say they brought in "no one of note" but just for a start James Dayton would walk into my XI if we had bought him. They have actually brought in 6 players in the window some of them are unknowns but so is/was Connor Grant. For every James Drayton I give you Skippy and Pearson, both played at a higher level and we have all to a man seen what a difference they've made to things on the park. Yes there are unknowns but we have that too, still think from what I read about Nathan Thomas we've got something of quality to see and Johnson offers quite a bit too. Facts are St. Mirren have been a better team than we have been in 2015 and will continue to be until we back up our win at weekend with more performances and wins like it. We can all imagine a better future. Have they though? Only difference I can see is one extra win and 3 points over us. If we win our game in hand then we're even (not counting goal difference). We were unlucky to face Hamilton before they lost their manager and they've been in freefall since. St. Mirren bolstered by the return of Thompson still only recorded their first home win on the last day in February. I firmly believe we now have what it takes to take something from every game remaining. Yes we've been woeful in too many games since New Year but there's also been a few unlucky pieces of fortune that have scuppered us and made the heads drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. Yes, Saturday brought the euphoria of actually winning a game, and hopefully we'll kick on from there. That said, it was a depleted Caley team, and it sounded like we were still struggling with 20 to go, so it could possibly have gone either way? That said: Ourselves and County clearly have it easiest in the run in to the split. Ideally, finding ourselves 6+ clear of the bottom two at the split should see us safe, and it isn't impossible that's where we'll find ourselves, but let's get a win on Saturday and move on from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. Yes, Saturday brought the euphoria of actually winning a game, and hopefully we'll kick on from there. That said, it was a depleted Caley team, and it sounded like we were still struggling with 20 to go, so it could possibly have gone either way? We shouldn't underestimate our achievement Graeme. Admittedly Brill, Warren and Watkins were all out but the latter two were suspended not injured and that reflects indiscipline. It was also Ofere's first ever game for Thistle, having just signed. We had injury and absentee problems of our own and you equally well argue that the loss of Hammell, ZFA and Lawson weakened us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domeski7 Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 A win in the next game is MASSIVE. Signals that we are indeed up for a fight. We need momentum and if god forbid we end up in the playoffs then you want to have momentum in the right direction. (See Hibs last season) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Given the gulf in our last two performances, it's impossible to look more than 1 game ahead and I'm just fascinated to see if we can sustain progress given how inept we've been for the bulk of the season. Added pressure on us this Saturday as expectations grow immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 It is going to be a dogfight, but if we can pick up 3 points in the next game, it might just make some of our rivals a bit more nervous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 McCall giving his opinion: BBC Interview Motherwell: Takeover needed in relegation battle, says McCall Former Motherwell manager Stuart McCall believes the takeover by Les Hutchison was needed to improve the club's chances of avoiding relegation. The retired local businessman took charge in December. Although Well presently sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership, McCall said: "I am hopeful that Motherwell will get out the bottom two. "I think Les Hutchison, the new owner coming in, has been huge for the club. I think it needed it." Since McCall stood down in November after a poor start to the season, Hutchison's investment has allowed successor Ian Baraclough to add the likes of former Celtic players Stephen Pearson and Scott McDonald to the Fir Park squad. Motherwell only ended a run of eight games without a victory on Saturday, when they overcame Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-1. "But, since Les has come in, they managed to keep O'Brien and they have brought in six or seven new faces.But McCall said: "I think, when I left in November, we had two lads - Mark O'Brien and Henrik Ojamaa on loan until the January transfer window - and those two would have both been going. "The likes of Pearson and McDonald will be huge signings for them." McCall, who said he had no inkling about Hutchison's interest in the club when he resigned, predicted a tense finish at the bottom. "Listening to the results coming through on Saturday, at one stage it looked great for Motherwell," he said. "Then, within five minutes, Ross County had scored to go 1-0 up, St Mirren had scored and Inverness equalised. "So from looking like they were getting out of the bottom two, they were plunged right back to the bottom." Motherwell remain below the Buddies and County on goal difference, with Partick Thistle seven points ahead. "But I think it was a massive win for them, for Motherwell," added McCall. "It was a big win for the other two as well - Ross County have won three on the bounce, St Mirren got their first home victory and Partick Thistle, who could have been drawn closer to the bottom, got a terrific win at Dundee United. "So, for all four clubs to win, it will have been exactly the same in each dressing-room. "They would have all gone in straight away and asked how did they do and then that elation of winning would have been deflated a little bit. "It's all to play for and it's exciting for the league, although it's certainly not exciting if you are down there." Personally, I think if you cash in your chips and walk away, then you should also show a bit of class by keeping your mouth shut until the end of the season as you recognise you were party to and contributed to the malaise. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Glad to see he has stopped referring to Motherwell as 'us'. The overhaul in recent months speaks volumes with regards to the shortcomings of McCall and Dempster who were working with a very decent budget. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoF Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Fuck sake, it's hardly the most controversial interview is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Fuck sake, it's hardly the most controversial interview is it? I don't think Lobey or I suggested it was. A wise man once told me with respect to press releases and journo's pieces, you have to consider the timing and what isn't actually said is often more important than what you can see in black and white. I was driving back home tonight listening to Sportsound and the panel was convinced to a man that McDowall will be walking after Friday's EGM. That got me thinking about this article again and this specific bit: "But, since Les has come in, they managed to keep O'Brien and they have brought in six or seven new faces.But McCall said: "I think, when I left in November, we had two lads - Mark O'Brien and Henrik Ojamaa on loan until the January transfer window - and those two would have both been going. "The likes of Pearson and McDonald will be huge signings for them." McCall, who said he had no inkling about Hutchison's interest in the club when he resigned, predicted a tense finish at the bottom. What this "friendly" journalist has implied as the subtext is McCall had his hands tied financially, that accounted for a fair bit of the decline and if he had known about Les then he may have stuck around to raise take advantage of a higher caliber of player that has been available. Essentially, don't write me off. The BBC also had Nicky Law interviewed about the possibility of reuniting and he almost creamed his pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I believe McCall will go to Rangers, and I believe he'll do well. However, I also think/hope he has enough about him to act with a big of decorum whenever he comes to Fir Park and dishes out the inevitable pappings twice a season in whatever league we're both in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderpig Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I believe McCall will go to Rangers, and I believe he'll do well. However, I also think/hope he has enough about him to act with a big of decorum whenever he comes to Fir Park and dishes out the inevitable pappings twice a season in whatever league we're both in. If he gets the Rangers gig and brings them to Fir Park then he is fair game, ie he will get the same dogs abuse as any other Manager of either of the ugly sisters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanne Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Ross County = 5 points Partick Thistle (H) 3 Hamilton (A) 0 Kilmarnock (H) 1 Dundee Utd (A) 0 St Johnstone (H) 1 St Mirren (A) 0 St Mirren = 3 points Kilmarnock (A) 0 St Johnstone (A) 0 Celtic (H) 0 Motherwell (A) 0 Ross County (H) 3 Motherwell = 11 points Kilmarnock (H) 3 Aberdeen (A) 0 Hamilton (H) 3 Kilmarnock (A) 1 St Mirren (H) 3 Partick Thistle (A) 1 hamilton have deteriorated badly, kilmarnock and st mirren at home are 6 points if we perform like we did and can see at least 2 points from thistle / kilmarnock away. although we usually take something from aberdeen I think it may come to early for Ian to take anything from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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