Jump to content

Motherwell Vs Aberdeen Saturday 15Th August


postiejim
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just saw the goals from yesterday! Deary me! Poor stuff!

 

Got me thinking, have we conceded a goal yet this season where you just hold your hands up and say 'fair enough, good goal'? Hearts second is the only one you could say we didn't play a huge part in our own downfall!

 

Dundee Utd was an OG and keeper chasing back as we pushed for an equaliser.

 

Hearts first was a needless penalty. Their second maybe fair enough, decent enough goal but the keeper was maybe a bit suspect.

 

Yesterday both were completely avoidable again!

 

Easier said than done but if we can cut out these daft mistakes it would make some difference to the goals against column.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Overall (since Pearson signing) P23 W9 D3 L11 WIN PERCENTAGE 39%

 

With Pearson P16 W9 D1 L6 WIN PERCENTAGE 56%

 

Without Pearson P7 W0 D2 L5 WIN PERCENTAGE 0%

 

Didn't realise it was that dramatic and we certainly can't continue to be so reliant on one player but right from the first game I saw him play in his second spell at Tannadice I noticed the night and and day difference he made to our team. The phyiscal presence which I know kmcalpin appreciates is telling, a far more rounded player than the raw talent that left us years ago he really brings out the best in players about him not least Lasley who I believe is still a serviceable midfield option but doesn't have quite the same ability to carry us that he once did.

 

On which note I reckon criticism of Hammell and Lasley is a bit of familiarity breeds if not contempt then certainly less slack in some peoples eyes. Sure both have their flaws and maybe we are their level but both have been very good SPL players, it a bit early in the seasoeasily the next best left back we've had in 30 years or so.

 

When Lasley returned way back in the Malpas era he had a Pearson like effect, small he might be but he has always been combative and more lead a by example type player. If any criticism can be made is that at times he maybe still tries to play like he is 26. Someone said Hammell is pretty much a stick on 7/10 guy, more or less true for both players who pretty much don't let you down and are often capable of a decent bit more. At nearly if not already turned 36 Keef is pretty near the end of the road but fitness doesn't seem to big an issue yet but if his midfield partner is anonymous it to much now to expect him to carry him. Taylor hopefully will come good, don't want to write him off yet either but sooner Pearson is back the better and right now I agree a midfield 3 might be needed especially if we want both wingers on the park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Overall (since Pearson signing) P23 W9 D3 L11 WIN PERCENTAGE 39%

 

With Pearson P16 W9 D1 L6 WIN PERCENTAGE 56%

 

Without Pearson P7 W0 D2 L5 WIN PERCENTAGE 0%

Fucking hell! That's quite a statistic!

 

I still maintain he didn't need to make that tackle at Inverness......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fucking hell! That's quite a statistic!

 

 

It is, but it's pretty meaningless if you don't take into account the oppositon, who else was present/absent in the team at the time. And he was part of the team that rolled over to Accies, Thistle and St, Mirren at the end of last season.

 

Not saying that was his fault, or that he's not an important player - just that pulling out win % for a team based on a single player is too simplistic.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

There are far too many long balls being kicked from hand by the goalkeeper, we need to play it out from the back. We have two wingers that are rapid, a long ball down the middle isn't exactly playing to our strength.

The weird part of this is that when we have been playing out from the back via full backs, centre backs and even balls thrown out to Lasley we've looked vaguely competent, the goal on Saturday (fortunate break of the ball aside) came from the keeper playing it out to Law and working it up the right.

 

I've no issue with us going a bit longer or playing diagonals if it's working (ie: Moult vs their full back) but when it's clearly not and we're either clipping the ball into touch watching Johnson consistently fail to win a header and the keeper fail to find his range or quite simply just giving the opposition the ball back by battering it down the park then it's frustrating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although Ash Taylor was pushing (I don't even think it qwas a foul) Laing into Ripley for the second goal, The keeper should have went through both, Baraclough said the centrehalfs have to be stronger and he is right there too.

First goal was shite but I don't think the keeper was at fault, it was just one of those things where the forward nearly got there which threw everyone.

I think we avoided the centre of the field for some reason. Aberdeen are a good team but we should have been more competitive in there.

Marvin was honking. Never completed a pass all day. Still think McDonald is too deep. stick 2 up front.

I think Moult played ok. Few times he turn well and won a few headers late on.

Our Taylor was posted missing, everything I have read talks about him being a wide player or a creative player, He was sitting in the midfield for us. I am a bit confused by this.

We didn't play too bad, but we really need to put some (more) points on the board.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the reason Gannon got shot down for the throwing it to full backs was because it wasn't an OPTION- it way the only way he allowed it, ffs Crags got subbed for shelling the ball long. Took about three games for opponents to rumble us, and just sit tight on our back four, rendering us incapable of getting the ball on the move .

I'm fine with mixing it up, not a fan of lumping it to an isolated forward. Moult won a few, Marv n Lionel clearly missed heading classes, quite pathetic that The Big Chap has the proverbial biscuit tin for a heid.

Wee ball over the top might make use of the pace available.

Pairings need to work together - Hammell and Johnson, McDonald and Moult, Laing and McManus, Lasley and ?, Law's feet and his brain...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1st time I've been online since the match...

 

The way the media bump their gums about Aberdeen, I was expecting a team with the style of play as a cross between Bayern Munich and the Brazilian 1970 team. In actual fact, what we got was a reasonably competent team, with a really solid formation (which was further solidified by the introduction of a 3rd centre-half in the 2nd half). When they passed the ball around, we struggled to keep in touch with them, but that was because we were out numbered in the middle of the park. When we got in their faces, they made mistakes and I really dont think there was much in the game at all.

 

Both goals were highly preventable and for me the Goalkeeper was at fault for both but in each instance wasnt aided at all by his defence. I'm Wee Dans biggest critic, but so far Ripley has looked decent but has made some costly errors in my opinion.

 

It is so obvious who other teams see as our weak link, with almost every attack coming down our right side, often over the top of Laws napper. Last season I tried to defend the performances of McManus by pointing out he didnt have a competent player on his left hand side. Unfortunately, Louis Laing has a similar issue with Josh Law, and is being made to look daft by continually having to cover for him way out of position. We need to try someone else in there. Hammell didnt have a great game, and if that continues I'd suggest giving Chalmers a shot, but Hammell deserves a chance to redeem himself.

 

The midfield were outnumbered...I lost count of the amount of times Ryan Jack dropped in between Taylor and Considine to gather the ball from his keeper under no pressure at all. Taylor was very quiet, lets give him a chance before we say he is shite though...Lasley for me though played a season too long last season, let alone this one. He was always a midfielder that was about energy and endeavour, not the best passer in the world and even worse at shooting, losing the yard of pace and energy with age has left him without much at all to bring to the table.

 

The two wingers will bring frustration and joy in equal measure this season, with pace to burn, we need to play to their strengths and get the ball in front of them. On Saturday, neither of them were at the races, Ainsworth tends to hide when he is having an off day, whereas Johnston is still willing but seems to get flustered ie lobbing aimless balls into the box when had plenty space and time. I'd have had Dom Thomas on for either long before Johnston was eventually replaced, he looked lively and offers something other than raw pace out wide.

 

It was good to see Skippy right up front, for me he is never a midfielder player...attacking midfield or otherwise, I just dont think he has the footballing intelligence to play in the 'hole', and he should be deployed where we know that he has caused damage in the past right up front. The ball needs to be played to his feet though rather than this lump up the park we are prone to playing.

 

Now onto Louis Moult, he seems to have caused a bit of a discussion about his abilities on here. For me, he looked out his depth on Saturday and was knocked about like a wee boy against Taylor and Considine. Now, you could consider that his game might not be as a targetman and that is a failing on our part, if so. He made one or two runs that looked decent but werent picked up by our midfielders, he also won every header against Logan when he was told to move out left. He had one howling miss, but at least he got there. As a huge critic of John Sutton, I can say one thing he'd have buried that chance. All-in-all, I thought Moult was poor on Saturday and would have replaced him with Clarkson earlier but I hope we play to his strengths going forward.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got round to seeing the highlights. I'd give Ripley the benefit of the doubt on the first one, but I thought himself and Laing were equally culpable for the second. If he is going to come he needs to be emphatic not tentatively bumping into players and falling over. At the same time I thought Laing looked a bit leaden and far to easily beaten to a ball into the box, needed to be stronger himself and go win it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...