Motherwell V Partick Thistle Sat 26 Sep 15:00

[MelvinBragg]

I actually think Moult and Fletcher will work as a pairing. Could have brought Fletcher on for McDonald and Moult could have played a bit deeper where McDonald was playing. Unlike McDonald, he seems to be finding a Motherwell man with a pass from time to time...

[steelboy]

That was only my third game this season so I'm possibly not as jaded as those that have seen more of this team but I enjoyed that. Team selection was better, effort was far better. What else can you ask from Craigan after two days?

 

This is a pish league. If we get McDonald, Ainsworth, Johnson and Pearson on the park and focused we'll compete well.

[Razz1074]

Good result but not an entirely convincing performance.

 

However that is thew sort of game we would have lost or only drawn near the end under Bara.

 

Thought Ripley looked suspect at the goal as again he came for the ball and never got to it and his reaction for his booking was a bit over the top.

 

Grimshaw get the right back position over anyone else based on that performance not cos he was great but he is much better than the other options.

 

Kennedy had a really solid game in defence but his distribution was shocking in the first half as he played 3 cross field balls straight into the East stand but still my M.O.T.M.

 

Mick had a solid game no lapses of concentration and won most things in the air. Would like to see a replay of their goal though.

 

Chalmers solid game if not spectacular and gets my vote over Hammy as he has more pace.

 

Ainsworth had some great runs and 2 assists, was unlucky on a couple of occasions and had one run that if he had just picked his spot rather than blasting it could have been a contender for goal of the season.

 

Lasley his effort cannot be denied and he had a couple of balls to Ainsworth that were only a yard away from being great but that's the problem he is a yard sort of pace and a yard long on the passes and he tries to make up for that by diving in. Straight after he was booked he was lucky not to get a second yellow for a tug on the shirt the ref did not see.

 

Pearson really added some steel to the midfield but as expected he ran out of steam and I was surporised that the first sub was not to replace him with Leitch or Thomas. That siad you could tell he was match rusty as he made one really good challange in the first half in the left back position only to give the ball straight to Thistle.

 

Johnson put himself about a bit but never really threatened.

 

Skippy was frustrated and was frustrating as nothing seemed to come of for him, then he pops up and bags the second. Don't know what's wrong with him, lack of fitness or confidence, hopefully its confidence and that goal will help.

 

Moult did not get any joy out of the big no 3 or the ref and never looked like he was going to.

 

Leitch was a strange sub to bring on for Moult and if it was to shore up midfield it did not work.

 

Thomas for Johnson I would have gone for that but earlier as Johnson was getting nowhare and he obviously injured his back when he got upended. Thomas never really got into the game as we were humping the ball up the park as far as we could bypassing the midfield by the time he came on.

 

Fletcher looked to get more joy out of their no3 than Moult had but by the time he came on for Skippy we were playing 1 up front and just humping the ball up the park so when he did win the ball he had no one in support.

 

Craigen set the team out well and I would say that this was his strongest team. The Leitch for Moult sub was a strange decision that early in the game as we ended up playing in our own half way too much for comfort. That said we did not fold as we have done under Bara.

 

McLean utter shocking ref and gave us he haw in the first half, to be honest I am surprised we finished with 11 on the pitch and the penalty claim they had in the first half was about the only decision we got.

 

All that said its a great 3 points and the same again next week please.

[capt_oats]

Thought the game went pretty much as I expected it would. We looked a bit nervous and lacking in confidence, tried rolling the ball out and playing from the back but reverted to old habits. Given our lack of confidence and the fact we've just sacked the manager and Craigan's had one session with them it's to be expected. Thistle are a fairly decent, if toothless team so wasn't surprised to se them knock the ball about 1st half.

 

On the whole the shape looked a bit better and can't argue with the team selection. Thought Grimshaw looked a lot more solid at right back than Law while Kennedy impressed again some poor distribution aside. Surprised we got 90 mins out of Pearson and Ainsworth was unlucky with that run. Cracking tip over the bar from Ripley first half too.

 

All in all will take the 3 points. If that XI gets a run of games and a bit of confidence behind them hopefully they can do alright.

[mfcdez]

Much needed 3 points and an improved performance , although there is a long way to go before you could say we've turned the corner .

Thistle were much better than I expected going on recent reports and zipped the ball about well .

Ripley again had an iffy game , suspect at the goal and kicked the ball straight into touch on at least 3 occasions I can remember . For his size and build he should also be able to command his box much better .

The officials today were horrific , and I think Craigan got it right subbing Moult as the ref was choking for an excuse to send him off for some reason .

Best performers today were Kennedy who had a terrific game , and Ainsworth who I think just edged it for MOTM .

With Pearson and Fletcher back fit Craigan has pretty much a full squad to choose from , and if he can get his team selection and formation right I'm sure there is a decent , if unspectscular side there somewhere .

I'm not sure if he is the right man to take us forward with his lack of experience , but there's no immediate rush and he should definitely be given a few games to prove his worth .

Interesting few weeks ahead .

[delboy]

I thought Grimshaw did a very good job today and did his job very well

 

as for Kennedy, I noted that he stopped try to play log balls in the second half (half time team talk worked wonders)

 

good to see McDonald score and play up front

 

overall this wasn't a great game of football and there is a lot of work to do but 3 points is 3 points

[StAndrew7]

We played better, if not spectacularly.

 

I'd be incredibly concerned if Craggs got the job on the basis of that performance, though.

 

I can really see Moult playing well off Fletcher; Skippy too. Need to work out how we'll get the three of them on the park together.

 

Still got the fear at times at the back; Ripley is still learning his trade and it showed for their goal. Recovered well after and took a lot of pressure off the defence with some good takes from crosses.

 

Grimshaw is miles better than Law at RB and Kennedy looks a player, some stray long balls aside.

[Big Wispy Flossy]

Just about deserved 3 points today, wasn't pretty 15mins spell in first half and last 15mins 2nd. Looked to be have better shape and looked better defensively.

 

Ripley - decent game though may have been culpable at thistle goal. Distribution ropy but when it mattered most came and collected crosses at the end.

Grimshaw - all over the place positionally in first 10mins but settled in to a good game.

Kennedy - poor distribution and dodgy start but was a colossus in 2nd half won absolutely everything going.

McManus - much improved pergormance

Chalmers - ok though struggles badly with pace.

Ainsworth - good game 2 assists and had 2 other wonderful runs that nearly resulted in goals.

Lasley - improved today with centre midfield partner alongside, tackling becoming a worry though someone going to get s broken leg soon.

Pearson - surprise return. Good start then tired as expected in second half.

Johnson - missed an early chance and seemed short of confidence afterwards though worked his socks off.

McDonald - goal glossed over what was a hopeless performance.

Moult - got kicked up and down the park but put a shift in

 

Subs

Leitch - strange first sub but got wired in

Thomas - frustrating, one paced

Fletcher - another surprise return put himself about

[Wellfan1984]

We were not very good. Thankfully Patrick were worse.

 

Although if some of our players could pass the ball successfully over 5-10 yards think we would have won a lot more comfortably than we did

[Kmcalpin]

First and foremost I was relieved to pick up the 3 points today. Beyond that I though Partick looked a decent side if somewhat toothless. They fielded big powerful lads who knew how to throw their not inconsiderable weight around to good effect and that proved to be problematic for us. Credit where its due their midfield seized control of the game for long spells, without asking. Over the piece they deserved a draw but I'm not complaining that they didn't get it.

 

For our part I thought Kennedy was our man of the match - big powerful and got tore in when it mattered and whats more annoyed the Partick players by refusing to be intimidated. Ainsworth too had a good game with some telling runs.

 

The team line up was about right with no sign of Taylor or Twardzik. Thought Grimshaw had a reasonable game at RB but was disappointed he wasn't deployed in midfield. Still he can't play in 2 positions at once and I can understand why he he featured at RB. Good to see Pearo back although he looked far from match fit. Encouraging too that Fletcher made a brief appearance from the bench.

 

Over the 90 minutes I thought the central midfield was poor and simply didn't compete against bigger and more physical opponents. They allowed Partick far too much time and space around our box and didn't shield Kennedy or McManus. Once Pearo tired it was non existent. Very worrying in the last 30 minutes or so how our engine room simply vanished without trace.

 

Our defence was poorish and looked disorganised. Grimshaw was just ok, but Kennedy fortunately was a standout. Our left side collapsed once Johnson retired and Partick made full use of that.

 

Tactics wise I was disappointed. OK I accept we found it hard to compete against physically powerful opponents but it was worrying that we defended so deep after going a goal up. Not what I was expecting. Maybe the squad was knackered after the draining midweek marathon at Greenock. Partick's goal was so predictable in coming. I can quite understand why Moult was pulled off but didn't understand why Leitch was brought on - that was a sign to Partick that we were going to dig in and they took heart from that switch. In my view Leitch was pretty anonymous when he came on.

 

Apart from the team selection our tactics were very much out of the Ian Baraclough mould and I was expecting a few subtle changes but that wasn't how it panned out.

 

A special word for the ref - possibly the worst display I've seen this season. From start to finish he gave us virtually nothing. Dan Seabourne committed 8 fouls up to the 30 minute mark and escaped censure at every one. After that I simply gave up counting.

[Villageman]

Lasley is 2nd to every ball that's why he is always chasing the game and giving away stupid free kicks, glad we had Pearson back today.

Somebody will still vote him mom .Contributed nothing today.

[Tweed]

In flashes a game of football threatened to break out. Everything good about us came from Ainsworth and we really need to work hard to get him into games and today we managed it and when we did we looked like we might score. Pearson also will occasionally give you an attacking moment, he played one ball to Moult that was excellent in the first half.

 

However there were long spells we couldn't get rid of it. For a team that can pass (watch back the Ross County goal and a couple of passages of play in the 2nd half - we can), we really need to believe in our ability to do it and it might not keeping coming back at us.

 

I was just saying to my faither that we needed a second goal when it came as I suspected there would come a moment that Thistle would throw the kitchen sink at us and they did. Shame to lose a goal from a set play yet again. Looked like they won two headers whilst our goalie seemed planted. Poor goal to lose as it suddenly meant the comfort which we were playing was no longer there. Five minutes after the goal we looked like a team that was scared to win but after Lawless hit the post we seemed to be a bit more comfortable.

 

Thought the defenders did pretty well as a group but just got a bit deep at times. Ripley should have done better at the goal and quite why he seemed so keen to lamp Seabourne I'm not really sure. Granted he was a hacking git. Lasley could have been booked both just before and just after he did but other than that had a much more comfortable game today. He also was the victim of a cowardice tackle.

 

Agree with others that Steven McLean was hopeless. Seabourne just fouls people all the time and seemed to get away with it more often than not. Hard to argue with any of his cards to be honest but he had no idea about foul detection and the Thistle right back should have had at least a yellow for the 'tackle' which injured Johnston. Very poor challenge making a back which is incredibly dangerous.

[postiejim]

Good honest interview on YouTube with Craigan,from his comments at the end I'm not sure he wants the job.

[jamie]

Or perhaps he already knows the jobs not his and is trying to save face...

[postiejim]

Or he might have the job but he's not letting on, or perhaps,....

[ropy]

Do you think that we previously didn't realise that McDonald couldn't pass because he was so greedy that he never tried?

[Ya Bezzer!]

We played 120 minutes midweek when Partick had a free week. Pearson was making a come back from injury and Lasley is 36 and couldn't go into tackles due his booking. We were also holding on to a lead after a bad run of results when Partick pulled one back and therefore got deep just like a 100 other matches I've seen at Fir Park.

 

Think some are being a bit negative. We scored twice, won and I'd give most if not all players pass marks as opposed to none a few days ago.

[joewarkfanclub]

Nobody has mentioned how spectacularly bad Steven McLean was today. I think their no3 couldve taken a baseball bat off Moults napper and not had a foul given against him. Time and time again he came through Moult with elbows and arms flailing. Not to mention his elbow on Ripley in 2nd half. No wonder the big man was raging. Ridiculously poor refereeing.

 

As for the game. Much improved attitude and application. The football wasnt the prettiest at times but we deserved the 3 points against a Thistle team that played much better football than I had expected.

 

Onwards and upwards!

[capt_oats]

We played 120 minutes midweek when Partick had a free week. Pearson was making a come back from injury and Lasley is 36 and couldn't go into tackles due his booking. We were also holding on to a lead after a bad run of results when Partick pulled one back and therefore got deep just like a 100 other matches I've seen at Fir Park.

 

Think some are being a bit negative. We scored twice, won and I'd give most if not all players pass marks as opposed to none a few days ago.

Absolutely, not only that but we were matching up an obviously not match fit Pearson and Lasley as our two central midfielders against Thistle's 3 man centre midfield. We've struggled at times when we've played against teams with an extra man in the centre.

 

That we got the full 90 out of Pearson was unexpected and am not surprised Leitch was dropped in later in the game to try and compensate.

[one m in motherwell]

I don't think we can be too critical of Craigan's tactical setup today. It wasn't about trying to put a marker down or to try and sell himself to the Board, and I'm pleasantly surprised that we made as many changes as we did (comments from earlier in the week being acted upon perhaps?)

 

By all accounts a workmanlike performance which retained many of the Bara era hallmarks, albeit with the benefits of having Pearson back, and Jake Taylor dropped. Craigan came across in the pre match interview as being very humble, so we were never likely to see him ripping everything up after two days handling the first team.

[Tamwell]

Craigan had one day with the squad. Any talk of tactics is mental, how could he have developed a new system in this time? He made the changes to the starting XI that we all wanted, Taylor dropped and Grimshaw at Right back worked for me.

 

Early in the season but that was a 6 pointer today, job done.

 

Onwards and upwards, whoever the next boss is.

 

MTW

[GazzyB]

Real quality from Ainsworth going by the highlights, cracking cross for the 2nd.

[Tweed]

Never noticed it at the game but McDonald blatantly pushes the defender as the cross is coming in for our second goal. That should never have stood. Probably the wee break we needed. Surprised nobody from Thistle was complaining about it.

[weesacs]

Not spectacular but for me a very positive improvement in attitude and work rate more than anything else. If you work hard, other things fall into place.

 

Thought McManus and Kennedy were very good, until late on where thistle went for a more physical presence. The last few weeks I've mentioned law getting more abuse than he deserves, like most teams I felt thistle targeted our RHS. I don't think that's because Law is garbage, I think it's more to do with Ainsworths lack of defensive duties. Thought Grimshaw did well today and was always looking to play out with a pass. I certainly wouldn't be unhappy if he played there again

 

Pearo made a difference and was delighted he played the full game. Hope he can rest up for next week. Not only his physical game but it was good to see him getting on at skippy quite a few times, because I think some don't want to have a go at him. If we can get RB sorted, I think grimshaw and pearo in the middle would be good. Ainsworth frustrates the life out of me, some great runs, good crosses and a few chances of a goal. He had a point to prove yday, I just wish he could be more helpful defensively and be more consistent - but if he could, he wouldn't be playing with us.

 

Moulty knocked his pan in again - bit of a thankless task especially when he was getting booted all over the park. As mentioned earlier would be good to see him and fletcher together. Someone else mentioned adding skippy to those 2 and I think if you were to do that, you'd need to play with a diamond in midfield which means exposing our full backs even more as well as losing ainsworth and Johnson

 

The boy muirhead looked good. Big and strong. If we had money to spend earlier. We should have been involved in trying to bring him to FP before he went to Utd

 

All in all, a much needed 3 points and as Craggs said, it didn't matter how we played just get the win. We did and I'm happy and hope we can push on albeit against a difficult run of games

[GraniteCityMFC]

Never noticed it at the game but McDonald blatantly pushes the defender as the cross is coming in for our second goal. That should never have stood. Probably the wee break we needed. Surprised nobody from Thistle was complaining about it.

Just watched the highlights and was going to make the same point.