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Scottish Premiership Motherwell V Inverness Ct Wed 26 Oct 19:45


Yabba's Turd
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To be honest I felt there was not much in the game until they scored. In fact we had started the 2nd half as the better side for 15 minutes and put about 5 or 6 crosses into their box, all to no avail.

 

Then as usual we pish about at clearing our lines and boom 1-0 down and ICT had done nothing 2nd half up until that point. The 2nd goal was typical of our defending at set pieces for years - as in utter dross. How come every cross that comes into our box is a threat. Would like to see it again but I felt Samson could have come out for it. I left after that so thankfully missed their 3rd.

 

Ya Bezzer right about player recruitment. A combination of giving older players longer contracts, injuries and mysteries mean we have a very small 1st team squad. I feared the worse when we fielded 2 youngsters v very experienced and seasoned ICT team. Maybe still early but Bowman has offered very little so far in terms of direct goal scoring threat. We looked as if we could have played for days and not scored.

 

All other teams seem to have more about them (apart from Dundee) than us - even bloody Kilmarnock.

 

Not sure what the answer is. I will head along on Saturday but expect more of the same as Ross C are more or less similar too ICT and Boyce is back for them.

 

Ho hum - relegation battle on the cards.

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Am I mental in thinking that we weren't that bad?

 

The first half was scrappy from two poor sides, with Moult unlucky a few times in the box. In contrast, Inverness got two breaks of the ball for their first two goals and controlled the game from there on. Yes, we were pretty dire, but on another day we grind out an unremarkable 0-0 or 1-0 from that game.

 

We were abysmal. But it wasn't as someone put it "a new low".

 

I could make a pretty long list of matches even worse than tonight.

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Am I mental in thinking that we weren't that bad?

 

The first half was scrappy from two poor sides, with Moult unlucky a few times in the box. In contrast, Inverness got two breaks of the ball for their first two goals and controlled the game from there on. Yes, we were pretty dire, but on another day we grind out an unremarkable 0-0 or 1-0 from that game.

 

Inverness weren't very good either but they got the breaks, we were as bad as I can remember seeing any Motherwell side in over 40 years of supporting. No creativity or pace. Team shape was a shambles. Big changes needed for Saturday.

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Am I mental in thinking that we weren't that bad?The first half was scrappy from two poor sides, with Moult unlucky a few times in the box. In contrast, Inverness got two breaks of the ball for their first two goals and controlled the game from there on. Yes, we were pretty dire, but on another day we grind out an unremarkable 0-0 or 1-0 from that game.

Aye right Mr Maghee now fuk off to bed.

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Didn't go tonight, dodged a bullet here. McGhee trying to play the same attacking style he had with Ports, Clarky, McCormack and it doesn't work. I was there at the open nights and heard him refer to this style of play and that's what he wanted, but Moulty, McDonald and Bowman are not the answer in that style with the current midfield behind them.

 

Plus Gammy Hammy on a 2 year deal. I love the guy, but it was evident he was now injury prone and this is borne out. You also have zero cover left CH if you drop Mick (from a great height ideally) as he is first on the team sheet these days.

 

Is Faddy the ideal No.2 for the dark days we are facing? Time will tell.

 

I am keeping the faith, it's early doors, but the marker is always after you've played each other once...I am going for 7th this year, we will hit a purple patch, but too many results like tonight in a difficult season.

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No offence meant but I am sorry to suggest that you may be just a little mental over your thoughts on tonight. I really hope it is temporary. That performance was every bit as bad as the displays that got the previous manager sacked.

Every one except McGhie knew from last season our midfield was slow and lacked creativity and the signed players since this season are more of the same. I know the talent available to us is limited but we are forcing what we have to play to a system instead of asking them to play to their strengths. That system seems to boot the the ball up to two strikers more in hope than anything else. Now I bitterly detest that style and to be at all successful needs fast supporting midfield that will pick up the scraps that will be available against physical defenders. In nearly 60 years plus of supporting Motherwell tonight was the first time i can remember leaving before the end and worse wondering if Saturday is worth the effort.

 

Am I mental in thinking that we weren't that bad?

The first half was scrappy from two poor sides, with Moult unlucky a few times in the box. In contrast, Inverness got two breaks of the ball for their first two goals and controlled the game from there on. Yes, we were pretty dire, but on another day we grind out an unremarkable 0-0 or 1-0 from that game.

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Our atrocious summer transfer dealings are really coming home to roost now. A shocking lack of pace and creativity in the team and answers on a postcard why Belic, Blyth and Lucas were a) signed and b) what we're wasting in wages per week for the privilege.

 

How are we getting out of this? The keeper is murder, the whole back four are suspect, it's been clear since day one that Lasley and Clay won't do in the middle, we have no left winger and the manager won't play Ainsworth. Up front we have 2 strikers who in paper should be decent but that's not happening. Cadden is the only bright spot.

 

Our home form is a disgrace and our away form not much better.

 

More worrying still is even our peers appear to have something about them. So it's between us and Dundee to go straight down then with the other facing Utd in the play off. Great.

 

The writing is on the wall even at this early stage.

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Am I mental in thinking that we weren't that bad?

 

The first half was scrappy from two poor sides, with Moult unlucky a few times in the box. In contrast, Inverness got two breaks of the ball for their first two goals and controlled the game from there on. Yes, we were pretty dire, but on another day we grind out an unremarkable 0-0 or 1-0 from that game.

Completely mental

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More worrying still is even our peers appear to have something about them. So it's between us and Dundee to go straight down then with the other facing Utd in the play off. Great.

 

The writing is on the wall even at this early stage.

 

This won't happen.

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I struggled to get enthused about this game all day yesterday, really could see it far enough. There just isnt much to get excited about going to Fir Park on a Wednesday night, when we are playing so poorly and playing against an ICT team who aren't particularly good to watch either, nor do they bring any sort of fanbase to at least help create a bit of atmosphere. Really, its as close as I've came to not bothering attending even with my season ticket in my hand.

 

Anyway, onto the game, it was fucking shite from start to finish. In my opinion ICT were no better than us, which is a startling thing to say, considering how bad we played and they won 3-0.

 

I've been a defender of McGhee, and to an extent I'm going to defend him slightly here too...before the game, when I heard the line-up, I've got to say I was pretty pleased, it was pretty close to the personnel I'd have gone with (other than Skippy for Bowman), so from that point of view, how can I berate McGhee for last nights result? I have to temper that though with the strange set-up that he went with...I'd have gone with McLean, purely because I believed he was capable of playing wide left...so to see him start wide right, with Cadden tucked in and Clay pushed out left puzzled me. Clay was described by Chick Young on the radio pre-match as 'quickly becoming a well liked player around these parts', or words to that effect, insinuating that he was a vital cog in the Motherwell team, now for all that he doesnt do much wrong, in a kind of Marc Fitzpatrick type of manner, what does he do well, whats his influence on the team or in any game so far this season? His midfield pairing with Lasley is eye-wateringly poor and offers absolutely nothing going forward, to the point where I was feeling sorry for Cadden, who had the brunt of the work in a positive manner foisted on his shoulders...again.

 

To then isolate Bowman, who swiftly seems to becoming an anti-hero was another strange move, particularly when it also marginalised Moults involvement in the match...surely if you play these two, then they play as an old-fashioned pair? Neither played well at all, and I believe that the system we are employing is making both look worse than they actually are. We have now gone two months without having any sort of creative width in the team, particularly on the left-hand side. We knew Johnson had his faults, we also knew that he was going to leave us, so why didnt we get a competent replacement in? I know we signed Belic, but the fact that we haven't witnessed him in C&A worries me not so much on our signing policy, but more so on our scouting system...did we just sign him because he could play in the left and was on West Hams books, if thats the case someone should be toe'd severely in the balls, and I'd suggest it shouldn't be the manager but the person who sanctions our signings.

 

As someone said further up, we have huge issues all over the pitch;

 

Samson - just isnt good enough two goals last night that were preventable in my opinion and while not entirely his doing, he was culpable in losing both. The problem is that I'm not sure Brill will be much better

Our defence - particularly in the middle was diabolical last night, how many headers did we win? Why did we concede two awful goals? How often did they (particularly McManus) hesitate? Why are we consistently hoofing the ball up the park (though I suspect that may have something to do with the inability of the guys in the middle of the park)?

Our central midfield - I've never been a Lasley fan, he runs about a lot and gets himself noticed by his endeavour, but he is a poor passer, has no creativity, he can't shoot (and knows it, as he rarely does) and can't tackle. His legs have been gone for 3 seasons and we are still having to watch him...though I suspect that had McHugh been fit, we'd be watching him less. I've already covered Clay, and Lucas was Jake Taylor-esque in the only match I've seen him play

Our width - we only have one out and out-winger in our 1st team squad and refuse to play him, he has huge faults but we must be able to find away to get a player with his threat and pace into our starting 11, whether that be shuffling Cadden into CM beside Clay and giving Mclean a run on the left or playing Lionel on the left himself...

Our strikers - I believe that we have decent SPL level strikers at the Club, but lets play them in their position, at what they are good at rather than have them deep or wide, its not rocket science

 

Someone stated squad management as being an issue, and I think its abundantly clear that we have made some very poor decisions, not just in the transfer market, but probably more so in the retention of some of our older guys...I'm not saying that I would have bombed Skippy, Hammell, Lasley, McManus and Faddy out of the club all at the one time, but retaining all of them was the wrong thing to do...individually they are all well past their best, and while its good to have a few old heads about, they must be in a position to compete at our level and some of them just arent at that anymore.

 

As someone, who defended McGhee, I'm finding it much harder to do so currently, particlularly if the rumours are true that he spends virtually no time with the squad during the week and is actively looking for a way out of the Club...the current malaise around the whole Club isnt just his doing though and I noticed the new fan liaison officer (or whatever the fuck his made up title is) coming into the East Stand last night, and couldnt do anything other than shake my head, as the poor fella will be pissing into the wind given the current circumstances.

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Just watched the highlights. Looked like a nothing game until we gifted them the first goal. Acres of time and space to put in a cross followed by the all too familiar sight of mcmanus making an absolute cnut of the clearance.

 

 

Second goal a missed header at the near post led to a stramash toe poked home. Can u blame samson for not coming out. I'd say ud expect the ball to be cleared near post first imo.

 

Third goal games done two defenders make a half hearted attempt at closing down and as always the ball flys through them and in at the near post. Samson should be keeping it out though as he gets down to it but by that time who gives a damn. It's only a third goal eh at least it wasn't 7.

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A real shocker last night and we were beaten before we even took to the field due to poor team selection and totally inappropriate tactics. I felt sorry for young MacMillan, who acquitted himself reasonably well in impossible circumstances. Playing on the wrong side with no protection in front of you is not the way you want to start your first team career at full back. The midfield was a shambles there's no other way to describe it. We had no-one playing on the left - presumably Clay was meant to be playing there?? MacLean played wide right but really had a pretty anonymous game. O'Neils40yarder is right - I expected him to play wide left not on the right. Cadden was moved inside - why? He has all the attributes to play well there, but in his short career to date hasn't impressed there. Clay and Lasley should not be playing for different reasons and as I feared last night were outfought, outpaced and outplayed last night. I did feel for Moult and Bowman last night as they received shocking service and were not played correctly. It was painfully apparent after the first 20 minutes or so that the high ball to them just wouldn't work against a big defence. Changes ought to have been made well before half time but weren't. Samson had little to do but conceded 2 needless corners and didn't communicate well with his defenders.

 

As for the game itself, Inverness were no great shakes but were organised, competitive, quick and worked damned hard off the ball. They defended well 40 yards out and worked their butts off to prevent us from getting crosses in (those that we did manage were usually overhit). By comparison we surrendered our left wing to them and gave them time and space in and around our box. Inverness's third goal was a defensive disaster to illustrate that - an opponent advances unhindered to the edge of our box and lets fly. How many goals do we lose like that? The first two were equally as bad. With the first, an opponent is given plenty of freedom to sling over a cross, under no pressure whatsoever with chaos ensuing and the the second is little better.

 

 

As many have observed, the team lacks pace and hardness in the midfield. We have known about this weakness for years now, especially over the summer and done precious little about it. We've made bad signings/resignings eg McManus, Hammell (remember him?), Lasley, Clay, Belic, Lucas, and to a lesser extent Bowman and Blyth (maybe). Despite touting Johnson around we weren't prepared for his departure and have been caught short. Yes, we've been unlucky with the injury to McHugh but really last night was the culmination of a combination of short and long term problems. Good to see both MacMillan and MacLean get game time but it has to be in the right circumstances and they have to be afforded every help possible.

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