Scottish Premiership Motherwell V Rangers Sat 28 Jan 12:30

[siebsbarmyarmy]

All to do with McGhee.

 

4 times we have played them and 4 times we have tried and failed with the same tactics.

 

In saying that McDonalds sitter and stupidity overall changed the actual outcome off the game.

 

Plus how unfit do we look actually embarrassing.

[Well-Made]

Last week we needed to bring Skippy on to provide an out ball to at least try and take the game to them.... so when Skippy is sent off why does he bring on McMillan for Chalmers instead of Ainsworth or Frear at least we could try and pump the ball long for them. Comments from FGR is that Frear has pace so let us see it.

 

I knew that Miller would score today... he always seems to manage it against us.. so by now we should have a way of marking him better.

 

Last week was bad..... this has just deflated me today. I expected the players to stand up after last week and as soon as we lose McDonald, not one player has the bottle to take over and make sure we take the game to them.

 

All we appear to have at present are a set of players who don't appear to have one ball between them when it comes to big games.. I now am starting to fear for the rest of the season, because of the position we're in at present we need to treat every game as a big game so we have a chance of pulling away from a relegation battle.

 

I think ICT will turn it around and it will be down to Killie, Hamilton and ourselves at present for the bottom two positions.

 

I have just seen that McGhee says we aren't that far away and we weren't that bad..... methinks he forgot to watch after Skippy was sent off.

 

I ain't normally this negative about us but by God it's the way I am starting to feel.. I'll be looking for space in a white cell shortly ..

[Ya Bezzer!]

Key decision was the McDonald red card. Up till then we looked like we had a goal in us and were in the game. I didn't think it was a red but I'll be the first to admit it was on the far side and I didn't get a good look at it so I might be wrong.

 

After that we weren't ever likely to score a goal. McDonald is not only our best player but also is absolutely essential to bringing Moult, our second best player, into the game. So in essence we lost our two best players in one stroke.

 

After that Rangers were utter dominant and deserved their win. The people who think they are 'shite' need to simmer down. They are miles ahead of us and so are most of the city clubs.

 

I keep saying it but a lot of our support needs a big, big reality check. The standard of the league has gone up while the standard of our team has gone down. We are a bottom 6 club these days and screaming at the players or manager doesn't do anything to change that the clubs economics.

[dossertillidie]

Ainsworth should have been brought on as soon as we went behind, decision to not bring him on and run at there average defence was baffling

[GregyScotland]

McGhee must've seen a different game to me going by that interview....50/50 game my arse.

[mfc]

mcmillan was stripped and ready too replace chalmers before mcdonald got sent off,that showed that mcghee had no intent too go for it even then with a man extra,id gladly see the back of mcghee now his tactics and interviews are getting on my tits more and more each week.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Ainsworth should have been brought on as soon as we went behind, decision to not bring him on and run at there average defence was baffling

 

I'm guessing tonight that Ainsworth will be elevated to superstar status.

[Welldaft Mk1]

There you have it. We have lost only 3 league goals in opening 30 minutes of games this season. Best or 2nd best in the league.

 

Lost 26 goals in 2nd half. Worst in the league !

 

OLDER players ? Lack of stamina ? God knows but the management team need to sort this stat out.

 

MGhee upbeat in his interview. I guess he has to be. Our next 4 games are daunting. Could see us bottom by end Feb.

 

I will keep the faith and hope new players make a difference. All you can do as a fan.

[dossertillidie]

 

I'm guessing tonight that Ainsworth will be elevated to superstar status.

Not saying he's the messiah but when your chasing the game and need an injection of pace between midfield and up front along with a quick outball, why do you bring on a centre forward that's done nothing of note and doesn't look the most mobile and a guy that's had an hours training with the rest of the squad against a guy who has a habit of finding the net when coming on the park

[fergi4]

McGhee sets this team out, he coaches them, and he has a chance to change it at any point. He is culpable once again for another gutpunching frustrating defeat.

 

Playing 11 vs 10 men, and still no one at halfway or even an out ball at Rangers corners!

 

Putting a Right Back at Left Mid? Where is the endeavour??

 

Moult limping and labouring in second half, why is our prize asset not being protected especially with a heavy schedule to follow?

 

Can we really hold out against any team? Probably not, but that's how we are set out.

 

Effective and timely substitutions...never!!

 

McGhee out please.

[dossertillidie]

Not Superstar status but when we have an extra man on the park he could have ripped them to prices at the back but McGhee already had McMillan set up to go.

Don't know what McGhee doesn't like about Ainsworth but I can see him being away before the window shuts.

It's clear he doesn't rate him, ok doesn't need to start the game but he's one of the most handiest subs to have with the pace he has on the bench. I was more surprised he didn't bring Lasley on. Wouldn't have surprised me with some of the decisions iv seen him make this season

[Big Wispy Flossy]

Craig clay is dug meat. We are not very good. I'm sure that's a fair assertion

[Londonwell]

Key decision was the McDonald red card. Up till then we looked like we had a goal in us and were in the game. I didn't think it was a red but I'll be the first to admit it was on the far side and I didn't get a good look at it so I might be wrong.

 

After that we weren't ever likely to score a goal. McDonald is not only our best player but also is absolutely essential to bringing Moult, our second best player, into the game. So in essence we lost our two best players in one stroke.

 

After that Rangers were utter dominant and deserved their win. The people who think they are 'shite' need to simmer down. They are miles ahead of us and so are most of the city clubs.

 

I keep saying it but a lot of our support needs a big, big reality check. The standard of the league has gone up while the standard of our team has gone down. We are a bottom 6 club these days and screaming at the players or manager doesn't do anything to change that the clubs economics.

The key decision was the way McGhee approached the game. Even at 11-10 he sat back and then made plans to bring a right back on to replace a left back on left wing.

 

Yes. Sevco aren't as bad as some are making out. Equally though they're not as good as McGhee's tactics would have you believe.

[Londonwell]

Craig clay is dug meat. We are not very good. I'm sure that's a fair assertion

The chance in the 1st half were Clay had AT LEAST 2 easy balls to play a man through on goal but contrived to hit a shite shot past the post summed him up for me, useless.

[MadeofSteel]

Players like Craig Clay and Joe Chalmers getting game time at a professional level is actually pretty laughable. I've played with better players at junior level.

[Ya Bezzer!]

The key decision was the way McGhee approached the game. Even at 11-10 he sat back and then made plans to bring a right back on to replace a left back on left wing.

 

Yes. Sevco aren't as bad as some are making out. Equally though they're not as good as McGhee's tactics would have you believe.

 

That'll be why they haven't lost to a provincial club this season and the only team to beat them in a home league match in two years has been Celtic.

 

Without McDonald we are struggling against other strugglers, never mind Rangers.

[Spiderpig]

Got exactly what we deserved in the 2nd half.

Agreed we sat back and let them come at us which was only ever going to have one outcome. Miller is Rangers only threat and time after time he was not picked up so it was no surprise he scored.

But that said Rangers were the better side from the point skippy got sent off we were all over the place so as much as it pains me to say it they deserved the 3 points.

[Londonwell]

 

That'll be why they haven't lost to a provincial club this season and the only team to beat them in a home league match in two years has been Celtic.

 

Without McDonald we are struggling against other strugglers, never mind Rangers.

I'm not disputing the fact that Rangers are a more talented team than ourselves. I am however arguing, unlike you it seems, that McGhee's tactics don't increase our chances of victory.

 

I'm not sure how you can sit through a game where for large parts there's a 40-50 yard gap from our midfield to strikers and we've got a rookie right back playing on left wing and argue otherwise tbh. There was clear tactical failings in that game from McGhee, to argue otherwise is to deny the obvious.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Craig clay is dug meat. We are not very good. I'm sure that's a fair assertion

 

Well, I called this a while ago. Lasley is better, even now.

 

That's part of the problem. We have a generation of very good players who are coming to the end of their careers - McManus, Lasley, McDonald, Hammell - and the types of players we are replacing them with are way, way below that level.

 

But like I keep saying, that's the economics of it. If you are shopping at a level where 90% of the players are poor to mediocre, even with good scouting and contacts the likelihood is you're going to end up with poor to mediocrity most of the time.

 

And there isn't a lot of point in screaming at players for not playing at a level of football they literally aren't capable of playing at.

 

We are a bottom 6 level club right now and without our best players we are perhaps even below that. That's just the reality of it. Blaming the manager smacks of desperation to accept reality.

 

If we stay up, McGhee should be getting huge praise, not 'out' chants.

[Ya Bezzer!]

I'm not disputing the fact that Rangers are a more talented team than ourselves. I am however arguing, unlike you it seems, that McGhee's tactics don't increase our chances of victory.

 

I'm not sure how you can sit through a game where for large parts there's a 40-50 yard gap from our midfield to strikers and we've got a rookie right back playing on left wing and argue otherwise tbh. There was clear tactical failings in that game from McGhee, to argue otherwise is to deny the obvious.

 

The problem with these kinds of posts is they just automatically assume that the course of action not taken was better than the course of action taken.

 

In the imagination perhaps Ainsworth comes on, runs their defence ragged and sets up a goal. But equally likely, if not more so, he comes on, looks completely disinterested and leaves a huge channel down the wing for the Rangers full back to romp down.

 

We'll never know what a different course of action would have made but having seen the match I'd suggest Rangers were just much better than us today and it's a bit churlish to suggest some tactical tinkering would have changed that, especially after far and away our best player has been sent off.

[Casagolda]

 

The problem with these kinds of posts is they just automatically assume that the course of action not taken was better than the course of action taken.

 

In the imagination perhaps Ainsworth comes on, runs their defence ragged and sets up a goal. But equally likely, if not more so, he comes on, looks completely disinterested and leaves a huge channel down the wing for the Rangers full back to romp down.

 

We'll never know what a different course of action would have made but having seen the match I'd suggest Rangers were just much better than us today and it's a bit churlish to suggest some tactical tinkering would have changed that, especially after far and away our best player has been sent off.

 

Better just stand on the side lines with your thumb up your arse than try and change the game.

 

We had been shite from half time until the goal. It was always coming. Doing nothing was trying to hold on to the slim hope we could keep a clean sheet and escape with a point. I think most people would like to see a positive attacking change to get Rangers out of our half.

[Welldaft Mk1]

I agree more with you Ya B than others.

 

We shot ourselves on the foot last week, but the tactics were spot on for 80+ minutes.

 

McGhee has worked wonders for MFC on a ever decreasing budget.

 

If we can stay up this season that will be fine for me. It will be close but McGhee's experience will get us there.

[mfc]

 

The problem with these kinds of posts is they just automatically assume that the course of action not taken was better than the course of action taken.

 

In the imagination perhaps Ainsworth comes on, runs their defence ragged and sets up a goal. But equally likely, if not more so, he comes on, looks completely disinterested and leaves a huge channel down the wing for the Rangers full back to romp down.

 

We'll never know what a different course of action would have made but having seen the match I'd suggest Rangers were just much better than us today and it's a bit churlish to suggest some tactical tinkering would have changed that, especially after far and away our best player has been sent off.

your kidding yourself on if you dont think mcghees tactics played a part in us losing the game,negative from the outset and to replace chalmers with mcmillan was baffling and then too wait until rangers had scored before being more adventurous.you can bang on all you want about rangers being a better team than us but the chance was there for us too have a real go when they went down too 10 men and we blew it yet again and mcghee needs too take his share of the blame for that.

[couttsy]

Well that was another very painful watch. Few observations, O'Halloran's red card not up for debate. Both McDonald and Tiernan's tackles fall into the between yellow and red bracket for me, if one goes both have to go. McHugh and Samson our best players, McManus and Henegan also played well, although I would need to see the first goal again to see who goes to sleep....If anyone needs reminding of how important McDonald is to us just watch the first half at Ibrox last week and the last hour today, he holds the ball, links the play, supports Moult and to be honest is by far our most important player.

On to the manager.....where to start. Team selection, Joe Chalmers is a stop gap left back at the very best, playing him anywhere else is a joke, simply no where near good enough. Craig Clay, very average and disappears for long spells in games (can't believe he played the whole game), won't do and should not be selected over Lasley. McMillian at left mid, again is a joke, felt sorry for the boy. Not to make a change in midfield before the Rangers goal when it was obvious we were dead on our feet and getting deeper and deeper was unbelieveable. Then when he does make a change (and we need a goal) he ignores the man with the most goals/assists in the squad (with the exception of Moult and McDonald) and brings on a debutant and a guy that's done nothing with the few chances he's had. Rangers are better than us, however the inferiority complex we have against them (which comes from the manager) is painful to watch. Think we'll stay up as long as we get Moult and McDonald on the pitch in most games, however I rethink is need in the summary, including in the dug out.

[Londonwell]

 

The problem with these kinds of posts is they just automatically assume that the course of action not taken was better than the course of action taken.

 

In the imagination perhaps Ainsworth comes on, runs their defence ragged and sets up a goal. But equally likely, if not more so, he comes on, looks completely disinterested and leaves a huge channel down the wing for the Rangers full back to romp down.

 

We'll never know what a different course of action would have made but having seen the match I'd suggest Rangers were just much better than us today and it's a bit churlish to suggest some tactical tinkering would have changed that, especially after far and away our best player has been sent off.

McGhee's tactics were shite, it's there for all to see. However I will concede that there's a decent chance we would have lost regardless because 'y'know' our players are shite.