Robinson... How Do We Think He's Doing ?

[weeyin]

Far too soon to be thinking about relegation.

With guys like Hartley, Aldred, Campbell etc. it's not leadership we are lacking. It's putting someone in midfield who can pass a ball. There's no point in sticking on players with 25 minutes to go and saying "2 goals down, save it for us".  

I was hoping Rodriguez might be that player, but he might not get that chance. Likewise, no point in playing Bigi, if the tactics are still to launch long balls over midfield and up the park.

[Busta Nut]

I am really pessimistic about this season, which at this early stage is unusual for me.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, MelvinBragg said:

If I had £50 to spare, I'd be all over this. Or more likely, checking the bookies' odds..

Open offer to any of the other doom-mongers, then.

[underboyleheating]

We have become a long ball team who love to bypass the midfield at every opportunity. With Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen on the horizon I’m struggling to see where our first win or even draw is going to come from. We just need to hope that Dundee keep up their equally poor start and we can turn them over on the Sept 1.

[weeyin]

Accies, Livingston, Dundee and probably St Mirren are all going to be in the bottom half mix.

Our early fixtures could have been better, but I still think we'll do enough to keep relegation out of the picutre.

I'm more concerned about entertainment value. No point in finishing 6th or 7th if we are unwatchable. 

[underboyleheating]

Just now, weeyin said:

No point in finishing 6th or 7th if we are unwatchable. 

Sadly we are currently unwatchable. 

[johnstone]

Too many knee jerk reactions here. Yes Motherwell were poor on Saturday and lacked any kind of creativity going forward, but for me the main issue throughout the whole game was playing Aldred as a right back. Why? For me one of the best partnerships we have is Tait and Cadden on the right, they work really well together and when we took Tait off we then lost the goal and suddenly had Aldred trying to ping balls into the box, which was of course going to end in tears.

Bigi tried hard but need to move the ball quicker and also improve his delivery, but I am happy to have him in there rather than McHugh.

Main tried hard and got a good few runs and on another day could have had two, I have no doubt he will get his form back. Sammon for me was just terrible in the air. I have never seen a centre forward time his headers so badly, he should have been sent of for dangerous play for the amount of times he took Accies players out, but as a partnership I'm not conviced. I think until Tanner is back I would have Frear and Main leading the line, or Frear and Sammon. The boy Johnstone is still quite raw and rought around the edges, but could be useful as a sub.

I think we need to give it time to click, we have not really changed the squad from last season and Hartley is essentially replacing Kipre, and we know Harley is decent. This same squad last season did pretty good. 

I'd just put the Accies game down to a bad day at the office. We will eventually click and all this chat about us not scoring or getting any points in the next X amount of games is just heresay. 

 

Going forward my 11 (injury free) would be

 

Carson

 

Dunne

Hartley

Aldred

Tait

 

Bigi

Rose

Campbell

Cadden

 

Tanner

Main

 

For the time being throw in Sinclair for Dunne and Frear for Tanner, but that team above will not get relegated.

[ONeils4oyarder]

1 hour ago, MelvinBragg said:

If I had £50 to spare, I'd be all over this. Or more likely, checking the bookies' odds..

I can see no one in that squad that will either lead the team or do something special to win us a game, that's why I can't see us getting the ten wins that would see us having a shot of staying up. 

Transfer window isn't closed but signing a leader or a matchwinner would be difficult and further add to the bloated squad you described...

Who's the leader, or matchwinner, for Accies? or St Mirren, or Dundee...and as for Livi, it'll take a lot more than a near 40year old striker to keep their heads above water. I honestly think you need to re-evaluate where we stand after TWO games. I'm completely unimpressed as you can see from my post above, but it will be a huge shock to almost everyone in Scottish Football if we are below Accies and Livingston at the end of May

[MelvinBragg]

7 minutes ago, ONeils4oyarder said:

Who's the leader, or matchwinner, for Accies? or St Mirren, or Dundee...and as for Livi, it'll take a lot more than a near 40year old striker to keep their heads above water. I honestly think you need to re-evaluate where we stand after TWO games. I'm completely unimpressed as you can see from my post above, but it will be a huge shock to almost everyone in Scottish Football if we are below Accies and Livingston at the end of May

Accies may lack a leader (I actually think that it's the worst Accies team I've seen in years), but at least they were organised. As the game wore on and subs were made, it started to look like no one knew where they were supposed to be playing. 

Every other team you have listed have at least a point on the board. Livingston got a point at home to Kilmarnock. A great result? Far from it, but a result that we'd struggle to match right now...

[MelvinBragg]

38 minutes ago, johnstone said:

Carson

 

Dunne

Hartley

Aldred

Tait

 

Bigi

Rose

Campbell

Cadden

 

Tanner

Main

 

For the time being throw in Sinclair for Dunne and Frear for Tanner, but that team above will not get relegated.

I wouldn't be so sure that that team would stay up. Have you seen Curtis Main this season? I think they're great players but I wonder when we'll see the best of Tanner or Dunne? 

Generally, I like to think I'm not the most negative fan. But I can see nothing to feel optimistic about on the field..

[ONeils4oyarder]

9 minutes ago, MelvinBragg said:

Accies may lack a leader (I actually think that it's the worst Accies team I've seen in years), but at least they were organised. As the game wore on and subs were made, it started to look like no one knew where they were supposed to be playing. 

Every other team you have listed have at least a point on the board. Livingston got a point at home to Kilmarnock. A great result? Far from it, but a result that we'd struggle to match right now...

So a wee bit of organisation and we'll be fine then...I'm sure the manager can rustle that up over the next 36 matches

[Busta Nut]

1 hour ago, johnstone said:

 

Going forward my 11 (injury free) would be

 

Carson

 

Dunne

Hartley

Aldred

Tait

 

Bigi

Rose

Campbell

Cadden

 

Tanner

Main

 

For the time being throw in Sinclair for Dunne and Frear for Tanner, but that team above will not get relegated.

 

How's that midfiled setting up?

 

I am not convinced Tanner is an out n out striker

Elliott Frear is never a Striker.

 

 

[ONeils4oyarder]

surely its Frear and Cadden supporting Main from either side??

[sbcmfc]

24 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

 

How's that midfiled setting up?

 

I am not convinced Tanner is an out n out striker

Elliott Frear is never a Striker.

 

 

I’m presuming Tanner is playing off the striker in a “number 10” that midfield would get over run every week as almost everyone either plays 4-5-1 or 3-5-2. Would also leave us very narrow.

[milo]

I’m not sure Saturday was just a bad day at the office as has been alluded to above. I mean it was shocking in so many ways of course, but so were the 5, or at least 4 games before it. That’s 6/5 bad days in a row. Too many to be dismissed  as a “one off”.

I suspect it’s more down to not recruiting the right players to strengthen the starting 11 and the tactics being howling.

[Goggles & Flippers]

Pre-season & League Cup .... indifferent. But we weren't alone in SPFL teams on that front.

Hibs away .... in 2013 we would have felt going there was a shoe in to take all three points. With them strengthening and a capital club  and the revenue that it brings then it is a tough ask. Lennon also seems to have bought well but they are more attractive and can therefore have access to a larger pool than we do.

Accies at home .... yes this is one we would look to take something from and haven't.

 

The issue with all three above hasn't been the way we have set up, its been the manner in which we conducted ourselves. There is no excuse for lack of fitness or organisation and that's down to Robinson and his coaching setup. Injuries do have a factor but not the major one.

It also appears we have a few players in a lull in form. That will come back and if it does concurrently then we are a force. The summer recruitment while too early to fully write a report card hasn't built on the datum of last year and enhanced with extra quality. That may come to haunt Robinson.

However for me he is still the man to take us through the season. I like him, his press conferences, his ethos and what he's trying to build. I don't know what we would attract in his absence or if Craggs and Las would be the natural successors. If we're adrift come December he has the January window to make things right which he has earned with last summers acquisitions.

 

[johnstone]

1 hour ago, Busta Nut said:

 

How's that midfiled setting up?

 

I am not convinced Tanner is an out n out striker

Elliott Frear is never a Striker.

 

 

Cadden on the right, Bigi and Campbell in the middle and rose on the left.

play either Frear or Tanner off the striker. 

Or once Tanner is fit play Frear on the left instead of Rose. 

When Frear came on against Accies we had an out ball, needs to start.

[Burn_Broomfield]

12 minutes ago, Goggles & Flippers said:

Pre-season & League Cup .... indifferent. But we weren't alone in SPFL teams on that front.

Hibs away .... in 2013 we would have felt going there was a shoe in to take all three points. With them strengthening and a capital club  and the revenue that it brings then it is a tough ask. Lennon also seems to have bought well but they are more attractive and can therefore have access to a larger pool than we do.

Accies at home .... yes this is one we would look to take something from and haven't.

 

The issue with all three above hasn't been the way we have set up, its been the manner in which we conducted ourselves. There is no excuse for lack of fitness or organisation and that's down to Robinson and his coaching setup. Injuries do have a factor but not the major one.

It also appears we have a few players in a lull in form. That will come back and if it does concurrently then we are a force. The summer recruitment while too early to fully write a report card hasn't built on the datum of last year and enhanced with extra quality. That may come to haunt Robinson.

However for me he is still the man to take us through the season. I like him, his press conferences, his ethos and what he's trying to build. I don't know what we would attract in his absence or if Craggs and Las would be the natural successors. If we're adrift come December he has the January window to make things right which he has earned with last summers acquisitions.

 

 

A good summation of recent events.

 

It's the part in bold that's really got on my tits if I'm honest.  We looked to have signed jobbers to fill up the bench rather than sign quality to push last years starters in to positions 12-18.  I also fear that signing guys from such a low level of football, consistently, will ultimately be detrimental to the Club both on the playing front and at the expense of our youth players.

I had hoped to see Turnbull playing most weeks this season as I think he's a terrific prospect, with Maguire, Livingstone and Scott not far behind.  As it would appear, they are miles away from the First Team at present with the influx of signings. 

[johnstone]

3 minutes ago, Burn_Broomfield said:

 

A good summation of recent events.

 

It's the part in bold that's really got on my tits if I'm honest.  We looked to have signed jobbers to fill up the bench rather than sign quality to push last years starters in to positions 12-18.  I also fear that signing guys from such a low level of football, consistently, will ultimately be detrimental to the Club both on the playing front and at the expense of our youth players.

I had hoped to see Turnbull playing most weeks this season as I think he's a terrific prospect, with Maguire, Livingstone and Scott not far behind.  As it would appear, they are miles away from the First Team at present with the influx of signings. 

I agree, we need these young guys playing. Maguire, Scott and Turnbull look great. Scott for me looks are far more polished striker that Danny Johnston. Time will tell though if Robison gives them a chance. 

[Yorkyred]

3 hours ago, MelvinBragg said:

Accies may lack a leader (I actually think that it's the worst Accies team I've seen in years), but at least they were organised. As the game wore on and subs were made, it started to look like no one knew where they were supposed to be playing. 

Every other team you have listed have at least a point on the board. Livingston got a point at home to Kilmarnock. A great result? Far from it, but a result that we'd struggle to match right now...

Oh come on Accies were awful, yes we were poor but let’s not talk up Accies as organised,  we dominated posession, certainly first half and if we had a striker up front on Saturday anywhere near on form we would have taken all three points.

[Haggischomper]

I'm just disappointed that, in all that we are set up to be stuffy and hard to beat, we seem to be really easy to beat.

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[Soapy Soutar]

I actually think Robbo is more interested in not getting beaten than winning and for this reason is also scared to take a chance on players.

 

In the two cup runs last season we were a different team with them being one of games ( excluding the finals ) beating all premier league teams to get there.

 

He signs all those players and either finds out they are guff or just hasn’t the bottle to play them.

 

He needs to see by the favourites and start giving hungry guys a chance to prove themselves.

 

 

 

[Big Wispy Flossy]

Playing the most ugliest brand of football and winning is almost tolerable but there’s no hiding place if we get beat.  Robinson is therefore rightly open to criticism in my opinion and that comes from someone who has been fairly supportive of him in the past.

The problem we now have, amongst many other deficiencies, is that we don’t now  have any central defenders comfortable playing from the back and in Hartley and Alfred (and dunne when he’s fit) have an ultimate hoofing gene code. Kipre wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t without risk, but he brought the ball out from defence reasonably well.

Another gripe I have, and it’s one that every Motherwell I spoken to on Saturday agreed with, is that Robinson somehow sees sammon and main as a viable and effective strike partnership. This should be the last we see of this, even if it is a week too late.  

There are many other issues from Saturday and previous games  that I could raise but in the main I can’t be arsed as most have covered the very same concerns. It’s just a pity that after 4.5k home fans felt enthused to attend on Saturday, a significant proportion will seriously consider not attending the next few home games. 

[DEWELL]

Robinson has said the Main - Sammon partership aint working. I just think and hope that Sammon will be returned to Hearts and we'll get a decent loan deal done at the end of this month for a striker .

[Brazilian]

On 8/13/2018 at 1:51 PM, johnstone said:

Too many knee jerk reactions here. Yes Motherwell were poor on Saturday and lacked any kind of creativity going forward, but for me the main issue throughout the whole game was playing Aldred as a right back. Why? For me one of the best partnerships we have is Tait and Cadden on the right, they work really well together and when we took Tait off we then lost the goal and suddenly had Aldred trying to ping balls into the box, which was of course going to end in tears.

 

Was going to post On Saturday that all Robinson needs to do is move, Tait back across to the right and he'll be more than half way to a solution.

like when McCall lost the plot having players on the park squeezed into any position, just because he trusts them over others. isn't a solution, where we have players that deliver assits etc they have to be deployed in the optimum role,

Tait is one of the most reliable players clubs like ours will ever see, and he can deliver so much more deployed on the right, and it releases much more of Caddens ability.

taking him off to go with a desperate 4-1-5 or whatever the fuck it was, is amateur stuff , that Robinson does fairly regularly ( offset by the opposite at times ?)

he deserves time, but he doesn't deserve any commendations for making our eyes bleed in the short term.

all of this whilst thinking he's screwed the club finances by offloading a couple of perfectly capable motherwell youth, to accomodate a few mediocre squad players instead of adding some quality.