Andy_P Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 If all are fit I would expect the same starting eleven from Thursday. This would tie in with Robinson's approach to the games at Ibrox and Parkhead last season where Mugabi was called upon as a third central defender, with O'Hara and Campbell in front of them. I hate going into an international break on the back of a loss, with nothing you can do to remedy it for a couple of weeks, but I suspect that's most likely to the be case tomorrow. Not helped by our already lowly league position. Maybe this will be one of those odd days where something goes our way and we come out with an unexpected result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 I was impressed with the work rate and organisation of Dundee United and Killie defending against Celtic. Hopefully our players can show the same effort and frustrate them for a while. Grimshaw cannot start after that horror show on Thursday. Get O'Donnell back onto the right and play 4-2-3-1 with Cornelius wide right to give us a bit more solidity. Basically one attacking winger in Lang and one who will support the midfield 3. I'd give Watt and Long 45 minutes each and tell them to empty their tank. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 27 minutes ago, steelboy said: I was impressed with the work rate and organisation of Dundee United and Killie defending against Celtic. Hopefully our players can show the same effort and frustrate them for a while. Grimshaw cannot start after that horror show on Thursday. Get O'Donnell back onto the right and play 4-2-3-1 with Cornelius wide right to give us a bit more solidity. Basically one attacking winger in Lang and one who will support the midfield 3. I'd give Watt and Long 45 minutes each and tell them to empty their tank. Yes we'll have to improve our work rate when not in possession. That means closing players down, getting in their faces and annoying them, denying them space and time, cutting out needless crosses and not defending too deeply. A tall order tomorrow but it can be done. We'll have to bottle up the wings, something we're not good at. Certainly, I'd be worried at starting Grimshaw. Given the number of substitutes allowed, Yes, I'd be telling our front men to run themselves into the ground for 45 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 13 hours ago, ropy said: We’ll never know. It’s a blackout. Luckily (or not) for the overseas fans, we're getting the MFC TV stream. That probably means the Celtic TV feed with their obnoxious commentary team, but at least it can be watched with the sound off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmac Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 —————— Carson O’Donnell——Gallagher—-Mugabe——Lamie ————-Campbell———O’Hara ————————-Polworth -——Lang—————Long—————-Hastie In a funny way, this might actually be a game that suits us. Celtic won’t sit in and the pace up top could be crucial in relieving the pressure. Polworth’s last outing at Celtic Park was a complete horror show so he needs to get the finger out (not for the first time) and perhaps Hastie will realize he’s a football player (we live in hope). I’ll bravely say 2-2. Struggling to put a midfield 4 together suggests we urgently need a couple more bodies, including someone to play on the right...... if only we had made 3.5 million quid this week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu92 Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 14 minutes ago, Kmac said: In a funny way, this might actually be a game that suits us. Celtic won’t sit in and the pace up top could be crucial in relieving the pressure. I had thought this prior to the Hibs game, which was probably our best performance to date. We aren’t used to having the amount of possession teams are giving us so far this season, and so it really shouldn’t be a surprise that we’re struggling to force our way through with it. I suspect we’ll get a better performance on Sunday, but still beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 It’ll be as many as Celtic want it to be with Turnbull no doubt in amongst the goals. Looks like we’ll be bottom of the league by the close of play today also, which is exactly where we deserve to be sadly. edit: Pretty much the worst combination of results for us today also. In real danger of being isolated at the bottom within the next few games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 30 minutes ago, milo said: It’ll be as many as Celtic want it to be with Turnbull no doubt in amongst the goals. Looks like we’ll be bottom of the league by the close of play today also, which is exactly where we deserve to be sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairhill Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Unless something changes dramatically in the next few minutes we'll go into tomorrow's game in last place. Chances are that Celtic will be ready to kill after this past week's disaster, and Turnbull is away. We've got some new money, but do we have any clue how to get out of last place? Still we did finish 3rd last year, and let's not forget 2 cup finals!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 1 hour ago, milo said: It’ll be as many as Celtic want it to be with Turnbull no doubt in amongst the goals. Looks like we’ll be bottom of the league by the close of play today also, which is exactly where we deserve to be sadly. Talk about stating the bloody obvious ! Although unlike the totally negative ninnie that you obviously are I will state that the 3 sides winning is best for us. Ross County, Dundee U and St Mirren have had decent starts to the season. Any of them getting a further 3 points ahead of us is worse than the 3 sides that are winning. Even after we lose to Celtic tomorrow we will still only be 2 wins away from matching Ross County on 8 points. I fully expect Hibs and Aberdeen to finish top 4 but even as shite as our league season has been so far 5th gets a Euro place and a long way to go yet. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairhill Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 ...and there you have it, we're the strongest team in the league!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 15 minutes ago, Welldaft Mk1 said: Talk about stating the bloody obvious ! Although unlike the totally negative ninnie that you obviously are I will state that the 3 sides winning is best for us. Ross County, Dundee U and St Mirren have had decent starts to the season. Any of them getting a further 3 points ahead of us is worse than the 3 sides that are winning. Even after we lose to Celtic tomorrow we will still only be 2 wins away from matching Ross County on 8 points. I fully expect Hibs and Aberdeen to finish top 4 but even as shite as our league season has been so far 5th gets a Euro place and a long way to go yet. The theory works if we actually pick up points. Our next four matches are Celtic, St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Rangers. We'll also have a Euro game in there. My position is that we shouldn't over react at this stage of the season but honestly I'm not especially confident about getting a haul of points out these matches. We've had easier fixtures than the ones coming up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 14 minutes ago, Fairhill said: ...and there you have it, we're the strongest team in the league!!! 7 minutes ago, Ya Bezzer! said: The theory works if we actually pick up points. Our next four matches are Celtic, St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Rangers. We'll also have a Euro game in there. My position is that we shouldn't over react at this stage of the season but honestly I'm not especially confident about getting a haul of points out these matches. We've had easier fixtures than the ones coming up. We have had a shit start to the season. That is fact. But I look at the games and on our performances we probably ought to have had at least 3 to 5 points more than we have. We were imho the better side v Hibs at Easter Rd and hey they are on 13 points and getting rave reviews. That does not mean we will turn everything around but with a bit more luck and better defending then we can start to get a couple of results and climb the table. I think Hibs and Aberdeen with finish top 4 but 5th gets a Euro place this year so should still be our aim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkyred Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 15 minutes ago, Welldaft Mk1 said: We have had a shit start to the season. That is fact. But I look at the games and on our performances we probably ought to have had at least 3 to 5 points more than we have. We were imho the better side v Hibs at Easter Rd and hey they are on 13 points and getting rave reviews. That does not mean we will turn everything around but with a bit more luck and better defending then we can start to get a couple of results and climb the table. I think Hibs and Aberdeen with finish top 4 but 5th gets a Euro place this year so should still be our aim. Yep, you can argue if we are bottom we deserve to be there ( Statistical fact), but we should most definitely have gained more points. There are things that can be improved on but it’s still been small margins between gaining and not gaining points, it’s not as though we are getting thrashed and outplayed in games. It’s very easy given the start we’ve had to start to start panicking and call for an upheaval but for me that’s something that needs to be looked at another half a dozen games down the line. For now it should be stay calm, get past the Celtic game with something if we can and then look for that first win. I’m still confident that Robinson will turn it around if he’s given time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 6 hours ago, steelboy said: I was impressed with the work rate and organisation of Dundee United and Killie defending against Celtic. Hopefully our players can show the same effort and frustrate them for a while. Grimshaw cannot start after that horror show on Thursday. Get O'Donnell back onto the right and play 4-2-3-1 with Cornelius wide right to give us a bit more solidity. Basically one attacking winger in Lang and one who will support the midfield 3. I'd give Watt and Long 45 minutes each and tell them to empty their tank. Tomorrow might not be the game to try this but Thursday’s line up with Hastie at left wing back may be worth a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyB Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Imagine caring what the league table looks like after 6 fuckin games. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairhill Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Relax GazzyB, just a little tongue in cheek from me as I concentrate on the Arsenal Liverpool game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 I'm astounded at the number of people suggesting Hastie should be anywhere near the team... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Just now, MelvinBragg said: I'm astounded at the number of people suggesting Hastie should be anywhere near the team... Likewise. In his appearances so far he's done the square root of nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texanwellfan Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 15 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said: Likewise. In his appearances so far he's done the square root of nothing. He might perform better when actually played on the left. So why not put O’Donnell to right and Hastie on left with Grimmy on bench 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 1 minute ago, texanwellfan said: He might perform better when actually played on the left. So why not put O’Donnell to right and Hastie on left with Grimmy on bench His performances have been poor not only in a positioning sense (which you could put down to him playing on the wrong wing - although he played most of his games first time round on the right) but in the fact he's struggled to keep his feet or control the ball. Those basics shouldn't depend on where you're playing on the park... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 43 minutes ago, texanwellfan said: He might perform better when actually played on the left. So why not put O’Donnell to right and Hastie on left with Grimmy on bench Has Hastie ever played wing back before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderpig Posted August 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 1 hour ago, texanwellfan said: He might perform better when actually played on the left. So why not put O’Donnell to right and Hastie on left with Grimmy on bench SOD is one of the best right backs in the country so he should play nowhere else, hastie is better on the right side as well so yes put him in front of sod. So for me a 4-4-3 with ploworth, Campbell and Hastie middle 3 , Long wide left, lang and watt up top. Oh and Grimshaw is brutal just now should be nowhere near the team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stv Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Thats why you sign on for Motherwell ......to confirm the positions you cant naturally play in. Does wonders in your future cv. Cant play.......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoF Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 They've got two polite young gentlemen at the back who would rather not get their kit dirty. Ajer and Juluen are so easily rattled with a bit of physicality so we need to capitalise on that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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