Vs Kilmarnock

[Haggischomper]

Stretch looked to have his most difficult game since his return

 

After being out such a long time and pretty much been thrown straight back in to things with little build-up, do you think he's maybe hit the wall fitness-wise?

[Kmcalpin]

After being out such a long time and pretty much been thrown straight back in to things with little build-up, do you think he's maybe hit the wall fitness-wise?

 

No, I don't think so. He simply isn't a right back. Add to that the guy in front of him, Paul Quinn, is also playing out of position and you have the makings of a problem, which Killie exploited, but not fully thankfully.

[weeyin]

Going by what I was reaidng on here I didn't even bother listening to it on the internet. Then I wandered away and didn't come back until now. Seems I missed nothing....

Part time supporter. You're a part time supporter.

[Haggischomper]

Part time supporter. You're a part time supporter.

 

What ones are we again? The purple and orange?

[NEMO]

Poor performance = Poor game = Poor result.

 

I wish i had heard MMG before the game when he said "hopefully if we beat Killie then........."

Rather than "we will play to win and Killie will have to cope with us".

I would have bet a draw

Free flowing football gone and safety first today i think, but i'm baffled as to WHY? Golden opportunity missed i hope it doesn't come back to haunt us.

 

But considering the Christmas shambles proud to be still in the mix

Mon the Well

[carluke dosser]

Why does he persist in playing Paul Quinn in midfield the guy is a decent right back but in midfield he cant feckin pass water to one of his team mates his distribution is terrible.....

Play a midfielder in midfield and leave the middle of the park to someone who can pass a ball 2 yards........... and Jim O'Brian had a fuckin mare tiday.

[Andy_P]

Why does he persist in playing Paul Quinn in midfield the guy is a decent right back but in midfield he cant feckin pass water to one of his team mates his distribution is terrible.....

Play a midfielder in midfield and leave the middle of the park to someone who can pass a ball 2 yards........... and Jim O'Brian had a fuckin mare tiday.

 

I think you can understand why its come about though. McLean has come in when Quinn was suspended and given the length of time he was out has done brilliantly and didn't deserve to be dropped when Quinn returned.

 

That obviously left McGhee a bit of a poser of fitting Coach into the team, as he clearly rates him very highly.

 

In theory its not such a bizarre notion - there are often numerous calls to try Hammell in midfield and Reynolds at left-back. Just the same idea on the right.

 

If it comes off he gives you solid cover on the right wing and as a full-back he's not averse to belting down the right flank and trying to get crosses in anyway so not such a huge leap.

 

In effect - how useful its been is up for debate. Perhaps a tactic that is maybe better served when we are looking to see a game out or not lose rather than when want to go for the jugular.

[Shaka]

Nancy home was a big game for our season, we got pumped,

hamilton was a huge game for our season, we got pumped,

St midden in the cup was a huge game for our season ,we got pumped and

Killie was now a huge game for our season and we scraped a draw,

4 huge games for our season and 4 of the shitest performances possible, for now on, Mr McGhee, KEEP YER FUCKING MOUTH SHUT! ya Jinx

[Kmcalpin]

McLean has come in when Quinn was suspended and given the length of time he was out has done brilliantly and didn't deserve to be dropped when Quinn returned. That obviously left McGhee a bit of a poser of fitting Coach into the team, as he clearly rates him very highly.

 

In theory its not such a bizarre notion - there are often numerous calls to try Hammell in midfield and Reynolds at left-back. Just the same idea on the right. In effect - how useful its been is up for debate. Perhaps a tactic that is maybe better served when we are looking to see a game out or not lose rather than when want to go for the jugular.

 

I agree up to a point Andy. Like you I think I know why MMcG has done this and I agree the type of game in which it should be used. However of the two, Paul Quinn is an out and out full back whereas Brian MacLean isn't. I don't know if MacLean has done brilliantly in absolute terms since coming back though. It might be that MMcG feels that he absolutely has to play Brian MacLean for some reason (to test him out, get him match fit) and the best way to do do it is to shunt his best RB, Paul Quinn, upfield. It gives us more of a defensive look in midfield although Killie clearly, and rightly, saw this as being our achilles heel yesterday.

 

The situation on the left is a wee bit different. Many of us, but by no means all, don't see Steve Hammell as being our best left back. Mark Reynolds is perhaps better suited to that role. It could be of course that MMcG is playing a long game (in terms of his team planning) and is considering moving MacLean into the centre and Reynolds to left back. Craigan and Quinn would then take up the other two places at the rear. That would give us alot more height certainly.

[fatcalf]

What ones are we again? The purple and orange?

The ones playing from right to left in the first half

[Yir Elder]

For me it was a good point considering how poorly we played. A better team than Killie would've beaten us so we have to look upon it as a point gained.

 

That said a win would've been a fantastic boost given that neither Hibs nor Aberdeen won, but we are far from out of the top six or European contention, so no panic or negativity yet.

[MFCGMFC]

if only clarky had scored that chance!

 

but at least we got a point from the game

 

Bring on the Dons!!

[Guest 'Flow]

I've been a little surprised at some of the reactions to the game on here.....

 

I think it is worth mentioning that a team and club like Motherwell has absolutely no divine right to go to Rugby Park and, seemingly without effort, claim the three points. I don't think that has been suggested outright on here, either in the lead up or aftermath, but they way some talk about it then it's certainly hinted at.

 

There is very, very little between the ten SPL clubs with each more than capable of beating the other on their day.

 

Let's put things into perspective for a second - We are currently four points off a European spot with eight games of the season to go. The team that currently occupies that spot; we could play twice before the end of the season. Europe hasn't gone - not a chance and in my opinion third hasn't either. Nine points in eight games is difficult, but not impossible.

 

Yesterday was just one of many, many poor games of football you'll see in the SPL over the year. We weren't at our best – yet Killie couldn't beat us and the truth of the matter is they didn't really look like scoring at all.

 

It's a point gained as far as I am concerned!

 

'Flow

[Rammer]

I've been a little surprised at some of the reactions to the game on here.....

 

I think it is worth mentioning that a team and club like Motherwell has absolutely no divine right to go to Rugby Park and, seemingly without effort, claim the three points. I don't think that has been suggested outright on here, either in the lead up or aftermath, but they way some talk about it then it's certainly hinted at.

 

There is very, very little between the ten SPL clubs with each more than capable of beating the other on their day.

 

Let's put things into perspective for a second - We are currently four points off a European spot with eight games of the season to go. The team that currently occupies that spot; we could play twice before the end of the season. Europe hasn't gone - not a chance and in my opinion third hasn't either. Nine points in eight games is difficult, but not impossible.

 

Yesterday was just one of many, many poor games of football you'll see in the SPL over the year. We weren't at our best – yet Killie couldn't beat us and the truth of the matter is they didn't really look like scoring at all.

 

It's a point gained as far as I am concerned!

 

'Flow

 

copyright Motherwell Football Club.

[Guest 'Flow]

Not in the slightest - I'd have posted the exact same had I not worked for Motherwell FC (and have probably posted something similar in the past when over-reactions to particular games have gone a bit tonto).

 

Not like WTFC/Steelmen Online to go over-board when we don't wipe the floor with a so-called 'diddy team' eh?

 

It was a poor game - We weren't as good as we've been in the recent past yet still picked up a point away from home. We're still very much in check with the teams above us, many of whom we'll still most probably be playing in the run in. What's the big stooshie?

 

'Flow

[another number]

Flow, your right in what your saying, I don't think we had a devine right to win yesterday.

 

However, we had no fluidity at all yesterday and looked like we had no ideas. That's annoying.

[Guest 'Flow]

Yet, we look like a really, really decent team at Tynecastle and lose a last-minute deflected goal and pick up nothing.

 

That's the beauty and frustration of professional football.

 

'Flow

[Rickoza]

Anyone know why MM was speaking to the Plod during the game yesterday (photo 5)....BBC

[East_Stand_Al]

I've got my rants out my system and sum up saturday thus,

• It was a shite game some of the gaffers substitutions raised more than a few eyebrows but then none of us are experienced professional football managers.
  
• Results elsewhere did us no harm at all
  
• Top 6 is still on the cards
  
• Lets not lose sight that the season still has a fair bit to go
  
• We are 'well fans we get right behind the team again and encourage them to hump Aberdeen (was gonna put hump the sheep but I know what you lot are like )
  

That is all

[well_nuts]

Anyone know why MM was speaking to the Plod during the game yesterday (photo 5)....BBC

 

Something to do with having a bit of banter with a few fans behind him and some fans took it the wrong way. He said something like that in his after match interview on the officail site i am sure either that or i have picked it up wrong.

[Kmcalpin]

I can't speak for everyone of course Flow but for me it was the manner of our performance that disappointed so much. Before hand we knew it was a huge game for a poor Killie side. It was also a very important game for us so much so that Mark McGhee took the squad down to Ayrshire on Friday night.

 

The pitch looked ok although a bit bumpy it has to be said, but presumably able to sustain a decent game of football.

 

For long spells we were camped in our own half and it took until the 83rd minute for us to muster a shot on target. I think we had 3 efforts on goal all day. The strikers looked forlorn and very isolated and our midfield seemed very unwilling to advance much away from the defence. We lost too many 50/50 battles. These for me were the really disappointing facets of the game. In short we just didn't seem up for it.

 

Its anybody's guess as to why this was. Was it cautious tactics? Was it simply that the team had a bad day? Was it a combination of both. Were Killie simply too aggressive and pumped up to handle?

 

All SPL teams, not just us are capable of turning in poor performances, but this season we seem to have put in flat performances in a number of key games.

 

The joys of supporting MFC! Who'd have it any other way?

[Guest 'Flow]

All SPL teams, not just us are capable of turning in poor performances, but this season we seem to have put in flat performances in a number of key games.

Without doubt Dave and that is the SPL in a nutshell minus the Old Firm. It's the main reason why realistically, no-one will even break the Old Firm's grip on the title because there is no level of consistency.

 

For some un-known reason, we can be on a superb run yet inexplicably not perform to previously set stands for not real reason at all. That's not just a Motherwell thing....

 

We go and comfortably beat Inverness away from home yet yesterday aside, they've been beating teams that we've struggled against (Killie, for example). There's no mathematical formula for it - you can have the best preparation in the world but for some reason it just doesn't work all the time when you step onto the pitch.

 

That is football!

 

Mark McGhee has been in charge of Motherwell now for twenty-one months now and currently has a win percentage of 41.25%. That is better than Maurice Malpas, Terry Butcher, Eric Black, Billy Davies, Alex McLeish and I'd wager that it is even better than Tommy McLean (I don't have the facts to prove that but we had many baron years under Tommy).

 

We've qualified for Europe in his first season and now close to repeating that in his second. We're going to have some off days but when you have a sense of perspective for a short minute, you can see that our good days have far outweighed our bad in the last two years.

 

Yesterday was one of the poorer games we've been served up yet we've picked up a point. We're Motherwell in the SPL - We're going to have inexplicable flat days but by the by, we've got it right good at the moment.

 

'Flow

[faddythedaddy]

Positives are that we have 4 points from the last 2 games, getting the 3 points against United was more important than getting the 3 points yesterday.

 

Also the fact that the results went our way yeesterday, forgetting Hearts who are clear in 3rd imo

 

Nothing less than 6 points will do against Aberdeen and St Mirren though

[milo]

For any Motherwell fan turning up yesterday expecting to win, the only explanation I can offer for this belief is it is their first season following the team!

 

We have no divine right to win any game in the SPL, even when on paper we look favourites. Yesterday it is possible to concieve we were.

 

I don't think it is a coincidence that the word "lacklustre" has appeared in every match report I've read about yesterdays game and I don't think there is that much gnashing of teeth that we didn't win, more that we were all made more than aware the importance of the opportunity, and we're all a bit disappointed at the display, rather than the outcome.

 

No-ones having a go at the team, it was a very frustrating and unexpectedly bad performance, possibly not helped by having several players played out of position and our most dangerous player warming the bench for the first hour.

 

I said in another post, considering the start we made and the run before Christmas, I think the team have done tremendously well to even still be in with a shout of the Top 6 and, dare I whisper it, Europe....Even more so when you consider we've had to do without Porter for the second half of the season.

 

It will be those two afore mentioned runs, rather than yesterdays draw, that will ultimately have a bigger say in where our season takes us.

 

I'm personally reasonably calm about the teams league standing. Although it's not mathematically impossible, I can't see us going down this year, and at Christmas I would've settled for that. It's not lack of ambition, but old habits die hard and I've always got one eye on the gap between us and the bottom spot. At the moment I'm losing no sleep over that issue.

[donfakubatan]

Can anyone explain to me how Mcgarry gets on the bench ahead of DLS?

 

Surely Smith has so much more to offer and is a least a goal threat, if perhaps a small one. I mean last season he had a knack for coming on and grabbing us a goal so sure he's not got any worse.

 

I just can't see what mcgarry offers the team in terms of anything. He's a striker turned midfielder so you'd expect him to be attacking but he's not even that good at that. To be fair I wasn't at the game so didn't see him play but when I heard on the radio that he was coming on I just couldn't help but think we'd given up on that game. With the bench yesterday surely Murphy would have been the better option.