Livingston v Motherwell 07/10/2023

[bobbybingo]

5 minutes ago, MJC said:

“If”. 
 

That’s a big word and unfortunately for us is a very big word. We have lost our last four games because we have nothing in the way of goal scoring threat and we are giving away cheap goals. 
 

We are in trouble. 

Yeah, "If" is a big word. And you're basing your belief that we are in relegation trouble on a huge "If....", because right now, we're not.

[Yodo]

7 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:

And still sitting 5th in the league, 3 points from a champions league spot, 2 from guaranteed group stage football oh and 7 off the bottom, aye its a crisis.

Glad u agree 

[SteelmaninOZ]

A lot of Anchors on here 

[grizzlyg]

4 minutes ago, bobbybingo said:

Yeah, "If" is a big word. And you're basing your belief that we are in relegation trouble on a huge "If....", because right now, we're not.

"if" also a no.1 for telly savalas in 1975.  Jeez I have turned into Ken Bruce!! Lol

[bobbybingo]

1 minute ago, SteelmaninOZ said:

A lot of Anchors on here 

The Happy Crappers.

[GazzyB]

We were all encouraged by the performances vs the Old Firm, running them close and playing well in the process. Today has been shite all round but we were the better team before a shambolic sending off that changed the game.

 

One thing that is clear though is that we need to drop a midfielder in place of a striker. Bair is okay 30 yards from goal but he needs a Shaw or a Beireth in beside him. A couple of weeks off for Kettlewell to think about what changes to make. I like him a lot but I'll be really disappointed if we line up with the same starting XI vs St Johnstone.

[steelboy]

4 defeats with 1 goal scored is relegation form.

A win at Perth takes the pressure off. Coming back to Fir Park staring at our 6th defeat in a row would be make or break. A huge game next week.

[steelboy]

If Miller gets a suspension our midfield will be extremely lightweight for Perth. 

[stv]

3 minutes ago, steelboy said:

4 defeats with 1 goal scored is relegation form.

A win at Perth takes the pressure off. Coming back to Fir Park staring at our 6th defeat in a row would be make or break. A huge game next week.

Spain v Scotland ? 

[pretzel]

I hope it's not true but BBC mentioned that Don Robertson had tech troubles in the first half hence why Miller red wasn't looked at by VAR

Frustrating day at the office, last three games we have played really well and deserved so much more. I've never seen a good game on those plastic pitches but felt we could have dug out the three points today but by all accounts, it was a poor affair.

[shooie]

31 minutes ago, GazzyB said:

If that's outside the box then I'm the Queen.

 

VAR having an absolute shocker today.

Are ye ok Camilla hen?

[Great Balls of Shire]

22 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

"if" also a no.1 for telly savalas in 1975.  Jeez I have turned into Ken Bruce!! Lol

"If" you had been ken Bruce, you would have mentioned it was written by David Gates of Bread.

[wellsince75]

We were rank rotten today and didn't deserve anything from the game. 

This is one of the few games I'd questions SK's set up ahead of the game.  Playing a lone striker against the OF is understandable but not against Livi. It was also clear that our players had given all over last 2 games and some needed resting. 

After 20 mins it was obvious that the shape at best would earn a 0-0.  

Sending off could be questionable but he certainly gave the ref a decision.

Midfield were all off their game and it took +75 mins before Paton (who has been decent but not today) got subbed. 

Add to that Mugabi's shockingly mis timed tack at the edge of the box. Having the type of moment we know he's likely to make. 

We need to see a reaction from the team and a plan B from SK when it's needed.  Felt he was lazy today.

 

[texanwellfan]

9 points from the next 3 games and we’ll be looking good again

[grizzlyg]

21 minutes ago, Great Balls of Shire said:

"If" you had been ken Bruce, you would have mentioned it was written by David Gates of Bread.

I was going to but thought that was too far...lol

[steelboy]

"I'll hang my hat on Theo Bair"

1 goal in 9 starts now. Surely his time as a starter is over?

[Yodo]

1 hour ago, Spiderpig said:

You and your alter ego Steelboy must be ecstatic these last few weeks, not a peep from you when we are winning and now you are all over the thread, fill your boots as the bad run won't last.

Enlighten us all when will that be 

[MJC]

Bair just won’t do. Certainly not in our current system and with our current options. I can’t fault his effort but he just isn’t up to it if we are expecting him to lead the line and/or get us goals. 
 

Wilkinson and Shaw should be starting up front together in Perth. I’m not saying that they are the answer or that they are good enough, but they should be given the chance. Bair has had plenty and unfortunately he’s only shown that he’s simply not up to it.

[wellfan]

On 10/4/2023 at 12:26 PM, wellfan said:

We've scored 7 goals across the first 7 league games - which is decent - but I don't see that return improving as long as we rely on a one-man battering ram and hope our midfielders continually chip in. The latter will tire soon enough and the only current replacement is Davor. Perhaps we need to start exploring other striking options soon, or do we wait until Livi shitfest their way to a 0-0 where we dominate with yet another good midfield performance?! 

Fair play to Livi, we were shite all over the place, but I still stand by the majority of my previous post. Given the four defeats in a row and his continual selection of the hopeless Bair as a starter, it's clear that Kettlewell doesn't have (or want) a plan B yet. If he starts with his proven failure of a plan A for the next game, I'll rapidly lose faith in him as our manager, and I'm sure I won't be alone in that. We've not been good enough, as performances don't win games; goals and clean sheets do. The international break couldn't have come at a better time for him, but the St J game will be the first real test of his mettle. 

[wellfan]

7 minutes ago, steelboy said:

"I'll hang my hat on Theo Bair"

1 goal in 9 starts now. Surely his time as a starter is over?

Yep, Kettlewell is already starting to look silly for boldly saying that during the presser, but who could've seen that coming, eh?!

[bobbybingo]

6 minutes ago, wellfan said:

Fair play to Livi, we were shite all over the place, but I still stand by the majority of my previous post. Given the four defeats in a row and his continual selection of the hopeless Bair as a starter, it's clear that Kettlewell doesn't have (or want) a plan B yet. If he starts with his proven failure of a plan A for the next game, I'll rapidly lose faith in him as our manager, and I'm sure I won't be alone in that. We've not been good enough, as performances don't win games; goals and clean sheets do. The international break couldn't have come at a better time for him, but the St J game will be the first real test of his mettle. 

Are you saying he's only had one plan all season?

[wellfan]

8 minutes ago, MJC said:

Bair just won’t do. Certainly not in our current system and with our current options. I can’t fault his effort but he just isn’t up to it if we are expecting him to lead the line and/or get us goals. 
 

Wilkinson and Shaw should be starting up front together in Perth. I’m not saying that they are the answer or that they are good enough, but they should be given the chance. Bair has had plenty and unfortunately he’s only shown that he’s simply not up to it.

Agreed. Wilkinson hasn't shown anything to suggest he is any better/worse than Bair, and the jury is still out on Shaw. We all know what Obika gives, but we also know that he is a crock. And imagine we hadn't secured Biereth on loan; we'd be staring down the barrel of pure shite until the January window. Our signings in the forward department have more or less been a complete failure so far.

[wellfan]

3 minutes ago, bobbybingo said:

Are you saying he's only had one plan all season?

Obviously no. I'm suggesting that his sticking with the same set-up for today against Livi was a mistake, given that it had failed for the previous three games on the bounce. Today was the day to drop Bair and start with two up top. We cannot persist with him as a solo striker. His record before joining us demonstrated that he was incapable, and his record since joining us has confirmed that. How many more games does Kettlewell need to see this? Another three or four? I hope not. 

[Spit_It_Out]

When you sign a bunch of forwards like we did over the summer i knew we would struggle to score never in my life have i witnessed such a toothless attack line up in my life.Its that bad i am pinning my hopes on Obika coming back and maybe give me a glimmer of hope of a forward that might score before he goes back on the treatment table.

I wasnt expecting a 20 goal a season replacement for KVV but ffs nobody will convince me this current crop have goals in them.

On SK better figure it out that Bair on his own is basically like starting with ten men its utterly useless i dont want to hear any bs cause if he thinks its working then we will drop down the league like a stone.

[bobbybingo]

12 minutes ago, wellfan said:

Obviously no. I'm suggesting that his sticking with the same set-up for today against Livi was a mistake, given that it had failed for the previous three games on the bounce. Today was the day to drop Bair and start with two up top. We cannot persist with him as a solo striker. His record before joining us demonstrated that he was incapable, and his record since joining us has confirmed that. How many more games does Kettlewell need to see this? Another three or four? I hope not. 

So this failed plan isn't Plan A. That would have been the plan he employed pretty successfully in the first few games before injuries forced a change. A return to that wouldn't suit you if you want Bair dropped.

Kettlewell's obviously not trying to lose games and bring pressure on himself. He can see the problem, same as everyone else, so you'd think he'd give Wilkinson and/or Shaw a go from the start. I'd be slightly concerned about why he hasn't done this.