DEWELL Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Had time to reflect on our last 2 sloppy performances and especially after yesterday iam wondering and concerned...Are we up for chasing Europe finishing 4th and having a rousing run in. Or are we just going to see the season out 6 defeats and slink off for the summer. It's happened before we've made the top 6 and then lost every game and even under Malpas we were bottom 6 and gubbed 5 x's to be saved by Caley Thistle..So whats it to be?? I follow Motherwell home and away and if we're 'on the beach' then fine i'll keep my money till next season. Over to you Craig Brown... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Let's just remember that for here on in 6 of our 7 games will be against teams that have proved to be better than us over more than three quarters of the season. Â Hopefully we'll compete better than yesterday but even if do we will still lose games. What I don't want to see is fans turning against the team at this stage when we've done better than anyone could have imagined over the course of the whole season and we are ending it in with the big boys exactly because its been a successful term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimus Prime Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 What I don't want to see is fans turning against the team at this stage when we've done better than anyone could have imagined over the course of the whole season and we are ending it in with the big boys exactly because its been a successful term. Â That depends on the manager and team. If the right team, and tactics, are picked and attitude shown, irrespective of the result, then the fans will back them. If however they play like yesterday with gash tactics and little will to win then yes fans will turn against them and rightly so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el-pidge Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Our record towards the business end of the season hasn't been great in the past. So there is cause for concern. To me, I think we are starting to look like a tired team.. we started the season over a month before everyone else and I think we have all but finished it a month before everyone else. Â There is also plenty of reason for optimism. We still have the quality to compete come the split and by then we will know exactly what we have to do to get into europe which I think will spur us on and see us over the finish line. I also don't think we have lost form so much so that we cant at least hold the position we are in now until the end of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yir Elder Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 There is still plenty to play for. We are still in the hunt for fourth place and are probably one win away from clinching fifth, which will be good enough for European qualification as long as its an Arabs v Shellic cup final. Â We may not pick up loads of points, but with games to come against a Hibs in freefall, a Dundee United team with their mind on a possible cup final and a Shellic team with no championship to chase, there could be points to be picked up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 I have managed to reflect on what was by and large a poor performance yesterday. After Hibs loss today and Hearts getting a draw - I am quite sure hd we won yesterday 5th place would have been ours and quite possibly 4th. Â I hope it does not come back to haunt us. Hoping for an Aberdeen win today, which will mean Killie going to Hearts a little desperate and up for a battle. I am an optimist at heart, but I cannot see us taking anything at Parkhead a week on Tuesday, so we desperatley need Hearts not to take 3 points next week. a 4 point gap with us having to go to Tynecastle would be a bit close to call for my liking. Â In truth despite the two defeats only DDee Utd have been doing better. Hibs have imploded and we have made up many points on them. Still standing in a much better position thatn I thought possible at Xmas or at the start of the year. Here's hoping it does not fizzle out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Plenty to play for and on our day we can do it - but I honestly question our lack of bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trafficlight Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Plenty to play for and on our day we can do it - but I honestly question our lack of bottle. Â Â 'Well are in a fortunate position where bottle needn't be a factor, haggis. There is no relegation battle and a top six finish is assured. Go out and enjoy playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlay Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 'Well are in a fortunate position where bottle needn't be a factor, haggis. There is no relegation battle and a top six finish is assured. Go out and enjoy playing. Â Yes it is. We are playing for Europe and as high up the league as possible. Given the fact we exited the Scottish Cup at the first stage we need a good financial boost. There is a massive chunk of cash difference between finishing 3rd and finishing 6th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaag Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 I think we'll finish 5th, but I also think Raith will be Utd in the cup. Meaning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickoza Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Rangers won't exactly be world-beaters either once the title is in the bag. Plenty of points up for grabs, goes for us all. Going to be down to those who take their chances, and get the breaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trafficlight Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Yes it is. We are playing for Europe and as high up the league as possible. Given the fact we exited the Scottish Cup at the first stage we need a good financial boost. There is a massive chunk of cash difference between finishing 3rd and finishing 6th. Â Â I see what you're seeing, Finlay, but financial pressures don't translate to players on the pitch, IMO. Pressure is playing to stay up or to win the league. The 'Well players should be told to go out and express themselves, they have already done more than was expected of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlay Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 I see what you're seeing, Finlay, but financial pressures don't translate to players on the pitch, IMO. Pressure is playing to stay up or to win the league. The 'Well players should be told to go out and express themselves, they have already done more than was expected of them. Â They are in and around the club on a daily basis. Some will have have had meetings with Leeann and their agents with regards to extending contracts/getting better deals. Some of that might be down to how much money we generate this season. I've seen 'players' bottle situations in the closing moments of 7 a side matches when it is tight never mind when it is their livelihood. Most of the players who are in our current squad will never win a championship or cup winners medal. To say you were part of the team that qualified for Europe three years in a row (admittedly not a large amount now but there is a few still here) regardless of how we did it last year IS a great achievement. Pressue isn't always about titles and relegation. It is about club and personal financial stability, fan expectaion/pressure, more media attention and so on. Â Hibs are the perfect example. Bottled the Scottish Cup even BEFORE they got to the business end and currently bottling the league despite imo having the strongest midfield and forward line outside the OF. Why? Not because of winning the title or fear of relegation but more due to fan/media expectation and pressure. Â We can go out and 'express ourselves' when we can no longer move up or down the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-in-Oz Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Said it elsewhere on here chances are we will be heading into the split just 4 points ahead of Hearts & on the back of a 3 game losing streak. Make no mistake the rest of the season is now a battle between us & Hearts for 5th which i believe will be good enough for Europe. Whichever way it goes hats off to the players for a fantastic achievement this season but if we miss out on Europe to a pish poor Hearts team i'll be gutted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 I see what you're seeing, Finlay, but financial pressures don't translate to players on the pitch, IMO. Pressure is playing to stay up or to win the league. The 'Well players should be told to go out and express themselves, they have already done more than was expected of them. Â Perhaps not for the highly-paid poofs in the money-rich-but-overrated Premiership who are wondering whether to get a new battery for the odl Rolex or just throw it out and get a new Rolex but the Motherwell players will be more than aware of exactly what is at stake financially - they really ARE playing for their futures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Said it elsewhere on here chances are we will be heading into the split just 4 points ahead of Hearts & on the back of a 3 game losing streak. Make no mistake the rest of the season is now a battle between us & Hearts for 5th which i believe will be good enough for Europe. Whichever way it goes hats off to the players for a fantastic achievement this season but if we miss out on Europe to a pish poor Hearts team i'll be gutted. Â Interesting to note that you believe that Hearts will make the top 6. Whilst I still believe that is the likely scenario, a win for St J tonight puts them in pole position. Another win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and they not Hearts will probably make top 6. And let's face it Albion Rovers could beat Aberdeen right now. Â Not sure where my preference lies. St J make top 6 and they may take the view that is there season complete and in our favour they would have to come to Fir Park, as oppose to us having to go to Tynecastle. If Celtic and DDee United contest the Sc Cup final then it is GAME on for 5th spot and either Hearts or St J will know they will need to overhaul us to get to 5th spot. Â Whichever team makes it, chnaces are they will only be 4 points behind us come the split. Perhaps the best scenario is a DDee U win tonight which means Hearts only need a draw to get 6th, which would still leave them 6 points behing with an inferior goal difference. Â All to play for - let us hope WE are up for the battle ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadywellToi Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Yes it is. We are playing for Europe and as high up the league as possible. Given the fact we exited the Scottish Cup at the first stage we need a good financial boost. There is a massive chunk of cash difference between finishing 3rd and finishing 6th.  Approx £230k in prize money according to the SPL. For a club our size in the current climate that is a huge amount and guaranteed European Football too. Based on our run this year, I'd rather do that than pointless friendlies against English Div 2 teams. Be interesting to know if our European campaign resulted in a loss or profit financially this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el-pidge Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Interesting to note that you believe that Hearts will make the top 6. Whilst I still believe that is the likely scenario, a win for St J tonight puts them in pole position. Another win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and they not Hearts will probably make top 6. And let's face it Albion Rovers could beat Aberdeen right now. Not sure where my preference lies. St J make top 6 and they may take the view that is there season complete and in our favour they would have to come to Fir Park, as oppose to us having to go to Tynecastle. If Celtic and DDee United contest the Sc Cup final then it is GAME on for 5th spot and either Hearts or St J will know they will need to overhaul us to get to 5th spot.  Whichever team makes it, chnaces are they will only be 4 points behind us come the split. Perhaps the best scenario is a DDee U win tonight which means Hearts only need a draw to get 6th, which would still leave them 6 points behing with an inferior goal difference.  All to play for - let us hope WE are up for the battle ahead.  My preference is most certainly with St J getting into the top six - it would mean more chance of 3 home games as opposed to 2. Someone mentioned earlier that a possible crunch trip to tynecastle would not be ideal. I agree. It would also mean Dundee UTD are still in reach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 If things finish the way they are at the moment in the league and the fixtures are done the way that they are supposed to be done, we would take up Aberdeens final 5 fixtures and they would take on ours. That would see us at home to Rangers and Hibs and away for the other three. St Johnstone making the top 6 would throw a spanner in the works as they couldn't directly take on anybody elses fixtures. Â The SPL will probably prove me wrong again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 If Hearts win every game we need to pick up 12 to guarantee 5th. For every point they drop its one less we need.  What we need to do is win our home games after the split against whoever we get that are not the Old Firm and not lose to Hearts. that would be a cast iron guarantee.  Are we good enough? Yes Are we up for it? Yes Will we do it? Probably  As I said before we were in a similar place two years ago, in the lead and wobbling and we went to Parkhead and won and that win was the springboard to finishing third. We two places further down the league this time but we are still in pole position for our target. But all that said next Tuesday is a free game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 1-0 to DDee Utd. I guess the only saving grace is that Hearts only need a draw v Killie to cement their place in the top 6. Whilst they will surely play for a win, maybe if it is 1-1 after 89 mins they will not go all gung ho. Could really do without them getting the 3 points this coming Saturday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el-pidge Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 So its looking more likely now that Hearts will complete the top six... saving grace is their poor goal difference... could pan out to be vital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jym Bob Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Would rather see Hearts making top six. I fancy St. Jon would give us a harder fight for that fifth place. But we`re going to chase that fourth place and with a little rub of luck I think we`ll make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEWELL Posted April 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2010 We're in a wee rut again and can we get out of it against Utd on saturday? NO CHANCE 4 defeats coming up. With Ruddy out now i fear the worst and a tame 6th spot finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted April 14, 2010 Report Share Posted April 14, 2010 We played well last night in spells so don't write us off yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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