Motherwell V Aberdeen

[Ya Bezzer!]

The fact of the matter is that our defence will concede at least a goal a week and there was little doubt in my mind today that Aberdeen would score.

 

We've conceded 2 goals in our last 4 league matches so if you do your arithmetic that's a goal every two weeks. And one of them was a penalty.

 

Our defence really isn't that bad. The only teams to concede less are Rangers, Celtic and Kilmarnock and by this time tomorrow probably only Rangers and Celtic.

 

Overall we have 5 clean sheets in 11 matches.

 

We lacked ambition and were scared to push men forward

 

Can't blame a spade for being a spade. Our squad is primarily defensive players or battlers. Outside of Jamie Murphy we don't have a single player with the technical ability to create any chances. The only other player in the squad that ever approaches having any creativity is Ross Forbes. Basically we are missing O'Brien who was the difference between us being creatively sterile last season.

 

As for Humphrey, sorry to sound like a broken record, but mince shot out a cannon is still mince, no matter how fast its traveling.

[Brazilian]

We've conceded 2 goals in our last 4 league matches so if you do your arithmetic that's a goal every two weeks. And one of them was a penalty.

Or

 

you could say we have lost five goals in the five league games played, you do the arithmetic

 

but you are correct the defence isn't that bad as such, but are you confident we will not concede a goal in any given week?

[Ya Bezzer!]

Or

 

you could say we have lost five goals in the five league games played, you do the arithmetic

 

but you are correct the defence isn't that bad as such, but are you confident we will not concede a goal in any given week?

 

He said "our defence WILL concede a goal a week" which plainly isn't the case!

 

The point I was making is that since the Hibs game, which has proved to be a one off so far this season, we've only conceded a penalty and the goal today.

[El Grew]

Weather = nice and sunny

Pitch = perfect and as good as it will be all season

Crowd = 5,200 or so

Football = pish

.

Worst game of football I've seen in a long time. This summed up perfectly why Scottish football is where it is. If you didn't have an intrinsic interest in a Scottish football team then you would definitely not have football on your list of things to do on a weekend.

 

Both teams were absolutely dire. They would have been better keeping the kids that came on during the interval on and keeping the other 22 imposters in the dressing room.

 

There was not one footballer on the park just a lot of physically fit guys humping the ball up and down the park like primary school kids.

 

Just wait until the bad weather sets in and see how many folk will bother to drag themselves out to pay money to watch this kind of horseshit.

[that hat]

Worst game of football I've seen in a long time....

 

Both teams were absolutely dire. They would have been better keeping the kids that came on during the interval on and keeping the other 22 imposters in the dressing room.

 

Totally agree, thinking twice about going to watch the game on Tuesday but Craig Brown's comments about how poor the team were are winning me back.

[underboyleheating]

Just wait until the bad weather sets in and see how many folk will bother to drag themselves out to pay money to watch this kind of horseshit.

Sad to say but we could see some pretty low SPL attendances if the product doesn’t improve. Certainly not worth £18.

[Kmcalpin]

We've conceded 2 goals in our last 4 league matches so if you do your arithmetic that's a goal every two weeks. And one of them was a penalty.

 

Our defence really isn't that bad.

 

Overall we have 5 clean sheets in 11 matches.

 

Can't blame a spade for being a spade. Our squad is primarily defensive players or battlers. Outside of Jamie Murphy we don't have a single player with the technical ability to create any chances.

 

I suppose you can prove almost anything with statistics. My basic point is that I think our defence is simply not good enough for us to be able to sit back and soak up pressure. If we stick to SPL games, we have conceded 5 from 5, and 5 from 3 home games. Last week we were lucky not to concede a penalty through a rash challenge.

 

Yes, our squad is heavily biased towards defensive players and we do lack creativitiy - no argument from me on that score. However clearly our lads are under instructions from the dugout to play a safety first game - often only playing one man up front, funnelling back very quickly and defending in our own box. Too often our central midfielders are reluctant too push too far up the park, when we are on the attack. A bit more ambition and aggression wouldn't go amiss especially in home games.

 

Craig Brown and Archie Know have done a good job in stabilising the ship and taking us to Europe last season, but that achievement has come at the cost of attacking football.

[wellfan79]

Burst ma coupon!

Was convinced we were gonna get humped, and given how wrong my gut feelin usualy is, i bet us. So overall happy with a draw. Still gutted about the £350 though cest la vie.

[Steve Diggle]

the decision making was poor at times and that is a fair criticism from brown.

 

However the wee man would gain more respect if he took a look in the mirror and recognised some poor decisions that he was responsible for that contributed to the poor performance and result.

 

He's the man with the plan is he not?

 

i'm disappointed that he thinks it was only the players that fucked up.

 

Anyway - we're away to the jabos next week. 3 easy pointss.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Football is a pretty simple game.

 

If you can either go through a team, over a team or round a team and really only the very top sides in the world have the quality of player to go through a team.

 

That leaves us with two options and a major problem in that we don't have a genuine wide man of any quality. That's why we are being forced down the middle.

 

Humphrey's deliver is shocking there is no point in playing him if he can't hit a cross into the box. Brown's tactic has been to scare the opposition with Humphrey's pace and pin back the full back. Once teams cotton on to the fact he doesn't have a final ball and he's useless defensively they won't fall for it anymore. Humphrey will drop out of the first eleven in the second round of matches unless he miraculously finds the ability to cross the ball.

 

Murphy is not a natural wide player. His instinct when he gets the ball is to come inside not to take it down the line. Murphy should be playing just behind the front player in the role John Sutton was playing yesterday, if not right up front since he is the best finisher we have at the moment.

 

We are badly missing a O'Brien, a McCormack, even a Slane.

 

Overall though, we shouldn't talk like there is a CRISIS. If we maintain our current form (2-1-2) we should easily make the Top 6 and our results so far are better than the comparative fixtures last season (1-2-2).

[Kmcalpin]

That leaves us with two options and a major problem in that we don't have a genuine wide man of any quality. That's why we are being forced down the middle.

 

Murphy is not a natural wide player. His instinct when he gets the ball is to come inside not to take it down the line. Murphy should be playing just behind the front player....

 

I see it the other way around. We don't have a genuine creative central midfielder or a central box to box type to support the strikers. Lasley, Jennings and Hateley are all defensive players who are more comfortable playing just outside our own box. That then means any pace/creativity we do have has to go up the flanks. Time after time yesterday we broke up the middle but didn't have the pace to make it tell. By the time Lasley & Jennings reached the halfway line the Aberdeen defence (all 11 of them) had pulled back and were waiting for them like serried ranks of pikemen facing an army advancing at snails pace.

 

But mounting attacks up the wings is problematic for us also as you rightly say. Chris Humphries has pace but lacks the crossing ability, at least at present. Couldn't agree more about Jamie Murphy. Mark McGhee saw him as a winger but was aware of his failings in that position and that was why he was in and out of the team. His best position is indeed just behind the front man/men.

 

In short we have limited resources but I'm not convinced Craig Brown is getting the most out of all of them, although he's doing a decent job.

[DEWELL]

Really poor 90 mins. Some right gumf performances ie John Sutton and Young Saunders has still along way to go. Showed how much we missed Hammell as left sided outlet and im not blaming Hately who did ok but i'd prefer him at right back with Hammell and Forbes on the left flank feeding Murphy and WHERE'S THE SPANIARD???. Yes not a good game but have seen these type of games before with Aberdeen and we end up getting beat...Remember Mulgrew's 88th min winner 2 seasons ago. . So at least we got a point but MASSIVE improvement required next week at Tynie or we'll get humped.

[Yir Elder]

It was indeed a truly awful game yesterday, with both teams to blame. We showed little invention going forward whereas the Dons were very defensive and strangled the life out of the game. At least we took a point though, imagine how crabbit we'd all be if we'd lost!!

 

I agree that we need to more centally midfield to front. I feel that Jenno could burst forward into the box, as he showed yesterday, albeit unsuccessfully. However I wonder if both he and Las are being instructed to hold the midfield, allowing our full backs to get forward. That's all well and good, but we really do need more go-forward from central midfield.

 

We do have a number of good attacking options, and I think we should unleash Alan Gow to play in the hole behind Blackman. This would bring the creativity we are missing I feel. Defensively we are fairly solid, but still to prone to a moments slackness, moments that have cost us dear like yesterday.

 

Still, things could be worse. We will be in with a shout for the Top Six for sure, but it might not always be the prettiest to watch. Would we take success that way? You bet!!

[weeyin]

Still, things could be worse. We will be in with a shout for the Top Six for sure, but it might not always be the prettiest to watch. Would we take success that way?

No thanks. I don't expect us to win the league any time soon, so if there isn't any entertainment on offer, what's the point?

[Tartan Copper]

As for Humphrey, sorry to sound like a broken record, but mince shot out a cannon is still mince, no matter how fast its traveling.

 

 

Yes you hit the nail on the head mate BROKEN RECORD. Leave the kid alone man, last week he man of the match, this weeks everyone is on his back. You pick the team next week Ya Bezzer, but what ever your line up is , if you want to win you need Humphrey in your team... end of.

 

Stick by the youngsters not slag them off individually, the whole team was weak. Not just Humphrey. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Andy_P]

Yes you hit the nail on the head mate BROKEN RECORD. Leave the kid alone man, last week he man of the match, this weeks everyone is on his back. You pick the team next week Ya Bezzer, but what ever your line up is , if you want to win you need Humphrey in your team... end of.

 

Stick by the youngsters not slag them off individually, the whole team was weak. Not just Humphrey. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

I think its a wee bit rich slating someone else about being a broken record TC when you yourself seem to struggle to make a post without feeling the need to emphasise Humphrey's positives.

 

I don't see much slagging of the youngsters to be fair and across various threads I've seen question marks raised about the performances of at least half a dozen of the team, no Humphrey isn't being singled out. Plentyof opinions contrary to yours certainly but they seem reasoned enough to me. Perhaps its you who needs to consider that others don't quite rate Humph as highly as you do.

 

My own view is that I hope when Gow is fully fit in a way it'll take a bit of pressure off him in that at times it seems to be the primary tactic to get the ball to him and hope that he can put in a telling cross. It's all the more noticeable and frustrating on days like yesterday its clearly not his day. If Gow can add some more creativity to the team then hopefully take some of the burden off him.

[Brazilian]

and hopefully Gow will be quick enough to reach the opposite corner from Humprey and collect some of his crosses, and ping them back into the middle when the rest of them have caught up

[Tartan Copper]

I think its a wee bit rich slating someone else about being a broken record TC when you yourself seem to struggle to make a post without feeling the need to emphasise Humphrey's positives.

 

I don't see much slagging of the youngsters to be fair and across various threads I've seen question marks raised about the performances of at least half a dozen of the team, no Humphrey isn't being singled out. Plentyof opinions contrary to yours certainly but they seem reasoned enough to me. Perhaps its you who needs to consider that others don't quite rate Humph as highly as you do.

 

My own view is that I hope when Gow is fully fit in a way it'll take a bit of pressure off him in that at times it seems to be the primary tactic to get the ball to him and hope that he can put in a telling cross. It's all the more noticeable and frustrating on days like yesterday its clearly not his day. If Gow can add some more creativity to the team then hopefully take some of the burden off him.

 

Well maybe your right, but GOW might be able to lift the weight off the shoulders of Humphrey, i agree with that point as Humphrey and Murphy are the only attacking options we have. But i strongly disagree with having lots of other options. Without Humphrey in the team we offer nothing going forward. My point was the fact that last week he was given man of the match, this week he is useless and wont be in the first team much longer. Its fickle at best. Thats my opinion and yes i do rate him, hopefully GOW can provide him with the support he needs. Its all about positives.

[Lobey_Dosser]

Writing has been on the wall for me since the final 60 minutes of the game against that Norwegian mob.

 

Plenty of effort, commitment and well organised when we don't have the ball but we don't possess any craft or guile to make us a decent team to watch. Unless Gow or Forbes gets the opportunity to make an impact there won't be many good games at FP this season. We have good direct players with plenty of pace in Blackman, Murphy and Humphrey but we have nobody to pull the strings and play these guys in.

 

On the plus side we are more suited to counter attacking football and I think we may pick up more points on the road this season that we do at FP. Also think that while we may struggle to break teams in a run of the mill game at home I think we have the attributes to maybe upset the OF once or twice this season and go on a cup run.

[fatcalf]

Well maybe your right, but GOW might be able to lift the weight off the shoulders of Humphrey, i agree with that point as Humphrey and Murphy are the only attacking options we have. But i strongly disagree with having lots of other options. Without Humphrey in the team we offer nothing going forward. My point was the fact that last week he was given man of the match, this week he is useless and wont be in the first team much longer. Its fickle at best. Thats my opinion and yes i do rate him, hopefully GOW can provide him with the support he needs. Its all about positives.

So God help us if the Hump gets injured? If we've nothing else we all better hope he stays fit else we're right in the shite.

[john_M_F_C]

Humphrey needs better players around him, look at the number of players in England like him, super quick with some whilst not a consistant delivery. How many wingers do get an assist every week? What do people want out of Humphrey? If he hits the man it should be a goal everytime. His games simple, ge ball, beat man, hit byline, cross. He does this alot during a game, he'll have games when he's not making an impact and others where he does. He's far from being shite.

[Finlay]

Humphrey was great against St Johnstone but very poor against Aberdeen. His crossing also ranges from excellent to very poor. He does have the skill. He just needs to be more consistent.

[El Grew]

Writing has been on the wall for me since the final 60 minutes of the game against that Norwegian mob.

 

Plenty of effort, commitment and well organised when we don't have the ball but we don't possess any craft or guile to make us a decent team to watch. Unless Gow or Forbes gets the opportunity to make an impact there won't be many good games at FP this season. We have good direct players with plenty of pace in Blackman, Murphy and Humphrey but we have nobody to pull the strings and play these guys in.

 

Spot on Lobey. Totally agree with this. Sad thing is that we don't seem to have been able to pick somebody up that can bring this to the party.

[Tartan Copper]

Humphrey needs better players around him, look at the number of players in England like him, super quick with some whilst not a consistant delivery. How many wingers do get an assist every week? What do people want out of Humphrey? If he hits the man it should be a goal everytime. His games simple, ge ball, beat man, hit byline, cross. He does this alot during a game, he'll have games when he's not making an impact and others where he does. He's far from being shite.

 

 

Well done John......Here Here

[Fraz1886]

anyone capture a pic of the smoke bomb