Motherwell Vs St Johnstone

[Pettywulliegrew-2]

According to McCalls BBC interview it was initially given because "Craigan was looking at Duberry," at least I think thats what he said

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/9377497.stm

 

 

""I've seen it again it was a "soft decision""".............. thats Craig Brown speak......would have rather "never a penalty"............".what was the ref thinking"............soft decision=penalty

[gdalli10]

Yeah pretty poor again with Murphy, Sutton and Hately having probably their worst performances in a 'Well shirt. The rest were pretty average but I feel we were worth a point.

 

Don't have a clue how the ref managed to give a penalty either? Does anyone? At least Jones started to look good towards the end

 

Big improvement needed for Sunday

[Guest]

Fuck that. We're going to get pumped rotten on Sunday.

 

Dreadful stuff.

[mfc]

were badly needing some new faces in were playing with virtually the same 11 every week and after the early start in europe having such a small squad was always gonna be a problem.guys like humphrey and hately seem to be lacking in confidence and could do with a spell on the sidelines murphys still struggling to find any real form and he could probably do with a rest.were lacking a spark up front right now our play is to predictable if humphrey isnt causing the full back problems and murphys having a quiet game then there is no much creativity in the team.hopefully mccall can bring in some new players that will give us a bit more variety in the squad and might make it more easy to change formation when required cause right now we dont seem to have a plan b when 4-4-2 isnt working

[Mitch]

Cronic last night. Don't think we created a single chance all night.

 

When McCall was appointed he said he would rather lose 5-4 than 1-0. I'm afraid his talk of attacking football was utter bollox.

 

Unless we improve big time we are going to get pelted on Sunday from Rangers at Hampden. Simply not even close to being good enough.

[Kmcalpin]

What a lot of shite that was tonight. No idea, no fight, no leaders and no idea what the penalty was for. Neither did the Saints fans we asked.

 

That about sums it up. A dire, lacklustre performance. Although we may have had a lot of possession much of it was in our own half, passing back or across the field. St Johnstone weren't great but had much more desire to win than us. We came off second best physically helped by yet another shocking referee. A controversial penalty settled the outcome and the players' reaction at the decision speaks volumes.

 

I can stomach poor play, misplaced passes and errors but I can't accept lack of effort and bottle. Too many players simply weren't prepared to go into 50/50 tackles and thats no good in my book. The defence, Humphrey and Jones (who had a good second half) can be exempted from that criticism. Whatever the reason we showed no fight whatsoever and thats not acceptable.

 

Our build up was painfully slow and the front men showed no movement off the ball. Central midfield was nothing short of abysmal - no fight, no pace and no creativity. John Sutton is simply not cut out for this style of play and Stuart McCall has to learn this quickly. We played to St Johnstone's strengths and our weaknesses. All too often our only ploy was to pump the ball up to Michael Duberry in the air.

 

Substitutions came too late and were ineffective in any event.

 

Apologies for the downbeat view but it really was that bad. Our players are no world beaters but they are capable of turning in better displays than that - someone has to ask why they aren't.

[kmmfc]

Absolutely dreadful performance by both teams last night. Fair enough, the pitch wasn't perfect, however, the ball was in the air every 5 seconds. In saying that, I thought the back 4 and Randolph were solid and St Johnstone wouldn't have scored if they hadn't have been given one of the most ridiculous penalties in the history of the game! On the other hand, as my mate said last night, if we had a bigger squad, a number of those players would have done them out the starting eleven on Sunday. But that's just it, there seems to be a lack of willing to give the fringe players a real chance. A number of players last night didn't give 100%, pulled out of challenges that were in their favour, and the style of football under McCall so far is just absolutely gash to watch. That's now 6 matches he's been in charge and I've yet to see any difference he's made to the team. Of course, it's early days, however, he's brought nothing to the team that a normal punter wouldn't have.

 

So, on Sunday, as a minimum, get Gloria in from the start (bench any of Sutton, Humphrey or Jones, although Jones did have a decent last 30 mins last night) and hopefully Lasley is fit to replace Hateley.

[Finlay]

Poor game, poor team performance, poor crowd, poor decision at the penalty. BIG concerns for Sunday.

[underboyleheating]

no idea what the penalty was for. Neither did the Saints fans we asked.

McCall and McInnes give their opinion on the spot kick

 

 

“It was a big decision – and one which has cost us the game,” McCall insisted. “Big Duberry had a bit of a half-hearted complaint, but everyone else looked as shocked as me when the ref gave the penalty.

 

“I asked the fourth official why the decision was given, because we were all in shock, but apparently it was given because Craigan was facing the wrong way and got in front of Duberry.

 

“If that’s a definite penalty then you will see penalties every game in the SPL. Craigan has barely touched him and it’s very, very soft.”

 

Victorious gaffer Derek McInnes even told the assembled press, in the post-match press conference, that he ‘would have been disappointed if the penalty went against us’.

[Burn_Broomfield]

The ball ended up in casualty last night.

 

Two terrible teams. A terrible match, no ability on the park, no creativity, nothing. Rangers will absolutely pump us on Sunday if we don't play at least a million times better, unfortunately I can't see it. The last two away games, Utd and last night, are two of the worst displays of "football" I can remember for a long long time(including the Malpas era). We have nothing at present, I just have to be thankful to Brown and Knox because I think they have kept us in the league.

 

Jones played well in the last 30 mins, very promising signs. It will be all for nothing if our players don't start moving and wanting the ball. The lack of movement all over the park is frightening. Jones got to the touch line several times last night, only to look up and everybody is static, no fucking excuse for it. No-one seems to want the ball, no one making a yard for themselves, no one trying to split the defence, just seems to be a lot of back to goal play that won't result in anything other than giving it back to them when we eventually launch it up the park.(Kenny fucking Black influence right there).

 

Big changes required. Definitely a loosening of the purse strings is essential. A few new midfielders and some strikers need to be brought onboard fast.

 

The pressure is start to increase just a wee bit on McCall. A lot of unimpressed Motherwell fans at present, some serious skepticism surrounding his abilities tbh.

 

Btw, our pitch is in much worse nick than the one at McDairmid Park.

[Spiderpig]

Poor game, poor team performance, poor crowd, poor decision at the penalty. BIG concerns for Sunday.

 

 

That sums it up for me as well, i wasn't at the game but judging by all the media reports we were dire. We are now struggling to stay top 6,the only bright spot is that most of the other teams below top 4 are just as pish as us. That said we should still be beating teams like St Johnstone.

As for Sunday i think we will get pumped, Rangers are not good just now but i fear they will be too good for us.

[milo]

Utter pish. Glad I didn't waste my time and money going but it doesn't make taking the result any easier. Really really disappointed and really worried to hear that we once again lacked the basic prerequsites required to win a football match. Heart and desire. We clearly don't have the players, but the players we do have should still have enough about them to get stuck in and roll up their sleeves. Certain players have shown nothing for weeks, if not months yet still get a start. At least give fucking Meechan, Page etc a chance!

 

I fear the pish times are on their way back. If they aren't here already. Aberdeen winning again and Blackman scoring just sickens me further.

 

I still, and always will blame Brown for this.

[deljohnstone]

I didn't make it last night but by all accounts we were as poor as we have been in recent weeks. I too fear for Sunday, We need to get at least 3 players in before Monday. As each day is passing thats looking unlikely. We have no squad and a lot of the guys i go with every week are losing the will to travel to all the games, 2 years ago there would have been 6 of us there last night. None of us made it. I read these forums but dont post often but see that others are drifting away from going to games, guys who have been going for 20 years losing there passion. Scottish football is a huge reason, no money, no atmosphere and overpriced. But i cant help thinking if we got a few player in it would lift the gloom a bit.

[underboyleheating]

I just have to be thankful to Brown and Knox because I think they have kept us in the league.

Sad but true.

[Spiderpig]

I still, and always will blame Brown for this.

 

 

Totally agree that pair of two faced lying auld B**t*rds have ripped the heart out of a promising season. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but i can't help thinking if they had stayed we would not be in the position we are in now.

[johnstone]

I still, and always will blame Brown for this.

 

Why not blame the players? They never seem to be at fault. Always the manager.

[milo]

Oh don't worry, I blame a fair share of them aswell!!

[MJC_MKI]

I still, and always will blame Brown for this.

 

 

It's no use blaming Brown, he left us for a bigger club an we just need to get over it. As has already been touched on, I think there's a case for saying that Brown & Knox helped us avoid relegation this season because that squad is utterly pitiful and the fact that we were sitting comfortably mid table by the time they left shows how good a management team they actually were.

 

If you want to blame anyone I think you should look a bit closer to home and ask why Brown wasn't tied down on a contract.

[Jay]

If you want to blame anyone I think you should look a bit closer to home and ask why Brown wasn't tied down on a contract.

 

Haven't we been over that enough by now? If Brown and Knox don't want contracts you can't force them to sign.

[Kmcalpin]

A number of players last night didn't give 100%, pulled out of challenges that were in their favour, and the style of football under McCall so far is just absolutely gash to watch. That's now 6 matches he's been in charge and I've yet to see any difference he's made to the team. Of course, it's early days, however, he's brought nothing to the team that a normal punter wouldn't have.

 

An interesting comment, if you don't mind me saying so. Yes, it is very early days - far too early to judge SM. We have to wait until he's had time to bring in his own players and put his own stamp on the team. However, usually when a new manager takes over there's some kind of uplift in a team's confidence and performances. This simply hasn't happened. When you say you haven't noticed any dfference, do you mean compared to Craig Brown's team or Gordon Young's temporary reign?

[WellTiliDie]

Another pish perfomance last night. Probably didn't deserve to lose but we never looked like scoring apart from the goal mouth scramble in the first half which Murphy should have scored from. Soft penalty to lose but it's no coincidence it was Craigan to give it away. 6 penalties i reckon we've conceded this season Craigan giving away 3 and Saunders likewise. 2 of the week links in the defence that need removed.

 

Hateley again was shocking last night with another heartless performance and deserves to get booed for his lack of effort that he has shown this season. So basically put Page in at right back, need a new centre back and get Hateley to fuck.

 

Going to get hammered on Sunday if we play like we did last night.

[Guest]

Think you're being a bit harsh on Craigan and Saunders there. Saunders is what, 19? He's going to make the odd mistake in learning the game. In fairness as well, the penalty against Celtic was a dive and the one last week was just bizarre. Thought Craigan had a pretty good game as well last night.

 

Hateley for me hasn't looked fit at any point this season, which is disappointing given that he had a proper pre-season with the rest of the team. We do really look a bit weary and very low on confidence.

[WellTiliDie]

Think you're being a bit harsh on Craigan and Saunders there. Saunders is what, 19? He's going to make the odd mistake in learning the game. In fairness as well, the penalty against Celtic was a dive and the one last week was just bizarre. Thought Craigan had a pretty good game as well last night.

 

Hateley for me hasn't looked fit at any point this season, which is disappointing given that he had a proper pre-season with the rest of the team. We do really look a bit weary and very low on confidence.

 

Agreed about Saunders but he's better suited at centre back and in the future he and Hutchinson could be a good pairing there. Craigan has been a great servant to the club but he's past it now and should be left to pursue a career in the media come the end of the season.

[milo]

A back 4 of Page - Saunders - Hutchinson - Hammell anyone?

[CrosshillWell]

Surely McCall has to realise, no matter how difficult dropping the captain may be, that Craigan has had his playing career. The fans know it and have done for some time.

 

I was never a fan of Gannon's methods, but he dropped Craigan and the youth did well initially. Given that Page, Hutchison and especially Saunders, now an international, are all much more experienced now than they were they have to be given a chance.