capt_oats Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I'm hoping our new number 2 has helped to make a difference too. IB has been talking about playing a pressing game since he came in, the United game aside, that's the first we've seen it. I think there's definitely something to that. Given we've seen a fairly rapid turnover in staff in the last couple of weeks (new fitness & conditioning coach as well) and the fact that until then IB's been working with McCall's staff and there's been such an obvious disconnect between what he's been saying he wants from the team and what they've actually been doing then you do wonder if the new guy has made a difference. (Obviously having the likes of Pearson & McDonald available is a factor as well) Obviously it's only one game, we're still bottom of the league and all that. However a bit of direction & a system the players are comfortable with would definitely be progress given the past couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 First time I've seen the season start at the end of February - but barring parts of the victory over Utd at Fir Park, that's the first real 90 min performance we've put in. Over the past few years, we've mostly relied on outplaying teams - today, we got in ICT's face and didn't let them play their passing game that's murdered us so far this year. We rode our luck at times, but to win after a blood and snotters game like that was fucking great... McDonald and Pearson were the key for me. McDonald strolled through the game, linked play and had the ICT defenders moaning to the ref after about 15 mins, which is always a good sign. Pearson was arguably even more important as he put in a great performance himself and by doing so, took the onus of Lasley to do everything himself and as a result, we got a vintage performance from him too. A simple 4-4-2 made a huge difference and we may as well stick with that from now on - dropping Sutton (sad as I am to say it) was a good thing to do.... Although all the bottom teams won today - that win and performance will be a massive boost to us and actually brings us into the fight instead of the limp pish we've been producing recently. Must be a repeat next week against Killie.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellfan09 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsy Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Fair result, I reckon. Motherwell were well on top for the first 20 minutes or so, and pressed us very well. We came into a bit more it after that and nullified the early threat to some extent without creating much beyond a couple of long-range punts and Danny Williams' chance, when he was clean through on the Motherwell keeper but allowed the ball to be plucked off his toe. Second half was scrappy, despite all the goals coming in it; the wind and the amount of rain getting onto the pitch probably didn't help. Cracking header for Motherwell's first, but as a couple of people I was with pointed out, that's something like 5 goals from corners that we've failed to clear properly in 4 games; something Hughes needs to look at. Good header from Efere for our equaliser; think Ainsworth's winner maybe took a deflection, but again, our inability to clear our lines and get players out to cover him meant that he had time to make the shot. Our performance level has dipped badly in the last three or four games. Maybe not that surprising, as before today we had only used 18 players all season and it's understandable that a few players are going to start losing their edge. Draper was unusually poor today; I lost count of the number of bad passes he made. Raven was similarly careless, and Shinnie, in the first half in particular, seemed far less willing to run at players than usual, and kept checking back instead of trying to get beyond his man. Ryan Christie can also be frustrating; he's got by a distance the best footballing brain in the side, but sometimes it looks like his mind and his upper body are a second ahead of his feet, and his touch is too light when he tries to take the ball with him. Apparently Ofere has taken some criticism on Twitter; seems very harsh to me. He worked hard, showed a decent first touch at times held the ball up well and tried to bring people in to play, and considering that he must know next to nothing about his teammates, I think he did reasonably well. Could be a decent signing. Obviously I don't know much about the current Motherwell team, but is it fair to say McDonald made a difference? I thought his use of the ball was excellent; in the first half, he was frequently checking back and bringing people into play. He didn't have many chances, but that sort of experience and brain could be invaluable over the rest of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Gorilla Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Highlights of this game on bbc alba just now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny kaltz Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Ya dancer managed to get away fae ma work. Now looking forward to the game. Well to win 2-1 with McDonald and sub Sutton to score. I did predict 2-1and am just back back fae game preparing for ma shift at 6 soon. Best av felt for ages, workrate and quality superb. Pearson, Lasley and the guys up front amazing - brilliant. Whit wiz big Yogi about when Erwin was substituted? Looking forward to ma work soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weirdcal Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Watching the highlights, its clear our defence was honking yesterday, Motherwell pressed the defence on everything and we didn't change the style allowing them to control large parts of the game. Our attack wasn't that great either, Tansey constantly trying the ping and Williams one on one. Efere looked good on the video,made space but a lot of times passes bypassed him. Motherwell deserved that, looked more like Motherwell of last season than this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gianfranco Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I thought Inverness' new striker was pretty good tbh he was holding the ball and linking up pretty well. Looks a decent find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Obviously it's a bit "if your auntie had baws she'd be your uncle" but I keep going back to that save by Long in the 1 v 1. Another day he (or Dan) misjudges that even slightly, he doesn't quite get there, the ICT striker goes down, it's a pen and we're 1 down against the run of play from yet another unforced mistake and (depending on the ref) down to 10 men for the 2nd half. I know he didn't and we weren't but given last week, as abject as we were, the only goal came from a shanked cross that flew over the 'keeper into the top corner I guess there's a lot to be said for these margins. Credit to the players for not completely going to bits when they equalised as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Credit to the players for not completely going to bits when they equalised as well. What I thought was good was that the supporters stayed with the team after we conceded and kept giving them some backing rather than going mental as has been the case recently. It must be pretty obvious to the players that if they show the level of fight that they did yesterday that they'll get a reaction from the support... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Far better yesterday. Lasley had his mojo back. Keeper looks calm/assured. Thought Johnson did well, his legs went as the game went on. McDonald coming off had a negative impact, when he was on we were defending from the front and he was buzzing about the Caley defence. We lost that and started inviting pressure. Pearson was using his experience in midfield. Off the park the Asst Man was continually organising etc, which no doubt helped. Encouraging that still have Thomas etc to rely on as well. A few squeaky bum moments, there was on near the end where I was justwaiting on the net to bulge. A performance like that against Killie will have us going in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'm in a state of shock. I went to a football match yesterday and I actually enjoyed it. I'd genuinely forgotten what it felt like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welldaft Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Motherwell deserved that, looked more like Motherwell of last season than this Which probably surprised us more tbh! That gives me hope as we did look like a football team again and everyone in C&A played well against a very good ICT team. The big Nigerian striker could be a huge success once he becomes fully fit. I hope you go on to make Europe and I think the way United are playing - you will and it will be deserved. I think Caley still have to play St Mirren, so keep up the good work!!! A draw was probably the fair result but we have had little luck this year / season, so will absolutely take the 3 points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuggie_Murray7 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I thought Ramsden was lucky to only get a yellow for his first. It looked a pretty bad tackle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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