Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[santheman]

25 minutes ago, Gianfranco said:

Bevis has signed a new one year deal and I don’t know how I feel about it. I don’t really see him as a regular starter personally although I’ll admit he’s improved a lot this season.

I'd rather have someone that we know what they're capable of even if it's for a backup than some random we don't who could turn out to be not as good.

GA seems to think that he'll improve further and is a good guy around the dressing room so that'll do for me.

[Gianfranco]

I'd rather have someone that we know what they're capable of even if it's for a backup than some random we don't who could turn out to be not as good.
GA seems to think that he'll improve further and is a good guy around the dressing room so that'll do for me.

I don’t disagree to be fair.

[dezz]

I didn’t imagine I’d have been saying this 9 months ago but I’m quite pleased about big Bevis signing on.

He’s definitely improved over his time with us and has shown when he gets a sustained run in the team that he’s capable at this level. Also didn’t realise he was only 25, I had it in my head he was 29-30 so still a few years till he theoretically reaches his peak at a centre half.

['WellDel]

47 minutes ago, santheman said:

I'd rather have someone that we know what they're capable of even if it's for a backup than some random we don't who could turn out to be not as good.

GA seems to think that he'll improve further and is a good guy around the dressing room so that'll do for me.

Aye, he definitely has his limitations, but has proven at times that he can be a competent, no-frills defender at this level if played in the right formation and with the right players around him. 

I would imagine that Alexander was promised free reign to shape his own side for the new season. If he thinks the big man will be useful to keep around and can develop further , that's fair enough with me. 

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, santheman said:

I'd rather have someone that we know what they're capable of even if it's for a backup than some random we don't who could turn out to be not as good.

GA seems to think that he'll improve further and is a good guy around the dressing room so that'll do for me.

For all I'm fully on board with @Al B's scorched earth suggestion from a couple of weeks back and just launching absolutely everyone and starting from scratch I think, in practice, this is probably where I am as well.

We have a budget and chances are it's going to be a lucky dip when it comes to squad players - which is ultimately what Mugabi is - so chances are it's better to stick with someone where we know what we're getting. I'd say that for the most part when he's struggled a bit this season it's when we were shoving him into areas he obvious he wasn't comfortable (left side of the CB pair) and asking him to do things that's just not his game (playing the ball out from the back).

It still seems a bit wild to me that this will be Bev's 3rd contract given he was originally brought in as a short term fix to cover Charlie Dunne's injury.

Ultimately the key signings are going to be the ones to replace the underperforming shitehawks around the squad *looks in the general direction of Gallagher, Polworth, and Long* along with guys like McGinley who for whatever reason haven't settled.

Edited April 1, 2021 by capt_oats

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Given the amount of fucking idiots we've had at centre back in recent years I'm absolutely happy with Bevis hanging about as a relatively trustworthy deputy.

[Guest superward]

Think everyone is going to be disappointed by the looks of it when Bev is playing as a first choice centre half next season!  

Im happy he's signed up - improved a lot. If he can sort his dodgy shoulders he will keep improving. 

Edited April 1, 2021 by superward

[capt_oats]

Contracted for next season (12):
GK: Carson, Morrison
DF: Grimshaw, Carroll, Lamie, McGinley, Mugabi
MF: O'Hara, Maguire, Donnelly
FW: Watt, Lawleff

OOC (15)
GK: Fox, Chapman
DF: Dunne, Gallagher, O'Donnell
MF: Campbell, Crawford, Polworth, Semple, Cornelius, Foley
FW: Long, Seedorf, Robinson, Cole

Loans Expire (6):
GK: Kelly
DF: Nolan, Magloire
MF: N/A
FW: Hastie, Smith, Roberts

AFAIK all the Reserves are OOC as well (11).

Edited April 1, 2021 by capt_oats

[Swami]

27 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Contracted for next season (12):
GK: Carson, Morrison
DF: Grimshaw, Carroll, Lamie, McGinley, Mugabi
MF: O'Hara, Maguire, Donnelly
FW: Watt, Lawleff

OOC (15)
GK: Fox, Chapman
DF: Dunne, Gallagher, O'Donnell
MF: Campbell, Crawford, Polworth, Semple, Cornelius, Foley
FW: Long, Seedorf, Robinson, Cole

Loans Expire (6):
GK: Kelly
DF: Nolan, Magloire
MF: N/A
FW: Hastie, Smith, Roberts

AFAIK all the Reserves are OOC as well (11).

Fucking hell, I’d completely forgotten we still had Jake Hastie. Thanks a bunch. 

[one m in Motherwell]

Aside from Campbell (who’s a cert to be away anyway) and Cole (who probably will be) there isn’t really anyone from that OOC list that I’d be bothered about leaving.

With how vast the squad is/was this season I reckon we’d only be looking at what, 10-odd coming in? Wild.

[capt_oats]

2 hours ago, one m in Motherwell said:

Aside from Campbell (who’s a cert to be away anyway) and Cole (who probably will be) there isn’t really anyone from that OOC list that I’d be bothered about leaving.

With how vast the squad is/was this season I reckon we’d only be looking at what, 10-odd coming in? Wild.

Aye, someone who was paying more attention than me to Alexander's wee pitch during the AGM might be able to remember but IIRC he was talking about wanting his first team squad down to about 22 or so - which is fair enough.

It'd mean bringing in/re-signing 10 and cutting loose 11 (inc. loans) from the current squad assuming no one swoops in for any of our under contract stars. I mean, I understand the reasons why the squad is as big but those are just hilarious numbers.

Realistically there's as much clean slate potential for Alexander as he wants there to be this summer.

Edited April 1, 2021 by capt_oats

[Gianfranco]

What are the odds of there actually being a reserve league next season? I can’t see it myself. I reckon all of those guys could be let go.

[ropy]

4 hours ago, dezz said:

I didn’t imagine I’d have been saying this 9 months ago but I’m quite pleased about big Bevis signing on.

He’s definitely improved over his time with us and has shown when he gets a sustained run in the team that he’s capable at this level. Also didn’t realise he was only 25, I had it in my head he was 29-30 so still a few years till he theoretically reaches his peak at a centre half.

The for me too.  Get his shoulder strapped/pinned and get him back on the pitch.

[ropy]

5 hours ago, santheman said:

I'd rather have someone that we know what they're capable of even if it's for a backup than some random we don't who could turn out to be not as good.

GA seems to think that he'll improve further and is a good guy around the dressing room so that'll do for me.

Aye, he seems a nice guy!

[KirkySuperSub]

28 minutes ago, ropy said:

Aye, he seems a nice guy!

And actually wants to be here...

Could do worse.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

There's no doubt he came across as a thoroughly sound chap in the Inside Motherwell videos he's been on and before his injury he was beginning to make improvements, but for me, this still means that Mugabi and Lamie will be two of our centre backs next season. Part of me thinks we should be aiming a wee bit higher than that. 

 

[capt_oats]

Going by the players who are currently under contract this is probably how it looks at the moment for next season IMHO:

Assuming none of them sign up you'd be looking at replacements for these positions/players;

O'Donnell, Gallagher, Campbell, Crawford, Polworth, Hastie, Roberts, Seedorf, Cole. Long.

IIRC the chat was that McGinley was planned to have been our left sided centre back once Carroll was fit again but that clearly didn't happen so there's a chance that we'll be looking for an entirely new CB pair. I mean, I could just be projecting on that but it feels like that IMO.

For avoidance of doubt I'm not entirely sold on O'Hara as a first pick but here we are  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Edited April 2, 2021 by capt_oats

[well fan for life]

Let's be honest we're needing a keeper as well. Carson's knees being made of weetabix and sellotape worries me and I don't want to wind up with another Chapman.

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, well fan for life said:

Let's be honest we're needing a keeper as well. Carson's knees being made of weetabix and sellotape worries me and I don't want to wind up with another Chapman.

Aye, carrying 2 first team keepers who were legitimately good in Carson and Gillespie was a quirk that was always going to be rectified but with his DVT and knee knack it puts Carson in an awkward position as it's a medium sized elephant in the room now (through no fault of his own),

I'd imagine that the drop off from Carson to Fox would have been noticeable this season anyway let alone us having to scramble for Chapman and him imploding at NDP (I'm still v.aware that we actually picked up more points with the Pieman in goals than Archer despite the latter objectively being a "better" goalkeeper).

Having said that and without wanting to tempt fate the fact that we've been able to go Carson > Gillespie > Kelly actually feels like a better run of first choice goalkeeper recruitment compared to McCall after he lost Randolph.

Edited April 2, 2021 by capt_oats

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

There’s Robbie Crawford signed a deal for next season too.