Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

['WellDel]

5 minutes ago, No_Problemo said:

League one being his level is clearly nonsense. We’ll have him back - cheers! 

Take him, please. Keep up the form you've started with and league 1 will be the level soon enough. 

[No_Problemo]

1 minute ago, 'WellDel said:

Take him, please. Keep up the form you've started with and league 1 will be the level soon enough. 

With one point from six, the exact same as Motherwell - without the getting laughably pumped by Airdrie in the league cup part too. 

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, Ludo*1 said:

To be fair, it looks like shite football is a trademark of Alexander. The type that will get results but the fans will hate the whole period and then miss him when he's gone.

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, Gary Neville mentioned how his one big regret of last season was punting Alexander because he didn't enjoy the football.

As much as you were horrendous yesterday, if you were just getting minutes in the legs for some, and not taking it too seriously (rightly or wrongly) then over the score there's not too much to worry about except a lack of excitement.

Despite being fucking awful, you still created 2 chances (one through massive slice of fortune admittedly) which on another day could have been one of those days of absolute daylight robbery. That sort of something out of nothing usually clicks enough over the course of a season to see teams safe. 

Add in the potential brilliance of Van Veen and Liam Kelly and it's not all doom and gloom.

Aye, from my POV I'm not having a heads gone over it it just feels like it's another opportunity to progress in the cup chucked (given our record against Dundee) and the kicker is that it seems to have been wilful as a result of having a bit too much faith in the "squad" to get a job done and a feeling that we've been using the LC as a means to rotate the squad. In his post-match Alexander even refers to the group games as "pre-season", which I suppose it technically is but it's a bit of a tell.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a case of Alexander not taking it "seriously", or not being bothered about winning he absolutely would have as I'd imagine he's got "League Cup Run" in his list of KPI's from the board.

Last season under Robinson we were 1-0 up against St Johnstone at the same stage and chucked that with 2 mistakes, the season before we were put out at the same stage by a Hearts side who were relegated with 8 games to go and we didn't lose to in the league.

It really is just another "kick in the nuts".

We're clearly still in the market for players and the likes of Kelly, Van Veen and Slattery have all at the very least shown the potential of being good signings so I'm not going to get bent out of shape about our transfer business at the moment. In fact if it could be sped up a bit that would be absolutely smashing thank you very much.

As an interesting factoid, of the starting XI today 6 were at the club when Alexander was appointed and it's difficult to imagine he had much to do with Lawleff being brought in given he arrived inside a week while Alexander was still getting his feet under the desk.

Edited August 15, 2021 by capt_oats

[Busta Nut]

I have been saying this all summer but I have no fucking clue what Alexander is doin with the midfield. Not a fucking clue.

Just allowing 100 crosses a game is fucking nuts too.

['WellDel]

2 minutes ago, No_Problemo said:

With one point from six, the exact same as Motherwell - without the getting laughably pumped by Airdrie in the league cup part too. 

Ach, the Airdrie debacle hopefully at least served to make sure Crawford's days with us are numbered, as well as giving our poor neighbours their day in the sun. An, in the end, meaningless victory since they never progressed being one of their most memorable achievements in over 20 years. Best of luck to them.

For us, over 30 years in the top flight, we'll continue to be Scotland's most consistent wee team, whilst aspiring to have dross like Crawford will keep you where you deserve to be.

Your seafront and the Wellington chippy are decent though.

[KirkySuperSub]

It's mental how, in my time supporting since late 80's, the odd (really) bad season aside, we've generally floated between the top 3 to 6, or between the bottom 7 to 10, without being massively at perilous risk of the drop, league reconstruction aside.

That said, the last few seasons, as a fan who hasn't been to the games as much as previous and would like, Covid aside, I can't help but think there's a massive over estimation of what is expected from a Motherwell team in this period.

We won a cup in 1991. Prior to that was 52...(54?)...sorry can't mind right now.

We've had a few finals since, all to the top team(s) in the country at the time.

Folks are comparing us to St. Johnstone last season.

Every small / provincial team in every league in every country could do that.

They had a team, manager and set of circumstances come together that was a once in a lifetime situation.

I'm 47, I could live to be 147 and that will never happen again.

That aside, us, we want the best of what we can achieve as a team. After a small glimmer from the Hibs game to kick the season off, it's reverted back to type.

Where's it gonna end...I'll admit, I bought into the GA hype at the start...I'm still there, I'm still onside, but the weekly wankword bingo soundbites after every game are getting tedious. 

Think I'm just annoyed that my Scottish Cup Winners bet is looking farcical already and it's only the second week of the season!!

 

•  

[Lobby Dossar]

As long as we keep playing Maguire and Donnelly in a midfield 3 this team is never going to get any better

[YassinMoutaouakil]

7 hours ago, No_Problemo said:

League one being his level is clearly nonsense. We’ll have him back - cheers! 

"Robbie Crawford isn't League One level, he'd start for the team that finished 8th in the Championship!'

[YassinMoutaouakil]

9 hours ago, Desp said:

Not a clue what Woolery is meant to be offering here. 

Absolute dug meat and will not do. 

I stupidly assumed that because he wasn't built like the side of a fiver he'd be more effective than our usual anywhere across the front three options but so far he just looks like Seedorf or Hylton on steroids. Even Amaluzor seems to have a bit more about him right now.

Edited August 15, 2021 by YassinMoutaouakil

[Allroy for Prez]

It was put to me last night that the team could easily carry a Lamie, a Crawford, a Maguire, a Donnelly, a Mugabi, a Grimshaw but not have most of them starting every week. It’s really no surprise we look how we look considering that’s the case.

I have a horrible feeling we won’t see the required signings and we’re going to go with what we have. 
 

 

[capt_oats]

8 minutes ago, Allroy for Prez said:

It was put to me last night that the team could easily carry a Lamie, a Crawford, a Maguire, a Donnelly, a Mugabi, a Grimshaw but not have most of them starting every week. It’s really no surprise we look how we look considering that’s the case.

Whoever said that definitely sounds like an extremely smart and incredibly cool guy.

In fairness, Alexander's said we're still looking to make signings, Burrows has said we'll be signing more players so there's no reason to disbelieve them and without knowing who we're actually speaking to then it's difficult to judge one way or another whether they will or won't be what we need.

Ultimately, with the squad as it is and everybody fit, our "best" starting XI probably only includes a couple of the players who folk may consider weaker links.

[MP_MFC]

Problem with still making signings when the leagues have started mean that they’re likely to either be loans or freebies who will take a while to get up to speed - you want and need your players at this level to get in early and get acclimated to the Scottish game.

We are desperate for another centre half, another two midfielders and another 2 forwards. I doubt we even get 50% of that.

[Lobby Dossar]

33 minutes ago, MP_MFC said:

Problem with still making signings when the leagues have started mean that they’re likely to either be loans or freebies who will take a while to get up to speed - you want and need your players at this level to get in early and get acclimated to the Scottish game.

We are desperate for another centre half, another two midfielders and another 2 forwards. I doubt we even get 50% of that.

Yip … … that served us well last season - - NOT 

[Ron Aldo]

As long as we keep playing Maguire and Donnelly in a midfield 3 this team is never going to get any better

I'm prepared to give Donnelly the benefit of the doubt (for now). If/when he gets to his pre-injury level then he's a very good player for this level.

Maguire I agree with. I've said it before but he doesn't look particularly bad - he just isn't very good and offers very little other than the simple 5 yard pass.

[Lobby Dossar]

17 minutes ago, Ron Aldo said:

I'm prepared to give Donnelly the benefit of the doubt (for now). If/when he gets to his pre-injury level then he's a very good player for this level.

Maguire I agree with. I've said it before but he doesn't look particularly bad - he just isn't very good and offers very little other than the simple 5 yard pass.

So do we keep playing Donnelly in the hope that he gets back to his pre-injury level ?? 

To date he’s been way off the pace required at this level. 

[No_Problemo]

2 hours ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

"Robbie Crawford isn't League One level, he'd start for the team that finished 8th in the Championship!'

Not quite what I said - he was a top end championship player before moving up a level. That may be a slight hint that he isn’t a league one level player. Not sure quoting league positions after two games is the brightest either. 

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, Ron Aldo said:

I'm prepared to give Donnelly the benefit of the doubt (for now). If/when he gets to his pre-injury level then he's a very good player for this level.

Maguire I agree with. I've said it before but he doesn't look particularly bad - he just isn't very good and offers very little other than the simple 5 yard pass.

Aye, in the list of players I have concerns about at the moment Donnelly isn't even close to bothering the top end. (It's Stevie Lawleff who's currently #1 in my Ari Gold GTFO list in case anyone is wondering).

Equally Maguire is someone I'm happy enough to have around the squad but asking him to start every week and play the role he's being asked to (whatever it is) definitely isn't the one.

1 hour ago, Lobby Dossar said:

So do we keep playing Donnelly in the hope that he gets back to his pre-injury level ?? 

To date he’s been way off the pace required at this level. 

It depends who else we're looking at. How true it was IDK but we were one of the teams quoted as having had an interest in Odoffin who plays in the same area of the park as Donnelly, arguably even the same role as Donnelly.

It's academic now given he signed for Rotherham but let's say it's true that we were interested it suggests it's an area of the park we're looking at.

Edited August 15, 2021 by capt_oats

['WellDel]

Reflecting again on yesterday's shambles/shitshow/clusterfuck of a showing....

Since Alexander's come in, there's been a change of direction in the way the first team recruitment is being run. The scouting department has changed to people he has worked with previously, and the new recruits, for the first time in a long time, are being tied down to longer contracts.(some we've paid actual cash money for, too). It's fair to say there's been a change to 'the model' and that's not necessarily a bad thing, imo.

This is obviously an area on which he'd sold his vision for taking the team forward, and one which the club have agreed with when taking him onboard - a smaller squad, with more quality and a level of stability and continuity.

Time will tell if his signings and plans will deliver what he's promised, but at the same time, to buy into it, surely the club must have stipulated their main objectives each season which he must try to attain, namely a stab at top 6 and a decent run in the cups.

Therefore, whether his squad for the season is complete yet or not, I'd like to think that Burrows will be summoning him to his office tomorrow like a schoolboy going to the headmaster, to ask him what in lumping fùck he was actually thinking from the second he announced his starting 11, right through til we limped lamely out at full time, failing miserably on his first objective in the process.

[Allroy for Prez]

Next 2 games are massive for us. We absolutely need a couple of players in but also minimum 4 points from them.

If we’re still sitting on 1 point come September folks patience is going to be in short supply even at this early stage of proceedings.

[Busta Nut]

Can someone tell me what our midfield is supposed to be doing? They just never seem in the game. (I missed yesterday)