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Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons


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6 minutes ago, Yorky said:

They certainly need more goals I’m just still not sure the right player is Watt. The’ve looked at the leagues leading goalscorer and jumped in without really looking at his career as a whole, we’re the only club he’s really been a success with and that took quite a while to happen. Even some of the United fans recognise this could be a good wedge of money for someone that’s just as likely to return to the player he was before joining us.

I would agree with that, even out with this season he wasn't a goal scorer for us, was it 4 last season, albeit with a lot of assists. 

On top of that 2 or 3 of his goals this season have been penalties which levels with him van veen, the utd and hibs goals are pure confidence strikes, which I don't think we would have seen seasons gone by.

I am a huge Watt fan, his application has been spot on since signing however I am trying to convince myself that his loss isn't the end of the world.

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49 minutes ago, Mr. Alli said:

Why? 

He still has a house here and her parents both live here too. I'm sure he only moved north about 6 months ago himself. 

More to do with the team he is going to and how he was a cock forcing a move from us.

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9 hours ago, Busta Nut said:

More to do with the team he is going to and how he was a cock forcing a move from us.

You have to say, turning it around from being Scotland's centre half to being Dundee's centre half in a 12 month period is pretty good going.

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12 hours ago, Neil86 said:

There is definitely players at utd I'd take, it's the ones they won't part with though. 

Courts has been on record saying they are desperate for strikers, so clark seems unlikely.

I think the reason they need strikers is Clark's form. Looking at his stats, he's scored 2 in 19 this season and although he got a fairly respectable 8 last season, he only got 1 in the second half of last season, so he's essentially gone a full season's worth of games with 3 goals.

If they were to go from having to play a misfiring Clark, to then having the league's top scorer and a fit again Marc McNulty (albeit he didn't have a great season last year), then that would probably be a result for them.

I don't want us to enter a compromise where Clark is the bait, but to be fair Alexander does have a decent record of getting goals from strikers who don't score.

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1 hour ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

I think the reason they need strikers is Clark's form. Looking at his stats, he's scored 2 in 19 this season and although he got a fairly respectable 8 last season, he only got 1 in the second half of last season, so he's essentially gone a full season's worth of games with 3 goals.

If they were to go from having to play a misfiring Clark, to then having the league's top scorer and a fit again Marc McNulty (albeit he didn't have a great season last year), then that would probably be a result for them.

I don't want us to enter a compromise where Clark is the bait, but to be fair Alexander does have a decent record of getting goals from strikers who don't score.

I think it was @Swello referenced it the other day but with the change in strategy it's difficult to square settling for someone like Nicky Clark with the new approach.

I was having a look back at the recruitment stuff the club put out when Daws was announced and also the video that went up post-deadline day and none of this says "Sure, we'll happily take whatever dross Tam Courts is trying to punt.":

Quote

"“What we need to have options in every available market. You don’t have to have the biggest budget, but you can be smart with it, while ensuring you’re in the market for the best players possible for our club.

“We will make the right decisions, not rushed decisions, and ensure we get the best players we can."

Link

Quote

"We set out right at the start to aim high, to pitch for players that we may have thought we wouldn't have got previously, to explore markets that we may not have explored as actively in previous seasons and to invest in infrastructure that has allowed this to happen."

Spoiler

 

Edited by capt_oats
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For me, there’s no anyone in that Utd team that I would take - not anyone they’d be willing to let go of anyway - so I hope we hold out for the money if Watt is to leave this month.
Assuming Watt goes and we extend Roberts loan, I’d still like us to bring someone in as another central striking option, most likely on loan. KVV, Shields, Woollery and Roberts as our options up top are decent with Amaluzor as back up, but an injury (or more likely suspension) for Van Veen and we’re very light for a central striker.

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19 minutes ago, well fan for life said:

I don't think the departure of Watt leaves us entirely up shit creek, pinning all our hopes on Nicky Clark turning up with a paddle. Like I can't see us having a repeat of STRAKER DAY where we throw a load of shit at the wall and hope some of it sticks.

Not even close to being up shit creek, we’ve lost better than Watt, even in my time watching the club. He had a few good months which could just as easily then gone into a few lean months, he’s that kind of player. I don’t think Shields is being given enough credit for the player he could become, he’s very hard working and from what I’ve seen has a decent amount of technical ability. He could turn out a better investment than Watt if he continues to develop, he’s still young and new to this level.

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1 hour ago, fat_tony said:
3 hours ago, thisGRAEME said:
You have to say, turning it around from being Scotland's centre half to being Dundee's centre half in a 12 month period is pretty good going.

Aberdeen FC. Where Motherwell players go to die.

George Murray headed up there in 1968, played 89 games and became their caretaker manager, so it can be done.

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58 minutes ago, Yorky said:

Not even close to being up shit creek, we’ve lost better than Watt, even in my time watching the club. He had a few good months which could just as easily then gone into a few lean months, he’s that kind of player. I don’t think Shields is being given enough credit for the player he could become, he’s very hard working and from what I’ve seen has a decent amount of technical ability. He could turn out a better investment than Watt if he continues to develop, he’s still young and new to this level.

Completely agree on Shields. He has all the attributes of power, pace and tenacity that are required at this level, and given a decent run of games I think he will prove to be a very good signing. 

However, given Van Veen's propensity for rash challenges and daft decisions, he'll be sure to rack up more time on the sidelines through suspension so another experienced head to replace Watt will probably now be high on Alexander's wish list, whether he might say so or not. 

 

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1 hour ago, Yorky said:

Not even close to being up shit creek, we’ve lost better than Watt, even in my time watching the club. He had a few good months which could just as easily then gone into a few lean months, he’s that kind of player. I don’t think Shields is being given enough credit for the player he could become, he’s very hard working and from what I’ve seen has a decent amount of technical ability. He could turn out a better investment than Watt if he continues to develop, he’s still young and new to this level.

Aye, I mean Tony has been smashing.

When you think about the circumstances in how he arrived at the club we were 3rd but had just lost Cole back to Wigan, sold Scott to Hull and Long was Chris Long. He'd sacked off CSKA and hadn't kicked a ball in about 2 month (and it showed). We've been good for him, he's been good for us.

Fair play to him he got his head down over the shutdown. He's probably in the best shape of his career at the moment, was deservedly our POTY last season and his 6 months this season have been better than I think anyone would reasonably expected. Him moving to United still feels very weird and he feels like big shoes to fill.

But when you look at our forwards/strikers of the past 10 years: Higdon, Moult, McDonald, Sutton, Ojamaa, Murphy etc then Watt feels likes he's a distance from being irreplaceable. Even last summer people were freaking out about "how do we replace Devante Cole's goals"...no one was talking about Tony Watt being that guy and it's an inconvenient truth that Van Veen has a (slightly) better goals per minute than Watt at the moment (and is also in the top 5 scorers in the league).

515427561_ScreenShot2022-01-04at12_11_38.thumb.png.35956ad17f1927321d49c909d5fec6e3.png

Edited by capt_oats
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Another thing that makes me feel at ease about Watt's departure is that him and Van Veen have never been on song at the same point. It seems to be that you get one on form or the other.

There hasn't been a game where both have been involved in a goal, neither have assisted or scored on a day where the other has.

I'm not suggesting for a minute that had Watt gone on the summer, Van Veen would be sitting on sixteen goals at the minute, but both seem to have egos which thrive on being the main man, so maybe we will get more conistency out of Van Veen with Watt gone.

Also worth noting that Van Veen's better goals per minute ratio before you take into consideration that two of Watt's goals were penalties.

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27 minutes ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

Another thing that makes me feel at ease about Watt's departure is that him and Van Veen have never been on song at the same point. It seems to be that you get one on form or the other.

I think this is spot on. Its been well reported on here that van Veen was effectively brought in to replace Watt (as he had a deal lined up down south). For whatever reason, it didn't happen and we've had a fair return from the pair of them. 

Should Watt go in January (either Utd stump up the cash or we keep him. f**k this swap idea), I'd be going for a player who can play wide left (who's been keeping tabs on Gboly!?). I think van Veen should be our nailed on central striker, and Shields can do a job when KvV is out suspended. 

When is our next game, btw? Is the cup game v Morton? I've lost all track. 

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I said as much on Steelmen but I'd definitely be looking for a wide forward to play off the left of Van Veen rather than compete with him for the central position. James Scott hasn't set the heather alight for Hibs, but I know we were linked with him in the summer, which makes sense if we had half an eye on Watt leaving. Scott's already played for Hull and Hibs this season so wouldn't be an option, but I'd be looking for someone in that mould if possible.

I suppose the issue is that Van Veen will inevitably miss a few games due to injury/radgeness and I don't fully trust Shields to lead the line for any significant period of time yet. Maybe Tierney could play CF at a push but everything I've read seems to suggest he's an 8 playing as a 10 rather than a 10 that could potentially become a 9, if that makes sense.

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2 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

James Scott hasn't set the heather alight for Hibs

For the record, I had totally forgotten that Scott was at Hibs..

Anyway - it must be near the time that we sign Devante Cole - it's been at least 6 months.

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22 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

I said as much on Steelmen but I'd definitely be looking for a wide forward to play off the left of Van Veen rather than compete with him for the central position. James Scott hasn't set the heather alight for Hibs, but I know we were linked with him in the summer, which makes sense if we had half an eye on Watt leaving. Scott's already played for Hull and Hibs this season so wouldn't be an option, but I'd be looking for someone in that mould if possible.

I suppose the issue is that Van Veen will inevitably miss a few games due to injury/radgeness and I don't fully trust Shields to lead the line for any significant period of time yet. Maybe Tierney could play CF at a push but everything I've read seems to suggest he's an 8 playing as a 10 rather than a 10 that could potentially become a 9, if that makes sense.

Interesting that's the player at Hibs you flagged as 'wide forward to play off the left' given there's another really obvious one there whose contract is up in the summer (and who has actually made more appearances than I expected for someone whose knee is held together by sellotape).

Not that I'm advocating signing him more that he was pretty much the first player I thought of given Maloney seems to be having a bit of an overhaul.

Edited by capt_oats
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