Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[AmericanFan]

My MLS team got taken to the woodshed today:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/623316

Edited May 15, 2022 by AmericanFan
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[capt_oats]

9 hours ago, fat_tony said:

Looks like very much the "shitfest the first half, go for it after half time, then hold on for dear life" that is #alexanderball. Although admittedly I'm steaming right now so may be interpreting the data wrong

My main takeaway is that #Alexanderball was generally successful at home but pretty ineffective (I'm being polite) away.

We conceded more goals in the first half of away games than any other half of football this season and scored only 1 (ONE) goal. If the tactic was to "keep it tight" in away games then it simply didn't work.

We scored first in 11 of our 19 home games vs 3 of 19 away (albeit we won 2 of those 3). The opponent was leading at H/T in 15 of our 19 away games vs only 5 of 19 at home.

All these screenshots are from this site btw: https://www.soccerstats.com/team.asp?league=scotland&stats=11-motherwell

Edited May 15, 2022 by capt_oats

[Archie McSquackle]

My MLS team got taken to the woodshed today:
https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/623316

Oh dear. At least Johnny Russell is still scoring.

[ropy]

7 hours ago, tonicg said:

Most improved player award apparently. 
 

To be fair to Barry Maguire, I think he was solid for us until his injury and am I not right in saying said injury almost coincided with the start of our miserable run? 

The coveted ‘you used to be pish’ award 

[welldaft]

At least Alexander confirmed yesterday that the goals against and defence is an area that will need addressing. 

Which is interesting as I believe most of the defence is tied down for next season.

Need to wait to see what happens with Lamie of course. But I genuinely believe as a minimum we need a starting CB and LB and possible back up to SODs if Max is going to take more time to develop. 

 

[capt_oats]

2 hours ago, welldaft said:

At least Alexander confirmed yesterday that the goals against and defence is an area that will need addressing. 

Which is interesting as I believe most of the defence is tied down for next season.

Need to wait to see what happens with Lamie of course. But I genuinely believe as a minimum we need a starting CB and LB and possible back up to SODs if Max is going to take more time to develop. 

Aye, Kelly, Mugabi, Johansen and erm, McGinley all have another 2 years. SOD, Ojala and Carroll have 1 year.

I know it's been the main topic of conversation on here but the difference pre/post winter break raises obvious questions on top of having the 2nd worst goals against record as well.

Pre-break we'd played 20 and conceded 27 so 1.35 gpg conceded.

Post-break we've played 18 and conceded 34 so 1.88 gpg conceded.

It's the same defence, what happened?

This is actually out by a goal (we've conceded 61 not 60, they're missing an away GA) but it's another interesting home/away split. Our home GD is -2 vs an away of -17.

There's probably a broader question in so much as whether it's down to system and shape or individuals etc. We stuck with the 433 and the way we played it put pressure on full backs, we changed bodies in the midfield 3 as well.

Looking at the season we lost 6 games by a 1 goal margin, 6 by a 2 goal margin, 1 by a 3 goal margin (Dundee away) and 3 by 4+ (Rangers x1 and Celtic x2).

Edited May 15, 2022 by capt_oats

[Gianfranco]

Is release day likely to be tomorrow?

[Siwy]

The amount of goals conceded again the old firm is the main  issue.Lets be honest,2 draws with rangers was brilliant,But we have shipped the best part of 25 goals over the season to the old firm.

We seem to fall apart anytime we're near celtic,My opinion is we need to man up and do a Livingston and go there to fight for a draw.Plenty teams no better than us have taken points and positive results against the old firm.

Dundee united ain't any better than us but beat the rangers and took points off celtic!!

Why can't we?This needs addressing as the old firm ain't anything special!It angers me so much the way we are against the old firm.

A new centre half,left back,centre mid,Winger and a striker as a minimum over the summer.

Quality over quantity.

[capt_oats]

58 minutes ago, Gianfranco said:

Is release day likely to be tomorrow?

You'd think it would be. On the face of it it feels pretty straightforward.

The majority of the squad is contracted for next season, even the current cohort of Reserves are on deals to 2023 (Johnston, Campbell etc).

The OOC players are;

• Morrison, Lamie, O'Connor, Grimshaw, Nirennold, O'Hara, Donnelly, Amaluzor, Roberts.
• Shaw (loan expires)

O'Connor and Amaluzor were 1 year contracts (DOC's already back in Ireland going by his IG) while Nirennold and Roberts were short-term to the end of the season. Grimshaw's already had his send off from the Bois and O'Hara's PCA has been reported (if not officially confirmed).

The only real question marks there are Lamie given the clause in his PCA and Donnelly (IMO).

Last year and the curtailed Covid season aside they've generally been published within a couple of days of the final game (in the case of 15/16, the next day).

20/21 - 24th May 2021 (final game was 16th May)
19/20 - 31st May 2020 (final game was 7th March in the curtailed season)
18/19 - 21st May 2019 (final game 18th May)
17/18 - 21st May 2018 (final game 19th May)
16/17 - 22nd May 2017 (final game 20th May)
15/16 - 16th May 2016 (final game 15th May)

Edited May 15, 2022 by capt_oats

[Archie McSquackle]

Aye, Kelly, Mugabi, Johansen and erm, McGinley all have another 2 years. SOD, Ojala and Carroll have 1 year.
I know it's been the main topic of conversation on here but the difference pre/post winter break raises obvious questions on top of having the 2nd worst goals against record as well.
Pre-break we'd played 20 and conceded 27 so 1.35 gpg conceded.
Post-break we've played 18 and conceded 34 so 1.88 gpg conceded.
It's the same defence, what happened?
This is actually out by a goal (we've conceded 61 not 60, they're missing an away GA) but it's another interesting home/away split our home GD is -2 vs an away of -17.

There's probably a broader question in so much as whether it's down to system and shape or individuals etc. We stuck with the 433 and the way we played it put pressure on full backs, we changed bodies in the midfield 3 as well.
Looking at the season we lost 6 games by a 1 goal margin, 6 by a 2 goal margin, 1 by a 3 goal margin (Dundee away) and 3 by 4+ (Rangers x1 and Celtic x2).

Can we not just arrange to offload those now considered deadwood to St. Mirren? I thought that was how it worked.

[ZX1886]

What was the time frame for the hybrid pitch being completed? 2 months?

[Phillips455]

30 minutes ago, ZX1886 said:

What was the time frame for the hybrid pitch being completed? 2 months?

I think its supposed to be 5-6 weeks (but I would assume near the 2 month mark). In theory it should be ready by the first Europa Conference game.

[Gianfranco]

Nice to see Jimmy Scott scoring some goals.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

 

38 minutes ago, Gianfranco said:

Nice to see Jimmy Scott scoring some goals.

I’d probably liken it to Nadir’s last day double in a dead rubber against Accies, but in this thread that would probably be seen as a good thing!

[dezz]

In no way unexpected but that’s Mark O’Hara confirmed he’s away on his IG.

[capt_oats]

22 minutes ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

I’d probably liken it to Nadir’s last day double in a dead rubber against Accies, but in this thread that would probably be seen as a good thing!

[Alanos]

My views on the state of the squad.

As widely reported elsewhere, these are the OOC players:

• Justin Amaluzor
• Liam Donnelly
• Liam Grimshaw
• Ricki Lamie (pre-contract signed with Dundee)
• PJ Morrison
• Victor Nirennold
• Darragh O’Connor
• Mark O'Hara (pre-contract signed with St Mirren)
• Jordan Roberts
• Liam Shaw (end of loan)

Happy to see them all out of the door. Perhaps offer O’Connor an extension if he’s progressed while out on loan.

From the contracted squad, if split into keep, not fussed and please move.

Keep

• Dean Cornelius
• Max Johnston
• Liam Kelly
• Bevis Mugabe
• Stephen O'Donnell
• Connor Shields
• Callum Slattery
• Ross Tierney
• Kevin van Veen
• Kaiyne Woolery 

Not fussed (Squad players)

• Scott Fox
• Barry Maguire
• Robbie Mahon
• Nathan McGinley
• Juhani Ojala (Needs a decent pre-season. If no improvement, move out)
• Sondre Solholm Johansen (Needs a decent pre-season. If no improvement, move out)

Would be happy to see out the door (If any takers)

• Jake Carroll
• Joe Efford
• Sean Goss

So, for next season, I feel we need

• at least 1 Centre Back, maybe 2 depending on Ojala & Jojansen. 
• a Left Back/Left wing back
• 1 holding midfielder/ ball winner.
• 1 creative midfielder 
• 1 striker as backup to van Veen
• 1 attacker who can play left or right when we go 4-3-3.

I’d happily play 4-3-3 at home and 5-3-2 away.

[capt_oats]

We usually do one of those wee end of season review type things on the socials with Burrows or the manager.

Appreciate that we've learned that pretty much everything Alexander says publicly should be taken with a crate of salt but it'd be interesting to hear what the general position is.

@welldaft referenced it a couple of pages ago but identifying that the the defence needs fixed and we need to improve aspects of the squad is a pretty good start IMO. On a basic level I'd agree with him that we have the nucleus of a good squad.

Quote

"We can't just focus on European football. We need to strengthen and remember the league programme as well. You will see the other big clubs at this level improving a lot.

"They will spend a lot of money so we need to work exceptionally hard to improve what we have if we want to stay as competitive as we have been this season.

"We have quite a lot of contracted players, lads for the future, lads for now. But we have to improve. 

"There are certain things in our results that we have to get better at. We have done a lot of good things this season but we have always been aware of where we need to be better. So if we can improve certain aspects of our squad and our team then we have to do that. I feel we have a nucleus of a good squad." 

"Our defensive record is not good enough,” he said. “Plain and simple.

"We have scored a lot of goals this season but we have to look at the structure, how we set up, a lot of things, but the goals against, if you look over the course of the season, have hurt us a little but so we have to look at that."

Link

[ropy]

Do folk on here go to the Player of the Year things.  I’ve always assumed it’s the same 100 souls that turn up to every event the club puts on.  I’ve never considered it, possibly because I don’t live in the town (any more).  Am I missing out?

[Ludo*1]

Any update regarding Lamie yet?