Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Kapowzer]

All this talk of a threadbare squad, looking at the starting line up, it's not too far off the best 11 players in our squad at full strength, while there may not be many options from the bench to offer alternatives I'm not fully buying that argument.

I agree Kelly has been wanting but I think he's above average in my time supporting Motherwell. In the past decade we've been mostly spoiled between the sticks. I would say his performances since last Christmas aren't anywhere near those before. I think he's a good shot stopper and clangers are not common but for me he doesn't have the commanding stature I look for in a keeper to instil confidence in the defensive line ahead of him. No issues with him barking orders but thats down to him being a gobby roaster at times.

You don't get a move from a middle of the road SPFL team to the Championship unless you've got something about you (Dykes, Campbell).

He was excellent under Alexander and one of a few who he managed to get a tune out of (Tony, Cole, etc.). His introduction was helped immensely by the alternative which was Chapman but in fairness he didn't disappoint and played a part in keeping us up and into Europe.

While the parry would make any goalkeeping coach cringe, I'm more concerned about the 2 St Johnstone players chilling out, discussing who's gonna slot it home while waiting for it to drop like it was a pre-season friendly.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

2 hours ago, ropy said:

I don’t know if Matt Penney is likely to stick around after Christmas but asking if he has any mates wouldn’t be the worst shout.

He will be here for ~15 years then, after a string of poor successors, take over as manager. With mixed success. Then sign a good left back.

Edited November 13, 2022 by YassinMoutaouakil

[welldaft]

9 hours ago, ropy said:

I don’t know if Matt Penney is likely to stick around after Christmas but asking if he has any mates wouldn’t be the worst shout.

He is in the press this morning. Says he is enjoying his time, but non committal on staying beyond January.

I guess the fact he has played most games and has done reasonably well means Ipswich may want him back or he may go elsewhere either on loan or for a fee.  The fact they are 2nd in League One may count in our favour. Certainly hope so as he has been a very decent addition and one of our best performers since he arrived. 

[thisGRAEME]

8 hours ago, Busta Nut said:

Meh, I am defo over him. He's making saves but directing the ball into the middle of the box on an alarmingly regular basis. Goals are scored when you'd expect him to do better anaw.

Sure he makes a decent save for the cameras every 3 games, aye.

Agreed. He now feels like he's regressing rather than improving tbh. I appreciate our defence is.. struggling, but;

Wright yesterday

Hallidays second right across him

Hesitant against Miovski

These all feel like saves he'd have made a year ago.

[CoF]

9 hours ago, Kapowzer said:

All this talk of a threadbare squad, looking at the starting line up, it's not too far off the best 11 players in our squad at full strength, while there may not be many options from the bench to offer alternatives I'm not fully buying that argument.

Maybe threadbare isn't the right word when the starting 11 is generally fine, but the lack of options is a real problem. We can't have a plan B when things aren't going to plan. We've nothing to bring onto a tiring opposition. Competition for places is non existent which is never healthy. All of that is part of winning games. 

It's also precarious - we're one injury away from relying on a CB pairing of Bevis and Sol, or using Shields at the target man. Fine for a game or two, but long term and our season would be fucked. 

[Casagolda]

18 hours ago, Swami said:

This defence is terrifying just now. 

What chance do they have?

This is St Johnstone’s goal. One ball clipped forward and they’re outnumbered 5 on 4. Look at that gap, Wotherspoon actually plays the initial pass out wide and then practically walks from the centre circle into our box completely unopposed. 

Like I said last week, Sol and Lamie are being asked to do a lot of heavy lifting. For the most part yesterday, I thought they both played well and done a good job of keeping Clark/May quiet. Sods has been decent since he came back in and Penney has generally been pretty good. 

However with little to no protection in front of them as well as Kelly who looks indecisive and flappy as f**k behind them, it’s no wonder they struggle at times. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by Casagolda

[capt_oats]

47 minutes ago, Casagolda said:

What chance do they have?

This is St Johnstone’s goal. One ball clipped forward and they’re outnumbered 5 on 4. Look at that gap, Wotherspoon actually plays the initial pass out wide and then practically walks from the centre circle into our box completely unopposed. 

Like I said last week, Sol and Lamie are being asked to do a lot of heavy lifting. For the most part yesterday, I thought they both played well and done a good job of keeping Clark/May quiet. Sods has been decent since he came back in and Penney has generally been pretty good. 

However with little to no protection in front of them as well as Kelly who looks indecisive and flappy as f**k behind them, it’s no wonder they struggle at times. 

Something that had occurred to me, and it's by no means an original thought, is that you can probably put us having changed system in the way that we have on us looking as messy, ragged...call it what you want.

We've gone from playing the Alexanderball 433 into a 4231 mid-season with an inexperienced manager and assistant. That's not a criticism of either Hammell or Kerr but it feels like it actually accounts for a lot of what we're seeing in terms of organisation (or lack of) on the park.

Prior to Hammell, when was the last time we had a 4231 as our default shape? The McCall era?

[Swello]

We must be the  most open team in the league - and we've gone from being the polar opposite under GA in a very short space of time. I've been watching some parts of games through my fingers over the past couple of months but I still can't honestly say if it's by accident or design that we have conceded relatively few goals despite being on a fairly dire run of results. Despite having very little defensive capability in midfield - we are not getting pumped by anyone, even though the goals that we do end up conceding are fucking dire. 

Confused.

[Gianfranco]

Aye Kelly should do better but the defence/midfield are nowhere to be seen at the rebound.

[Ron Aldo]

Maybe threadbare isn't the right word when the starting 11 is generally fine, but the lack of options is a real problem. We can't have a plan B when things aren't going to plan. We've nothing to bring onto a tiring opposition. Competition for places is non existent which is never healthy. All of that is part of winning games. 
It's also precarious - we're one injury away from relying on a CB pairing of Bevis and Sol, or using Shields at the target man. Fine for a game or two, but long term and our season would be fucked. 

Agree with this but, on your last paragraph, a partnership of Bevis / Sol probably wouldn't be any worse than Lamie / Sol or Bevis / Lamie (i.e. - they're all varying degrees of shite).

We all know the power of this thread and I'll stop at nothing until we sign at least one competent centre back.

[ropy]

3 hours ago, CoF said:

Maybe threadbare isn't the right word when the starting 11 is generally fine, but the lack of options is a real problem. We can't have a plan B when things aren't going to plan. We've nothing to bring onto a tiring opposition. Competition for places is non existent which is never healthy. All of that is part of winning games. 

It's also precarious - we're one injury away from relying on a CB pairing of Bevis and Sol, or using Shields at the target man. Fine for a game or two, but long term and our season would be fucked. 

Threadbare also applies due to a number of the team operating at < 100% fitness and mobility.

[well fan for life]

3 hours ago, Casagolda said:

What chance do they have?

This is St Johnstone’s goal. One ball clipped forward and they’re outnumbered 5 on 4. Look at that gap, Wotherspoon actually plays the initial pass out wide and then practically walks from the centre circle into our box completely unopposed. 

Like I said last week, Sol and Lamie are being asked to do a lot of heavy lifting. For the most part yesterday, I thought they both played well and done a good job of keeping Clark/May quiet. Sods has been decent since he came back in and Penney has generally been pretty good. 

However with little to no protection in front of them as well as Kelly who looks indecisive and flappy as f**k behind them, it’s no wonder they struggle at times. 

We are crying out for a 6 who has literally anything about them. Spittal doesn't track the runner which means Sol suddenly looks fucking miles out and when him & Lamie try and fix the situation it left Wright with enough time to read the paper before picking his spot.

So far we've watched Maguire, Crawford and Donnelly all be utter bobbins in that role so let's hope there's someone out there fancies it in January. Cannae mind who it was said before but stick Ally Gorrín in there to cement folk and we'd be a massively better side.

[ropy]

Slightly disappointed about the number of attacks that approach the box and then the ball is played back into midfield. No shot, no ball slipped through or cross into the box.  If we don’t get the ball into the box we won’t get one of these penalties that all the kool kids are getting. 

[Geedub-MFC]

My Rangers supporting mate has heard rumours they are sniffing about Liam Kelly. When's he contracted to?

[redstarcvedza]

Thought Van Veen did well yesterday in the deeper no 10 role. Robbed St Johntone players high up the pitch on more than 1 occasion and made space well only for Slattery and Goss to go sideways instead of zinging it into his feet

[capt_oats]

2 hours ago, well fan for life said:

We are crying out for a 6 who has literally anything about them. Spittal doesn't track the runner which means Sol suddenly looks fucking miles out and when him & Lamie try and fix the situation it left Wright with enough time to read the paper before picking his spot.

So far we've watched Maguire, Crawford and Donnelly all be utter bobbins in that role so let's hope there's someone out there fancies it in January. Cannae mind who it was said before but stick Ally Gorrín in there to cement folk and we'd be a massively better side.

On 07/11/2022 at 10:36, capt_oats said:

Similarly stick Ally Gorrin in front of them and it'd go some way to solving a lot of our issues.

[CoF]

3 hours ago, Ron Aldo said:

Agree with this but, on your last paragraph, a partnership of Bevis / Sol probably wouldn't be any worse than Lamie / Sol or Bevis / Lamie (i.e. - they're all varying degrees of shite).

We all know the power of this thread and I'll stop at nothing until we sign at least one competent centre back.

Aye, I felt a bit snide writing that. I think all three can be good enough for us but need paired with someone with a bit of leadership and experience. I think Lamie edges it on that front so Sol/Lamie or Bevis/Lamie is fine. Sol/Bevis….. not so much.

As a few have said, you could probably stick any of them alongside Alfred or Hartley and it’s a solid pairing. 

[Busta Nut]

1 hour ago, Geedub-MFC said:

My Rangers supporting mate has heard rumours they are sniffing about Liam Kelly. When's he contracted to?

SELL SELL SELL SELL!!

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, Geedub-MFC said:

My Rangers supporting mate has heard rumours they are sniffing about Liam Kelly. When's he contracted to?

His deal is up in 2024.

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/player/liam-kelly/

1 minute ago, Busta Nut said:

SELL SELL SELL SELL!!

Kelly to the ****, Gillespie back on loan please.

[rowsdower]

I'm not as down on Kelly as others, but yeah, the transfer fee to get our captain with 1 months on his contract could buy us a big var screen and a sewing kit for the pitch.

Oh, and yes on getting Gillespie up the road. May the power of the thread compel you.