Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Kapowzer]

6 minutes ago, ropy said:

I wish you hadn’t pointed that out 

Yeah it's called the Hunter now

[KirkySuperSub]

8 hours ago, AJF said:

“East Stand Motherwell is an wider reaching project” is bugging me more than it should.

I'm more annoyed by the spelling of the word "influnce".

[RostokMcSpoons]

14 hours ago, capt_oats said:

I suppose it really depends on how Ketts wants to set up. If this is something that he sees as viable going forward or is it simply him pishing with the cock he's got as a means to an end.

 

[Swello]

I'm already at the "I fucking hate international breaks" stage and it's only Tuesday on the first week.

[capt_oats]

International break and all that, so it's quiet times.

Anyway, I noticed this post on Twitter from a St Johnstone analysis account (*waves at @RandomGuy.*) but it made me wonder whether Obika is someone we might be likely to keep on or if he's just a useful stop gap and by extension, who else is out of contract that we might be inclined to try and retain (assuming we stay up etc).

You'd think that this would be a fairly natural point to have a bit of a reset if that's what Ketts wants to do especially with as many players OOC:

O'Donnell, Carroll, McGinn, Johnston, Casey, Cornelius, Goss, Efford, Aitchison,  McKinstry (contract at Leeds expires), Mandron, Obika.

In addition, the fact that we've seen a few signings actually make an impact this season it put in mind the level of heat the recruitment department has taken at various points.

Here are our signings this season:

• Spittal (Alexander)
• McGinn (Alexander)
• Morris (Alexander)
• Oxborough (Alexander)
• McKinstry (Hammell) - loan
• Penney (Hammell) - loan
• Aarons (Hammell) - loan
• Moult (Hammell) - loan
• Blaney (Hammell)
• Crankshaw (Hammell) - loan
• Mandron (Hammell)
• Danzaki (Hammell)
• Furlong (Hammell) - loan
• Aitchison (Hammell)
• Obika (Hammell) - loan
• Casey (Hammell)
• Butcher (Hammell)

17 players 

Some have been good, others have been good under a different manger/coach, there are very obvious busts, a couple have been unlucky with the change in shape and there are a few that are clearly  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ based on next to no game time as yet. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by capt_oats

[Alanos]

from the OOC players:

No - O'Donnell, Carroll, ,McGinn, Goss, Efford

Maybe - Cornelius, Aitchison, McKinstry (if he fits with next seasons plans), Mandron, Obika

Yes - Johnston, Casey

From the signed players:

Punt - Lamie, Mugabi, McGinley & Morris.

[Neil86]

18 minutes ago, Alanos said:

from the OOC players:

No - O'Donnell, Carroll, ,McGinn, Goss, Efford

Maybe - Cornelius, Aitchison, McKinstry (if he fits with next seasons plans), Mandron, Obika

Yes - Johnston, Casey

From the signed players:

Punt - Lamie, Mugabi, McGinley & Morris.

extremely harsh on Efford, was very good before his injury.

I'd also be inclined to keep Mcginn, if we are losing Johnston and SODS already, it makes sense to keep someone in the building, his versatility is a bonus too. Not everyone's cup of tea admittedly, but we could certainly do a lot worse.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Neil86

[JohnnyM]

Sean Goss on his Northern Ireland call-up, playing with Robin van Persie at Manchester United and being coached by Jose Mourinho https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/football/northern-ireland/sean-goss-on-his-northern-ireland-call-up-playing-with-robin-van-persie-at-manchester-united-and-being-coached-by-jose-mourinho-4074691

[Busta Nut]

AItchison isn't OOC is he?

Edit: Just clocked he is. Thought he was given 18 months for some reason

Edited March 22, 2023 by Busta Nut

[capt_oats]

6 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

AItchison isn't OOC is he?

He is, deal to the end of the season.

Edited March 22, 2023 by capt_oats

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Get safety done as soon as possible and Ketts can pick a completely new starting XI every game post-split to see what works.

[thisGRAEME]

1 hour ago, Neil86 said:

extremely harsh on Efford, was very good before his injury.

I'd also be inclined to keep Mcginn, if we are losing Johnston and SODS already, it makes sense to keep someone in the building, his versatility is a bonus too. Not everyone's cup of tea admittedly, but we could certainly do a lot worse.

100% keep McGinn, imo.

He's been the 6 or 7/10 every week that we were promised, and in the midst of the nonsense our season has been; absolutely fine. Having the flexibility to drop into midfield, right back, right of a back three, and even just a fucking centre-half and be broadly fine in every one of those should not be under-estimated.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Nicky Devlin seems like a fairly obvious name for us to look at

[ropy]

3 hours ago, capt_oats said:

International break and all that, so it's quiet times.

Anyway, I noticed this post on Twitter from a St Johnstone analysis account (*waves at @RandomGuy.*) but it made me wonder whether Obika is someone we might be likely to keep on or if he's just a useful stop gap and by extension, who else is out of contract that we might be inclined to try and retain (assuming we stay up etc).

 

Curtis Main was underrated for the role he played in the Turnbull era

[ropy]

On 23/02/2023 at 10:35, ropy said:

Are we going to have to call him Ketts?

I’ve seen it creeping in.

It’s happening.

[eliphas]

14 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Nicky Devlin seems like a fairly obvious name for us to look at

Still annoys me slightly to this day that we let him go. I think he will get a bigger move than us to be honest. Not huge but earning a lot more money at a League 1 club or something.

[dezz]

10 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Nicky Devlin seems like a fairly obvious name for us to look at

100%, would take Devlin in a heartbeat. I reckon half the league as well as a bunch of bottom end championship and top end L1 teams down south will have a contract offer in front of him . At 29 it’s probably his last chance at a ‘big’ contract so can see him going down south. 
On the subject of full backs, I hope we’re taking a look at Harry Milne at Partick. Very small sample size, but any time I’ve seen him he’s looked phenomenal. 
+1 on the re-sign McGinn bus too. Very handy player to have around. 

[capt_oats]

16 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Nicky Devlin seems like a fairly obvious name for us to look at

Swapping out SOD for Devlin sounds like a fairly sensible move.

On the point of Livi out of contract Livi players see if we could replace Goss with someone like Omeonga, I'd be fine with that.

With Goss it kind of feels like he's got what he wants from his time at Motherwell. He's played regularly, it's not been a disaster without him having been consistently good and he's got an international call up. Well done everyone.

I'd say he's probably at a point similar to the group who left at the end of 18/19 (McHugh, Ally Gorrin, Main etc).

Also agree with @thisGRAEME about keeping McGinn around.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

2 minutes ago, eliphas said:

Still annoys me slightly to this day that we let him go. I think he will get a bigger move than us to be honest. Not huge but earning a lot more money at a League 1 club or something.

I get that but I suppose (not that I was watching him at Ayr or Walsall) it did take him until 2019 to work his way back to a Premiership club. If we'd released him and he'd immediately proven himself to be at our standard I'd be more annoyed. 

[YassinMoutaouakil]

29 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Swapping out SOD for Devlin sounds like a fairly sensible move.

On the point of Livi out of contract Livi players see if we could replace Goss with someone like Omeonga, I'd be fine with that.

With Goss it kind of feels like he's got what he wants from his time at Motherwell. He's played regularly, it's not been a disaster without him having been consistently good and he's got an international call up. Well done everyone.

I'd say he's probably at a point similar to the group who left at the end of 18/19 (McHugh, Ally Gorrin, Main etc).

Also agree with @thisGRAEME about keeping McGinn around.

Given the (hopefully!) accepted wisdom that they can't play in the same midfield together I reckon Goss is probably dependent on what happens with Slattery. You'd imagine that Slattery's profile- England youth international, Southampton academy-meant we signed him on this 3 year deal probably expecting to sell him for money this coming summer. 

I could still maybe see us getting a fee for him but it'd very much be a "nominal" one rather than anything significant. I suppose it depends on how much either of them like being here but I reckon Goss will be away like you say and we'll have another inconsistent season from Slattery before he ends up at Crawley or someone next year.

Edited March 22, 2023 by YassinMoutaouakil