Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[capt_oats]

9 minutes ago, MJC said:

If I remember correctly,  under McLeish in 1995/96 we actually had the third best defensive record in the league out with Celtic & Rangers. It was our inability to score that season that ultimately made us as shite as we were and we went something like eight games without a goal until Joe McLaughlin of Falkirk scored and own goal to give us our first goal and win in ages. I'm sure we had plenty of 0-0 draws that season as well as several one goal defeats. We were ravaged by injuries for most of that season with Tommy Coyne being the biggest loss and our then record signing Mitchel van Der Gaag being out from something like late August to February. 

We looked dead certs for the drop at Christmas time but then went on an unbeaten run from mid February to mid April where we had three or four 1-0 wins on the bounce. That coincided with Willie Falconer's signing as he bagged a good few, although after his penalty miss on his debut it looked for all the world as if we would never score again that season.

Here you go 100% true: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995–96_Scottish_Premier_Division

Finished 8th - 39 goals conceded in 36 games (28 for) = 1.08 goals against per game. 3rd best defensive record behind Rangers and Celtic.

Fucking hell. Mind blown right here.

Edit:
94/95 - F 50 A 50
96/97 - F 44 A 55

Edited February 27, 2018 by capt_oats

[Swello]

57 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

It's weird watching a Motherwell team that don't always look permanently on the verge of defensive calamity. I'm not even sure if I like it tbh. 

This is the first season in *years* that I don't start to have a mild panic as soon as we take the lead.

I remember watching the last 15 mins of games through the gaps in my fingers for the past 4 or 5 years but given the fitness levels now, we actually look very comfortable in the latter stages. The recent Dundee game at Fir Park where the team was down to 10 men with injury (and carrying 4 or 5 injuries) was a nostalgic reminder of what every game looked like when we were hanging on to a lead/point. 

[MJC]

Cheers.

That was one weird season, as well as a pretty grim one. It was the beginning of our downfall under McLeish after finishing 2nd the season before and as I said our injuries and inability to score goals cost us dearly, but was compensated by being surprisingly tight at the back. Only really Scott Howie in goals, Paul Lambert and Brian Martin avoided lengthy spells out that season and we had the likes of Innes Ritchie, Roy Essandoh, Andy Roddie and Alex Burns filling in at various times, not to mention John 'Klinsmann' Hendry. Some of those names gie you the utter fear!

[capt_oats]

6 minutes ago, MJC said:

Cheers.

That was one weird season, as well as a pretty grim one. It was the beginning of our downfall under McLeish after finishing 2nd the season before and as I said our injuries and inability to score goals cost us dearly, but was compensated by being surprisingly tight at the back. Only really Scott Howie in goals, Paul Lambert and Brian Martin avoided lengthy spells out that season and we had the likes of Innes Ritchie, Roy Essandoh, Andy Roddie and Alex Burns filling in at various times, not to mention John 'Klinsmann' Hendry. Some of those names gie you the utter fear!

Aye, I've just added the season prior when we finished 2nd and season after when we finished 8th to my earlier post. 50 conceded in the 94/95 season and 55 conceded in 96/97...that's much more in line with my memory of the era.

[MJC]

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

Aye, I've just added the season prior when we finished 2nd and season after when we finished 8th to my earlier post. 50 conceded in the 94/95 season and 55 conceded in 96/97...that's much more in line with my memory of the era.

I think the fact that Stevie Woods didn't play one single game in goal for us in 95/96 must have helped our defensive record that season. He did of course famously make a sub appearance as an outfield player against Clydebank in the League Cup when he was the only sub left for an injured Van Der Gaag. As I said, it was a weird old season that one. McLeish himself played in defence for us in a match against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

1 hour ago, Swello said:

This is the first season in *years* that I don't start to have a mild panic as soon as we take the lead.

I remember watching the last 15 mins of games through the gaps in my fingers for the past 4 or 5 years but given the fitness levels now, we actually look very comfortable in the latter stages. The recent Dundee game at Fir Park where the team was down to 10 men with injury (and carrying 4 or 5 injuries) was a nostalgic reminder of what every game looked like when we were hanging on to a lead/point. 

Aye. Going back more than a few months here but I first noticed the Hearts game at FP. Despite Hearts chucking everything at us you never really got that sense of impending doom we've became accustomed to. 

[WellView]

2 hours ago, MJC said:

If I remember correctly,  under McLeish in 1995/96 we actually had the third best defensive record in the league out with Celtic & Rangers. It was our inability to score that season that ultimately made us as shite as we were and we went something like eight games without a goal until Joe McLaughlin of Falkirk scored and own goal to give us our first goal and win in ages. I'm sure we had plenty of 0-0 draws that season as well as several one goal defeats. We were ravaged by injuries for most of that season with Tommy Coyne being the biggest loss and our then record signing Mitchel van Der Gaag being out from something like late August to February. 

We looked dead certs for the drop at Christmas time but then went on an unbeaten run from mid February to mid April where we had three or four 1-0 wins on the bounce. That coincided with Willie Falconer's signing as he bagged a good few, although after his penalty miss on his debut it looked for all the world as if we would never score again that season.

I was at his house in the summer of 96 and remember singing his praises to him.  He was quite sheepish about it but 'Well fans that witnessed that season won't forget the difference he made. 

[Swello]

5 minutes ago, WellView said:

I was at his house in the summer of 96 and remember singing his praises to him.  He was quite sheepish about it but 'Well fans that witnessed that season won't forget the difference he made. 

I remember on that penalty on his debut, that everyone else shat it and let him take it...

[MJC]

1 minute ago, Swello said:

I remember on that penalty on his debut, that everyone else shat it and let him take it...

That was in a midweek game against Killie bang smack in the middle of our goalless run. It was one of the worst penalties you'll ever see, weak, low and just right of centre, their keeper just seemed to fall onto it. I was in the Cooper right behind the goal with my dad and I remember him and a good few around us actually laughing at just how bad it was. Being young at the time I couldn't understand that but after two months without a goal, to get a penalty and see our newly signed striker miss it like that was almost parody. Fortunately he ended up doing well for us and was instrumental in keeping us up that season. He did though go on to miss another penalty for us, at the same end of Fir Park the following season in the League Cup against Alloa in a tie we lost. Now that was a horrible night!

[WellView]

40 minutes ago, Swello said:

I remember on that penalty on his debut, that everyone else shat it and let him take it...

Man, you're bringing back memories.  Hard to explain to youngsters how good was the team McLean left, then to that in short order.  I mind going to Perth around March 94? And if we had won we would have gone top of the league. Big travelling support, and we couldn't believe our eyes when Burley took to the pitch. 

I think we lost 2-1 and that wee Billy Dodds ran the show for St Johnstone. If I mind right, a SJ director had fronted the money for him? 

[capt_oats]

Here are Robinson's numbers via the club.

[Gianfranco]

Fucks sakes Burrows. Shite appointment.

[WellView]

Can you do the same chart from when he started signing his own players? 

[capt_oats]

44 minutes ago, WellView said:

Can you do the same chart from when he started signing his own players? 

Robinson? That's pretty much this season isn't it?

P: 38 W 19 D 5 L 14 F 58 A 43 GD + 15

Win % = 50%
Goals For PG = 1.52
Goals Against PG = 1.13

Clean sheets = 14 (36.8%)
Failed to score = 7 (18.4%)

Number of scorers = 16

Obviously that includes league cup group stages and the like so that skews the goals for column a bit but aye... 

Edited February 27, 2018 by capt_oats
Edited for shite arithmatic

[Al B]

I was away to link the "Robinson: time to go" thread from Steelmen Online, and noticed it's now called "Robinson: how do we think he is doing"

[WellView]

40 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Robinson? That's pretty much this season isn't it?

P: 38 W 19 D 5 L 14 F 58 A 43 GD + 15

Win % = 50%
Goals For PG = 1.52
Goals Against PG = 1.13

Clean sheets = 14 (36.8%)
Failed to score = 7 (18.4%)

Number of scorers = 16

Obviously that includes league cup group stages and the like so that skews the goals for column a bit but aye... 

Thanks very much..  

[WellView]

23 minutes ago, Al B said:

I was away to link the "Robinson: time to go" thread from Steelmen Online, and noticed it's now called "Robinson: how do we think he is doing"

I think he's performed a miracle.  Fans that actually attend matches saw how brutal our triple-header against Celtic was. Never mind the final, the Wednesday night game was gladiatorial.  What a match. A few points went missing in December cos we were physically forked, Ir's as simple as that. 

Tonight's results suit us - to me it's more important we keep the gap to Saints. I'll be delighted with seventh, and ecstatic with a cup semi. Robinson is now giving serious consideration to Turnbull & MacGuire. Along with Campbell, Cadden and McLean, we have the makings of a production line. Scott, Alfie, Semple, Livingston in the pipeline too. 

Sellable assets in Kipre & Dunne, if the contract is invoked. Great premiership players in Tanner, Tait, Hartley & Main. An outstanding goalie. The best defence in years, it would be great to see Aldred join us full time. All excellent stuff - but the difference this manager has made to Bowman is incredible. IMO, we have a special manager on our hands. 

[mjw]

I was away to link the "Robinson: time to go" thread from Steelmen Online, and noticed it's now called "Robinson: how do we think he is doing"

Lose a couple and it will soon change back.

I think Robinson has been the perfect antidote to the McGhee second spell.
You're not watching his interviews through your fingers waiting on some arrogant nonsense and he hasn't became a meme yet .

[Casagolda]

14 hours ago, Gianfranco said:

Fucks sakes Burrows. Shite appointment.

Aye, fair amount of folk were quick to jump in with this kind of chat when he was appointed without even giving him a chance- a number of them on this very thread. 

Fair to say I wasn’t convinced but was firmly in the if he kept us up, he deserved a chance to build his own team camp. Which he has and to be fair to him he’s far exceeded my expectations for the season.

A cup final, another quarter final(at the very least), comfortably clear of the relegation places before March and still in with a decent shout of the top six. The fact he’s done it on the back of a difficult summer where he had to completely revamp the squad on a limited budget is all the more impressive. 

What’s more, is that he’s brought pride and a professionalism back to the club both on and off the pitch that was sadly missing towards the end of his predecessors reign. 

Edited February 28, 2018 by Casagolda

[Swello]

I've liked Robinson since the end of last season when he said - in a very straightforward way - that the squad was too old and there would be a clear out in the summer. He also got stuck into the team for celebrating a consolation goal at Inverness on the last day of the season and made no attempt to sugarcoat it. As someone else noted, when he does say something negative about the team or a player, you can bet it's exactly what is being said indoors too - and so players know where they stand, and I think that's more important than a manager giving different messages publicly and privately.

Robinson actually dealt with getting rid of a lot of popular long serving players really well - and he got rid of a lot of utter deadwood with no ceremony, replacing them with players that are fit for purpose in a league that has gone up in quality. There has been a lot of agonising about the style of play this season but  - and I may be on my own here - i like it. I've spent longer than I care to remember watching Motherwell teams getting bullied by bigger, fitter teams and not being able to cope with the type of player that teams on bigger budgets can put out - it's fucking great to see the boot on the other foot for once.

My favourite ever 'Well teams (McLean's last team, McCall's best team and McGhee's first team) were all unashamed footballing sides that could play other teams off the park - but the novelty of seeing a strong, direct team means that I'm enjoying it more this season than I have in ages. Reading the snide comments of other players and managers about our style of play makes me enjoy it more, as the sort of meek shite we had under Barraclough or McGhee #2 used to get us nothing but patronising pish from the opposition. 

I may be wrong - but I think Robinson may be the first manager in a while to leave in an upward direction.