Motherwell v St Johnstone 05-05-18. The battle for Bottom Six Supremacy

[well fan for life]

5 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

 

I mean the footage is there but it really can’t be overstated just how true this is.

For context by my count we conceded the same number this afternoon as we had in the last 7 combined (if you include the Aberdeen cup game).

The defending for every one of the goals is next level WTF?

 

I reckon someone went full Space Jam and stole all our player's ability because it was like watching a different team. St Johnstone were worthy winners, but we were utter shit. 

Also Petravicius went to take a first touch near the end that somehow ended up behind him and there was open laughter around me. That guy is an absolute imposter.

[capt_oats]

8 hours ago, well fan for life said:

I reckon someone went full Space Jam and stole all our player's ability because it was like watching a different team. St Johnstone were worthy winners, but we were utter shit. 
Also Petravicius went to take a first touch near the end that somehow ended up behind him and there was open laughter around me. That guy is an absolute imposter.

Even before Saints got their first there seemed to be a really weird uncertainty between Carson and the back 3. No one seemed to have a fucking clue what was going on.

I’m not even mad. A total write-off of a game by HT. Fair play to Saints but when you’re consistently coughing up tap ins to unmarked players from 6 yards out you’re not going to win a game of fitba’.

My whole thing about the post-split games (after making sure we’re safe) has been that Robinson needs to be learning about the squad and there are a few on the park today who didn’t do themselves any favours looking beyond the end of the season tbh.

 

[Gianfranco]

Offft I don’t think anyone saw that result coming. Maybe it will be a good wake up call for our squad.

That is only the second time we’ve lost heavily under Robinson I’m sure.

[Jamie_B]

Macca [emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]

McMillan’s goal is a cracker-his movement to give himself the space to step on to the header and get the control on it is excellent. He’s played less than an hour of football for us so far and has scored one and won a penalty. On that basis he’s a stick on for SPFL POTY next year as we win the league.

[Radford]

I'm repeating myself but for all the criticism the club have taken since January, they made (what they think is) a big signing in the window then immediately lost him to injury.

How different are the seasons of Motherwell and Saints if it's Curtis Main that Cerny assaults? Maybe our man goes on to score 8 goals in 19 games and we're in the Scottish Cup final? Whether folk like it or not, luck plays a part in a season and we've not had much this term.

From the squad, Alston (twice), O'Halloran, Comrie, McMillan, Johnstone, Foster (twice), Scougall, Easton, Hendry and Kane have all had lengthy spells out this season. When you only have around 20 senior outfield players, a dozen lengthy injuries is going to hit. As much as other teams have improved, we've suffered more than in previous years on the casualty front this season as well.  That has maybe brought about a lack of consistency, which has been our downfall; there have still been plenty of results that demonstrate we're a decent side.

[Kyle]

I didn’t appreciate how good the build up play was for our first goal at the time yesterday. A really nice passing move and the pass to Foster was excellent too. 

 

[nelsjfc]

 
I think they said on the radio today that our 5-1 win was the biggest away win by anyone in the Premiership this season.

Followed by the 4-0 win at dens. Only 3 sides have scored more on the road whereas we are the lowest scorers at home. The home form is so frustrating.

[tree house tam]

4 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I didn’t appreciate how good the build up play was for our first goal at the time yesterday. A really nice passing move and the pass to Foster was excellent too. 

 

Nice play in a few of those goals. I'd agree with Radford that injuries have totally cunted our season, I'd also say that individual performances for large parts haven't been near what we expect and some of those are nothing to do with team mates being out injured, or the disruption that can cause. Still, it's been a decent season, end of an era for some, i think the players brought in are decent signings and those on loan would improve the squad if we could get deals done for them, if possible. A proper summers rest with no European football is a blessing I feel. Let's not do that for 2 or 3 years and it'll make it a novelty again. Looking forward to next season already, even after hearing the names of potential signings

 

[perthsaint1977]

Willock looking better and better with each passing week. Also like the look of spoony more central and involved in more of the ball. Get the right additions to the squad and I think we can see a different more explosive saints next season.

[Widge]

The more I think about it, the more I’ve realised that that is simply the most Steven MacLean thing to do. Many fans including myself have said he’s been infuriating and past it and not in the box enough. And I still stand by it, him moving on is possibly for the best, but just don’t tell him that. If he’s got a point to prove he’ll do it. It’s as if he was told to actually get in the bloody box though.

Loved McMillans header though , cracking finish.

[RandomGuy.]

15 minutes ago, perthsaint1977 said:

Willock looking better and better with each passing week. Also like the look of spoony more central and involved in more of the ball. Get the right additions to the squad and I think we can see a different more explosive saints next season.

Midfield was brilliant yesterday, Spoony seems to be getting ignored but he was huge. Takes the ball under pressure, and moves it on without any fuss. You just wish he'd do that every week. Maybe it's Willocks ability to get about the park that helps, not really sure, but he definitely adds an energy into the middle that we've missed. 

Is there much chance of having him next season? He said in an interview a few weeks back he'd be open to staying, and I wonder if regular starts can help our cause. 

[Kyle]

Willock has improved immeasurably since coming back into the team. There was never doubting his technical ability but he looked lost during games and, debut aside, he looked out of his depth. He certainly doesn’t have that problem now. I’d say he’s been our best player since the split. 

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, Gianfranco said:

Offft I don’t think anyone saw that result coming. Maybe it will be a good wake up call for our squad.

That is only the second time we’ve lost heavily under Robinson I’m sure.

As @Casagolda said in his post, even after 30 mins I don't think anyone would have seen that result coming.

Ropy as the defending in the 4-1 in Perth was the final score was mitigated by the fact we ended up with 8 men. It was 2-1 when Carson was sent off after 63 mins and in the 5-1 at Parkhead it was 2-1 with 15 mins to go and we just collapsed and shipped three in the last 10 mins.

That was the 3rd time this season we've been 3-0 down at HT though (County and Thistle away being the other two). Where in those games we ended up having a pretty strong second half we completely failed to sort our shit out yesterday. For whatever reason we were an absolute mess at the back and going 424 in the 2nd half only caused more problems.

[PauloPerth]

Willock has turned out to be a very good player for us the last 3 games. I put my hand up to thinking he was well out of his depth the first few times I saw him, wasn't at Tynecasle for his debut. When you think he's hardly played any matches for a while it's completely understandable, as he maybe just needed a run of games.

The past month or so we have completely changed our style and are playing far more passing football on the ground. Our midfield looks far more dynamic and Willock has been a big part of that, along with Spoony quietly and efficiently getting on with his job.  It's been refreshing to watch and bodes well for next season. Keeping Willock and Williams could be huge.. for their abilities, and also it takes away any time needed for new players to bed in and find their form as they'll both have been through that the past few months, compared to if we didn't get either and had to sign two unknowns.

One thing not to ignore is again how important the opening goal is in our matches. We were a different team from there on, as were Motherwell who turned to shite. If anything we were second best up til then.

[PauloPerth]

See watching the highlights again..

Firstly, what a header by Davidson to set up the second goal for Anderson. He's up against two Well players and almost seems to be facing the wrong way.

Secondly, did Spoony mean that pass from the edge of the box to set up Macleans hatrick goal?  At the game I thought he mis-hit a shot, but watching the replay his body shape and way he strikes it make me wonder if it was meant as a pass. If it was deliberate then it was brilliant vision!

[Kyle]

18 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

See watching the highlights again..

Firstly, what a header by Davidson to set up the second goal for Anderson. He's up against two Well players and almost seems to be facing the wrong way.

Secondly, did Spoony mean that pass from the edge of the box to set up Macleans hatrick goal?  At the game I thought he mis-hit a shot, but watching the replay his body shape and way he strikes it make me wonder if it was meant as a pass. If it was deliberate then it was brilliant vision!

I thought the same at the game (I actually thought it was going in and Maclean had nabbed it) but I think it might have been a pass. The little pass to send Foster away for the first goal was magnificent too. 

[RandomGuy.]

He definitely side footed it, when you'd think you'd plant your laces through it if you were shooting. 

f**k knows with Spoony though 

[Casagolda]

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

That was the 3rd time this season we've been 3-0 down at HT though (County and Thistle away being the other two). Where in those games we ended up having a pretty strong second half we completely failed to sort our shit out yesterday. For whatever reason we were an absolute mess at the back and going 424 in the 2nd half only caused more problems.

Yet, did you notice Robinson having another thinly veiled dig at Bigi during his post match interview? Claiming Bowman was the only one of his subs who made any impact cause he gave ‘absolutely everything’.

It was unwarranted for me- Bigi wasn’t exactly outstanding but he was hung out to dry 2nd half in that crazy, lopsided formation Robinson sent them out in. Yet Bigi still managed to score our only goal, forced Clark into another decent save and probably completed more passes than any other Motherwell player. 

Also, slagging off the subs for not making an impact is a bit rich when he was the one who chose to chuck on that absolute huddy Petravicius for the last 25 mins. 

[RandomGuy.]

9 minutes ago, Casagolda said:

Yet, did you notice Robinson having another thinly veiled dig at Bigi during his post match interview? Claiming Bowman was the only one of his subs who made any impact cause he gave ‘absolutely everything’.

It was unwarranted for me- Bigi wasn’t exactly outstanding but he was hung out to dry 2nd half in that crazy, lopsided formation Robinson sent them out in. Yet Bigi still managed to score our only goal, forced Clark into another decent save and probably completed more passes than any other Motherwell player. 

Also, slagging off the subs for not making an impact is a bit rich when he was the one who chose to chuck on that absolute huddy Petravicius for the last 25 mins. 

I thought Bowman was gash. Every time I see him his only real contribution is jumping into defenders when the balls in the air. 

It'll sound odd but you should be worried if Robinson is of the mindset players like him are your future, having an organised hard working team only works if you've got some stardust sprinkled in it, you seem pretty reliant on Main just bulldozing his way to goal. 

[Kyle]

Just now, RandomGuy. said:

I thought Bowman was gash. Every time I see him his only real contribution is jumping into defenders when the balls in the air. 

It'll sound odd but you should be worried if Robinson is of the mindset players like him are your future, having an organised hard working team only works if you've got some stardust sprinkled in it, you seem pretty reliant on Main just bulldozing his way to goal. 

I don’t think that’s fair. I think Cadden generally provides quality in the middle when Tait and Kipre are available and Bigrimana is capable too. I can understand Robinson’s thinking yesterday - he went for workhorses to compensate for having to play Ciftci who you get basically no work rate from (or certainly don’t whenever we’ve lined up against him).  

I really enjoy watching Motherwell because of their work ethic and you can rely on some decent quality from them too. We seem to be finding form now though with Willock and Williams looking like the players we hoped they would be. I so wanted Williams to score from that mazy he had in the second half - I think a goal will open up the flood gates for him and he’ll score quite a few more.