Handsome_Devil

That was my concern too...I don't think we were quite as bad individually as it felt at full time but obviously absolutely toothless. Starting KVV was clearly the wrong decision, keeping him on absolutely mind-boggling. Tierney should start next week. The rest...god knows.

This wasn't quite the humiliation of Llanelli but it's a comfortable number two for me. We missed a sitter to go 3-0 v Stjarnen and had a stonewall penalty for 3-1 turned down before they levelled at FP...MyPa clearly had a couple of stars in their team and mugged us when it was a novelty for Scottish sides to play in July.

Yeah, I had the impression Sligo turned up thinking we'd be much better than them, in truth the opposite was the case and had they gone for it they'd surely have been further ahead. On the other hand, we never looked like scoring, they made the vast majority of the good chances and even with their plan should have been out of sight so who are we to question. Worth pointing out that Sligo have lost their last two games against part-timers without scoring, turned up at Fir Park and absolutely dicked us. It's one thing saying we're staying calm on signings but christ we need to get bodies in or this is going to be a brutal, brutal season.

Coughs. That was absolutely shocking. We're very, very lucky still to be in it. It's been 10 years since Athens, if we f**k this it'll be a long, long time to forgive. GA is probably do or die next week - we obviously won't sack him on the Friday morning if we lose but it's a matter of time.

There's times you fucking hate Motherwell. We sold Watt seven months ago, going into a crucial money spinning tie with a blatantly unfit KVV lumbering around is a head should roll offence should we not turn this round.

It's like last season never ended..mand in fairness to GA it turns out KVV is knackered.

KVV and McGinn in for Efford and MJ...colour me shocked!

I bang this drum constantly. It's even weirder if the reported interest in Rudden was true because that suggests GA is aware an alternative is needed. We can muddle through the odd game without KVV obviously but there's simply no one else in our squad that can play as a central striker in a 4-3-3 for any length of time.

They may or may not play but anyone who expected anything else than GA saying they were massive doubts must have slept through last season!

My train return from Berlin was going to be about 65 euros had it been on the Thursday - I've not looked yet for the Wednesday but I assume it'll be similar. It takes about 4.5 hours and there are departures every second hour.

Slavia are playing a side from Gibraltar next round so safe to assume they'll make it. Glad we're keeping our away leg first tbh, there's at least the feeling of a competitive game!

Anyone know if there's a stream available on Thursday? Motherwell TV is as informative as usual.

Slavia Prague are at home on the same night, supposedly, so hold off booking anything non-refundable for Prague... Got my hotel in Stavanger mind

Clearly they're saving themselves for Thursday! Any idea if they rested players? Would have been some tired legs after ET midweek.

Yeah, I reckon I could make any of them other than Astana. But some definitely fiddly. RIga is the first choice - easy to get to, great place, chance of winning. - edit to add just seen it's a haul from there, scrap that! Second would be Israel, far away but not hard travelling, we'd be outsiders but a shock not completely impossible and we'd be seeded in the play-offs if we somehow did it.

Kazakhstan nice at this time of year? At least you don't need a visa!

Re the gk, I was surprised we released Morrison (or maybe he rejected us) because while we can never have a back-up approaching Kelly's level, relying on Fox - who hasn't played regularly in years, had a serious injury etc - should anything happen seems to be reckless rather than calculated risk to me. Whether this guy just happened to be available or we're actively looking for someone I don't know, but I'd be happy to insure ourselves a little there first squad wise and leave Connolly to focus on game time with the kids. On SOD, I found it unusual we didn't give him any kind of run today but you'd really hope lessons were learned from last season when we rushed him back post-Euros into the LC. We obviously can't 100% say that was cause and effect of a largely diabolical season but given SOD was again fannying around internationally till mid-June, I'm very happy we're easing him in now.

Keeper had nothing to do other than one smart take from a cut back. He 'looks' like a goalie though, tall and well built without being gangly and out of control a la Chapman. But judging him on today totally pointless. Johnston looked fine, certainly not out of place by any means, though Carroll was more notable in getting forward.

I actually think Efford's movement has been fine, as is/was all the front three. No touch though, I agree, and we're definitely buggered without KVV. Thistle let us bumble the ball up the park, none of the front three are any kind of reliable outlet/target and any remotely decent side will simply hem us in. Defensively we're better but again, no real test and the full backs are playing like last season - tucking in and surviving largely unaided. That'll be problematic in a month or two. We are the better side without being brilliant and if this was the first of three or four pre-season friendlies you'd be content enough. Five days out from a crucial competitive game, slightly less so.

That'd be way more trouble than it's worth. This is the first Motherwell game since the play-off at Ibrox where someone wanting to go couldn't and before that...god knows. I have vague memories we sold out a tiny allocation for Easter Rd on a midweek afternoon when they were redeveloping the ground and had no floodlights on or around the day Davie Cooper collapsed. And even allowing for me forgetting a couple, you're talking a tiny handful of occasions this happens over decades and decades. It's just too much hassle for almost no reason.

Of three folk I know who applied two got a yes and one got a kb. Wonder if demand was slightly less than anticipated or if it's just those with good news more likely to share.

I've chucked them a tenner, I'm actually quite looking forward to this tomorrow even if it's a friendly. It's the one true dress rehearsal we have before Sligo and Thistle are already up and running in the LC so while I'm not expecting anything resembling a competitive fixture, hopefully the first 60-70 minutes at least is not the usual turgid pre-season stuff. It'll be fascinating to see the team too, wee questions everywhere from the 4-3-3 v 3-5-2 to the vast majority of the personnel. From the outside Kelly, Slattery and KVV will start, everyone else could get the nod or not depending on how they've been doing in training.

Belarus sides need to play outside the country and behind closed doors - so Minsk or Borisov would be a disaster for those wanting to go. No ticket scramble though! Kazakhstan or getting one of the Azerbaijan sides if they spring a shock would also be a real blow, the time and expense getting there would probably eliminate all but a handful of folk. Everywhere else should be just about doable though some obviously a little fiddly. I'd rather avoid the Faroes given the airport situation in general and Bodo's experience in particular this week, Molde for travel/cost and Switzerland for the price of beer mind. Macedonia would be fine, I went there with Scotland back in the day and it was cracking. Tallinn was my first choice but they mucked it up...CSKA Sofia or Twente Enschede would be the new dream pick, Antwerp or Anderlecht also cool.

Actually thats the other one - the Tuesday switch can't happen, if the above happens our ties are switched round.

I believe so...Newton are level with 10 mins left, they would need to win along with Bala for it to happen afaik.