Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Gianfranco]

Gillespie has been fantastic. Two keepers in a row that can come out and catch crosses. Magic.

[BigTamMuller]

Didn't Gillespie join with a question mark around him after some reviews from his previous team? I want to say it was Luton but it was a while ago now. Safe to say any of those doubts have been well and truly dispelled nonetheless anyway. 

Hard to disagree with Turnbull scooping up both awards - as loathe as I am at seeing the same player win both. Aldred definitely in with a shout, more so because he was one of the few stand outs from the first half of the season as opposed to a few who really only got going from January onwards.

[capt_oats]

Didn't Gillespie join with a question mark around him after some reviews from his previous team? I want to say it was Luton but it was a while ago now. Safe to say any of those doubts have been well and truly dispelled nonetheless anyway.

Walsall I think.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

10 hours ago, thisGRAEME said:

FWIW, as well, I don't think a return to 3-5-2, with Cadden and Tait as wingbacks, Gorrin, Campbell and Turnbull in midfield, with Hastie and Main up top would be a disaster for us either. The problems arise when we try and figure out a third centre-half beside Dunne and Aldred. I'd say that the biggest problem of that system was that we didn't have bodies in midfield as capable on the ball as Turnbull and ARG now are. Those two instead of Rose and McHugh have made an incredible difference, and their ability, coupled with Dunne's pace would allow us to play higher up the park, I think.

Gallagher's played in a back 3 at Livi for the last few seasons hasn't he? Though he probably strikes me more as an Aldred replacement than a Kipre one tbh.

[Casagolda]

10 hours ago, Swello said:

I actually thought Tait suffered along with the rest of the team and didn't look great in the early part of the season. Gillespie is the only other shout for me besides Turnbull and Aldred - he's been consistently decent (the fabled 7/10 every week player)...

I always think Tait looks a lot more comfortable at full back(left or right) than he does at wing back. 

He has a good engine and can put in a decent cross with either foot, however he lacks the pace or skill to drive forward and take men on. Which is what you’re essentially asking him to do as a wing back. With Ariyibi in front of him adding the pace and trickery, it occupies players and leaves Tait with space to attack. Much the same way he use to link up well with Cadden down the right.

Agree with your choices- Turnbull’s a stick on to win at least one of the awards and probably only Aldred or Gillespie have been consistent enough to stop him from scooping both.

[capt_oats]

Fully appreciate how fucking tragic it is that I notice this but I see the First team squad on the official was updated (again) to show Hastie as a first team player last night and unlike last time they haven't changed back it after an hour....

Seems the update coincided with a cryptic Insta post from Hastie too.

It's very 'modern fitba' for stuff like that to have relevance especially as it's public knowledge he's been offered a new deal. Fwiw: Turnbull had been starting first team games for months but was only moved onto the first team page of the official site shortly before it was announced he'd signed the extension.

Anyway #announceHastie contract, #youngmotherwell etc.

Edited March 6, 2019 by capt_oats

[thisGRAEME]

8 hours ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Gallagher's played in a back 3 at Livi for the last few seasons hasn't he? Though he probably strikes me more as an Aldred replacement than a Kipre one tbh.

He has, aye. Been playing at full-back a bit more recently as well. Livi's back three is a bit more expansive than ours was, though, as either Lithgow on one side, or the bold Declan on the other push up into almost a wing position whenever the ball is on whatever side, with the other two tucking in keeping a defensive pairing the middle of the park at all times. 

FWIW, I think he's a great signing if he comes. Obviously comes with a caveat of his history, but he's a very capable defender first and foremost, but his role in the Livi team means he has to be good with the ball at his feet as well. 

As I mentioned before, hopefully this points to a degree of flexibility that we haven't had this season, in that he's comfortable in a range of defensive positions, rather than a definitive 'centre-half' or 'wing-back'. 

[Neil86]

POTY wise, I voted for Gillespie as player of the year, and Turnbull young Player although Turnbull could quite easily take both awards. Aldred won't be far behind either. Gillespie has been class since he came in.

[AndyRoss]

Spent 10 minutes having a look at the final five fixtures for ourselves, Hibs and St Johnstone. Then made an attempt to predict how the table would look in five games time. The games against Hibs at Easter Road and Saints at home are (unsurprisingly) going to be massive for us, but I'd say out of the three sides we've probably got the most difficult run in. 

Current Standings

Hibs 41

St Johnstone 38

Motherwell 37

Remaining games 

Hibs 

Rangers (H) (1)

Motherwell (H) (1)

Livingston (A) (3)

Killie (H) (1)

Hearts (A) (1)

Final total (48)

St Johnstone 

Livingston (A) (1)

St Mirren (H) (3)

Motherwell (A) (0)

Dundee (H) (3)

Killie (A) (0)

Final total (45)

Motherwell

Hamilton (H) (3)

Hibs (A) (1)

St Johnstone (H) (3)

Aberdeen (A) (0)

Rangers (H) (1)

Final Total (45)

 

[thisGRAEME]

13 minutes ago, AndyRoss said:

but I'd say out of the three sides we've probably got the most difficult run in. 

I mean, yeah, but they aren't sexy.

[Swello]

It would be fun going into the Rangers game on the Sunday knowing that a win would put us in the Top 6.....

[Desp]

2 hours ago, AndyRoss said:

Spent 10 minutes having a look at the final five fixtures for ourselves, Hibs and St Johnstone. Then made an attempt to predict how the table would look in five games time. The games against Hibs at Easter Road and Saints at home are (unsurprisingly) going to be massive for us, but I'd say out of the three sides we've probably got the most difficult run in. 

Current Standings

Hibs 41

St Johnstone 38

Motherwell 37

Remaining games 

Hibs 

Rangers (H) (1)

Motherwell (H) (1)

Livingston (A) (3)

Killie (H) (1)

Hearts (A) (1)

Final total (48)

St Johnstone 

Livingston (A) (1)

St Mirren (H) (3)

Motherwell (A) (0)

Dundee (H) (3)

Killie (A) (0)

Final total (45)

Motherwell

Hamilton (H) (3)

Hibs (A) (1)

St Johnstone (H) (3)

Aberdeen (A) (0)

Rangers (H) (1)

Final Total (45)

 

I'd say you're being a bit generous to Hibs, mate. 

They'll lose to Rangers on Friday night, and at Tynecastle.  Livingston away will be a tricky game, and Kilmarnock may be back on the boil a bit when they play. 

I think we'll need 10 points to do it, including a win at Easter Road next week.  I don't think it's beyond us to win the next three, leaving us looking for at least a point in the two games at Aberdeen & Rangers.

My (optimistic!) punt;

Hibs 

Rangers (H) - Loss, Motherwell (H) Loss, Livingston (A) Draw,  Killie (H) Win,   Hearts (A) Loss

Final total (45)

 

St Johnstone 

Livingston (A) Draw,  St Mirren (H) Win,  Motherwell (A) Loss,  Dundee (H) Draw,  Killie (A) Draw

Final total (44)

 

Motherwell

Hamilton (H) Win,  Hibs (A) Win,  St Johnstone (H) Win,  Aberdeen (A) Loss,  Rangers (H) Draw

Final Total (47)

 

Piece of piss, lads!

[capt_oats]

Going by the 538 Project this is how it should look based on probability :

Hibs: 
Rangers (H) Loss, Motherwell (H) WIN, Livingston (A) WIN,  Killie (H) WIN,   Hearts (A) WIN = 53 Pts

St Johnstone: 
Livingston (A) Loss,  St Mirren (H) WIN,  Motherwell (A) Loss,  Dundee (H) WIN,  Killie (A) Loss = 44 pts 

Motherwell: 
Hamilton (H) WIN,  Hibs (A) Loss,  St Johnstone (H) WIN,  Aberdeen (A) Loss,  Rangers (H) Loss = 43 pts

Clearly there are no draws there and it's massively generous to Hibs.

Edited March 6, 2019 by capt_oats

[MJC]

I can't see us getting top six as I don't see us winning at Easter Road, Pittodrie or at home against Rangers. That leaves the Accies and Saints home games for us to pick up the wins which will see us fall short. We've turned around our season somewhat since January but I think we've just left ourselves with too much of a mountain to climb to get top six this season and our aim will be to finish 'best of the rest' in the bottom six, which is realistic.

From the games before the split I see it going like this:

Accies(H) Draw

Hibs(A) Draw

Saints(H) Win

Aberdeen (A) Loss

Rangers(H) Draw

 

[Archie McSquackle]

Going by the 538 Project this is how it should look based on probability [emoji20]:
Hibs: 
Rangers (H) Loss, Motherwell (H) WIN, Livingston (A) WIN,  Killie (H) WIN,   Hearts (A) WIN = 53 Pts
St Johnstone: 
Livingston (A) Loss,  St Mirren (H) WIN,  Motherwell (A) Loss,  Dundee (H) WIN,  Killie (A) Loss = 44 pts 
Motherwell: 
Hamilton (H) WIN,  Hibs (A) Loss,  St Johnstone (H) WIN,  Aberdeen (A) Loss,  Rangers (H) Loss = 43 pts
Clearly there are no draws there and it's massively generous to Hibs.

Even if we were to win at Hibs we would still be 4 points off them going by those predictions. Can't help but think it will be a bit beyond us but a few months ago it would have been mental to even suggest it as a possibility.

[welldaft]

4 hours ago, capt_oats said:

Fully appreciate how fucking tragic it is that I notice this but I see the First team squad on the official was updated (again) to show Hastie as a first team player last night and unlike last time they haven't changed back it after an hour....

Seems the update coincided with a cryptic Insta post from Hastie too.

It's very 'modern fitba' for stuff like that to have relevance especially as it's public knowledge he's been offered a new deal. Fwiw: Turnbull had been starting first team games for months but was only moved onto the first team page of the official site shortly before it was announced he'd signed the extension.

Anyway #announceHastie contract, #youngmotherwell etc.

Tragic for others. For Motherwell fans like me a good thing. 

I Honestly hope you are right 2nd time around as well. 

Q - what was the cryptic Instagram post from Hastie ?

[Antiochas III]

I said to my old man (as a joke I may say) that we'd only lose one league game - Celtic at Celtic Park after the winter break to the split.  I'm sticking by that.  

Didn't think we'd win as many though.  

[capt_oats]

4 minutes ago, welldaft said:

Tragic for others. For Motherwell fans like me a good thing. 

I Honestly hope you are right 2nd time around as well. 

Q - what was the cryptic Instagram post from Hastie ?

Here you go...

I'm maybe reading too much into it but the eyeballs are usually a hint at something.

 

[Swello]

St Johnstone seem - by far - to have the easiest run-in - but they haven't been picking up points in their normal way of late, so who knows. A win at Easter Rd would be massive assuming that we can beat Accies this week..

[capt_oats]

There's yer Barry Maguire signed an extension to 2020.

Good lad.