Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

['WellDel]

I know exactly what our place in the grand scheme of things is, and we've had more than a few close shaves with the trap door in my 40 years or so of going to Fir Park. These past few seasons though (Kettlewell's initial purple patch aside) have felt like the most sustained period of watching dross and scrapping for survival, and now with one of the most unbalanced squads that I can remember. Saturdays have been a fucking grind on the whole for a fair old while.

There's the bones of an ok 11 in what we have. A new man coming in and adding in the right positions in January could have a decent punt at getting us to safety, while utilising the likes of Spittal and Biereth properly to make us easier on the eye. Whoever it is better fvcking bin Captain Calamity though, and maybe try playing the best of what we have in their actual preferred positions. That'd be a better starting point than the complete lottery that team selection is at the moment.

[RandomGuy.]

2 hours ago, Casagolda said:

 

It’s just so strange to me that someone like Kettlewell can come in, quickly identify where Hammell was going wrong and fix it. Yet when it’s comes to clearing up his own mess, he’s tying himself in knots and can’t see the woods for the trees. 

Easier to build a jigsaw than paint a painting.

Same issues we had with MacLean. Seeing someone elses flaws are easy, seeing your own when you know the logic behind them is hard.

[MurrayWell]

Looks like we've moved quickly...

[Marinello]

Looking ahead to Saturday and our problems ( whoever the manager)seem to deepen.

What kind of defence is anybody's guess what with the injuries to Casey, Butcher, apparently Mugabi and perhaps Mc Ginn not having recovered.

As for the bench!!!!!!!

 

[dezz]

I'm expecting Casey to be out for the long term - looked like a broken leg watching the stream. 

I didn't realise that Mugabi being subbed was due to an injury as well! If him, Butcher and McGinn are all out, the defence could be something to behold on Saturday! Genuinely don't even know how we'd line up; Spencer, SOD, Blaney, Gent in a 4?

[Al B]

Wilkinson at centre half obvs.

[Handsome_Devil]

12 minutes ago, Al B said:

Wilkinson at centre half obvs.

But he's never played there before and won't know what's he's oh.

[Jonnylosqualo]

19 minutes ago, dezz said:

Genuinely don't even know how we'd line up; Spencer, SOD, Blaney, Gent in a 4?

Spittal left back and Gent on the bench

[well fan for life]

At this point I can't wait to see what he's cooking up for Saturday. 

[rowsdower]

Back three of mcginn Blaney and O'Donnell, Spencer on the right, wilkinson on the left, the killer b's up front, and kettlewell in midfield, hitting people with a loaded clipboard.

[thisGRAEME]

Is it not about time we unearthed some wonderfully talented 16 year old to save us?

[capt_oats]

Just now, thisGRAEME said:

Is it not about time we unearthed some wonderfully talented 16 year old to save us?

I see Lennon Miller's wee brother has signed with us.

[CoF]

4 hours ago, thisGRAEME said:

"Do plan A better"

"Do plan A better...... but such is football that using your time wisely and thinking about the aspects we've made up for in the last few days training, and I've spoken before about not deviating from the patterns and standards we set at the football club and I take encouragement from the success we've had from working a certain way and what could have and should have been the right thing for us in terms of the aspects of the game plan, and what I can tell you is and I think everyone in this room knows that there are variables in those aspects that we can't control ...." (and so on......)

 

I'm becoming more and more convinced the Kettlewell simply isn't a good communicator. If you break up what he says into chunks, it's all probably fair enough, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the players sit with him for an hour and come out none the wiser about what they're being asked to do. 

[Swello]

If we lose the first goal on Saturday, Fir Park isn't going to be a place for the fainthearted....

[Handsome_Devil]

17 minutes ago, Swello said:

When we lose the first goal on Saturday, Fir Park isn't going to be a place for the fainthearted....

Fixed that for you!

[santheman]

Having suffered an 8 hour round trip to witness yet more dross I had convinced myself that I couldn't go through the same on Saturday so wasn't going to go.

However on reflection I think we all need to turn up to support the team as best we can in what must be a make or break game for Kettlewell.

If they don't fly out the traps and show 100% and its more of the same crap then for me that's it, there's no way back for them.

I sincerely hope he's given them the morning off, had them in this afternoon, locked the dressing room door, had a clear the air session and nobody gets out till they get to the bottom of what's gone wrong.

[Allroy for Prez]

12 minutes ago, santheman said:

Having suffered an 8 hour round trip to witness yet more dross I had convinced myself that I couldn't go through the same on Saturday so wasn't going to go.

However on reflection I think we all need to turn up to support the team as best we can in what must be a make or break game for Kettlewell.

If they don't fly out the traps and show 100% and its more of the same crap then for me that's it, there's no way back for them.

I sincerely hope he's given them the morning off, had them in this afternoon, locked the dressing room door, had a clear the air session and nobody gets out till they get to the bottom of what's gone wrong.

I see where you’re coming from but this team is beyond redemption.

I fully expect to be a goal down within the first 5 minutes again. Possibly a Kelly howler from a corner. 

[Quatermass]

Said it yesterday if there is a vacancy and he is an actual option get Neil Lennon in. Plenty of experience and if he does the job for us I could not care one jot about anything else.

Every chance he knows there will be a more attractive vacancy up North soon enough and will just bide his time though.

[capt_oats]

H/T to Narey's Toepoker for these numbers.

It's one for the smooth brain "it's because they sold KVV" takes...

In his first 23 games we averaged 1.69 goals for and 0.86 against

In the last 12 we've averaged 1.08 for and 2.08 against.

Edited December 6, 2023 by capt_oats

[Swello]

25 minutes ago, santheman said:

Having suffered an 8 hour round trip to witness yet more dross I had convinced myself that I couldn't go through the same on Saturday so wasn't going to go.

However on reflection I think we all need to turn up to support the team as best we can in what must be a make or break game for Kettlewell.

Weird thing is that when we are this bad, I lose interest in football more widely but I end up wanting to go to actual games more- no idea why (and hence the reason I was Dingwall last night).