Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Handsome_Devil]

24 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Since I've got them to hand due to our shite record, here's the current figures.

Mitov is almost 100% leaving us if we get relegated.

No doubt but if he's not available on a free it won't be us he goes to I'm afraid. 

[MurrayWell]

"An experienced keeper" has already agreed a deal was some of the chat at the game too, which if true would likely suggest that Liam Kelly is offski, or if he is staying we have actual competition for the GK position. 

Not that I think we'd get him, but Mitov might have a relegation clause @Handsome_Devil, allowing him to leave if St Johnstone go down? 

[Handsome_Devil]

23 minutes ago, MurrayWell said:

"An experienced keeper" has already agreed a deal was some of the chat at the game too, which if true would likely suggest that Liam Kelly is offski, or if he is staying we have actual competition for the GK position. 

Not that I think we'd get him, but Mitov might have a relegation clause @Handsome_Devil, allowing him to leave if St Johnstone go down? 

Aye, he probably will. I can only imagine most clubs have relegation clauses in most contracts relatively easily in that event.

However, I suspect if we're in the mood to pay for folk, the first call will be Blackburn.

Edit to add I also have the fear "experienced keeper" means David Marshall...

Edited May 6 by Handsome_Devil

[welldaft]

If Mitov is allowed to leave (relegation clause) then I am quite sure he will have suitors with deeper pockets than us sadly….

Not surprising to see we have conceded most goals from set pieces. A goalie that does not like to venture a few yards off his line in a busy penalty box certainly does not help. The amount of times the opposition get a header in is frightening and is of course way above even the goals conceded. 

Sort out a decent goalie and a couple of dominant CB and that is a start. Harder to actually achieve of course. 

Edited May 6 by welldaft

[eliphas]

I'm sure we will do this to death but I think the reality of what will happen (not what I'd choose though - is) the below. Not including all the loans who will go back. 

Leave for better deals (be that we give them a low offer making them leave, or they can get a better deal)

Kelly, Mugabi, Spittal

Released

Butcher, Maguire, Obika, Oxborough , Elliot

Retained

SOD, McGinn, Slattery, Nicholson

Mutual/Kettlewell magic

Tierney, Moses

Shopping list could be cut in different ways but new players across the pitch.

[MurrayWell]

We've just signed Moses on a 1.5 year deal from a league that runs in a different cycle than us, I'd be absolutely astonished if he wasn't with us next season. 

I think he's looked okay in the limited games he's had, took his goal well at Dundee, should have had an assist against Hibs (Oli Shaw chance). He's only played 51 minutes for us, let's see what he can bring after a full pre-season I'd say. 

[Handsome_Devil]

8 minutes ago, eliphas said:

I'm sure we will do this to death but I think the reality of what will happen (not what I'd choose though - is) the below. Not including all the loans who will go back. 

Leave for better deals (be that we give them a low offer making them leave, or they can get a better deal)

Kelly, Mugabi, Spittal

Released

Butcher, Maguire, Obika, Oxborough , Elliot

Retained

SOD, McGinn, Slattery, Nicholson

Mutual/Kettlewell magic

Tierney, Moses

Shopping list could be cut in different ways but new players across the pitch.

I'd be happy enough with that tbh.

I've no idea if Tierney has done well enough at Walsall to have them wanting to buy him, but I can't imagine he'll be with us next season either way.

1 minute ago, MurrayWell said:

I think he's looked okay in the limited games he's had, took his goal well at Dundee, should have had an assist against Hibs (Oli Shaw chance). He's only played 51 minutes for us, let's see what he can bring after a full pre-season I'd say. 

Agree. Jury is very much still out but like Nicholson he clearly came in with a view to next season with anything he kicked in immediately being a bonus.

[Swello]

3 minutes ago, MurrayWell said:

He's only played 51 minutes for us, let's see what he can bring after a full pre-season I'd say. 

Are you new at being a Motherwell supporter? 51 minutes worth of sub appearances is more than enough to judge if a player will make it with us. 

Personally, I'm looking forward to slating trialists in a pre-season kick about in a public park in late June.

[StAndrew7]

31 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Agree. Jury is very much still out but like Nicholson he clearly came in with a view to next season with anything he kicked in immediately being a bonus.

This. How people can have made up their mind about Moses based on his limited time on the pitch this season is bonkers.

He's scored one, should have had an assist as already pointed out by @MurrayWell and all of that in appearances where he's averaged about 12.5 minutes off the bench.

Folk need to ease up a bit.

[Wellwatcher]

Never been a fan of pyrotechnics but to see one being lit in the main stand by Livi supporters was frightening and exposed a serious security lapse

['WellDel]

3 minutes ago, Wellwatcher said:

Never been a fan of pyrotechnics but to see one being lit in the main stand by Livi supporters was frightening and exposed a serious security lapse

I take your point about pyro in a largely wooden stand but, tbh, I found that one quite funny. I've seen a bigger puff of smoke when the mrs blows out her yankee candles. 

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

Writing off a player who has scored a winner and but for Oli Shaw, should have assisted one in 51 minutes of football is a new low, even for Motherwell

[Ron Aldo]

I'd be keeping Moses, 100%.

His body is in 1 piece so he's an upgrade on Obika and he's not Oli Shaw so he's an upgrade on Oli Shaw. 

[eliphas]

1 hour ago, MurrayWell said:

We've just signed Moses on a 1.5 year deal from a league that runs in a different cycle than us, I'd be absolutely astonished if he wasn't with us next season. 

I think he's looked okay in the limited games he's had, took his goal well at Dundee, should have had an assist against Hibs (Oli Shaw chance). He's only played 51 minutes for us, let's see what he can bring after a full pre-season I'd say. 

Aye, I think he's looked ok coming on too. I still think the Kettlewell mutualling knife will hit someone we are surprised at and I think it might be him. 

I'd keep him about the place too.

[well fan for life]

We disagree on a lot of things across our support so it is heartwarming that we can all come together to agree Oli Shaw is absolute humpty.

[Busta Nut]

Just taking it back to the defence and goalie chat.
I reckon if we have a competent confident goalie we'd be much better off defensively.

[capt_oats]

3 hours ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Aye, he probably will. I can only imagine most clubs have relegation clauses in most contracts relatively easily in that event.

However, I suspect if we're in the mood to pay for folk, the first call will be Blackburn.

Edit to add I also have the fear "experienced keeper" means David Marshall...

Agreed.

Tbh, even if Saints did go down (and while it's definitely in play I'm not convinced they will) and Mitov exercised a release clause I can't see him being a player we'd go for. Swooping for one of our peer group club's POTY doesn't really seem our style in terms of recruitment.

Marshall on the other hand...

I was sure I'd read something about him retiring but it's possible that was on .net or it was his international retirement I was thinking of. Either way, he has 8 clean sheets this season (which is the same as both Mitov and Carson). So that's something.

1 hour ago, eliphas said:

Aye, I think he's looked ok coming on too. I still think the Kettlewell mutualling knife will hit someone we are surprised at and I think it might be him. 

I'd keep him about the place too.

Tbf, it's pretty clear that Kettlewell's ruthlessness last summer was because he was under instruction. If he doesn't need to cut players loose then I don't think he will.

When you look at our starting XI on Saturday there 8 of the players contracted next season were given a run out.

Looking at our squad in terms of numbers our First Team (including Montgomery) comes in at 25.

Not including Halliday as he already has his 1yr PCA we've got 5 loans expiring plus 12 out of contract.

Which leaves us with the following contracted: Casey, Blaney, Halliday, Paton, Zdravkovski, Miller, Tierney, Bair, Ebiye plus you'd expect Wells to be promoted to the first team.

Assuming we're looking at a preferred squad of around 22/23 that's us looking at 12 or 13 bodies to come in. I mean, even if we re-sign McGinn, SOD and Nicholson there's a fair chance of us needing double figures in.

1 hour ago, Busta Nut said:

Just taking it back to the defence and goalie chat.
I reckon if we have a competent confident goalie we'd be much better off defensively.

Strongly agree with this.

Edited May 6 by capt_oats

[Desp]

On 05/05/2024 at 12:20, welldaft said:

I know the answer will be - he has only done it for one season…

But the Q is how much is Theo Bair worth when Aberdeen are apparently looking for £5m+ for Miovski.

They are both 24. They have both scored 15 goals and actually all the stats in terms of accuracy and goals per minute etc favour big Theo. 

If we can get £750k or thereabouts for Bair this summer, we should be biting their hand off!  Van Veen is the example we should be using with guys like Bair.  Sell at their highest point, make money for the club and the player himself, and move onto the next.  The surprise element has gone for Bair now so I don't see him improving further with us. 

4 hours ago, MurrayWell said:

"An experienced keeper" has already agreed a deal was some of the chat at the game too, which if true would likely suggest that Liam Kelly is offski, or if he is staying we have actual competition for the GK position. 

I really hope it's not the experienced keeper I've been told about.

[MurrayWell]

13 minutes ago, Desp said:

I really hope it's not the experienced keeper I've been told about.

I must admit my reaction to it wasn't "Man, will that signing unite the support"...

(it's not de Gea).

Edited May 6 by MurrayWell

[welldaft]

11 minutes ago, Desp said:

If we can get £750k or thereabouts for Bair this summer, we should be biting their hand off!  Van Veen is the example we should be using with guys like Bair.  Sell at their highest point, make money for the club and the player himself, and move onto the next.  The surprise element has gone for Bair now so I don't see him improving further with us. 

I really hope it's not the experienced keeper I've been told about.

At the start of the season I would have taken £75k for Bair. 

Improving on 15+ goals is going to be tough. But I think he has it in him to do that. Bair in mind …most of his goals have come in half a season. His two goals on Sat were the sign of someone very high on confidence. He is also 8 years younger than KVV.

What I would like is immaterial, but I genuinely would be rather peeved should Aberdeen somehow manage to get a multiple of 4-5 times more for a striker that could end the season with less goals than Bair. That in a team should be creating more chances as well.