Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[capt_oats]

This is mildly interesting...here are Deano's stats by manager.

He averaged 76.6 mins per game under Grezza and is averaging 70.3 mins per game under Ketts.

He made more appearances for Hammell but only averaged 41.8 mins per game.

Edited April 2, 2023 by capt_oats

[ropy]

After yesterday we are sitting 10% above the point a game target, happy days.

[JamesP_81]

Usually if I'm not watching a game live then I'm not bothered with anything but the briefest of highlights but just sat down and watched the whole match on catch up and have to say that was a very enjoyable couple of hours.  

From the Alba coverage it was very plain to see what Marshall said to KVV after their little altercation on the sideline but I'd love to know what his reply was after his free kick.  I've had mixed feelings about him over the last 12 months but right now I f*cking love that big crazy Dutch b*stard. 

['WellDel]

33 minutes ago, JamesP_81 said:

Usually if I'm not watching a game live then I'm not bothered with anything but the briefest of highlights but just sat down and watched the whole match on catch up and have to say that was a very enjoyable couple of hours.  

From the Alba coverage it was very plain to see what Marshall said to KVV after their little altercation on the sideline but I'd love to know what his reply was after his free kick.  I've had mixed feelings about him over the last 12 months but right now I f*cking love that big crazy Dutch b*stard. 

Likewise on Van Veen.

20+ goals a season strikers don't come around often for teams at our level. Couldn't begrudge him a final go at a big payday if a move to China or some such materialised but, being selfish, I hope to f**k we keep hold of him. 

[capt_oats]

5 hours ago, Casagolda said:

He was.

Funny cause he’s out of contract and Slattery isn’t but based on current form, Goss is absolutely the one you’d be keeping. However as yesterday showed again, they’re much better apart than they are together and if it’s one or the other, do we have to just move Goss on in the summer?  

Someone who also hasn’t had a lot praise who I also thought had a good game was Furlong. Thought he was in for a tough afternoon as he struggled a bit early door with Cadden’s physicality but stuck at it and ended up making numerous important interventions and blocks in the 2nd half. Don’t know what his situation is at Brighton but might be worth keeping an eye on. 

By my count only 4 of the 14 players we used yesterday are under contract for next season. Which isn’t necessarily a problem in itself but it does point towards yet another huge rebuild in the summer. 

Johnston will go. I’d like Casey and Cornelius to stay. Everything else is pretty much up in the air. You wonder if/when we get safe if Kettlewell will use the squad and tinker a bit more in the remaining games to make some decisions for next season. 

I've mentioned before but where we are at the moment kind of echoes the 2nd half of the 18/19 season when Turnbull, Campbell, Hastie and Gboly were all having a lovely time.

We had found a shape and style of play that was a lot of fun but also had a pile of players who'd been at the club for a while and were heading out of contract.

It kind of felt like they'd got what they wanted out of their time at the club by the time renewals came around (see Main fucking off to Pittodrie, McHugh leaving for India, even Ally Gorrin heading to Oxford despite only being on a 1 year deal and really only breaking into the side properly for about 4 months...then there's Cadden snaking us).

With our current situation, as a result of the was we handled January, we've a bunch of players who are only just in the door out of contract in the summer as well (protect Dan Casey at all costs). Either way someone like Goss seems like he fits into that bracket for me. He's been here 2 seasons and done well in fits and starts without actually being consistently good.

Coming off the back of an international call up it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he saw this as an opportunity to trade up and make the most of his good form under Ketts.

Tbh, what has interested me is that we're at the point now where guys like Lamie and Mugabi still have another year but (rightly) have their arses parked on the bench while the McGinn, Butcher and Casey back 3 picks itself. 

On the point of trading up, he's not out of contract but as @'WellDel says above, you'd have to think that KVV's agent is working his arse off as I type. I doubt we'd be prohibitive and stand in his way given the circumstances but it begs the question what the going rate for a 32 year old, 20 goal striker with a year on his deal would be? 

[capt_oats]

As an aside...with Paton arriving yesterday that's just the 18 players signed this season. Some going given we'd only announced 3 by the time Alexander got his jotters. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by capt_oats

[ropy]

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

As an aside...with Paton arriving yesterday that's just the 18 players signed this season. Some going given we'd only announced 3 by the time Alexander got his jotters. 

I mentioned last year a number of times that it was a transitional season and with the number of longer contracts this year would be much more stable, 18 signings.

[CoF]

18 hours ago, wellboy1991 said:

I think Hammell  completely over thought his managerial ability and also the ability of the players to understand what he was trying to do.

Yep, this has been my thoughts for some time. 

In his first 48 hours or so in charge, Hammell said he'd spent that time getting as much information into the players as possible for the St MIrren game. I thought at the time it was weird, but fair enough - we won that game then had a decent first month or so. 6 months later, his focus after defeats was still on how he was giving the players all the information they needed - they just weren't executing his plan. It kinda felt like Hammell thought games could be won on paper first. I thought it's either information overload, or he's unable or doesn't appreciate the need to get under the skin of the players and really motivate them. The contrast with Kettlewell's first post match interview couldn't have been clearer as he spoke of his tactics effectively taking second place to the players mentality, and that's been the theme since then. 

I suppose you could argue that both are effectively saying the same thing - the tactics don't matter if you don't put in an individual performance, but Kettlewell just seems to know how get folk going. You could also argue that Kettlewell's focus on mentality is closer to Graham fucking Alexander, albeit Kettlewell seems like he'd just be a bit shouty in the dressing room whereas Alexander would fire "dream for success / be all you can be" posters up all over the place. 

Regardless, it's working so far and it's great. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by CoF

[RandomGuy.]

On 01/04/2023 at 13:10, capt_oats said:

I'm not sure we do tbh.

For me Paton isn't really stepping on Spittal, Danzaki or Tierney's toes.

I know @RandomGuy. will have better things to do of a weekend but it'd be interesting to know how Paton compares with Slattery, Goss and Cornelius as IMO they're the ones playing in similar roles (and 2 are out of contract come summer).

Literally chose the one weekend I did have things on 

Spoiler

RG Doofer likes him, gives you a bit of everything aside from winning headers and finishing chances.

For his age, and for free, seems a very sensible punt.

Reckons a Slattery/Spittal type role (an 8?) is where he'll slot in?

70+ seems to be a decent score in these similarity things so far, but they are flawed obviously.

RG Doofer absolutely hates Cornelius though 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by RandomGuy.

[Archie McSquackle]

I thought Cornelius did really well on Saturday and I'd stick with that midfield to start the next game rather than putting Slattery straight back in. We really seemed to miss Spittal when he went off but he must have taken a right sair yin from Marshall. 

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Interesting scenario next week. Beat Livi and it makes reeling in St Mirren pretty difficult.

[ropy]

10 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Interesting scenario next week. Beat Livi and it makes reeling in St Mirren pretty difficult.

Might need to be content with having more points in the bottom six than they do in the top six.  It’s a technical win.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

1 minute ago, ropy said:

Might need to be content with having more points in the bottom six than they do in the top six.  It’s a technical win.

I have always thought that 7th should get a European spot.

[ropy]

1 minute ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

I have always thought that 7th should get a European spot.

At least some sort of play off

[Kapowzer]

On 02/04/2023 at 01:56, AnderooMFC said:

When he was gone, I watched the BBC docu (posted here previously) about Kerr's previous experience. I confess I'm tipsy beyond double checking, but apart from the meme-able "LAZY LEG IS F**KING LAZY", there are comparisons. That quote came about because, *drum roll please* ; the team of adults were making schoolboy errors and giving away cheap-ass goals.  Kerr then is our Numero Dos and oversee's a Motherwell FC XI who are 'adults making schoolboy errors and giving away cheap-ass goals.'

This ain't a Hammy excuse post btw. He was the Man-In-Charge / Head Honcho / Club-legend-at-the-reins/ Big Kahuna. He should've reigned in Kerr, or told him to STFU and made his own stamp on the team, or envisioned a new strategy based on MOTD viewings of Jurgen Klopp / Pep Guardiola / his wildest dreams as a kid / every thought he had as an adult / patterns in the sea.
IDK.
All I mean is BBC-Docu-Kerr's-team has distressing defending mishaps that Assistant-Kerr's-MFC copied.
&& Thank-F***- Ketts is more level-headed and able to work positivity into the abilities of those on the books.

Kerr has probably got the most scrutiny of any assistant ever at FP. While it was evident he wasn't up to it at the top level neither was his boss, recruiter and referee. I suppose we on here will never fully understand nor appreciate the dynamic and content of their office chats. For all we know Kerr could have been the one advocating a Ketts style approach or he was the one with crazy ideas that Hammy reigned in or acquiesced to.

What we do know is under Hammy's tenure lessons were not learned week to week, we did not play to our strengths with the personnel in the building and the WC break was not used as effectively as it could. I don't know how anyone could focus ire on anyone other than Hammy for that, his 550 appearances did cut him a shitload of slack on here. But a guy who repeatedly can't organise a defence when it was his gig for 20 years needs a long hard look at himself.

A win over a mediocre Raith Rovers would have secured half the gate at Ibrox after costs. The cash would have been very welcome when his predecessor made an arse of the other potential lucrative cup tie this season.

I do feel confident if we had from now till the end of time we'd not beat Hibs or Hearts in the manner we did under Hammy ..... ever.

What I do appreciate is SK seems to be making backroom appointments on merit rather than association. He is a guy who seems more driven by pragmatism of what what he has and who's up against than Hammy's theoretical approach.

The only criticism that can be levelled against SK is giving McKinstry zero game time since his appointment. I can understand to a degree but introducing him when we were strolling Hearts would have been good man management. But even his biggest critic would struggle to justify a score of less than 9 out of 10 since he got the job.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Kapowzer

[AnderooMFC]

More #wholesomecontent from everyone's favourite interpreter sports and fitness coach last week.

 

[Neil86]

We absolutely have to get Casey and Butcher tied down beyond the end of the season. Should be top of the priority list !!

[Antiochas III]

9 minutes ago, Neil86 said:

We absolutely have to get Casey and Butcher tied down beyond the end of the season. Should be top of the priority list !!

Butcher already is.

[Neil86]

6 minutes ago, Antiochas III said:

Butcher already is.

My bad, I thought Butcher was only until the summer. is it summer 2024?

[Swello]

1 hour ago, Neil86 said:

We absolutely have to get Casey and Butcher tied down beyond the end of the season. Should be top of the priority list !!

It's one of the weirdest things that it's as if the Lamie-Sol partnership never happened - these guys have been in the door a couple of months but look like they have been at the club for a couple of seasons. I worry that Casey has been just a bit too good actually.

There has been a change in system under Ketts that has helped generally - but central defence is the clearest case you'll see of individual upgrades making a huge, noticeable difference. 

Our current "settled team" is unrecognisable from Hammell's time and it probably shouldn't be understated how difficult it is to pull that off in such a short period of time (and it's precisely what the other teams that were around us in January didn't do). Was Kettlewell manager at County when they were buying a new team every January? Maybe some experience that's come in handy.