'WellDel Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I know everyone is saying Halliday in as a squad player/option from the bench, I'm not so sure about that. Purely based on who he's played for and where he's coming from (as a current squad player there), I'd guess he had a few options other than us. I think that at this stage of his career he'd have been looking for some assurances of regular starts for whomever he signed, and I fear Kettlewell may have given him that to get it over the line. Hope I'm wrong like, as I'd agree with the assertion of most on here on his place within the squad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reidy Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 3 minutes ago, 'WellDel said: I think that at this stage of his career he'd have been looking for some assurances of regular starts for whomever he signed, and I fear Kettlewell may have given him that to get it over the line. Hope I'm wrong like, as I'd agree with the assertion of most on here on his place within the squad. I’d be surprised if Kettlewell made those assurances to any signing tbh, let alone Halliday. I think the extra year we’ve given him at this stage in his career is more likely to have swung it (if indeed there were other clubs in the league keen). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke92 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 55 minutes ago, eliphas said: I'd put a stop to playing Paton as a defensive midfielder as I don't think he's particularly best used there. So, I'd say depending on the system: Can we just not stop playing Paton full stop please? Some of his recent performances have been honking 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) Tbf, I don't think it's one or the other in so much as he either starts or he doesn't. Given how short of bodies we've been (I mean, just look at our benches before the winter break) I can see Halliday getting a decent amount of game time either way. It'd actually be quite nice to be able to rotate now and again as we've been running with a far smaller squad than we've been used to and we've been forced into putting players on the park regardless of form. On a similar point I wonder what how our injury record this season (small squad, reduced backroom team) compares with last season when we had more bodies and still had the various support/physio staff Alexander brought in at the club. Here's minutes played so far this season: vs the whole of last season Edited January 19 by capt_oats 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Kirk Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 5 minutes ago, capt_oats said: Tbf, I don't think it's one or the other in so much as he either starts or he doesn't. Given how short of bodies we've been (I mean, just look at our benches before the winter break) I can see Halliday getting a decent amount of game time. It'd actually be quite nice to be able to rotate now and again as we've been running with a far smaller squad than we've been used to and we've been forced into putting players on the park regardless of form. On a similar point I wonder what how our injury record this season (small squad, reduced backroom team) compares with last season when we had more bodies and still had the various support/physio staff Alexander brought in at the club. Here's minutes played so far this season: vs the whole of last season You’ve hit on something that crossed my mind previously . Smaller squad = using players who have knocks but need to play because there is zero scope for rotation. The ruthless slashing of the squad in the summer means the above scenario is cranked up to the max and we are seeing the effects of players dropping like flies. Well excluding Obika who probably gets injured whilst driving to training . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handsome_Devil Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Luke92 said: Can we just not stop playing Paton full stop please? Some of his recent performances have been honking Indeed, and that's because he's over-used, partly because with injuries we had no choice but to keep him in. If we split time between Paton and Halliday for example rather than flogging a guy we all thought was a squad player to death, it'll help. Edited January 19 by Handsome_Devil 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoF Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Happy with Halliday. We need the experience, he's generally consistent, he'll give everything and I'll happily go against the grain and say I think he comes across well in the media. Doesn't seem like a bad guy to have in the dressing room at all. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoF Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 P.s. I quite like these new retro graphics for new signings. More of that please. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegsjoe_mfc Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 39 minutes ago, capt_oats said: Tbf, I don't think it's one or the other in so much as he either starts or he doesn't. Given how short of bodies we've been (I mean, just look at our benches before the winter break) I can see Halliday getting a decent amount of game time either way. It'd actually be quite nice to be able to rotate now and again as we've been running with a far smaller squad than we've been used to and we've been forced into putting players on the park regardless of form. On a similar point I wonder what how our injury record this season (small squad, reduced backroom team) compares with last season when we had more bodies and still had the various support/physio staff Alexander brought in at the club. Here's minutes played so far this season: vs the whole of last season I know that transfermarkt can be wildly inaccurate with these kind of things, but supposedly in playing every minute in the league, Blair Spittal has played this number of positions 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) 1 hour ago, Stevie Kirk said: You’ve hit on something that crossed my mind previously . Smaller squad = using players who have knocks but need to play because there is zero scope for rotation. The ruthless slashing of the squad in the summer means the above scenario is cranked up to the max and we are seeing the effects of players dropping like flies. Aye, there was someone on Motherwell Twitter, I forget who it was (apologies if they post on here), and they were making the point that when Hutchison came in he kind of handed over a blueprint for running the club and the suggestion was that we had lost sight of that a bit. Some of the points in the Twitter thread I agreed with, some less so but it got me thinking about how one of the first things Hutchison had picked up on was the amount we were having to spend on medical bills and his view was that a partial solution was to try and prevent that by establishing a sports science department with Andy Boles getting the Sports Science gig long term (after the initial guy didn't really work out). Quote "[The club] is extremely close [to break even]. In recent months, the player budget has been reduced dramatically, we've been able to sign some really excellent younger players on longer-term contracts, which reduces costs because you don't have to buy a much more experienced player, we've significantly reduced the medical bills by the introduction of the sports scientist. "We could do with a little bit of a boost on the commercial side, but we have that pipeline of young talent coming through which would give the opportunity for additional transfer income." Link Clearly Liam Jukes is still in that role now and players will get injured it the nature of the sport/business but we've shed a ton of backroom staff from Alexander's tenure. I get that Les Hutchison has significant wealth and was underwriting that investment at that point (and he was paid back) it got me thinking as to how much the approach being taken by McMahon and Weir might actually be false economy if the manager is being given a strict cap on player numbers/budget but we're having to shell out on medical costs because we're crippling players by running them into the ground. Fwiw, here's the thread: Edited January 19 by capt_oats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamMFC Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I'm really happy with the Halliday signing. He's got bags of experience, and as much as it's cliche, in the league, plus he could be invaluable to helping the younger guys like Miller. He has the fight and dig we've missed for so long and comes across as someone who is well liked but isn't afraid to say how things are. I could look back at this post come the end of May with regret but I think he'll do a good turn for us. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 It's maybe just because it's the first time I seen him play but I always associate him with this goal. At least he can hopefully provide the annual screamer Slattery is good for. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'WellDel Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Purely wild speculation on my part and putting a name out there to discuss. Just seen Aex Lowry not been getting much game time at Hearts so returned to Rangers with the view, apparently, to be loaned back out again. Would he fit profile Kettlewell would be looking at, a young prospect in midfield in along with the more experienced Halliday? Would he be a potential fit for a Slattery type role? Don't know much about the boy tbh. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Just now, 'WellDel said: Purely wild speculation on my part and putting a name out there to discuss. Just seen Aex Lowry not been getting much game time at Hearts so returned to Rangers with the view, apparently, to be loaned back out again. Would he fit profile Kettlewell would be looking at, a young prospect in midfield in along with the more experienced Halliday? Would he be a potential fit for a Slattery type role? Don't know much about the boy tbh. We've already got 2 loans from Premiership clubs in Montgomery and Halliday. I could be wrong (possibly am) but is that not the limit? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21maxwell Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I find it interesting the 2 players he brought in play in positions of Gent and Davor and it's well documented he would not play them unless he really had to. My fear for tomorrow is, we'll see Spittal RWB, as he'll see it as an attack overload game and Spittal's deliveries will be effective from there in Kettlewell's eyes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'WellDel Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 9 minutes ago, capt_oats said: We've already got 2 loans from Premiership clubs in Montgomery and Halliday. I could be wrong (possibly am) but is that not the limit? Ah, think you're right actually. Only been a couple of days and I'd forgotten about Montgomery already. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Manhattan Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) OK, I know he's not Austrian, but close enough surely? Edited January 19 by Doctor Manhattan 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I see Halliday as a solid but boring signing, he will do a job. I will also give Barry Maguire a clean slate, he has played for two teams since he did anything significant for us. It’s up to Barry to impress. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 On 17/01/2024 at 16:56, Busta Nut said: Just sturm-ing up some interest in the Alloa game, even if I got my days mixed up Shoe telt me this the other day 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.