Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[eliphas]

8 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

It's obviously too early to tell on the full backs but theoretically it should be better. We went from having pace and width on both sides last year to Spencer always coming inside and SOD being slow this time. It's not a surprise that was easier to defend against which led to various negatives....The attempt to recreate that now with youthful width on both flanks running fast all day is clear.

Aye that's my view as well and I've been a broken record about how the full backs are so important in the Kettlewell system

Proof will be in the pudding I guess.

[Richie]

Yeah, our form isnt too bad and that includes a few games without Biereth.

Nicholson will undoubtably add a bit of threat and variation going forward and we can see what Vale brings.

As has been said we should have a bit pace and creativity at wing back.

Ironically one of Killies strengths is attacking down the flank, so will see how things pan out tomorrow.

 

Edited February 2 by Richie

[Swello]

We were a decent striker away from a good window I think - but that is such a huge gap that we are going to have to fill with the dregs in the free agents that it's going to be hard to get past unless we pull something out of the bag.

On the squad generally, Gent becomes an attacker, SOD is a RCB, Halliday and Nicholson add a bit of experience and we have added what we were missing at fullback (including a decent looking replacement for Montgomery at very short notice).

Yesterday also maybe shows what we are missing on communications from the club now that Burrows is away - If there were a bit of informal stuff that we've become accustomed to - it might have helped calm things down a bit.

[stu92]

Sad to see OF fan levels of self pity and doom mongering from some on here last night. 

[MurrayWell]

Tbh I don't think folk are being that knee-jerk or down about it, think most rightly expected another striker yesterday, the club also clearly briefed the media that we were still in for one (and I suppose that might happen today or through free market). The KvV thing was an added boot in the baws, although I'm very much on the side of we were right not just to chuck ridiculous levels of money around to get a deal done. 

Said it yesterday, but on the whole I think we've made some solid additions to the squad (Nicholson and Halliday already look decent and a mate who is a Blackburn fan living up here told me Vale is pretty well thought of there) in what is often a tricky window, but feel we are still a striker short. 

Just one thing to add, I highly doubt we were genuinely in for every player we were linked with this window, so I do agree calm is needed on that front. Seen far too many Curtis Main meltdowns... 

Edited February 2 by MurrayWell

[Handsome_Devil]

22 minutes ago, Swello said:

We were a decent striker away from a good window I think - but that is such a huge gap that we are going to have to fill with the dregs in the free agents that it's going to be hard to get past unless we pull something out of the bag.

Dunno if it's just my impression but in Scotland at least there didn't seem to be as many folk getting themselves mutualled on deadline day to be available after as there are sometimes is. 

There will no doubt be bodies out there but just what their ability is remains to be seen.

[ropy]

I assume our tactic will be to form an impenetrable line of full backs about 20 yards out from the opposition goal and play the entire game in their box.  Bound to sneak a 1-0.

When I got off the plane last night I had 9 hours of updates to read, quite the roller coaster.

[eliphas]

2 minutes ago, ropy said:

I assume our tactic will be to form an impenetrable line of full backs about 20 yards out from the opposition goal and play the entire game in their box.  Bound to sneak a 1-0.

When I got off the plane last night I had 9 hours of updates to read, quite the roller coaster.

Hope you enjoyed the budget/finance breakout area we constructed mid way through the day. 

[Eliphas Pettigrew]

10 hours ago, 'WellDel said:

Just had a quick swatch on SO for the first time in a long time, as I kinda thought there might be some 'interesting' takes on tonight's dealings. My oh my. 

Some roaster called ppower even managing to outdo all the usual suspects in decrying all things Motherwell, whilst admitting they haven't been to a game in 10+ years and wild horses couldn't drag them back. Why the fcuk are you actually on the forum then you melt? That'll be enough of that for another year or so. Makes us lot on here look like football masterminds.

What a toxic, hate-filled and negative forum that's become .... unreadable, over-run these days with the negative agendas certain posters peddle almost daily. The 'experts' and posters who are never wrong, are happy to kick the club at every opportunity and continue the daily witch hunt for their 'favourites' to blame for all the club's woes and refusing to see anything remotely positive

[Busta Nut]

Who's got the list of available strikers then?

[Handsome_Devil]

2 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

Who's got the list of available strikers then?

https://www.transfermarkt.com/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=14&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

Might work.

Edit to add, I've obviously never been in a professional club but I imagine the fax machine/spam folder goes into overdrive with agents looking to get their unattached guys a gig this morning?

Edited February 2 by Handsome_Devil

[Desp]

21 hours ago, Squirrelhumper said:

If we have spent £5.2m when our accounts come out i'll buy @Desp all the pre match beers he can drink in our first game next season. 

After blowing their budget on an injured Kevin van Veen, me at the first Motherwell v Kilmarnock game next season...

[wellboy1991]

When you look at our wage bill, number of players we have, those on loan etc we must certainly be over paying some completely mediocre dross substantially….

[JamesP_81]

21 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

https://www.transfermarkt.com/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=14&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

Might work.

Edit to add, I've obviously never been in a professional club but I imagine the fax machine/spam folder goes into overdrive with agents looking to get their unattached guys a gig this morning?

Quick selective look through some of the more likely leagues for us to look at talent from and the cream of the crop would appear to be :

Gary Madine

Dwight Gayle

Cillian Sheridan 

Joseph Efford! 

tbh right now I'd take bazooka Joe back but unsure what the returns policy is on SK's ban-cannon.  

[Cloontang]

3 minutes ago, wellboy1991 said:

When you look at our wage bill, number of players we have, those on loan etc we must certainly be over paying some completely mediocre dross substantially….

No doubt that will be the case when you consider that Joe Efford was one of our highest earners.

[welldaft]

23 minutes ago, Eliphas Pettigrew said:

What a toxic, hate-filled and negative forum that's become .... unreadable, over-run these days with the negative agendas certain posters peddle almost daily. The 'experts' and posters who are never wrong, are happy to kick the club at every opportunity and continue the daily witch hunt for their 'favourites' to blame for all the club's woes and refusing to see anything remotely positive

I have not been near SO for months and sadly for everyone on here (especially one) I have no intention of going back.

Not adding another striker is a glaring hole. But I guess it was not for the want of trying. I assume we missed out on at least half a dozen targets inc the fellow that ended up at Hibs at the death if the rumours are true. 

I noted the chap on BBC having a go at the number of full backs we have signed. Not mentioning that of the 7 we have signed 2 are away this window, 1 is injured long term and 1 we would rather play further up the pitch then we are possibly only 1 over expectations.

Hopefully the new additions settle quickly. I think we will have enough to get 10th or above but it depends on injuries etc. 

Tough game tomorrow. Yesterday effectively confirmed that these days even Killie are operating to a different level financially, despite what one or two of their fans may try to claim. 

[Cloontang]

32 minutes ago, Eliphas Pettigrew said:

What a toxic, hate-filled and negative forum that's become .... unreadable, over-run these days with the negative agendas certain posters peddle almost daily. The 'experts' and posters who are never wrong, are happy to kick the club at every opportunity and continue the daily witch hunt for their 'favourites' to blame for all the club's woes and refusing to see anything remotely positive

It's a real shame, someone commented on an old thread this past week and it was quite sad to see all the old usernames of some great posters that no longer frequent that forum. I'm positive a few particular users these days use various accounts to spout negative stuff.

[KirkySuperSub]

30 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

https://www.transfermarkt.com/spieler/vertragslosespieler/statistik/1/plus//galerie/0?ausrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=14&land_id=alle&altersklasse=&wettbewerb_id=alle&seit=alle&yt0=Show

Might work.

Edit to add, I've obviously never been in a professional club but I imagine the fax machine/spam folder goes into overdrive with agents looking to get their unattached guys a gig this morning?

I actually laughed there at "fax machine"...fuxake, mind those, the shiny crappy paper that would curl up for the remainder of time once it was spouted out.

I bet the Fir Park office still has one.

[well fan for life]

I am barely even whelmed by yesterday. It's a fair point that one of the real drop offs from last season was going from Johnston/Furlong to SOD/Spencer tying himself in knots to get onto his right foot. So with that in mind it's probably not awful that we've got a few extra options out there. However I don't think it was our biggest problem. 

Biereth is involved in the majority of our goals scored this season and left on the 18th. Alongside emptying Wilkinson & Shaw it's left us with Bair who has a total of 5 career goals(who I'm also convinced isn't a striker) and a complete unknown quantity in Vale. Obika might surprise us by being fit for a game at some point but I'm not exactly confident. 

Ketts must be confident that Butcher, Casey & Blaney will improve but as it stands I'd be playing McGinn & SOD as 2/3 of our back 3 from here on out. Who knows if we missed out on a defender. 

From what we're hearing about missing out on forwards to other teams, and I don't mean the alleged duffel bag full of used bank notes for KVV, it suggests we're skint. I don't think we're struggling to keep the lights on skint, but we're certainly struggling to attract players. Not helped by the last couple of years of bullshit we've been pulling around managerial appointments/sackings, botched stadium renovations and an even more botched attempt to have a CEO I'd imagine. 

[KirkySuperSub]

39 minutes ago, Eliphas Pettigrew said:

What a toxic, hate-filled and negative forum that's become .... unreadable, over-run these days with the negative agendas certain posters peddle almost daily. The 'experts' and posters who are never wrong, are happy to kick the club at every opportunity and continue the daily witch hunt for their 'favourites' to blame for all the club's woes and refusing to see anything remotely positive

The moon-howlers, I can actually stomach. Everyone knows them, they are easy to scan past and ignore.

It's the category that I've highlighted I cannot stand - those with the "I bet you've never kicked a baw in yer life" patter - like everyone needs to have played to a junior level to have an opinion. Pompous, arrogant bellends.