Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[ZX1886]

Not a bad result for the young lads tonight.

Considering most other colts teams are out!

[eddiemunster]

8 minutes ago, Archie McSquackle said:

1 hour ago, Gianfranco said:

 

There's some cracking chat on that Spartans' Twitter.

Crispy pets?

Edited August 7, 2019 by eddiemunster

[Gianfranco]

There's some cracking chat on that Spartans' Twitter.

I like their pinned tweet.

[wellboy1991]

Anyone go to the game tonight? Who stood out amongst the young lads?

[Swello]

4 hours ago, Gianfranco said:

I’d have went to the 20s game if it had been on Tuesday. I play 5s on a Wednesday so that comes first.

However, I’m missing the twitter updates for games like this. At the moment I’m following Spartans twitter to get updates. I think Ya Beezer had the suggestion of the club making a separate twitter for match updates. That makes so much sense imo.

Yep - a 4 tweet game - not up to much but we've seen the reasons - so that's that. Let's all bask in the knowledge that we won in mysterious circumstances...

[dezz]

I’m still up for giving the new social media approach a go but it’s getting a bit frustrating in all honesty.

I thought there was meant to be some sort of live update service on the website that would replace the twitter updates but as far as I can see that hasn’t happened yet.

As mentioned above, surely the simple fix for this is to create a Twitter account called @MFCMatchday or something like that, provide the regular updates there and keep the main account for the videos, interviews and other content they want us to see.

[capt_oats]

9 hours ago, wellboy1991 said:

Anyone go to the game tonight? Who stood out amongst the young lads?

I went along. When I saw the team sheet there were a couple of players who I'd heard about but hadn't seen anything of (Kettings, Starrs, Brown) and plenty of the new intake (McDonald, Cook, Robinson, Williamson) so it piqued my interest. 

It was a bit of a weird game to watch as other than a couple of flurries here and there and the final 10 mins when Spartans seemed to realise they were about to get bodied out the cup by a bunch of school weans the Young Team were completely comfortable.

Having said that, while they were (surprisingly) largely in control of the game they definitely looked like what they are; an inexperienced side at the start of a cycle. Which is why I say it was weird to watch.

Where the team that went on the run in this tournament last season had 2 or 3 seasons playing together, that was this group's first competitive game together and it showed in all the ways you'd expect. It was a pretty efficient performance, if not the most fluid. They went 1-0 up and saw the game out without too much fuss.

Tbh, you can't really fault any of the #YoungMotherwell side. The back 4 were solid, the full backs did well and the centre backs did everything that was asked of them defensively and physically. Hussain's got a very awkward looking gait but both him and Devine were effective enough and neither resorted to just launching it. I'd imagine the Devine, Hussain, Morrison triangle would be very evident on any pass map from last night.

Save a re-taken free kick in the last minute that hit the bar any chances Spartans had stemmed from Motherwell mistakes "on the ball" eg: Morrison thinking he had more time with a pass back and almost getting caught with the ball at his feet or Devine trying passes into midfield that were never on and getting caught on the counter but having said that you could count the number of times Morrison was actually troubled on one hand.

The midfield did well and won a fair amount of 2nd phase and recycled the ball pretty well. When they won possession they kept it.

In that respect I suppose the thing that stood out for me was the composure in the middle of the park. All 3 were wiling to take the ball to feet and make passes. Both Kettings and Semple seemed to have a bit of dig about them as well.

The main issue was midfield to front which is to be expected given it's pretty much a new side and they've barely played together (MacIver's only recently signed, Cook's one of the new intake promoted from the Academy and Starrs hasn't had much football given his injury and also the players he's had in front of him in his position). The front 3 didn't have much to work with but they grafted and pressed well.

Semple had a tough night. He was caught in possession a lot and was trying to force things a bit too much.

Having said that he kept showing for the ball and did all the "free" stuff, along with Kettings he was the one who made the midfield competitive. It's interesting to see him taking that Deep Lying Playmaker role. He was all over the park to the point where he was even popping up at full back in a Wayne Rooney stylee.

For all I'm saying he had a tough night, he still scored the goal (in a game where genuine chances were at a premium) and there were moments in the game where he picked the ball up in midfield and drove forward in a way that caught the eye in the same way that yer Cadden did physically and Turnbull did technically at that level. He's maybe not working in DT's bullet-time world but Semple's definitely got a certain poise and technical ability on the ball.

I mentioned him a few posts above but Matthew McDonald at left back stood out largely because he looks like a ball boy gone rogue (I just checked his profile on the OS and it's listing him as 167cm so...5ft 4").

He had an absolutely smashing game, chucking himself into tackles, winning headers FFS! willing to receive the ball and get forward. The fact that he was barely chest height to his opponent just made the whole thing better.

All in all they were well worth their win. Lovely stuff from the Young Team.

And here's the Semple goal.

Edited August 8, 2019 by capt_oats

[dirtydave]

16 hours ago, well fan for life said:

 

When he ran the length of the park against Hibs last season I was nearly going taps aff. If he finishes one of those runs by ripping one into the top corner my heid will enter orbit after it leaves my shoulders.

 

Would i be even greedier asking that it happens against the mhanky mob tomorrow  and he celebrates by booting Scott Brown in the baws?

[Gianfranco]

What on Earth is that fafafa song when we score?

[Ron Aldo]

52 minutes ago, Gianfranco said:

What on Earth is that fafafa song when we score?

"Japapa" it's called. I came across it on one of the MFC playlists on Spotify (do we still do those?).

[YassinMoutaouakil]

 We should have been all over this imo

[Casagolda]

Would have been a cracking signing aye.

Sadly, even in the Championship, I imagine both Dundee clubs- backed by their American owners- have the capacity to blow any potential offer of ours clean out the water should they so choose to. 

In this case, much like Shankland at Utd, it makes sense. Both players will be on a fair wedge for that level but if they bang in 20 plus goals and get them promotion they’ll see it as money well spent.

For us, I imagine it’s a case of waiting till after the deadline and see who’s left kicking about. 

[capt_oats]

Fully agree Hemmings would have been a good shout (pretty sure I mentioned his situation with Notts County earlier in the thread when the discussion was about potential strikers).

Thing is you're looking at his previous history with Dundee on top of the wage he'd have been on at County. I noticed their manager talking about the money that's been freed up by him leaving.

Quote

“Obviously, we’re disappointed to lose a player of Kane’s quality but in the same vein we’re hopeful this will help us improve the overall quality of the squad by using the money this frees up."

Link

They've also taken him on a 3 year deal which is a...commitment.

Like @Casagolda I'd imagine we'll be looking to see where we are once the English window shuts and who's been left on the fringes of their respective squads/available on loan and/or who's out of contract.

I'm hesitant to second guess Robinson these days but he's kind of set his stall out with his "a starter who's better than what we have" chat when talking about anyone coming in at this point. It kind of sets up expectations.

[thisGRAEME]

29 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

I'm hesitant to second guess Robinson these days but he's kind of set his stall out with his "a starter who's better than what we have" chat when talking about anyone coming in at this point. It kind of sets up expectations.

Louis Moult.

[capt_oats]

6 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said:

Louis Moult.

 

[Luke92]

Aye, Hemmings would have been a good shout for sure!

I'd be really interested to see what kind of wages Dundee/Dundee Utd are dishing out for Hemmings and Shankland.

I'm defintely not in the know so would be guesing but I wouldn't be surprised if Utd are dishing out 1.5k - 2.5k pw for Shankland. Might be totally wrong but don't know if we would be willing to dish that out on this type of player.

The likes of Shankland/Hemmings would seem a bit of non-brainer if we could afford it. Fair enough the Dundee clubs are big but surely we would be in for them if the money was right?

I'm still hopeful we will secure that starter that Robinson alluded to. A first team number 9 is still something we require in my eyes. Scott is good but still has much to learn, Long i'm not entirely convinced is our real 9. We need someone thats going to bring 10-15 goals to table.

Sad as it may be I'm still clinging to the hope we pull off a Lafferty/Moult type coup..

[capt_oats]

16 minutes ago, Luke92 said:

Aye, Hemmings would have been a good shout for sure!

I'd be really interested to see what kind of wages Dundee/Dundee Utd are dishing out for Hemmings and Shankland.

I'm defintely not in the know so would be guesing but I wouldn't be surprised if Utd are dishing out 1.5k - 2.5k pw for Shankland. Might be totally wrong but don't know if we would be willing to dish that out on this type of player.

The likes of Shankland/Hemmings would seem a bit of non-brainer if we could afford it. Fair enough the Dundee clubs are big but surely we would be in for them if the money was right?

If the rumours about Shankland are anything to go by then you'd have to bump that guess up a fair bit. Story seemed to be that there was a hefty signing on fee involved as well.

IIRC the Premiership clubs interested in him wouldn't go anywhere near the sort of money he was after and United were.

I doubt Hemmings is likely to be brought in on a budget wage either tbh.

Edited August 8, 2019 by capt_oats

[Ron Aldo]

31 minutes ago, Luke92 said:

Aye, Hemmings would have been a good shout for sure!

I'd be really interested to see what kind of wages Dundee/Dundee Utd are dishing out for Hemmings and Shankland.

I'm defintely not in the know so would be guesing but I wouldn't be surprised if Utd are dishing out 1.5k - 2.5k pw for Shankland. Might be totally wrong but don't know if we would be willing to dish that out on this type of player.

The likes of Shankland/Hemmings would seem a bit of non-brainer if we could afford it. Fair enough the Dundee clubs are big but surely we would be in for them if the money was right?

I'm still hopeful we will secure that starter that Robinson alluded to. A first team number 9 is still something we require in my eyes. Scott is good but still has much to learn, Long i'm not entirely convinced is our real 9. We need someone thats going to bring 10-15 goals to table.

Sad as it may be I'm still clinging to the hope we pull off a Lafferty/Moult type coup..

I work with a Dundee United fan who has suggested Shankland is on about £3k per week. As a guess, I'd say that's probably around double what our highest earners are on.

[Aufc]

I work with a Dundee United fan who has suggested Shankland is on about £3k per week. As a guess, I'd say that's probably around double what our highest earners are on.

Apparently £3k a week and £300k signing on fee

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Can't wait until United lose 1-0 on aggregate to St Johnstone in the playoffs and go into admin. Nothing against the club but their entire internet fanbase are weirdos.