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I read an interesting article recently about how big number 9s playing through the middle have almost disappeared from the top levels of the game. Most modern coaches have forward (and attacking midfield) players who rotate in and out of attacking positions. I suppose that leads to different models for youngsters too who don't have senior pros to copy. Haaland is probably the exception.

Arsene Wenger was one of the managers who introduced this approach into English football. His philosophy was a good big player was better than a good small player. When you are a team like Arsenal (or Freiburg) you have a deeper pool of options to choose from, so you can apply your sports science and gym work to players who have the raw physical attributes. Gone are the days when you were either a wee tricky dribbler or a big thug of a defender. Now you can be a big thug of a ball player.

Saw guy in front of me Phil O'Donnell stand with the seat in his hands, it had literally come off.

A lot of it is down to fitness, gym work and sports science. When Lennon Miller went to Udinese, they had to work on his physicality. I suppose genetics also play a part. You can't turn a 5'6 player into one who is 6'3.

But remember - no phones because we dont want to be recorded if we do something naughty........

I think I mentioned this before, all the homegrown guys seem to want to be midfielders, dont seem to get any 6ft2 ch or fwds coming through, not in MfC youth set up anyway

I know we got some favourable draws in first two rounds but this was the hardest of all the Scots teams, I think we could've done something v the other 3.

Our guys did their absolute best and gave everything last night and it’s no disgrace to lose to a side that were simply better than us. I for one am really proud of them. Freiburg are a big physical and very athletic side who are able to play at a really high tempo. Remember they are last season’s beaten UEFA League finalists and they beat current Conference League winners, Crystal Palace 3-0 in a pre-season match. The only side of our game where we fall short and did so last season was that we lack that physicality. Never the less when you look at the teams the other Scottish clubs got it’s fair to say we got the hardest. However it’s not the end of the world and we now need to try and get back in Europe again as it’s the only way to get better at this level. COYW.

Went Paulsen he made a couple of decent saves and was very comfortable with the ball at his feet. Moorman had played well up to the "red" card... Still trying to figure out what that was for... shout out to the whole team for keeping going and not collapsing after that.

Absolutely. Plenty to be learning from. I always wonder though and I'm no expert by any means. Is the physicality and athleticism side entirely down to fitness and gym work or is an element of that down to genetics? I don't believe our players put any less effort in in training then they do. Are clubs with better resources just able to identify players with better athleticism as well as footballing ability?

Should be easy to identify so a nice wee stadium ban hopefully. Getting fed up with the very small minority who cross the line. All clubs have this problem so not just us. I will focus on the 8500 genuine fans last night that created great tifos.....great singing.....lovely car horn...etc etc STAND UP AND SING FOR MOTHERWELL.....HONK HONK

The clown that ran on to the park . Identify and Barr him . Absolute rocket . Another incoming fine in the thousands . Re game proud of team . Some top top performers in Moorman Reich and big fella up front had a good debut . Lots to learn from game that an average SPL game would never give you . Finally as a Well Society member and proud to be so when are you society board members actually going to show a bit of balls re the fan incursion and flares that’s costing our club money . Same goes with the club management . Very timid approach . Get it sorted guys far to soft on your approach to it . Not good enough .

Gutted. That was a 1-1 at best, 1-2 at worst sort of game. They’re clearly streets ahead of us, but we didn’t deserve that final result. What can you do, though, when you’re up against a team like that, an appallingly biased referee and some utterly crazy VAR interventions?! Game over.

100% agree.

Im sure he will have social media and be a star for a day

...Just walk to park and dont throw fn bottles applies to both sets then the much maligned police dont need to get involved

Nah, it was a free kick, pen was a dive though

All I saw was groups of Freiburg fans who consisted mainly of da’s wife’s and weans…. The guy at the front was in a wheelchair? If you saw them launching bottles fair enough but on the footage I saw everything on their pointed at well fans being the more aggressive. If it was mainly Freiburg fans causing issues tho I’m happier with that take.

That will be one of my abiding memories of the game. They treated us with total respect as if we were prime Barcelona. Their movement on the ball was terrific and a joy to watch. Off the ball they worked tirelessly to close us down and possessed the physicality and athleticism to regain possession. We simply couldn't match them. That was no slight on us. I hope our younger players, and there were a lot of them, were watching and learnt lessons and also that our backroom staff took cognisance of their levels of athleticism and conditioning.

More likely the latter

Take it the nobhead that went over the barrier doesnt do social media and didnt see the message regarding going on trackside,or maybe doesnt give a fuck.

That's a bit of a wild take from "social media footage". First hand accounts tell a different story - bottles being launched by the Freiburg fans, which prompted retaliation. Questions do need to be asked of Police (and I use the term loosely) Scotland about their decision to allow both "corteos" to pass within yards of one another - details of both were widely publicised so adequate policing and alternative routes shouldn't have been a problem. Even allowing both to be in close proximity, there should have been sufficient police to "kettle" on or other, looked like there were about 2 police woman escorting the Freiburg group. Long winded way to say - we're quick to condemn our own, but it's not always as clear cut as made out.

Im afraid willy looks lost,postionally unaware,saw sods telling him where to go,looks like hes hiding,yes i will give him time with settling in,more coaching time,think we have been given a player from the casagolda video editing team.

........ and also when they didn't have it. Their appetite to recover possession was immense and contributed hugely to the suggestion from some that we "retreated into our shell". We didn't, we just simply couldn't get control of the ball long enough to mount attacks. A big, very athletic team, who popped the ball around with confidence, always moving (reminded me a bit of our own team last year, minus the big and athletic bit ). Absolutely no disgrace to go down to a team of that calibre. Loved that we were able to celebrate a goal, that at least had some significance in the game and not a "consolation" - what a "bounce" that was.

Morning after and that 3rd goal still hurts but nothing but pride in our players last night and shift they put in plus playing with no fear and the passing game. Great seeing SOD back and once we are at full strength we will be just fine. Hodge looks a player and big Seb up front exactly what we need and allows Maswanhise to play wide. Early days but new signings have fitted in great, the 3 defenders all look excellent and paulsen slotted in great though definitely gives you scary moments with ball at feet. Hodge and Lowry slotted in great and big Seb plus Williams once back will be great additions. Poor Willy the only one not done much yet but let’s give the lad a chance to settle. That early goal and celebrations will live long in the memory as will the car horn in the cooper stand. I didn't realise Harpo Marx was a well fan. Honk honk ! 🤣🤣 STAND UP AND BE PROUD TO BE A WELL FAN!