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At half time I was almost gonna type here to the effect that Ward is so integral to our new playing style as he is (normally) good with ball at feet and distribution is good. He's like a sweeper at times. So granted yesterday was a colossal error, but don't forget all the good moves he starts many of which result in goals.

We don't really have to say its acceptable for the keeper passing the ball straight to an opposition player in our own box, for him to score and take all three points. It's basic stuff in his job description , probably rule no2 on what not to do in the goalkeeping manual. He's running out of chances.

I can’t believe how much better we are in such a short period of time and I think we will get better the more we play. The possession stat for the Celtic game was roughly 60/40 which is probably the best at parkhead in a long time. I firmly believe it would have been even better if we had a full squad available. I’m hoping we can get past St Mirren and get to the final with a full squad to see what we can do.

This was never going to be instant success though. The manager keeps going on about the learning process here. Mistakes will be made. We just have to accept this. I feel a lot on here are being way too critical of the team, you need to look at the bigger picture.

For anyone questioning what "get the ball in front of AP" means, his fist goal is a perfect example of that.

Fair enough...

That for me is really all that we are missing. If we get results against Livingston and Falkirk we are well set up for the season but we just cannot give either of those sides the goalkeeping freebies we've given Hearts, Kilmarnock and Celtic. We really should be sitting top of the league and that's a testament to how well we've played but shooting ourselves in the foot.

Hopefully yesterday will be a learning curve that there will be times when the ball needs to be kicked long or booted into the stand and we regroup from there.

Ive not argued that it wasnt a f#ck up. I would have preferred he put his laces through it. My argument (I prefer debate) is that its not solely on Ward. We have a manager instructing him to play that way. No surprise that he did as instructed. I also have sympathy with those saying we should give Ox a chance. Perfectly reasonable stance to take. My question is, why hasnt the manager done so? He see's the same things as us. But he also see's Ox in training every day and has decided to stick with Ward. Why?

Agree totally. Watt is option and mistakes like that will continue as long as directive there to play it from the back. Team cannot suddenly go off script. Positives and negatives of same. He had been it under a lot of pressure prior to that mistake and just made a good save before it too.

Everyone is going round in circles on this one. It was a keeper fuck up plain and simple. He joins Stevie Woods in the worst fuck ups against the OF from a winning position. Games done and lost, we can't change it.

The chances of the latter giving Celtic the equaliser compared to the former is 5% against 95%. Its just a bad judgement call no matter how its dressed up.

Im not sure I agree with that. If you look at the still, there is a clear pass to Watt, that if it comes off allows him to turn taking 5 Celtic players out the game and giving us a great opportunity to attack. Ward makes a rickets of it, and you could argue the pass is too risky. But the manager has stated clearly numerous times that he wants us to take risks and thats what he likes. I was happy to criticise Ward over the handling errors, as these are basic goalkeeping skills, but this isnt the same, and totally ignores the lack of options the manager has to deal with this without ripping up what we do. If fhe thought Ox was the answer he would have been in after the Killie game.

Why should he though? Every other time we passed about at the back we beat Celtic's press, the one time we failed they scored. What if he boots it up, Celtic player wins the ball, passes to a teammate and then scores immediately? Is that really seen as a better option? It's the risk we are taking and it's absolutely fine when it works.

I never thought I'd live to see the day where a Motherwell keeper would emulate Stevie Woods horrendous fuck up when we were on the verge of putting Rangers out the Cup in 1998 but there you go. Ward now has now made the "Worst Goalkeeping Fuck Up Ever" a joint Motherwell award.

Spot on, if there are no other options available then kick it long and clear the danger, it was very poor judgement from Ward that cost us a goal that's probably 4, maybe even 7 points hes cost us so far in just seven games.

Yes, but with only one league win by October, we can’t draw and lose our way to any kind of success this season.

Yeah, the takeaway is 2 fold. 1: Ward to atune his decision making in such situations. 2: Players to be alert to it, communicate and try and find space. Its weird, but we want teams to be encouraged to press us high and commit men as if we get through the line, they are then exposed. The way to frustrate us is probably to sit in and force us to play in front of them. Frustrating and what ifs so far, but we have been on top or at least well in the fight every game this season. We may be making mistakes, but were also giving ourselves a chance.

When you look at expected goal stats score was fair. It's just gutting to throw away 2nd goal and to loose last min goal Mwell average age was 25 and Celtic 27 which is positive.

Ward’s pass didn’t go astray. There was no forward option to a Motherwell player and he played it straight to a Celtic player. That was poor judgement, not a by-product of the style of play, which doesn’t preclude making a sensible clearance when no options are available.

All this chat of get Ward out is so frustrating to read. I would be interested to see how many passes he made in his box while Celtic pushed up to around our 18 yard line, I would guess a fair few. He is being asked to play like this by his manager and is integral to the style of play we now embrace. As soon as he plays it through their press we find gaps and this has been evident in most games this season. Issue is the more you play that move the more chance there is of a mistake happening, which the manager pointed out in his interview. I don’t think Ox can play this way and I would be he would make more mistakes than Ward. It’s the nature of the position that a mistake can lead to a goal, but I don’t think it’s all wards fault. Put it this way if let’s say Welsh made a mistake that led to a goal would we all be jumping on wanting him out the door?

I'm with you on this mate and feel we will learn as most teams will start doing same. I.e putting 5 players up on us at goal kicks. JBA will see this and will develop a play out that will bypass these 5. There must be room elsewhere on pitch if they have 5 to mark our 2cdms and 2 cbs so that will be worked out what to do if this happens again. There is always solutions and I am sure we will find them. As others have said 1st time in years we have gave them a right game and only our lack of subs and 1 bad decision cost us. We are a match for anyone just now and it is great to see. Ps I would keep faith with ward as there is no way ox would give us extra man in playing out from back.