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You can make any point by freezing a moment out of context. But I don’t think this proves anything beyond the fact that a 10-yard pass to Watt wasn’t an option. There’s playing the passing game, there’s giving hospital passes in your own six-yard box, and then there’s just making an arse of it.

I don't think anyone is hounding him out, I am certainly not but it's not the first big error he has made for us and it's very frustrating as I am loving this team and manager and the belief they have, we had no fear yesterday. However we should be higher up the table. I also acknowledge this sounds hypocritical as I have been on here non stop backing Stama when he wasn't scoring, 3 in 2 hopefully a Good sign. No reason Ward cant turn things round but one more big error and ox deserves a chance, if he doesn't perform then sell him as still 18 months left on contract. COYW

I think that's a fair point. Think a lot of comments had been fuelled by emotion at way we lost without looking at bigger picture and greater understanding. I include myself in that too and will try to be more rational and positive. The other forum p and b is more balanced but I prefer it here.

I’m pretty sure JBA will not drop him and that we will see him versus Falkirk.

But surely you would accept that our style of play means any gk who plays for us will potentially make the same error. I accept it’s a bad mistake but I am not sure what is achieved by hounding him out. like I said earlier he on numerous occasions broke their press with his passes to open up the play.

I got my feelings out yesterday and I am sure Ward feels bad about his error. I think a lot of the frustration also comes down to fact it was Celtic we were playing. Any win over old firm is massive so just felt like a great chance missed. Yes chances are sellik might still have equalised but 2nd goal gave them confidence. Anyway we move on to Falkirk game in a fortnight and hopefully can bounce back. COYW

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.