livivoice

Some chat going the rounds in Dingwall last night points towards a Jamie Murphy return on loan.

Sorry for confusion over the date. Alcohol already having an effect.

Spoke with a Livi mate of mine who watched his team beat County 4-0. He said County were abject only managing 1 shot on goal. He believes Motherwell will destroy County. Appreciate that every game is different and yes County may have some of their ill players back but any confidence boost is always welcome. Plus we have a score to settle from earlier in the season when we lost a game we should have won. Pretty sure Carrol won't have forgotten the particular County player who feigned injury resulting in his sending off!!!!

Wee shout out for O'Hara. Yesterday he looked fairly composed throughout and won the free kick from which we scored. Can see him replacing the injured Donnelly on Thursday with Polworth returning to his usual beat.

Like every other fan I really want Mugabi to be a roaring success . Also IMHO I feel he gives us 100% every game. But I remain to be convinced about him . What I see is repeated poor positioning, wasteful when in possession and an overall uncertainty in his play. Add to that of the 2 set pieces leading to goals we have conceded against Rangers this season he has been mainly responsible. Also feel he was lucky not to have conceded a penalty for scrambling all over Morelos yesterday. What I can't get my head around is why he is being favoured over Hartley who by the very fact is on the bench has to be fit. Now, I ain't suggesting Hartley is Maldini but what he offers is sound reading of the game and a reliability which to my eyes breeds confidence throughout the team . He also doesn't require Gallagher to look out for him ( as is the case with Mugabi). Yup, at end of the day Robinson knows more about the game than I could ever hope to know. I'm just puzzled.

Noticed in Saint Mirren programme last night that he is " being linked with a move to England in the forthcoming January transfer window". Have I missed something?

As the disappointment of Saturday begins to ease I think there is a big learning point to take. If Motherwell are to be taken seriously as a top 6 side ( moreso top 4) we have to see off a Ross County type team which for large parts of Saturday sat in and frustrated us. We can I feel expect a similar challenge when St Mirren visit next whereas as against the Perth Saints we may have a more comfortable match deploying a countering formation. Just saying like.

Often said that people can watch same game and have different conclusions. For example I felt we bossed the game for most parts and it was only through our mistakes that we lost. I really don't get the view that County changed the flow of the game through some sophisticated change in plan. C' mon they are 0-1 down and have to change. Even then they hardly had us under the cosh!! Instead I felt we were confident in seeing the game out but for 2 terrible errors as in not closing down the County player for first and O'Hara making a pig's ear of second. 2 very preventable goals. As for Carroll he made the referee's decision easy. As for subs I'll give Robbo the benefit of doubt. Certainly the Tait sub made sense on basis of 1 point better than nought. All in all I left game with view that we will play worse and win. As for County they must have travelled north in a state of disbelief that they won. Onto Perth with a few lessons learnt.

DT now off crutches and walking pretty freely albeit knee heavily bandaged.

Seem to remember Grimmy and Hartley being signed deep into August 2017. Aldred too came in late in August last year. Further back I think Bowman was signed just before the window ' slammed shut'. He was of course a Mc Ghee signing. Sure there are more but can't be ersed checking back.

If the last couple of summer windows are a benchmark I`m pretty sure there will be a lot of activity going on behind the scenes.

Well_said is right I now believe. Ignore my rambling.

Methinks draw numbers reflected final league placings from last season. We would have been number 7. Can't be erased checking who we would have got.

Was pretty early and it looked ( to my weakening eyes) that he was being separately put through his paces by the physio.

Don't know if it was my imagination but I thought I saw Sloth warming up before the game. If so I take it he failed a late fitness test and Cole/ Semple brought in. Can anybody clarifify ?

Think I heard we pick up £40,000 by getting into 2nd round.

Apologies if covered elsewhere but was wondering if Polworth is available tonight following his suspension?

Took opportunity to go to Wembley on Sunday. ZFA was very tidy and played game within his limits. Fylde fans certainly rate him. Griffiths was unused sub. Brill was a bit flat footed at Fylde`s goal. Otherwise dealt comfortably with everything that came his way. O`s fans have a high regard for him and certainly feel he is one of the major successes in their championship winning season. Clay. Got to admit I am a wee bit biased as I I felt he did ok for us without pulling up any trees. Watching him in this match and an earlier game this season at Hartlepool [ yup , I do need to get out more!] I can fully understand why he was voted player of the season by O`s fans. I felt he was the main creative force in the O`s team showing a greater level of freedom and confidence than he displayed for us. As for the game it could have gone either way. Winning goal for Fylde was worthy of winning any final. On a final point the Fylde fans must be best mannered fans I have ever encountered. Even when under the cosh I never hear heard one swear word or a profanity. The most animated comment was to describe a referee decision as " Rubbish". It will never catch on you know!

Also important to note Robinson`s comments suggesting Carroll aint necessarily a `shoe-in` for left back and that he will have to prove his worth. With this in mind I would ask those who are downing Carroll before he sets foot in FP to wind their neck in and put trust in Robinson.

Noticed that Keiren [ or was it Kieran] Kennedy scored the winner for Wrexham in the National League on Friday. Got me thinking about the number of `Well players currently playing in the National League . Leyton Orient - Dean Brill and Craig Clay. Both players are massive favourites with the O`s fans [ No laughing at the back]. Wrexham---Kennedy. Fylde-----Zaine Francis Angol and Russell Griffiths. Barrow-----Steve Jennings and [whisper it] Jacob Blyth. Btw the National League comes to an end over next 2 games with top 3 teams still in running to win the league. Massive game tomorrow with leaders Orient away to 3rd place Solihull. 2nd place Salford [ with Adam Rooney] and bankrolled to the hilt are at home to 5th place Fylde. Yup, I need to get out more.

For those of a certain age there is a resemblance I feel with the signing of `Buff` Martin. Similar age when signing and been round several small clubs beforehand, Gallagher like Martin will I am sure regard the move to Motherwell as his biggest opportunity to make a mark. Add to that and apart from his range of skills Gallagher will almost certainly be a hungry player intent on making up for lost time. Congratulations to DG and well done the club in getting the deal done.

Declan Gallagher spotted today in Cooper Stand hospitality suite. I think we can safely say he is one of the 2 players Robinson has signed for the new season. I took in Livi`s game last week against the Accies. Gallagher again strolled through the match showing good defensive and attacking skills. Methinks we have a player here.

3 times but 1 was a shot from way out which was more of the ` hail mary` variety, another by Boyd looked a misplaced header and the other so irrelevany I can barely remember . By contrast Livi cut through the Killie defence on several occassions. It was only down to Livi trying to walk the ball into the net that prevented them from winning 3 or 4 zilch. At the end the Killie fans looked a sorry bunch.

Appreciate we have the Celtic game to navigate first but I took in the Killie game today at Livi. Normally I dont give us much hope at Rugby Park but after today I think we will have a real chance. Bottom line is that Killie today were really poor. This was mostly down to a number of first team players out leaving them down to the bare bones. They actually had little option but to bring on from the bench the already injured O`Donnell and Burke. Team had little threat up front albeit Brophy tried his best. Jones played as though he had his move to Rangers on his mind. Other than Mulumbu Killie were pretty impotent in midfield. This was largely explained by the absence of Power and Dicker. In defence they were forced to play some reserves. In a match which Livi could have won by more I left the ground with the feeling that Killie`s exertions of late have caught up on them and that we could be getting them at the right time particularly as some of the absentees may not be back for Wednesday. Time will tell.

Spoke to some Livingston fans yesterday re Gallagher. All strongly believe that he has signed a contract with Motherwell. They also believe he will be an important player for us. For my part whenever I have seen him play I have been impressed.