Tweed

I thought Beaton had a decent game yesterday - the goal was entirely his assistant's fault. Even if Beaton was 99% sure it was in he can't risk overruling someone who is in ten times a better position and getting it wrong. And for all him changing the corner to the goal kick was annoying, he was right.

Was very impressed by young McMillan. Heneghan and McDonald were not bad but then both crashed out the race to MOTM by doing something completely mental to cost us a goal. Samson couldn't be faulted, Tait was decent and Moult burst a gut for the cause but had to come back so deep he was pretty ineffective. Hammell needs a hook to keep him in position. On balance I'm giving it to Jack McMillan.

McMillan was the best. He made one poor error but was smart enough to recover it himself. Thomas delivered a couple of delicious corners but did nothing worthwhile in open play, frequently lost the ball. McLean struggled to get involved, And given he is still so young Cadden was as disappointing as he has been, especially when moved inwards in the second half.

I wouldn't say we played well in the first half but we were the better team until about 5 minutes from half time.

From what I've seen we've signed two that look fit for purpose in Lucas and McHugh but they've managed one start each. Sadly we don't have the budget to sign cover as well.

Better team for much of the first half, nothing special but if someone deserved a lead it was us. But as had been covered already the goal seemed to completely deflate us. That was a catalogue of errors though - McDonald gave the ball away, Hammell was in no mans land rather than trying to stop the cross and McManus and Heneghan missing in action. But from then on we were frankly pish. Central midfield is becoming more and more of an achilles heel with every week and until we sort it performances like that will never be far away. I understand he was maybe forced into playing a half fit Lasley because of Lucas's injury but why in the name of God did we play a half fit Hammell too. McMillan is at least as good as him now and that was a total waste of a sub.

Louis Moult had a really good game on Saturday and has no votes - tells you how good we were.

Same team, same formation, same effort, same performance and same outcome will keep the owners happy. Well one of them at least....

Generally I only come here after a game now as I enjoy reading people's views win, lose or draw whereas before I read it every day. Now find I can catch up more on social media. Also I now work in Edinburgh so out the house 7-7 most days whereas when the site started I was at uni so arsed about on it more. World just moves on I think....

I have to say yesterday is probably about the first time ever I actually felt that I couldn't be arsed going. And it was entirely because of Wednesday night's performance and I suspect if it had been raining or a bit colder i may not have bothered walking up but the last four days are exactly why football is encapsulating and unpredictable. Our attendances are definitely going down in the East Stand, it's getting sparser week on week. Not confined to us though - I remember people being aghast that Thistle and St Johnstone were only getting 3k+ home fans about five years ago and now they are both sub 3k every week.

McGhee is never going to be all that likable or a universal taste but he actually does know what he is doing, is a competent manager at the level we're at and was a country mile more inspiring than anyone else who was interested in taking us on just over a year ago. Not sure he has recruited as well as Baraclough did but if he can get the best out of Ainsworth, McDonald et al then he'll move us on just nicely.

Samson - did everything he needed to, don't think he had a chance with the goal. Tait - excellent McMillan - very encouraging, didn't do much wrong on Wednesday and played very well yesterday Heneghan - one poor touch which cost him a booking apart, was excellent and the block just before half time was superb. McManus - he had a shocker on Wednesday, he was very assured yesterday and actually passed it rather than lumped it. Cadden - crossing was poorer than normal but his running caused all sorts of problems for their left back. Been better but still very good. Ainsworth - Started slowly but the cross he put in for McDonald lifted the confidence and just got better and better. Clay - nothing showy just got the job done. Lucas - never wasted a ball, linked with the front two and the wingers. Clearly tired towards the end but better than anything Clay and Lasley have offered for weeks. McDonald - Again excellent. Tracked back, tackling, making good choices (often the weakest aspect of his game) and took his goal well. Moult - not scored since the four against Accies and maybe needs one but his work ethic and tracking back were very good as usual. On all that, I'm plumping for Ainsworth but there are five or six with a good claim.

Very possible however if you imagine how bad our midfield was on Wednesday, there's was similar today so for all I thought the two of them did very well, they were up against not a lot.

Motherwell FC - from Bellshill to Brazil in three days, forever it has been thus. Maybe a slight exaggeration but that was more like it. Pace, retaining possession, good crossing, holding our own in midfield. Everything Wednesday night was not. Couple of times in the first half a bit slack defending set plays but we got better at that as confidence grew during the second half. Not a failure today and I think McMillan has the prospect to be a right good player. Really excited by him from what I've seen. Lucas looks a find if we can keep him fit. Ainsworth we all know is unplayable when he's on it but in two starts this season we've had two wins, two goals, two assists. Mark - you know it makes sense....

Normally agree with your reading of the game, but completely disagree here. I think Samson only started moving because McManus was doing sweet naff all and I think the blame lies entirely with him.

Of the teams in the bottom bit, we had the hardest game, our goal difference didn't take a doing and Inverness, Ross C, Dundee all lost and Partick and Hamilton drew with each other. Of course St Johnstone winning might have helped a bit but if I'd been offered the set of results we ended up with this morning, I'd probably have grudgingly accepted it.

Bearing in mind Celtic's worst home result so far is 4-1 and they have played Aberdeen, Rangers and Kilmarnock, there is absolutely no rationale that a midtable team will do anything other than take a hiding. We go toe to toe we leave ourselves wide open at the back, we try and sit off and they're too good for us. Our only hope is they have a bad day and we're good enough to exploit it but we're talking one in a hundred shot.

Completely wrong to suggest the crowd influenced him, you don't get Champions League games by being easily swayed. Just like Sutton saying Thomson bottled it by not sending off Forrester was complete and utter drivel - he made a mistake, no more no less. And given the games these guys get, they clearly don't make as many as those round about them - UEFA don't just give Scottish referees games out of sympathy but it's because they are among the best. On Mr Mulvanney on Saturday he has obviously dropped his concentration for a second because he has taken up the perfect position and is right up with the play. And for what it was worth I thought Craig Thomson had a super game on Saturday, he'll be frustrated an assistant's call has let him down. However I think had we equalised earlier, my feeling is that we would have gone on and won. As Goggles & Flippers said goals change games but I think when we did score it became apparent one team hadn't won since the first game and the other were three unbeaten because Thistle became scared of losing and we believed we could score and I think that dynamic with an extra fifteen minutes could have turned it for us. Of course it is conjecture but they were the ones desperate for full time at 1-1.

At half time they had scored the one credible chance there had been, granted it came with a bow on top from Hammell. Second half we went for it but were struggling to make it stick and didn't create much until the last twenty minutes. Problem was we over committed numbers wise and they had three chances where they really should have killed the game off. But to be fair to our lot, we did to them what so many teams have done to us over the years and dug in, scored a goal and in the end could have nicked it. Tait I didn't think was great today but that cross for the goal was an absolute peach, it was so good it was just about impossible for McDonald to miss. In the last five minutes when it was 1-1 you could tell they were at the bottom of the league needing a win as they looked scared and we looked like we believed we could win and Cadden and Bowman could have nicked it. Thought Heneghan had his weakest game today and Hammell and Tait were all over the place. Midfield I felt over committed a bit at 1-0 too early but in the early and late knockings of the game today they were much more competitive than last week.

Trust you. I've gone for Cadden. Sorry Moult, I went for Moult.

There are a few options. I thought the midfield worked well at Kilmarnock until McHugh went off. Johnson seemed more able to get involved up top with McDonald than he did yesterday. Therefore I'd be inclined that McHugh and Clay get the middle two berths. You could then go 4-4-2 and leave out one of Ainsworth, Cadden and Johnson. Alternatively you could leave the three of them in, get one of them supporting more up top and leave out McDonald. ] From what I've seen this season (and this may not be the popular view) the back four we played yesterday is our strongest. Not saying Brill should be our first team pick but I'd like to see him get a shot. I feel McGhee should have given him a run in a couple of the League Cup games to try and gauge who is first choice from some competitive action.

For me it was a toss up between the centre halfs. Just gone for Heneghan.

Think a lot of that game proved a few things we already knew. Lack of focal point (i.e. Moult) meant that we were struggling to create or convert chances. McDonald had a great chance to square Cadden in but was a bit greedy and then we had a couple of chances to get a shot away a moment letter and everybody seemed to suddenly want to pass. When Dundee improved a bit we missed the midfield shield to break it up (i.e. McHugh). Throw these two back in and I think we would most likely have won today. Some real positives though. Chalmers did very well, kept his line well and never wasted a pass. Was a bit unlucky with a header in the first half too. If we could keep him off free kicks though that would be lovely. Heneghan and McManus look like they have developed a fantastic understanding. McManus made one error which El Bhkatoui almost punished and Heneghan made one when he ended up having to put his name in the notebook to cover up but other than that very good. Cadden is very direct and doing some good stuff, final ball was a bit less good today than in some other games. Johnson and Ainsworth playing on opposite wings didn't really let either flourish but I know why McGhee did it as the left back was rapid and Ainsworth was never going to beat him with pace alone and Johnson and Cadden are a bit trickier to beat him but it didn't work often enough. Clay I really like, worker, rarely wastes a ball (sans the bizarre one he played in the second half) and adds a lot to the team. Also - how many times have we lost that game 1-0? Today we didn't even look troubled in keeping them out, with a bit of help from Andrew Dallas giving us the goal kick that was clearly a corner at the death. When it isn't happening and we struggling up top, it is crucial to get a clean sheet and a point so we have to be pleased we were professional and managed that.

Saturday is a game we need to not lose. Losing becomes a habit and we need to break it as three in a row is a trend, though I do accept all the teams we have lost to will finish above us. Dundee might not and are no better than us. Inclined to play the same team assuming Moult, McHugh and Hammell aren't ready. Faddy sounds like he is dying for a cameo.

Clay does seem to have some defensive attributes but he has been up having a pot shot in just about every game, I think he is maybe more versatile than his press. McHugh is the best by a distance and for me it has to be him and Clay.