Big Trac

You're right that you shouldn't agree with the fans just because there are lots of them. I generally don't either. But just because you think what you say is right doesn't make it any more true, and when you say they are wrong, I say that in this instance you are completely incorrect. Yes, Louis Moult made a mistake which cost us a goal late in the game. He was on for bareltly 10 minutes and looked defeated. The same guy who was giving everything and chasing lost causes not so long ago seemed to give up. McGhee's motivarional technique of dropping the top scorer working wonders. Still, he should have tracked his man. And the game against Thistle was Ainsworth's fault. Not McGhee. You say tactics and formation didn't cost us the game? Well, I thought EXACTLY the opposite and I think that that is as clear as day to a reasonable person. I'm all for supporting the team and manager but I think you need to make it appropriate to the contribution and from the intial team set up it looked like the manager had made a mistake and that was the way the game played out. McGhee will blame players (again) but only so many of these incidents can be blamed on individuals. Eventually the manager will need to take some responsibility for his decisions as well.

The fans got what they wanted? Did they? This is one of the most moronic statements I have ever read on these forums. Did the fans want Moult to be put on the park with 10 minutes to go with the game in the balance? No. No they did not. Did the fans want Scott McDonald up front on his own trying to bring down long balls. No. No they did not. You are an embarrassment. Not the several thousand fans who all seemed to agree.

McGhee? Ah.... just ... ach, bollocks.

He looked out of his depth from the start. Erratic comments and erratic signings to match erratic performances. Although to be fair the perfromances were becoming more consistent than erratic. They were consistently awful. Even when we won we looked awful. When we drew with County the other week everyone knew we didn't deserve a draw. (And add to that he was spending way more money than we should be in our financial predicament, though that is down to the board and Hutchison too) The longer he stayed in the more things would unravel uncontrollably. Entropy.

He's no better than what we have. (Leitch is better in my opinion.) Waste of money. I think if we're bringing in someone then they need to be like Lasley or Jennings in their prime. A ball winner with an engine. In fact, two of those please.

Despite the fact that I like his positive attitude, I also unfortunately think he is clueless which makes his positive attitude seem naive and embarrassing. However, his record so far is not the worst we've had, though also by no means the best. Played W D L Win % Baraclough 30 11 4 15 36.67 McCall 174 73 32 69 41.95 Brown 45 21 10 14 46.67 Gannon 25 7 8 10 28 McGhee 88 35 17 36 39.77 Malpas 44 14 8 22 31.82 Butcher 175 60 37 78 34.29

I'm not sure I want to see the next game, never mind discuss it.

The fact is that there is now a very high chance we will go down. (And after reading the blinkered unrealistic view of the Thistle game which Baraclough came out with it seems even more likely to me) But if it comes to relegation, what is the fucking point in all the pants-shitting? It's a waste of time and energy to just greet about it. As fans we can do very little about it, and even if voicing our opinions mattered in terms of change at the club, it is now too late (beyond a last minute panicky change in manager which would be unlikely to have a positive effect at this stage).** So if we get relegated should we all get down on our knees and start crying and wailing at the skies, or hope for the best ad just fucking accept what's going to happen is going to happen? If the club go into administration and struggle, that's the only time we can actually do something about it and work with the Well Society etc to keep it going. Apart from that, we buy season tickets, as that is the only other major impact we can have outside shouting at the team on the pitch. **And I really wish we could influence the manager not to pick Sutton and play him or our other two strikers as left sided midfielders for half a game, but we can't stop him if he wants to.

It might actually be a breath of fresh air in the end. That is assuming we don't go into administration and crumble, but the possibility of relegation should really be planned for (difficult as that may be. Hard to say whether attendances will drop or rise. It will probably depend on whether we started well once relegated. Of course it isn't a foregone conclusion that we will go down. But we should start facing the possibility rather than kidding ourselves that it will never happen.

We're playing well now and credit to Barraclough for getting the team finally looking like a football team again (even though I think it's the signings that have turned things round more than his actual team management) To be fair to him, he's doing a lot better and making better decisions. But it's quite probably come way too late to keep us out of the play off spot. That run of defeats was just too damaging and the run of good results left too late. I hope I'm wrong, and hope they can pull us out of the mire. At least we have a decent chance now. And if we do go down, at least we won't go down without a fight. It will be an exciting end to the season, and if we do end up in the play-offs then hopefully it will be taking some good form with us.

Straker is a complete joke, and the face that Barraclough rates him is the most worrying thing of all. Grant looks very good on the ball, but doesn't win the ball back and drifts out of the game too easily. But with him, there is some hope. Nobody else is trying to win the ball except Lasley, and his legs have gone, so he just gets stick for struggling and failing. Don't understand why we signed Long, he doesn't add anything we didn't have already except an extra wage to pay.

On the original topic: If Barraclough doesn't go we're down. However, even if he does go, we still might go down. But I think we're going down unless there is a massive change, and I don't think Barraclough can provide it. He's had plenty of time now, and the team is a disorganised shambles. Nobody knows what they are doing. It's terrifying to watch. In addition to that, the team seems weak willed, and the players look like they have given up already. So his motivation skills are clearly not cutting it. The final nail in the coffin is that Straker, who appears (so far) to be one of the worst players I've seen play for us. Which isn't a good indication since he's one of the signings who's meant to get us out of this. (And that's just mentioning one of the players.) The basis of what we need to get out of this is organisation and motivation. But we'll also need a hell of a lot of luck. Right now we have none of the above.

There are pubs not far from the ground. I don't think it's necessary (Although to be fair, sometimes you need a drink at half time to keep you going!) It won't add to the crowds, but it might mean more queuing, followed by spilt pints/pish trickling down the stands. The queues take long enough just to get a tea or juice at half time, so I don't know how they'd cope with any more demand.

Hehe. Too true. Absolute 'mare last night.

Not going tonight as while I was waiting in the queue for match abandoned vouchers, I was told season ticket holders don't need one, so I left. I have been busy and haven't had time to get to the ground to pick up a replacemnt (which I don't understand the need for really; there are other options), and to be honest haven't put in any effort to do so, because I'm pretty annoyed about it. I think the reaction of Leanne Dempster was not what I would have liked. An apology and affirmation to do better next time is what I would have expected from any business in that situation. Instead we get told that we don't understand complicated things and not to complain. Many of the fans have complicated technical jobs and understand what it takes to carry out logistical tasks equalling (and sometimes far in excess of) what Motherwell need to do. (And as my mate put it, "What was the difference from the full time whistle except handing out vouchers?") Anyway, I'm off to sulk in a corner. (and listen to the radio)