Al B

Theres a pic in the paper today of the goal, a split second after Ports has headed it. Neilsens wide eyed and mouth open, arms flying in the air...but theres a clear gap between them. Ports isn't touching him at all.

Did you see in the second half though, Marky Reynolds has the ball in our box, no-one within about 20 yards of him, and somehow managed to flick it up and batter it off his hand!! Edit: What a fuckin goal by the way!

Coincidentally i've just posted this in another thread, but we're actually the best supported club in the SPL when you take attendance as percentage of population. Around 19% of the population of Motherwell attend Fir Park, which is higher than any other city/club in the league.

Believe it or not, in terms of percentage of each towns population who attend games, we're actually the best supported club in the SPL. As of the last census, around 19% of the population of Motherwell attend Fir Park, which is higher than any other club/city in the league.

Thats like reading something on the wall of a bog

Incidentally, im not a big fan of the band but i've always thought THIS would be fucking amazing for the team to come out to. Edit - Only if it wasny playing through a 1987 cassete player.

Faddy and the The Kaiser

Then you can say what you like, cos they're a mile away, and you've got their shoes..

Ah fair play. I guess it just depends if him mentioning the ICT game is the earliest possible return...or if he could possibly have returned 2 or 3 games ago, but the fitness of Klimpl has allowed and extra couple of weeks for the reasons you say? I guess we wont really know until we see if he returns

Agreed, but in fairness the original question specified choosing from a full squad, in which case i'd have him in. My actual team for Saturday (the second one) doesnt include him.

With a full squad? Smith Saunders--Craigan--Reynolds--Hammell Hughes--Lasley--Fitzpatrick Murphy--Porter--Clarkson With who we have fit at the mo Smith Saunders--Klimpl--Reynolds--Hammell Hughes--Lasley--Fitzpatrick Murphy--Porter--O'Brien Okay our defence will be shaky regardless of who plays it would seem, but I reckon thats the best we can do right now. I'd have Fitzpatrick in my side every single day of the week, because his main attribute is the one GLARING thing we dont have right now...doesnt matter if we're 3 up or 3 down, he'll work til his legs drop off for the cause. Him and Las will sit and break up the play allowing Hughes to TRYYYY and get back to what he does best. Up front, the three will hopefully stop us playing the ball over the top so much and allow Porter to get on the ball in good positions rather than having the ball pumped up to him with his back to goal and no support. Contrary to popular opinion I thought O'Brien put some great crosses into the box when he came on against Hamilton, and that, with Murphys trickery, and the two of them switching sides should keep the ICT defence on their toes. Leaves us with a bench of Bob, Sutton, McGarry, Quinn, Darren Smith...which is fairly strong under the circumstances. Ball to feet fairly early, two defensive mid's breaking up the play and helping out the back four, Hughes to get his foot on the ball and his head up with plenty of options ahead of him into Porters feet or wide to O'Brien/Murphy...with the two of them switching sides/running at their backline. I dont think theres any way we wouldnt come away with less than 3 points. Everyone playing a role they are suited to and being allowed to enjoy their football, and providing the cohesion and "team" that McGhee keeps saying is missing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - Smith - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Quinn - - Craigan - - Reynolds - - Hammell - - - - - - - Hughes - - Lasley - - Fitzpatrick - - - - - - - - - - Murphy - - Porter - - Clarkson - - - - - Or in simple terms, the same as last season but with Murphy replacing McCormack. It isny fuckin rocket science. Murphy might not have the impact that McCormack had yet, but he sure as hell isn't 20 points less effective. It really pisses me off when people say, "oh we've been found out...teams know how to play against us...we cant be as effective...blah blah blah..." How the fuck does anyone know that?? We havent even TRIED to play the same way!! And for the most part we've not even attempted as much as the same formation or set up. I've heard McGhee say a few times that the loss of McCormack means we can't play that way, but I just can't accept that at all! Like I say, set ourselves out the same way we did last season with Murphy in the McCormack role, and yeah...we might not be as effective as we were last time, we might not be troubling the European places...but we sure as fuck wouldn't be sitting joint bottom. Fair enough that backline has shown to leak goals, and has been affected by injuries, but keeping it as stable as possible has got to be better that being halfway through the season and still fannying about not sure who to play where. That midfield three would work, with the dig from Lasley and Fitzpatrick breaking up play, leaving Hughes as the "creative" midfielder (again, pretty much the same as last year) Then up front you have Porter as an out and out front man with Clarky and Murphy either side, pulling wide, dropping deep, switching sides, and both with the Engine to work back when required (again...same as last year), with Murphy having that bit of skill and unpredictability to create something (not a boot in the baws away from the Rosco role) Leaves pretty much EVERYONE doing EXACTLY the same job as they did last year!! Porter playing the role of main front man, instead of fucking around trying to win balls in the air with his back to goal. Clarky up top on the end of things rather that pissing around in midfield charged with tasks that im sure he'd admit himself, isnt very good at. Murphy in a more advanced role doing what he's suited for, and that's scaring defenders with pace, unpredictability, and a decent amount of skill...instead of being stuck deeper where he doesnt have the physical presence to be as effective. Hughes free to get on the ball and have plenty of options when he does...in to Porters feet, wide to Clarky or Murphy, driving forward himself...or worst case scenario he still has Lasley or Fitzpatrick to play a square ball if there is nothing on, allowing us to keep it at the very least! All of that leaves us with subbies of Bob, Sutton, O'Brien, Darren Smith, Saunders, Klimpl, McGarry....which is a fucking decent, strong bench to have!!! Just to emphasise, im not saying or expecting we'd be up troubling the top places of the league...nor am I claiming to know more than anyone that makes these decisions. My point is that to me it seems so obvious!! And I dont understand why we've fucked about so much with something that was working well. Granted it might not work AS well as it did for various reasons, but it would surely have been effective enough to bring a return that wouldnt have us toiling in the scrap at the bottom.

I like that the avatars are bigger than they used to be