gee

Kipre seems very assured, was impressed by his range of passing and composure. Feel it's worth persisting with Tanner, at times his link up play has been good. Still not sure he'll contribute the same goals/assists as McDonald did but we'll see.

I agree and add to that the form of our other strikers and the reported heavy sell on to Wrexham I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.

It's signings like Andy Rose I don't understand. Everything about his pedigree and write up suggested he wouldn't walk straight into our first 11. We'd be no worse off giving his minutes to Turnbull or Campbell and would help develop them in the process. The most successful Motherwell squads of recent years have been set up that way. We were fortunate it was rare that guys like Carswell and Hetherington had to cover Nicky Law etc but still. It will be really disappointing if Chris Caden is the only output of a cup winning youth team.

Good to be 2-0 up at HT. Like the look of Kipre, Bigi and Carson. McHugh seems like an new signing playing at CM and will be a huge player for us this year it would seem. Not convinced Tanner, Bowman and Frear are the quality required. Garden apart, a full team of recruits from England. Robinson did say he wants us to retain an identity, would like to see more homegrown players getting minutes.

Good decision by Thomas to move on if he wasn't going to play this year. We'll need to wait and see how he performs at Killie before we gauge if it was a good call by us. Hopefully this will allow us to bring in an already identified creative player now?

Does look a strong team. I have concern though that it still lacks a make it happen/goal scorer style player that can make the difference in our league between challenging for top six or fighting relegation. If Moult moves on I'd say we will need 2 players of real quality up top to come in to have hopes of a top six finish this year.

Hopefully the delay in signing Dembele is because we've offered him squad player wages. He has no sell on value and a limited CV so not someone we should be investing too much in?

Think Paul Quinn would be a decent signing actually with that in mind. Hope we've segmented the budget though for a couple more marquees signings in key positions, centre half and attacking mid. One or two players in your team like Scougall or Allan can have a huge impact in this league.

Could suggest McHugh will be used at centre back next season

I think Robinson has a good chance of getting it beyond the end of the season if performances were to change, which I do expect them to. Has Faddy done his coaching badges?

It was obvious when he first got exposure to the first team that he'd need to bulk up to be effective. We managed this with Cadden but there's been no imporvent with Thomas. Whether that's a difference in commitment or just genetics between each player I'm not sure. It's even more disappointing that with Johnson now gone if Thomas was ready he'd be in the team.

Think Cadden needs to come inside and McDonald needs to drop back to give us some pace and ball control in central midfield. It's a real shame Dom Thomas isn't ready to step in and replace Marv Johnson, who else do we have to play left midfield? McFadden gives us a threat from set pieces and Ainsworth is always capable of creating. Would go with this and hope for the best. Brill Tait Heneghan McManus McMillan Ainsworth Cadden McDonald Clay McFadden Moult

Cadden is so important for us with his running power. Clay impressed today I thought as well. Difficult day for Bowman, hopefully he'll improve.

Can see us resting McManus Lasley and skippy tomorrow night. Big game but progressing in the cup is massive. Ripley Law hall Kennedy Hammy Cadden Gomis Pearo Aimsworth Johnson Moult

Blair Alston on a pre-contract from Falkirk could be a good addition for us i'd say. Kevin Thomson until the end of the season might be wise as well.

If performances and morale pick up with Craigan in charge, an option could be to appoint a director of football to mentor him, similar to what hearts have set up with Levein and Neilson. Would also like to see someone like McFadden replace Craigan by taking the U20s and see us implement succession planning with Lasley likely to be retained on a coaching capacity beyond the season.

I see St Johnstone have Rhys McCabe and Liam Craig on trial. Wouldn't be surprised if we were also interested in those two.

Long Law Laing McManus Straker Lasley Pearson Ainsworth Grant Johnson McDonald Think this will be the team. Hope we can snatch something.

I hope we don't go down and I'll always support the club but I just can't face going to another game seeing McManus, Ramsden, Lasley and Surtton showing fuck all desire. It's gone on far too long now.

Who is there that could come in and steer us to safety?

Hopefully it will be easier to drop McManus and Lasley when Hammell and Pearson are back. Don't blame Barraclough, the players have been fucking shameful.

McManus reminds me of Brian Kerr in the Malpas season. Every game seeing him retain his place is so deflating.

We'll need county to take points off St Mirren now. It's going to be tight. IB mentioned Laing and Pearson might be back for next week but no mention of Hammell, Vigurs or Lawson?

Steven McMillan tweeted 'great to see big mitch back at motherwell...allegedly.' Hopefully see an announcement soon. If it is MVDG it will be interesting to see who will be appointed assistant. If Baaraclough has impressed could he possibly be brought in on some capacity given his current position is just as a scout for Huddersfield?

McManus, Lasley and Sutton are arguably the spine of our team but they're all horribly off form. They need dropped. We can't just persist with these guys hoping they'll play their way out of it week after week. Really disappointed to see the same, static 4-4-2 formation yesterday. The international break gave us the chance to work on something new and there's no evidence that anything's changed. Would like to see something like this against Aberdeen but it won't happen. Twardzik Reid Kerr O'Brien Hammell Carswell Leitch Ainsworth Vigurs Erwin Ojamma Incidentally does anyone know who from the current squad is signed up for next year? As far as I know we have, Hammell, Lasley, McManus, Reid, Carswell? Leitch?... Hopefully good opportunity to rebuild the squad, just can't see McCall being the man to do it anymore.