The African

If Aberdeen can get a point there then anyone in this league can. Having said that, only bothered by what we manage to achieve and a couple of points is probably more than we expected. I was somewhat worried by the attitude that, having had a run of poor results in what might be considered a run of tougher matches, things would almost automatically be better for us when we get to play against the lesser lights in the league. To assume that would be a big mistake. The standard across the league is not that high and, outwith the Old Firm, there is very little between the teams. We need to be aware of this, and that some of these sides are now fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table. No easy fixtures.

Not sure if Brown and Gallagher being injured is a positive or negative for us. We really need to be up for this and look to give them nothing. Three points on Saturday could go a long way to getting our season back on track.

The simple truth is that, since the break, we have played six league games and scored two goals. The fact that we have somehow managed to pick up two points almost feels like a positive. Hopefully we already have enough points to secure our status, because at this rate we are likely to only pick up a further four points. Relying on the premise that most of our rivals are equally crap doesn't seem the soundest of plans going forward.

Given our run of poor performances and consequently equally poor exults, it will take a marked improvement in the former for us to come away with anything from this fixture. On the other hand, Dundee United are scarcely world beaters so if we are to get back track, this would be as good a place to start as any.. Right now, I'd take a point as long as there were signs of improvement in performance. We have had a few changes in personnel and have tried a couple of changes to formation and shape, none of which have been successful. The manager has to earn his salary by finding a system that the players under his tutelage can both understand and implement. Progress on this front is a requirement to stop this current dip in form becoming an irretrievable spiral towards the wrong end of the table.

Indeed he was. I am suggesting that Walker replaced Sproat, not vice versa. As for who replaced Walker, the mention of Dornan and Harrow reminded me that we picked up a few fringe players from Aberdeen around the early to mid eighties, including John Gardner. I think Cammy Duncan was just a bit later. A quick check online has confirmed that Gardner joined us around then, though from Dundee United rather than Aberdeen.

Nicky Walker was obviously a favourite of the late Jock Wallace who brought him to Fir Park, having previously had I’m under his tutelage at Leicester and then took him on to Rangers. I recall him being decent enough for us, and certainly not the worst we ever had between the sticks, though I don’t think I was too upset to see him leave. I am trying to remember who he may have replaced in goal for us, Shuggie Sproat perhaps? I cannot but think that old Hugh’s anachronisms would not have gone down well with Jock Wallace, though they did make him a bit of a cult hero with some of our support.

The worry is that, since the break, we have played three league games and only picked up one point and scored one goal. The fixtures in February look pretty daunting so this might be our best chance of picking up a result for a couple of weeks. Not doom and gloom, but perhaps the realisation that we could easily end the month in the middle of a genuine slump. Having said that, I reckon the.lack of quality spread throughout the league makes it highly unlikely that we go into freefall. We are as likely to beat Hearts as we are to beat Dundee.

Wouldn’t disagree with any of that. The transfer window is generally a pain in the backside and a distraction a club like ours could do without. I would add that the Lamie situation is not ideal. These pre contracts are a bit of a farce, leaving us with the option of letting him go for heehaw or paying his wages for half a season with his mind elsewhere and no guarantee he will give his best. Almost better to let him go now, although that would probably be allowing Dundee to take the piss.

Bringing in a striker is an excellent idea. The problem will be finding one who, a) is currently available, b) is within our budget, c) wants to come to Fir Park and d) is not such a speculative punt with a less than fifty percent chance of coming off. I have no doubt that our management are looking, but I will also be understanding if they cannot find someone and we have to make do with what we currently have.

Isn’t it two points from a possible nine against Hibs this season? Not such a great return really, and this current Hibs side look as bereft of ideas and skill as we do. Playing the final minutes with ten men might put a gloss on the result, but ultimately it is another poor performance and we need to find something to shake us out of this post break decline.

A win is a win, especially in a cup tie, so I will take that. Drawing Aberdeen is tough, but you have to play these teams at some point, and as someone else said, they will be more annoyed at the draw than us. We do seem to have lost our way a bit, since the good run of results before the break. I think we will miss the contribution of Watt and will find him difficult to replace. If someone is available to come into the squad and add to our attacking options, then we should go for it, but if a better option than what we already have is not available then we should just go with what we have got. Signing someone just for the sack of it shouldn’t be an option. Any word on what is happening with Lamie? Injured? Or just out of favour because of transfer talk?

I know it, and not the worst pub in New Plymouth. Just been sold for over $2million NZ. I am fairly sure that their Celtic affiliation is with the race rather than the football club. The previous owner was a Scot who didn’t want it to be seen as an Irish themed pub.

Same to you in Oz. I have to admit I was in bed an hour before the bells. Life is very quiet in rural Taranaki.

Tony Watt has turned out to be a really good signing for us, and we will undoubtedly miss his performances once he has gone. However, as others have said, better players than Tony Watt have left Motherwell, and we have survived. He leaves Motherwell a better player than he arrives, which in the great scheme of things , is a pretty good look for the club. How many of the other dozen or so clubs that Tony Watt has left would have said that they will miss him? I do think his time with us is up though, and best for all parties if we can agree a deal which is not taking the piss in terms of a fee, and move on

Honest question, do Dundee United have the money to put in an acceptable bid for Watt right now? I am firmly of the opinion that if we could something for him now, we should take it. The chances of him maintaining the standards he has set over the previous months after this distraction seem limited, and we could end up paying wages to a guy who is not going to feature in our squad on a weekly basis. The fact that this situation has alienated a proportion of the support only increases the likelihood of this, if he does stay until the end of the season. It is probably in the best interests of the club if we can move him on sooner rather than later,

Cannot help but feel that this fixture grows in importance with the fact that it now becomes the last game before the winter break. We are on a decent run so the three weeks off is coming at an unfortunate time for us. We looked to have three games where we could pick up points, now we just have this one. Stay focused and play as we have been and we can go into hibernation with over thirty points. Come untuck, put in a poor performance, and have plenty of time to dwell on our shortcomings. Which is the more likely outcome? One of the joys of being a ‘well fan for near enough fifty years is that, even now, I haven’t got a clue.

RIP to a player who was part of a group that have attained legendary status at our club. I am too young to have seen the Ancell Babes, but my late father spoke of them with such reverence that they must have been something to behold when in full flight and Willie McSeveney’s name was mentioned often. My respects and sincere thoughts are with his friends and family for their loss.

An interesting piece. He seems a very pleasant and well grounded individual. Hope things go well with him during his time at Fir Park.

I think there is a danger of clubs at our level not taking fixtures against the old firm seriously. We know they have a huge financial advantage, consequently can afford better players and therefore are better teams than us. Just take your medicine and move on to the fixtures that we are capable of getting something out of and which will define our season. As such, it becomes a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy that you have no chance against the big boys. Pragmatically it does make sense. Why risk guys who might not be fully fit in a virtually meaningless fixture? Fortunately, football is not only a pragmatic entity. They have no respect and a complete disregard for us, so I am all for making life as difficult for them as is possible. Let's make them work for their win bonuses. Set ourselves up to be hard to break down. Fight for everything, and see if they are really up for a scrap. Knock them off their stride and we do have players with pace who can trouble them on the break. As Lance Corperal Jones used to say " They don't like it up 'em!". Chances are we will still get studded, but I can accept that, just about, if I see a gameplan that has merit and a team giving their all for the cause.

Ah, Subbuteo. Brings back many happy memories of a simpler time.

Just fat fingers on an iPad, and typing while I watch the cricket on TV. Stone cold sober, so not an excuse I can claim!

Important game for us. If the supposedly second string players who put in a performance against Hearts can reproduce that form, it would auger well for the rest of the season. They are considered squad players because they have not been able to prove themselves consistent in the past ( or haven't been given the opportunity to do so). I hope the manager gives them the chance tomorrow. Another decent performance and result will go a long way to creating the competition for laces which is a key to success for aby successful team. Oyr performances against Dundee in the fixtures earlier this season should be enough for us to not take them lightly.

Seems fair enough. He has probably done as much for the club, in a key role, as anyone in the forty p,us years I have been a 'Well fan. With regard to some of the current criticism of the style of football being played, it should be noted that some of his teams were less than attractive on the eye for us football purists. They were obviously different times, where a manager was given time to develop a squad and build for the longer term. Not sure if that s possible in the here and now.

I am broadly in favour of anything to help officials get the correct decision. Having said that, the examples of video officiating and technology aiding umpires/ referees tend to suggest that they don't do away with controversial decisions, they simply change the dynamic of the game. As an example I would say that when VAR was brought into the Bundesliga, I was surprised by the number of soft penalties that were given. Also, the existence of the TMO in rugby still hasn't stopped a fair few awful decisions. Tries given when players are obviously and visibly in touch have still happened. The human element is still there and, as such, mistakes will still be made.

Get the major things right - tactics, formation, attitude - and we have a chance of taking something from the game. Get them wrong and we will get nothing. In that sense it really isn't much different from any other game we play. Concentrate on the things we can control and influence and, if we give it our best shot and it still doesn't go our way then that is football and we move on to the next game. It is only when we have done all we can to achieve a positive outcome that the piece of misfortune or a dodgy refereeing decision or two cease to be an "excuse" and become a " reason".