Lukemfc1 Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 After watching Saturday I would really like to see another centre mid. Someone with a bit more legs, doubt we will see this though. Also another striker would be lovely, not judging Blyth this early but we could be doing with someone with a bit of flair up there. Even a loan deal? Blyth seems like a target man to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 You might be right but so far we've never been successful playing with a lone striker. That said we've not had our full complement of strikers available for selection so far this season. The problem with this formation is that more often than not we end up playing a 4-5-0-1 or a 4-5-1-0 formation. Agreed- that be my fear as well. I do want to see us play a 4-4-2. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StAndrew7 Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 A left back would be lovely, please. Oh, and a keeper who doesn't provide assists to the opposing team, too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 A left back would be lovely, please. Oh, and a keeper who doesn't provide assists to the opposing team, too. Although I probably agree I wouldn't hold yer breath! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 When was the last time we brought s keeper through the youth setup who went on to play at a reasonable level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyB Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 I like the look of Clay and I agree with someone who said earlier that he looked a bit reserved playing next to Lasley on Saturday. I reckon in beside McHugh he'd be able to get forward a bit more, and might be more of a threat. Saddens me to say it but on Saturday it was the first time I'd seen Lasley play and thought he was past it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raoul_Duke Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Ally Maxwell? Can't recall anyone since?! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Agreed- that be my fear as well. I do want to see us play a 4-4-2. Would need to be a "squinty" 442 with three centre midfielders as no one plays with only two in the centre of midfield for fear of being overrun. We were kind of doing this last season with Pearson, Lasley and Cadden playing as centre midfielders with Johnson out wide. Cadden had license to pull wide right when we had possession. McGhee however kept telling us it was 433 though with a front three of Johnson, Moult and McDonald interchanging. I think he's trying to replicate that this season but it's not really working without Moult... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 The only thing I can think of is that we are going to go with a 4-2-3-1 rather than 4-4-2 like last season. 2 sitting midfielders, 3 supporting forward players behind a striker. When Moult was fit last season, McGhee's preference was 3 up front. I see no reason he won't go with that again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 A left back would be lovely, please. Oh, and a keeper who doesn't provide assists to the opposing team, too. Sadly, that rules out a return of Ruddy and Randolph, both of whom gifted a few goals during their tenure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 When was the last time we brought s keeper through the youth setup who went on to play at a reasonable level? That tends not to be the way it works with keepers. They probably have a similar success to failure ratio as outfield players, but of course, there are far fewer of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWeegieDosser Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 A left back would be lovely, please. Oh, and a keeper who doesn't provide assists to the opposing team, too. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, whereupon Big Sammy will palm it limply back to you to hit him with the rebound... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Hearts have been pretty good at producing keepers over the last 15 years, as have Celtic. We've not had one youth keeper anywhere near the first team in that period. That tends not to be the way it works with keepers. They probably have a similar success to failure ratio as outfield players, but of course, there are far fewer of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMWellfan Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 When was the last time we brought s keeper through the youth setup who went on to play at a reasonable level? Casting my mind back as far as Stuart Rennie and I can't think of any. edit - as above, Ally Maxwell right enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Aye, I'd agree with that. It's strange that we aren't even producing keepers who are doing much at other clubs either. I previously thought that Jon Connolly was a youth product of ours, but it turns out he came through at Ipswich and we acquired him at a later stage and even he seemed to fade away after leaving us. In my time watching us, the two most successful goalkeepers we have brought through that spring to mind are Jamie Ewings, who's made a decent career for himself at Dumbarton and Alan Martin, who got that move to Leeds but then didn't fulfil his supposed promise and got released from Accies last year. I suppose we currently have Max Currie at Stranraer and Ross Stewart at Albion Rovers, but largely not only are our home-grown goalkeepers not good enough for our squad, they don't seem good enough for anyone else's either. The fact that when our first two goalkeepers were injured a couple of years ago, we brought Dundee's third choice keeper (a division below) instead of playing our own tells its own story about that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelman1991 Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Casting my mind back as far as Stuart Rennie and I can't think of any. edit - as above, Ally Maxwell right enough. Stuart Rennie came from Falkirk. Possibly Keith MacRae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ped_MFC Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Did the legendary Howard Sameroff not come through from the youth team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Very few sides produce their own keepers these days. Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Inverness, Ross County, Kilmarnock, Hamilton, Partick, Dundee, Dundee United, Hibs???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Alan Martin is also at Dumbarton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 About half of those teams were on the first division when Gordon came through at Hearts. Hibs produced Jamie Langfield who was destined for great things, didn't quite get there but still has had a decent top flight career. My point is that we haven't had a keeper progress from the youth setup to the first team in twenty five years plus. I tried to think of one keeper since Woods and Howie that has come through and even featured regularly on the bench. Not one that I could think of. Very few sides produce their own keepers these days. Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Inverness, Ross County, Kilmarnock, Hamilton, Partick, Dundee, Dundee United, Hibs???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Like I said, it's because keepers are a different beast. If a young midfielder shows some talent for example, they will get a few minutes here and there in the first team and can easily step in and out the fringes of the squad. Keepers generally are nowhere near their peak at 18 or 19, and nobody is going to give them 10 minutes of game time as a sub every couple of weeks. So it's a weird situation made even more difficult by the elimination of reserve teams. Now when you are too old for the U20s you really struggle to get game time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Does anyone know if Josh Strachini has played for our Under 20s yet? He seems to have signed but not featured yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 On the subject of young keepers, I've been impressed with Morrison against Edinburgh and Airdrie. Based on limited viewings admittedly, he's the most accomplished young Motherwell keeper I can recall for some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted August 17, 2016 Report Share Posted August 17, 2016 Hearts have been pretty good at producing keepers over the last 15 years, as have Celtic. We've not had one youth keeper anywhere near the first team in that period. I think you can discount Celtic as they have 100s possibly even 1000+ players across all age levels, so are going to find someone every now and again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazles ring piece Posted August 17, 2016 Report Share Posted August 17, 2016 Ins - Outs I guess the Well Society effect has now well and truly kicked in. Get used to mediocrity (-) unless our scouting unearths a few more gems. However, I would suggest that our Youth Program needs to be the main focus. Everything needs to be in place for the long haul and that takes a lot of work! Hang tight folks and hopefully a few youngsters start impacting over the coming season. COYW Edit Really impressed with the passing game and ball retention of the U20's. If this is replicated from the younger kids to U20's, we could see dividends over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts