Sunday 15th August V Hibernian

[star sail]

I think our defence is a real problem at the moment and has been for the last 2-3 seasons. Last year it was to some extent covered over because Ruddy was commanding with cross balls, but despite the praise and hero worship Craigan and Reynolds get on here, I dont think any one of us, hand on heart is relaxed and confident about our defence and we are often waiting to watch the next car crash.

 

For example, Celtic Park last season before the split, Well go 1-0 up (admitidly thanks to Reynolds) then instantly gift a goal to a player that was having a major crisis of confidence. The same player gets a second and we go from 3 massive points to 0 in the space of 15 minutes. We have lost 9 goals to Hibs in the last two meetings with them and lost 16 goals in the last five games of last season. That is not a good record by anyones standards.

 

Remember that McGhee recognised the problems with the defence but failed to sign a defender to fix the problem, despite constants promises that he would. Gannon recognised the same problem so dropped Craigan. Latterly that backfired but initially Saunders and Hutchison were able replacements.

 

I think that we are still crying out for a commanding central defender. I think that Andy Webster was the difference between us and Dundee Utd last season. That is how important the position is.

[kingjulien]

I think our defence is a real problem at the moment and has been for the last 2-3 seasons. Last year it was to some extent covered over because Ruddy was commanding with cross balls, but despite the praise and hero worship Craigan and Reynolds get on here, I dont think any one of us, hand on heart is relaxed and confident about our defence and we are often waiting to watch the next car crash.

 

For example, Celtic Park last season before the split, Well go 1-0 up (admitidly thanks to Reynolds) then instantly gift a goal to a player that was having a major crisis of confidence. The same player gets a second and we go from 3 massive points to 0 in the space of 15 minutes. We have lost 9 goals to Hibs in the last two meetings with them and lost 16 goals in the last five games of last season. That is not a good record by anyones standards.

 

Remember that McGhee recognised the problems with the defence but failed to sign a defender to fix the problem, despite constants promises that he would. Gannon recognised the same problem so dropped Craigan. Latterly that backfired but initially Saunders and Hutchison were able replacements.

 

I think that we are still crying out for a commanding central defender. I think that Andy Webster was the difference between us and Dundee Utd last season. That is how important the position is.

 

So true

[mjw]

On another note a crowd of 5,172 for the first day of the season should have the alarm bells ringing,even taking the ko time and live tv into consideration not many teams will bring the same support as Hibs (only going by highlights but it looked quite healthy)The trip and games against Odense may have forced some people to hold on to their cash but yesterdays game looks to have been a massive thumbs down for the noon kick off time.

[kingjulien]

Worst attendance in the spl at the weekend. I never went because I couldnt afford to go to both.

[weeyin]

but yesterdays game looks to have been a massive thumbs down for the noon kick off time.

Unfortunately, until the crowds dwindle to zero, we are going to have to endure noon-Sunday kickoffs for the foreseeable future. The TV companies don't care about the fans that are actually attending the game.

[steelboy]

I think our defence is a real problem at the moment and has been for the last 2-3 seasons. Last year it was to some extent covered over because Ruddy was commanding with cross balls, but despite the praise and hero worship Craigan and Reynolds get on here, I dont think any one of us, hand on heart is relaxed and confident about our defence and we are often waiting to watch the next car crash.

 

For example, Celtic Park last season before the split, Well go 1-0 up (admitidly thanks to Reynolds) then instantly gift a goal to a player that was having a major crisis of confidence. The same player gets a second and we go from 3 massive points to 0 in the space of 15 minutes. We have lost 9 goals to Hibs in the last two meetings with them and lost 16 goals in the last five games of last season. That is not a good record by anyones standards.

 

Remember that McGhee recognised the problems with the defence but failed to sign a defender to fix the problem, despite constants promises that he would. Gannon recognised the same problem so dropped Craigan. Latterly that backfired but initially Saunders and Hutchison were able replacements.

 

I think that we are still crying out for a commanding central defender. I think that Andy Webster was the difference between us and Dundee Utd last season. That is how important the position is.

 

 

So true

 

definitely not true.

 

a quick browse at soccerbase shows that since mcghee's first game reynolds and craigan have played 97 games as a cb pairing and have conceded 111 goals. that works out at 1.16 goals per game which is decent for us and better than what dundee united managed finishing third in the league last season with all their big commanding centrehalfs.

 

when we finished 2nd in 94/95 we conceded 50 goals in 36 games (1.38).

 

you say we conceded 16 goals in the last five games last season but you didn't mention that we scored 13 (and missed a pen and had a good goal chopped off at tynecastle). motherwell going to ibrox, parkhead, tynecastle and having united and hibs at home and emerging with a -3 goal difference is nothing out the ordinary.

[Motherwell Football Club]

definitely not true.

 

a quick browse at soccerbase shows that since mcghee's first game reynolds and craigan have played 97 games as a cb pairing and have conceded 111 goals. that works out at 1.16 goals per game which is decent for us and better than what dundee united managed finishing third in the league last season with all their big commanding centrehalfs.

 

when we finished 2nd in 94/95 we conceded 50 goals in 36 games (1.38).

 

you say we conceded 16 goals in the last five games last season but you didn't mention that we scored 13 (and missed a pen and had a good goal chopped off at tynecastle). motherwell going to ibrox, parkhead, tynecastle and having united and hibs at home and emerging with a -3 goal difference is nothing out the ordinary.

 

Doesn't matter what the facts are. Folk love to moan.

 

We've conceded goals recently which is not down to the personel in defence, It's down to the way the team play the game.

[Yabba's Turd]

Did no one else enjoy the last few games we've played in the league or is it just me?

We've lost 9 goals to Hibs, they've lost 8 to us. Fuck the stats. We are not relegation fodder, Hibs got the breaks on Sunday.

[Fal_Dosser]

Did no one else enjoy the last few games we've played in the league or is it just me?

We've lost 9 goals to Hibs, they've lost 8 to us. Fuck the stats. We are not relegation fodder, Hibs got the breaks on Sunday.

Must admit that although I was gutted at losing the game on Saturday (someone mentioned at the time that even a draw would've felt like defeat !), I thought we played well on the whole, and feel quite positive for the season ahead.

 

A difficult couple of weeks ahead of us, but here's hoping

 

 

MON RA DOSSERS

[Rickoza]

Did no one else enjoy the last few games we've played in the league or is it just me?

We've lost 9 goals to Hibs, they've lost 8 to us. Fuck the stats. We are not relegation fodder, Hibs got the breaks on Sunday.

 

 

I had a season ticket holder at Ibrox say to me yesterday they thought one of the games worth watching was Motherwell v Hibs, alwas guarenteed goals and a good game!

[Burn_Broomfield]

I had a season ticket holder at Ibrox say to me yesterday they thought one of the games worth watching was Motherwell v Hibs, alwas guarenteed goals and a good game!

 

 

Probably one of the only games worth watching this season, with another couple like Hibs v Celtic, Motherwell v Celtic and that's about your whack.

[BullRipCheddar]

Not been on line since the game but for what it's worth, my view was:

 

Shoudl have won the game in the first half.

 

Big Darren was excellent but 3 out of the back 4 were poor. Saunders is not a right back and Craigan and Reynolds were really poor buy recent high standards.

 

Unfortunately Hateley seems to have started this season like he finshed the last, invisible in the middle of the park.

 

Humphrey was excellent and it's a pity he went off with cramp as we offered nothing after that.

 

Hibs looked like scoring everytime they crossed half way in the second half. Mainly due to Miller Stokes and Riordan, who are, and it pains me to say this, a cut above anoything in our side.

[CoF]

Just been watching all the highlights on the BBC site. What a great save by Randolph from Stokes.

 

Also just watched the St Johnstone - Hearts game, great way to send a player off.

[gary_411]

Just watched the highlights there, and im a bit annoyed at the way Bamba goes in on Randolph for their second, never mind the hand ball. He's basically going in for a slam dunk! he's got his huge arm swinging in the air ready to clatter him as the ball comes in, I know you're allowed to challenge the keeper and I get annoyed when keepers are over-protected but thats a fuckin joke

[star sail]

definitely not true.

 

you say we conceded 16 goals in the last five games last season but you didn't mention that we scored 13 (and missed a pen and had a good goal chopped off at tynecastle). motherwell going to ibrox, parkhead, tynecastle and having united and hibs at home and emerging with a -3 goal difference is nothing out the ordinary.

 

Could argue that scoring 13 goals in 5 games and only getting 5 points out of a possible 15 is a poor return but would be playing devils advocate to an extent because the stats you provide actually give a strong case for the defence (so to speak) and pretty much blows my arguement out of the water. What was the Dundee Utd ave last season out of interest?

[steelboy]

Could argue that scoring 13 goals in 5 games and only getting 5 points out of a possible 15 is a poor return but would be playing devils advocate to an extent because the stats you provide actually give a strong case for the defence (so to speak) and pretty much blows my arguement out of the water. What was the Dundee Utd ave last season out of interest?

 

dundee united in the spl last season conceded an average of 1.23 goals per game.

 

5 points of 15 in the top six is also ok for us. our best return is 7 points in 08, in 04 we got 1 point and in 05 we got 5 points. when you also consider our early start and the fact we got sent to glasgow twice that's a decent return.

[star sail]

dundee united in the spl last season conceded an average of 1.23 goals per game.

 

5 points of 15 in the top six is also ok for us. our best return is 7 points in 08, in 04 we got 1 point and in 05 we got 5 points. when you also consider our early start and the fact we got sent to glasgow twice that's a decent return.

 

 

There must be a way to argue against these stats but I don't know how to do it. Makes for interesting reading. Cheers for the info.

[Tartan Copper]

Can someone let me know the score from yesterday cause It turns out I mustve been watching another Well v Hibs game. Several times Humphrey was so fast he had to stop,hold the ball up and beat his man before crossing,not every ball was perfect but most were pretty damn good wether he had time or not. Even in the second half when he was struggling,he carved out 2 of our best chances. Hanlon had a roasting the entire time Humphrey was on the park. And as for being comfortable with Hibs attack in the first half, whos keeper was busiest in that half? cause the game I watched it was Rudolf (our new keeper according to the radio commentry team)

 

Craggs + Reynolds were pulled apart the whole game, on several attacks Hibs had extra men over or acres of space. Im not knocking Craggs cause he`s been solid so far but to overlook his distribution is blinkered in the extreme. Its a defenders job to defend,its also his job to try build attacks + try keep posession. launching the ball out the park or to Hibs players invites pressure! Not as bad as Reynolds performance but cretainly not an 8/10 performance

 

10 out of 10 Shaka, you were at the same game as me, Humphrey was top notch today, but cramp got the better of him towards the end. Defenders are not there to pass..... twoddle. Shaka great answer mate. You obviously know your football.