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In regards to Lamie I think we can all admit we fell for it hook, line and sinker. He was honking for like 18 months but found himself back in favour due to injuries and then enjoyed a bit of form around the time he agreed a pre contract with Dundee. It's a shame to see him revert to normal. The worrying thing is no matter the combination in centre defence since the first game this season we have been throwing the ball literally in our own net, since that weak headed back pass by Mugabi against Sligo it has been been comic cut defending at times and the whole defence has been culpable. I thought it was a tough watch today due to the conditions. I enjoyed the marauding runs of young Johnson, it would have been nice to see him bury that effort in the first half. I thought Crankshaw done alright, certainly and upgrade on Shields. The ref was quite poor, every time a county player screamed and hit the deck was enough to warrant a free kick. Obviously it was powderpuff but it looked like Callachan punched Goss in the back when he reacted to getting his shirt pulled. Anyway I think the biggest frustration over the last few games has been we had the chance to bring Hibs right into the mix and today we could have been 6 points clear of County with a game in hand. Hopefully next week proves to be a positive distraction. We're better on our travels tbf.

Our main priority will be staying in the league but to suggest that “next weeks cup game doesn’t really matter” is absolute nonsense. If we were to exit the Cup at the first hurdle to a lower league side at a time when the mood around the club is already at or very near rock bottom then that could well be the tipping point for our already fragile confidence. It would also be the end for Steven Hammell as well I reckon. Apart from that we have seen in the past how a good cup run can provide a welcome break from the turgid monotony of the league and, unlikely as it is, with a few kind draws we might be able to go deeper into the tournament. So next Saturdays cup game at Arbroath absolutely DOES matter.

McCart for me would be a very good signing. He was excellent for StJonhstone , always played well against us. There must be lots of affordable options for centre halves. What I find a little concerning is it's mostly attacking options that we're linked with, when it's the defence thats the key issue. It may be just how things are progressing. But to your point, someone like McCart would be a very welcome addition.

We need wins soon but I think at least on the ball we are playing better than we have for a while. For me there is a wee chink of light there and I always feel that the teams that get relegated are the teams that struggle to score. We've score in 11 of our last 13 matches. Scored 5 in our last 3 home matches, hit that bar twice, hit the post etc. Obviously we are in a tricky position but the doom merchants have us worse than we actual are. If we'd kept 3 our 4 clean sheets in the last 15 or so games we'd probably be up around St. Mirren/Livingston/St Johnstone area of the league. Sorting out the defence is the priority right now. As I said last week I don't even think it's the players, it's a confidence thing. Lamie/Johansen might not be the best around but they are capable of better and we've all seen it with our own eyes. There is still a lot of football to be played and you might be surprised to know we haven't lost to a non city club since August. Certainly on the evidence I've seen recently are better than Kilmarnock and at least as good as Ross County. I think Dundee Utd might pull away but Hibs might drop down to replace them as their form is stinking. St. Mirren also, who benefited from a lot of home games at the start of the season, and haven't been great recently. We are going to be down in the bottom 4 for the rest of the season. Our aim this season is anything above the automatic relegation spot. Next weeks cup game doesn't really matter other than perhaps for confidence or financial reasons. This season is all about staying up and everything else is a distraction.

A good summing up. As for yesterday's game, once again we looked disorganised with long standing weaknesses evident. A lack of leadership both on and off the field. Central defence was poor but suffered from lack of protection from wing backs and midfield. Midfield was painfully slow and didn't really compete. No links between midfield and KVV and him and wide men. We resorted to long hopeful, aimless punts for which Lacovitti and colleagues were very grateful. In a way, good to see Max Johnston start but was perhaps the wrong choice yesterday. Promising going forwards but was caught out of position several times when defending. Maybe better to have started with McGinn at RB? Central defence? Deary me - Blaney must be bad but why put him on the bench then? McGinn isn't a midfielder. Spittal was anonymous yesterday and just doesn't have the pace or engine to support his strikers. Seems to have a nailed on starting place irrespective. Better options, although different kinds of player - Cornelius and Tierney. Midfield is often about the mix of players and how they gel and yesterday again it just wasn't right and changes ought to have been made at HT, if not before. Up front, I thought Crankshaw looked promising but maybe ran out of gas later. McKinstry was my MOTM with some good runs and a splendid finish. Unlucky with his shot that hit the post. Both wide men found it hard to link up with KVV who was ineffective. Didn't quite get why Goss was subbed, unless injured, and Maguire had little positive impact. I just hope that our young lads, like McKinstry and Johnston are getting decent coaching, although I have my doubts. For those who think that Hammy will be in trouble if we lose next weekend, I'd say he's already in deep trouble and is on borrowed time. With every passing week he reminds me more of Maurice Malpas.

Getting nightmare flash backs of Jordan Jones, Alan Forrest and David Templeton breezing past him on the wing, circa early 2020/21.

Tierney would get blown over the stand.

Shields will be away club lined up it’s just terms and conditions etc. to be sorted. the Japanese boy they are trying to sort a visa that’s what’s holding that one up. All depends if they can get a visa

I think the argument a while ago was yes a poor run but look at the teams we’ve played, let’s judge him when we have a run of games against clubs we are on the same level with, this was a very fair point. We have however now had a run of games against these teams and not won one of them. We’ve had one win since last October.

I thought Maldron looked ok in his small cameo...big and gangly , looks like he will put himself about a bit....more than vv , who I take it must be carrying an injury because he wasn't involved....I know he set up goal but need more

What I enjoy reading is the expert opinions on who the manager should have picked and the formation he should have used after the game is played. The number of professional football people who are paid well and actually make a living from the game who seemingly "know fuck all" compared to Joe Bloggs who has never played or managed at a similar level is astounding really, isn't it? Alexander got the old tombola patter for constantly changing the team. Hammell gets pelters for sticking with the same players. The club gets questioned for not signing anyone, then gets grief for signing players who aren't good enough. And I see we're still proclaiming players who don't get picked as the answer to all our problems. We picked up an Irish lad who's 23 years old and has around 50 senior games to his name, most of which have come in the League of Ireland in 2022. Before that he played a handful of games in the sixth & seventh tier of English football. On top of that, he played the Irish summer league season that ended in October, and hasn't played a competitive game since, so he's basically coming in with zero pre-season at all. Yet because Hammell isn't dropping one of two experienced central defenders and chucking in an inexperienced youngster who most likely isn't match-fit there's either "something not right" or he doesn't know what he's doing. Here's the truth as I see it - We operate at a level in the game that dictates we buy players who are nowhere near being considered top class. We offer relatively low wages, and the opportunity to play in a footballing backwater, but can offer a platform for good players to move on to bigger things. We're on a par with many lower league sides down south. Every signing we make is pretty much a gamble with few notable exceptions. Some seasons those gambles pay off and we do well. Some seasons they don't. We currently have a team that simply isn't very good. The question is, is there two other sides who are worse over a league season? It may be that the answer is no, and it's simply our time to face the drop. In all honesty, we've done amazing considering our fanbase and budget over the past couple of decades. When did we last go down? 38 years ago or something? Look at the teams who've been relegated since. We have no divine right to stay up. Us being where we are isn't a disgrace. Our recent accomplishments has only served to spoil our fans I think, to some degree. I should add before people jump on this, I'm not saying I'm happy to see us relegated, or saying it's acceptable. I'm not. I'd be gutted, and the players should see it as being unacceptable. All I'm saying is, it isn't insane to think it could happen to us. It wouldn't send shockwaves around world football. I could understand the furore if we had the squad Dundee United had. Mulgrew, Fletcher, Middleton, Watt etc. But we don't. We don't have that kind of budget. We have a squad similar to that of Ross County, Kilmarnock, St Johnstone, St Mirren etc. Personally, I think it's going to be between ourselves and Killie to see who takes the playoff spot. I think County will finish bottom.

I agree with this 100%. Confidence in king. Lamie is the perfect example right now. We know how he can play. It is not about ability. Our record against the teams round about us is fine. I think the nature of the Killie draw has done alot of psychological damage. We are holding our own against the teams that will be fighting it out at the bottom.. It is going to be a nerve shredding end to the season but we have as good a chance as any team in the bottom 5 of staying up.

remember the year hibs went down in the playoffs to yaccies , well its all sounding the same, " next game is a must win for the hibs, next 2 games at home will see them pick up points , there stats are of a team to good to go down,, " from memory they only needed something like 4 points from there last 10 games ( or some stat like that ) anyway they went down ,, well for hibs that year see motherwell this year,, there is just something not right somewhere at the club , maybe we need to bring in the legandery italian striker ,,,, FUCKDIFANO

Right, a bit of happy clapping required here, as shite as we have been this season we are going to win this one. Arbroath had a decent season last year, but they've been shit this year and are struggling to avoid heading back to league 1 where they belong, player for player we have a much better team, so we will have too much for them. This game is the ideal opportunity to get a bit of confidence back in team, so I fully expect us to win. If it all goes Pete tong and its a repeat of the Albion rovers game a few seasons back, then feel free to remind me accordingly, 👏👏

I honestly don't see that this squad and management has it in them to roll the sleeves up. Hammy is too nice. He comes across as good guy. A bit like Solskjaer being everyone's friend at Man Utd and failing until Ten Hag came in and showed his ruthlessness to fix things. The squad is clearly full of too many wimps who shirk out of every 50/50. We have no enforcer/captain on the pitch either. We're soft as shite, and Arbroath will know this.

The team underperforming and continually making basic errors that lead to us losing/drawing games is nothing to do with the crowd being supportive or exasperated. The players simply aren't good enough and the manager refuses to drop those who make those continual errors. It's that simple. At the final whistle yesterday there was only a complete silence. No boos, no applause, just a vacuum. It spoke volumes to me. The fans have lost the will to even show emotion, and that is purely caused by having to watch the same shite make the same shite mistakes every week for months. We have only won 1 game at home all season, and the crowd has been big and buoyant for the most part, even in horrendous wintery conditions.

There were a few interesting comments made on Radio Scotland's commentary yesterday that I think tells a story. Firstly, the commentary team highlighted that Motherwell have the best away record in the league this season outwith the OF. Secondly having commended the big home support yesterday they very quickly ( from about 20 mins in) were commenting regularly about the nervousness and at points negativity coming from the home stands. The advantage of a home game is the home support. I get a sense that a viscous circle has developed in recent seasons at FP where negativity between the team and the stands is resulting in a lack of confidence in both, perpetuating the problem still further. Confidence is the problem at the moment. I think it accounts for the unwanted habit of throwing away results from good positions. The nervousness that comes from the stands must affect this. It is easy to sense the negativity on this forum and it seems to be a general negativity that has engulfed the club in recent years. What comes first the chicken or the egg? I know that the team has the responsibility to perform but for whatever reason just now there is a lack of harmony between the club and the support that is manifesting itself in a very poor run of home form.

Lamie is just as crap. Both need dropped.

He should never play another game for us again. He's truly fuckin horrendous.

Spoke to someone at the club, says Slattery is the worst trainer at fir park, no doubting the guy has ability but he is major lacking fitness and doesn’t push himself to improve.

Aye we could get gutted 🙀

I can understand your concern but we are currently sitting 9th. That means as a matter of undeniable fact that our statistics are better than three other teams. It is very tight, yes but I see nothing from RC, Kilmarnock or Dundee Utd to suggest that they are definitely going to finish above us. I think St Johnstone could be pulled into the mix soon too. I know that people will point to Utd nearly sneaking a victory at Easter Road but had that been us the talk would be about another draw being snatched from the jaws of victory. I am not trying to defend the performances. They are poor but this is not over yet. I don't believe that our squad is mid table Championship standard and I think we will show that against Arbroath next. The standard in the SPFL outwith Rangers, Celtic and maybe Hearts is awful. Motherwell just need to be less awful that the teams round about them. I think that is still possible, depressing as it will be to watch

Crankshaw has a record of 25 goals in 53 starts by the looks of Soccerbase, which works out at a goal every two games almost. That's a record that's not to be sniffed at, especially in the January window where the only players available usually are those that clubs can't wait to get rid of, or players who don't have a club and couldn't find one in the summer. By the sounds of it we've managed to stumble upon this lad, who hit 11 goals last season for Stockport in the National League before the manager changed system this season which saw his opportunities limited. He's not a guarantee of goals, but he's a decent gamble worth a shot in a window where business is hard to do, especially for clubs like us. He's clearly looking to get himself in the window and look for a move if things aren't working at Stockport. If we benefit from a few goals and he helps keep us up, then all the better.