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The point you conveniently ignore is that over the past five seasons our three new strikers have scored a total of around 15 goals (Obika), 30 goals (Wilkinson) and 8 goals (Bair). So unless we see a dramatic uplift from them, we can look forward to a total contribution of 10 goals per season from our entire strike force. With a young kid who has potential but is a long way from being first team ready, and who has yet to score, as the alternative. Either that or midfielders played out of position. That is worrying and fans are justified in expressing concerns. (How they express those concerns is another matter.) I agree the players should not be written off before they get an extended chance to prove themselves and Kettlewell has also earned some leeway. You mention goals from elsewhere, so lets hope that Slattery, Spittal and a seventeen year old Miller (if he can avoid burnout) contribute at least ten goals apiece. The career history of our new recruits suggests we are going to need them. Compare those players' track records to those of Van Veen, Moult (unknowns in Scotland when they joined), Higdon and Sutton who each had enjoyed 20 goal seasons in their career before coming to us. . That downturn in the quality of strikers we are signing may well be down to finances but it only adds to the concerns that those fans not wearing blinkers are expressing. And, sorry, but it's not up to Steelboy to identify the next van Veen or Moult. That's down to our recruitment team although in fairness they may well be hamstrung by the level of wages we are prepared/able to offer. I firmly believe there are decent players out there, it is offering them a strong enough package to join us that is the problem. But let's be honest. Throughout the League Cup, the performance of our strikers has been far from the level we will require when the League season starts. Lacking in pace, disjointed as a unit, poor in the air and apparently far from reliable when presented with decent goal scoring opportunities. Early days, but that has to change. So far our midfield has carried the team but is it realistic to expect that to continue throughout an entire league season? I don't agree with a fair bit of what Steelboy comes away with....especially looking at his obsession with certain players and former staff...but he has a point in this case. Troll or not.

Imagine you are 23 years old 3000 miles from home and you get a new job and everyone connected to the new company goes on social media to say you are shite....give guy a break for fuck sake. SK has said he needs developed and at 23 years old he sees something he can develop. Let's also be realistic how difficult would it be to shine / perform in the St Johnstone team of the last two years.

Personally, I don't give a toss if Callum Davidson didn't fancy him. He got sacked for his inability to field winning teams. Bair's not the most inspiring of signings and he may very well bring nothing to us, but then again, he just might. He's our player now, so I hope he's a success - no sure everyone on here feels the same.

is Bair a punt though? I always thought a punt was someone who has maybe had a season or two where they've not looked great, or have been coming off an injury like Souaré is. As I said above, there's literally nothing to suggest Bair is a professional-level footballer. I assumed once St Johnstone got rid after his one goal in nearly 40 games that he'd surface in the Canadian or US semi-pro leagues. That we've not only given him a chance but handed him a two-year contract is absolutely astounding.

I like to consider myself someone who's as far from a reactionist as you'll find on this board, but honestly, these signings this summer are really starting to concern me. I think we're seeing a whole lot of "well, if Kettlewell likes the look of them, we need to have faith" from fans, which is fine, but last season at this point in time, fans were losing their shit to the extent that our manager was replaced. I know the European games were the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, but I clearly remember everyone losing the plot over our summer business, which consisted of: Blair Spittal on a two-year deal Paul McGinn on a one-year deal Josh Morris on a two-year deal Kevin Van Veen signing a new contract Compared to this summer, that business looks absolutely amazing. I'm 100% behind Kettlewell, as he's the man in the hotseat, but I still remember my thoughts before he got the job. He didn't do great at Ross County when he got handed the reigns on his own, with a win percentage of less than 30%. He did really well with us for the four months he was in charge last season, but this is his first transfer window. His first chance to really put his stamp on the team, and to be blunt, I'm not impressed.

I think that this is the right approach in that SK looks to be building a team that works well together. Not like last season when we were all about KvV so if an opponent figured out how to stop him or if he was injured / suspended / in a huff we rarely looked like scoring. If we can get four forwards in rotation scoring several goals each then it will have been a success. I've no idea if the new signings and Ferrie are capable of that but I look forward to seeing how they all develop.

Not my recollection of the game at all. We played some very nice football on the night and were schooled on the importance of being clinical and taking your chances.

Also he deserves a chance cos he has an IQ of 182 He is smarter than the average Bair!!

If we had kept him and not gave him his money spinning move . Do you think it would have been the goal scoring machine or the cant be arsed now version we would have got in his last contracted season. We have to move on.

Anyone want a look at Scott McDonald's goals record before signing for us...

Can you tell us a signing we have made in the last three years that has enthused you ... 99% of the time we know fuck all about our signings because that's the market we operate in. When we signed Casey from America he had done fuck all of note now he's the people's hero. We signed Tierney under the banner of one of the Irish Leagues best young prospects and he's rampantly average. We signed Stuart McKinstry and half our support were wetting themselves with excitement and he was bang average at best. We signed Moult and again half the fans were creaming their pants, he wasn't worth a fuck. So the moral of all of this. Getting excited about a signing is pointless because they could turn out to be shite. Equally there is no point getting depressed as they could turn out to be decent.

If I was them I would be more worried about getting pumped 4-0 home to Stirling Albion

He must have the Bair necessities for Sk to sign him ,i'll fetch my coat.

There's a big difference between sharing some doubts and hurling insults at a player so you're not a troll unlike the usual suspects.

Look on the brightside he has a ready made nick name "yogi"

You just can’t make a snap judgement on a player without seeing him perform a handful of times in a Motherwell jersey. If he’s rubbish we’ll find out soon enough but he also might be ok? Getting demented about this just now is mental behaviour

I wasn't expecting a goal scoring KVV replacement machine I was expecting someone to make me to raise an eyebrow hmmm interesting. I look at the frontline we have basically signed three of the same player that play similar way not much flexibility.

Are you joking here? Any time we don't have the ball he jogs about like a pensioner trying to make it round the Strathy.

As long as somebody, anybody scores enough goals for us to pick up points that’ll do me.

thanks Spiderpig . Just looking for previous signings who arrived with similar stats - Nick Cusack is prob the most similar.

Higdon was scoring goals for St Mirren. KVV had a good record and obvious talent, Moult was scoring for Wrexham. You can't compare this guy to them. This is Connor Sammon MkII.

Trolls are like the climate activists and tree huggers, shouting criticism and negativity at anyone who will listen, but when questioned have no sensible alternative to offer. As with all our signings, ie KVV, Higdon, Moult to name a few, Bair is a punt and time will tell if it works out, he'll be judged on how he performs at Fir Park and not his previous teams.

Kettlewell's comments on the website are unreal. He's an expert in talking pish yet he can't even find a way to praise Bair's footballing ability in the slightest. 'Adds to our project', 'experience of playing in the league', 'only 23', 'improve our options'. Do you think he will get goals and win games for us Stuart? Of course you fucking don't.

Well we've got the dud from Perth. Funnily enough it's very quiet about the guy from Arsenal. Kettlewell is betting his managrial career on Bair, Obika and Wilkinson. It's a bold move. Edit - Just seen it's a two year deal. If this guy has the same agent as Paton then it's dodgy as fuck.

As with every signing I will give them a chance and not write them off after 45 mins. However I am concerned as his record isn't great but SK must see something to offer him a 2yr deal I expect at least 10 goals this season bair minimum!! Ba boom

My thoughts looking at that lineup? What a cracking first eleven and what a shite bench...

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/2009449--motherwell-vs-panathinaikos/lineups/ 11 years ago today we played in the Champions League.

There's no way we are that close to Hibs hearts and aberdeen. Those numbers must be made up.