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Whilst I agree with you regards financial limitations impacting the quality of the players we can recruit (that also applies to most teams in the League), it's not just about poor entertainment. When results are not good that poor entertainment becomes unbearable and other factors become a frustration. Match day is again suggesting a Manager reluctant to try anything different, be it formation or personnel. A Manager that seems incapable of a fresh approach. A new approach that admittedly may not work, but at least would provide hope and indicate a willingness to adapt. And it is not just about the past two losses. There have been matches all season that have raised the same issues, Underperforming players making the same errors week on week are starting no matter what, substitutions are like for like until such time as the game is lost and we are chasing a miracle. Then it's full panic mode and irrational. That's what did for Alexander and unless SK is willing to adapt then I see exactly the same outcome for him. And that would be sad. I certainly don't see him again getting away with a terrible run like he took us through last season. And on the past two performances allied to the semi final a similar period is a possibility. The next three games could be pivotal. And if those three games go against us, I very much doubt we will be able to point to a top six placing as the end justifying the means. Looking at the squad list in yesterday's programme, we have 27 players in our first team squad and that excludes a few additional players that have featured this season or have sat on the bench. So let's call it a squad of 30. And yet yesterday we could not get a functioning eleven on the park. They are his players now, many were recruited by him, several had a history of serious injury prior to signing. It was no secret that Spittal and Bair would be moving on. If the quality of those available players and injuries mean we have no option but to stick with the current set up, then SK carries much of the responsibility for that limitation. No excuses. No mitigation. He has been allowed to recruit. I defended SK last season because I felt he deserved leeway and was going through a learning process, with a squad that was partially inherited. He needed time to build his squad and implement his ideas. The past few games have made me question that reasoning and dig deeper. As for driving fans away. It is not the lack of entertainment causing me to give Dundee a miss on Wednesday. If it was about lack of entertainment I have had plenty of opportunities to walk away since I first started attending games. I even survived the Malpas years. I am avoiding Dundee because I truly believe that I would be watching the same players as Saturday, squeezed into the exact same formation that restricts the quality players in the team, trying to kill the game for 70 minutes in the hope of sneaking a goal late on. And I'm fed up, scunnered with it all. Watching your team should not be a chore, whether they entertain or not.

Hello folks Thought it was worth adding a post on the Society's new Christmas fundraising initiative, here's all the details: The Well Society have launched our '12 Days of Christmas' campaign, giving you access to more than 50 exclusive experiences and prizes whilst supporting Motherwell Football Club. We have teamed up with the club, the youth academies and Motherwell FC Community Trust to offer you everything from golfing holidays to VIP access at Fir Park. Take a peek at our 12 Days portal and find the perfect Christmas gift. Being part of it is as easy as one, two, three: 1. Browse through over 50 silent auction lots, register and make your bid or go to our buy now options 2. Enter our raffle, at just £5 per ticket, to be in with the chance of one of three great prizes 3. Make a pledge and help a child in our local community The portal is open until 9pm on Thursday 12 December – so make sure to get your bids in before then. The fundraiser brings all aspects of the club together, with proceeds from the silent auction split equally between the Society, Motherwell FC and the Community Trust. Monies raised from the raffle will directly benefit the next generation of players running out in claret and amber, with a 50/50 split between the boys’ and girls’ academies. Christmas is a time for thinking of others, and giving the gift of football is also an option. Many children in the local area don’t have access to social activities and clubs – why not make a pledge to fund a football holiday camp place? Well Society Director Greg Anderson is leading the campaign as part of the Society’s Membership Workstream. He said: “There’s a plethora of prizes, some awesome auction lots and experiences which would tickle the fancy of any Motherwell FC fan. Please have a look and consider getting involved – it is all going to support this club and this community.” Brian Caldwell, Motherwell FC Chief Executive, added: “We’re excited to be able to offer fans something truly memorable, whether that be lunch with Paul McGinn and the players or joining the press pack and interviewing the gaffer. All aspects of the club are involved in the campaign, and all aspects of the club will benefit. Thank you for taking part.” Fans also have the opportunity to support development of the women’s game, and programmes which benefit people in the local community. Dawn Middleton, Chief Executive of Motherwell FC Community Trust, urged people to make a pledge: “The fans show incredible support to the team on the pitch, and to everything that happens off it, so I have no doubt they will rise to the occasion.”

Whilst Saturday was horrific I’m not sure making wholesale changes to formations or personnel is the way to go (yet). I’d be keeping the 3 at the back with some tweaks. I’d go Ox, Casey, Gordon & Seddon (better balance with the left footer at LCB), Kaleta and Wilson wing backs, 2 centrally in midfield of Miller and Paton, then Maswahise, Stama + Watt/Robinson. If we start with Davor & Halliday I’d be shocked if we get anything from the game. Davor tries hard but is weak and ineffectual in almost every game, Halliday is one paced and well past his best I’m afraid. Both look like Championship level players to me.

That is why it's a poor draw. Playing the same team away from home 2 weeks in a row in the middle of January isn't the most exciting prospect. If we have to play away from home, it's nice to get a change of scenery at a ground we don't play at too often. That's part of the attraction of a cup competition - otherwise it just feels like another league match.

My view is that now is the time to change our set up. Teams have sussed us out. We are too predictable and opponents know how to cope with our only genuine attacking open play option under the wing back system. Opponents now push wide players further up the pitch, forcing Kaleta/ Wilson or who ever takes up our wing back role deep into their own half with little opportunity to push forward. Given our lack of numbers/ mobility/creativity in midfield the result is that our three centre backs end up hoofing the ball as far downfield as they can in the hope that one of our two strikers gets the break of the ball. In reality, as seen on Saturday, they both end up chasing lost causes 90% of the time. A thankless task. Kaleta and Wilson nullified. Game over with a poor Hibs side strolling to a win. Our only other tactic seemed to be launching throw ins deep into the Hib's box where their under fire centre backs had a field day. I agree with 'wellfan' that it's worth testing whether going four at the back might just improve all areas of the team. Surely it's worth a try. Make us more solid and joined up. If that means one of the giants sits on the bench then so be it. Even allowing for injuries, if we cannot come up with a midfield four or an attacking three from a squad of 30 then questions should be asked. And let's not come up with a solution that involves square pegs in round holes. Like Wilson as a creative midfielder. That experiment failed. At the very least, let's make it harder for our opponents to stick to their initial gameplan.

Need something stronger than water after watching last game!😂😂

Took a little time out last night to not think about football and digest what I saw yesterday. For the first time this season I am genuinely worried. We have had some poor performances this season, but they have generally all had some form of mitigation and we have generally bounced back with a win. Wasnt too enamoured with the starting 11 as Davor and Halliday together generally never goes well, albeit the change from a box to a diamond should have helped. But with Maswanhise being asked to play through the middle we really needed our wingbacks to push high and support the front 2 and this never happened causing us to get deeper and deeper until our defence and midfield were camped in our penalty area. We could have gone ahead if Balmer had converted but it was absolutely no surprise whatsoever when we conceded, and even more annoying that Hibs didnt have to do anything to work for either goal. The half time subs for me were all wrong. Stama wasnt having any impact, but he had been left so isolated he deserved at least a chance to show what he could do with Watt alongside him and Maswanhise out wide. He must be really evaluating his decision to join us now. We did get marginally better in the second half, but it was such a low bar it would have been impossible not to. Going 3-4-3 did improve our attacking impetus a little but it left us wide open at the back so was no surprise when we lost the 3rd and putting the game beyond us. My main bug bear from yesterday is that SK is back to picking the wrong starting formations and making baffling substitutions. We never seem to play to our strengths. Kaleta is an absolute flying machine and has proved he can deliver a good cross. But we dont have any patterns of play to get him on the ball in positions he can take on the defender. Miller has absolutely no support in midfield. It was telling that he started to look more effective when Paton came on as he at least seemed to be able to carry the ball and pass it to a team mate! Our defenders are all too similar. Casey, Gordon and Balmer all like a header and a wrestling match but none of them are great with the ball at their feet. Seddon really needs brought back in there until SOD or McGinn get back. With Davor and Halliday in front of that 3, its no surprise we cant keep the ball or build any passages of play. SK has some big questions ahead of Wednesday. He needs to find the right answers before this bump in the road turns into another malaise. I wont be able to defend another winless streak if he hasnt learned anything from last years.