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Agreed. I think there are a few posters that are now invested in the manager must go argument that are not giving the team the credit it is due yesterday. It could have been 4 or 5 with the number of chances created. Motherwell were significantly better than St Mirren which will not sit well with the people arguing pre match that we are favourites for relegation. It was not perfect and the performance did not hit the heights of last season but there is plenty to be optimistic about if you care to look for it.

Im very surprised at the negative comments on yesterdays performance...I honestly, thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought we defended well and that back 4 is probably the best we can muster at present. I thought we dominated the ball for almost the entire 90mins against an absolute gang. I thought we created an absolute barrel-load of chances and opportunities. I think where we let ourselves down yesterday was that we weren't clinical enough in front of goal...if we can get that bit right, someone is going to take an absolute scudding off us.

Phillips is an absolute wall puncher. I hope you caught the moment when there was a very mild scuffle (don't even think a foul was given) and phillips tried to thump the ball off one of our players... missed and instead hit and winded his own player who was lying on the ground 😂

I was very disappointed in St Mirren yesterday. Apart from their footballing performance, I thought they were cynical and nasty. Streetwise or dark arts, however you describe their approach. It wasn't down to impetuous actions but rather an overall approach and their manager must take responsibility for that. A performance characterised by play acting and time wasting. Maybe I'm alone in this but I don't recognise their description in the media as a total footballing side. Some weeks ago I read Craig McLeish described as a disciple of JBA - really? The MSM needs to call them out on this but of course it won't. That brings me to the referee - Don Robertson. Arguably the poorest performance I've witnessed for a while. No major decisions to call apart from the penalty, in which has was assisted by VAR - we could even see the handball from the far end of the POD. A very weak and inconsistent display. St Mirren totally conned him and played him like a fiddle. Hodge's card and Maswhanise's "foul" were nothing short of incredible. Craig McLeish really ought to take his out of control hoodlums, Carr and Phillips, aside and give them the hairdryer treatment; but we all know why he won't. Both were carded yesterday and are 1st and 3rd in the SPFL's yellow card account. If all that seems harsh then just have a look at the SPFL's stats centre. St Mirren have the Premiership's highest foul count and highest yellow card count. Nuff said.

Yes, cynical hod-carriers and a team lacking any creativity: they look far more like candidates for the drop than we do, yet they beat Aberdeen last time out. They too look vulnerable, as long as they keep Robinson. With Oscar back in CM we can only improve and if McGinn stays fit to bring some calm and organisation to the defence and Williams returns to LB to release Longelo into midfield, I'm sure we'll climb the table. Pity Thor didn't score with his weird header because I think that that would have done a lot for his confidence. He needs a run at CF imo because he seemed to rummle up the Fuddies' plough-boys nicely at the back after he came on, while Seb P-H simply didn't. He's still young though and might toughen up. The referee looked like a clone of Craig Thomson: a dreadful display from him which culminated in a ludicrous booking of Hodge (whom I thought looked good yesterday). He also amazingly ignored a kick on Maswanhise while he lay on the ground. SM stole yards at every opportunity and dived all afternoon and yet he was apparently oblivious to it all. And yet this guy gets the big games like OF ones regularly............ As Bugs B. used to say, "What a maroon!"

Agree totally, I was thinking Robinson was back in charge of them yesterday. Usual embarrassing antics. I didnt see any change of style from them

Pretty much my view although I thought we played some decent football at times. The important thing yesterday was the result and we achieved my target of 4 points out of 6, so credit to Alf for that. It was close run thing though as we had to rely on a VAR awarded penalty. Still, a clean sheet against a poor but very "streetwise" St Mirren side. We also achieved that victory without any good luck, so that was plus. I think McGhee has now staked a claim for a starting slot, be it in central defence or preferably at RB. Kanga should not have started and ought to have been subbed at HT. As one of our group commented, at this point he's an impact sub. SPH made little impact against St Mirren's leviathans and Thor rumbled them up more when he was brought on. He was unlucky with his diving header - a horrible cross to control. It was good to see the hard working Priestman, McGinn and Hendry return and again McGinn is a good option for RB or CB. We controlled much of the game and should have won it 5-1 or thereabouts. We were wasteful in attack and that could have proved costly as we all expected a St Mirren sucker punch to come at some point. Our central defence gives me the fear though and although Saints were toothless (in a footballing sense) their big lads made JGR and Moormann's life a bit uncomfortable at times. We badly need more physicality in the side. Longelo looked good until he picked up a knock. The midfield still doesn't look right as a unit, but I thought Said and Fadinger really did the business. Maswhanise looks to be getting back to his old self and put in a power of work. Our off the ball work, especially when not in possession, has regressed badly since last year. It lacked intensity, and ostensibly effort or organisation. Still, a wins a win and we draw a little away from the bottom.

Said it earlier on, there seems to be no communication on the pitch between any of them not just those two. Its like the are in wee bubbles of thier own. That has to change for the team to gel, you would think they know each other well enough by now to at least talk to each other on the park. Noticeable especially when we are defending corners.

My mates wish I was like that with my jokes 🤣🤣

Whatever AJ thought about yesterday, he's apparently keeping it to himself.

Had Longelos cross for Maswanhise just been that wee bit better, we would have been looking at the goal of the season and as good as anything served up last year. Ive been critical recently, some of the performances haven't been good enough and in particular, some of the goals we have lost have been utter pish...but over the past 2 or 3 games there have been signs of improvement, and with the squad getting bigger (as injuries improve), I think we will be OK.

Maybe Alfred needs to do a Jens and go without a recognised striker? Problem with that is he would have to give up going long, unless it is the ball over the top for Maswanhise to chase.

You raise an interesting point here. As fans we like to see players in their natural position but often that can be at the expense of having the best 11 football players on the pitch. I agree that you would wish ultimately to see the above mentioned players all play. The problem is how does it affect the balance of the team. A good problem to have after the injury woes of the last few months. I was a huge fan of Iain Vigurs when he was at Motherwell and on his day he was the best midfielder we had at the time ( in my opinion) but he sometimes did not complement the balance of the midfield on a particular day with Lasley etc in the team.

This is exactly what we were saying. JGR and MM don’t have the confidence to play to Fadinger / Hodge in the centre or midfield is not offering in the same way McGinn/Welsh did with Watt Just/Faddy did last year. Last year the ball would have gone to Watt to start the build or create the space. with Oscar back we hopefully see a bit more of that as it subtly shifts the space available for those in front of it’s a real shame that neither P-H or JT could convert the move in first half as it was as well worked as anything last year.

For me this is where we may need to tweak the formation or alternatively swap Saids position with Lowry . said - in the role Slattery played Lowry - in the role just had I’m a fan of both players - the difference for me is Saids incredible strength , ability to win the ball and come from deep .

Been waiting for a signal to post 'papers over the cracks' 🤣🤣, just kiddin MJC

Hopefully today buys Alfred some time. The performances over the last couple of weeks have been getting steadily better. The players are clearly working hard for each other, so any talk of the dressing room being gone was clearly off the mark. With Oscar, McGinn and Hendry all back, the squad is starting to look stronger again. If we could get Lowry, Williams and Johnny K back I think we will be in much better shape. No sackings this side of the international break at least!

As i said to my mate, you now realise how massive Watt was last season as he was link man between defence and midfield

I was surprised how little St Mirren offered today. Early in the season it looked like they were trying to play some nice football but apparently they’ve given up on that. We looked a lot more relaxed and composed on the ball today and had several good moves but our finishing was woeful. Nice to get a clean sheet and 3 points. I think we can play as well as most teams in the league and should pick up a decent amount of points…..if……. We cut out the silly mistakes. Interestingly we didn’t make any silly mistakes today and came away with a clean sheet and 3 points.

Relieved to get the 3 points, maybe a break with the penalty? Haven't seen it back but fully deserved all the same. Thought we played well an there were signs of improvement again besides finishing. Great to see Priestman back, pretty much improved us immediately.

Really? I thought that is as well as we've played all season (finishing apart). Still room for improvement but I enjoyed the way we played today.

Sadly, I don’t think he is 🤣 If MJC had his way we’d have Wee Baz, and a backroom assistants pairing of Boab Malcolm and Kirk Broadfoot…. The unholy trinity

Better team by miles especially in the first half. But it looks like they don't communicate with each other on the pitch. Bit strange that.