numpty

Depends whether you listen to the folk who were suggesting in the Shoutbox a minute ago he should have come for the cross when they scored…

Sportsound's on MW from 5.30, so I'd guess so.

So if you don't believe your very good source, why should we?

Yup. He's proved he knows his way to goal often enough before now, and McCall should hopefully remember how to get the best out of him. He's bound to be a wee bit rusty after not getting much of a chance at Hearts, and it'll take a while for the whole team to gel this season, not just him.

Seemed fairly clear ZFA had been told not to get behind full back at all in first half, he was turning back to receive passes rather than running on to them at every opportunity. Good job too, meant he was able to get back and make that cracking tackle in the box.

That was true of Levante too, but they beat us fairly handily...

Not particularly confident of getting any kind of result I'm afraid… just too big a game too soon for our newly-assembled and still slightly depleted squad. Realistically I'm expecting us to lose by a couple, so if we do better than that I'll be happy, moreso if we score ourselves in the process.

Have to say he does feel a bit like a faintly desperate last-ditch addition despite Henrik's supposed recommendation. But I don't suppose we have much to lose on a six-month loan, and we've been pleasantly surprised by uninspiring-sounding additions before now. (And judging by the "initial six month period" wording, sounds like we may have an option to extend or buy if he does well.)

Actually, 'fishel MFC saying on Facebook that Anier has *not* actually signed anything so far.

Quite. I've learned to take anything Kenny Black says with a pinch of salt.

Henri Arien 6-month loan deal confirmed, according to The Scotsman. http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/motherwell-sign-henri-arien-in-loan-deal-1-3016652

Liked him first time around, but wouldn't have thought that's really where we need to be adding to the squad right now.

Basically yes, although we've fallen a bit behind on that so while selling Henrik will have helped, I'm not sure we're 100% back on track. But with the number of high-ish wages we must've freed up over the summer too (albeit then replacing some of them), and the prize money for finishing 2nd last season, I'd guess we're in reasonably good shape this year so far.

It was Levante's first ever game in Europe last season too, didn't really help us much

Well, they could potentially regionalise things a bit better in the early rounds I suppose, so that you're less likely to end up struggling to break even on what might well be your only tie of the competition.

He'd be more than welcome if I was on the door. Quite agree we couldn't afford him though.

He's not even 34 until September.

Probably not, but we were flying then, with a team who knew each other inside out. This will be the first time the 11 we put out will have played together in a competitive match. I'd wager the Russians are bigger and more physical than Celtic, too, and we always seem to do comparatively poorly against big physical teams. That said, I agree with you up to a point. I don't expect them to be world beaters, and our team never having played together works in our favour too -- means all the videos of us from last season will be useless to the Ruskies

Hee haw chance. It's hard enough for us to get there, can't imagine they'd waste money sending people and equipment there for the few thousand folk that would be interested in watching.

Aye. By about 20 years

Sounds like I'm in the minority here, but I prefer the "no news until anything's definite" approach we've generally been taking. So really I'd rather McCall had never said anything about when he expected him to re-sign, though obviously it's hard to do that when he's wanted him involved in pre-season on the basis that he would. You obviously can't release specific financial details of ongoing negotiations, and anything more general (of the "we're waiting on X to happen/get back to us" variety) is going to spark just as many daft rumours of greed/stalling/laziness/incompetence as not releasing anything at all.

Newcastle team: Elliot, Williamson, Sissoko, Anita, Gouffran, Yanga-Mbiwa, Obertan, Sam Ameobi, Vuckic, Tavernier, Dummett. Subs: Amalfitano, Marveaux, Taylor, Ferguson, Abeid, Richardson, Streete.

Motherwell team vs Newcastle: Hollis, Hammell, Ramsden, Hutchinson, Lawson, Vigurs, Lasley, Cummins, McHugh, Carswell, Trialist. Subs: Nielsen, Trialist (McFadden), Francis-Angol, Erwin, Kerr, Moore, Murray.

Motherwell team vs Newcastle: Hollis, Hammell, Ramsden, Hutchinson, Lawson, Vigurs, Lasley, Cummins, McHugh, Carswell, Trialist.

'Flow just said on Twitter there'd be no more announcements today, so probably not, unless it's announced by his running out with the team tomorrow night