Goggles & Flippers

From what I can gather Daver from reading through the posts, he was Humphrey's Mrs' step-dad. As for doubling up on him, maybe at the start when he was an unknown quantity other than pace but as time progressed he carried less of a threat. I recall the guy I was sitting beside telling me "watch what happens when Craigan has the ball" as he moved forward, the opposition strikers would sit off him as they we coached that his distribution wasn't good, however if Hutchison had the ball they pressed them. I think there was an element of that with Humphrey near the end, he was know as being a speed machine but final product was sadly lacking. I've already seen an element polarisation of the fans with Gannon and Reynolds in my time on here. I'll never understand people's behaviour at times, when players move on its seen as a personal snub, but the same people wouldn't think twice about changing their own employer for extra wages, lifestyle or promotion. Foran got it tight from a few people around me the other night, I thought he was a good servant and his record is pretty decent (23 goals from 90 apps - wikipedia). Reynolds also, he appeared to leave in a way that maximised revenue for the club relating to the circumstances at the time. I even have time for Nicky Law, OK lack of ambition possibly, quadruple your salary in front of 40k every week is Roy of the Rovers stuff, did he have any premiership moves lined up we didn't know about?

Got to love a nice stat backup, Humphrey did work harder on the pitch but his final ball and overall contribution was lacking (compared to Ainsworth) and endeavour masked his shortcomings, however I accept some will look fondly upon his time here and hear nothing bad said about him. Ainsworth seems able to last a full 90 minutes while Humphrey usually lasted 70 if started or was subbed on, granted Ainsworth picks when to stoke the boiler and when to amble about, its that behaviour/attitude that I reckon has prevented him playing at a higher level as he does seem to have all the tools.

I agree about the pass, it was inch perfect. If Ainsworth was as conscientious at running in the opposite direction I don't think he'd frustrate me as much as he does. All I can say about that game is, glad I wasn't sitting on my own as that second half needed a bit of banter and chat as we seemed to play in pre-season friendly mode at times. No goalmouth action after our second goal in the 35th minute or so. Gunnar did what he had to, whole defence looked solid, however there were too many hints of a 6 yard box stramash looked as if it could happen. Foran didn't run the show as much after the 70th minute when we kinda had a 5 man midfield. Faddy looked the same as he did in mid September when it wasn't clicking, what impresses me is he is angrier than anyone else about it. 3 points are 3 points though.

We'll ignore OG's then

I don't know about that, regardless of them being gubbed both mentally and physically, they sit in the top 6 and our record against those teams is woeful. I can but dream though!

14 visits to Europe and you could argue we only seriously cashed in on one of them (Dortmund - am I right in thinking in the mid 90's we got £500k for televising the game at FP?). Law of averages suggest we're due a rub of the green with respect to a decent draw with a option of nice telly money. Last year was a bit of a freak as there was few places in Europe that are more problematic, costly or further to get to. As for the rest, those sunny nights with a full East Stand and that certain makes going along that little bit more exciting. I'd love us to be in a position where we hit the ground running and really have a chance. A hard pre-season akin to McGhee's where the whole squad showed up and looked lean and hungry to achieve is key. Lot to be said for being and thinking you're much fitter than the other guys when you don't have their resources or skill level, it's one mental edge we'd have. I'll always wonder if Blackman had joined the team a few weeks before and bedded in if, we could have waved Odense goodbye.

Erm, I dunno, maybe something to do with the fact we had to play them in Russia? Steelboy suggested that the combined income from UEFA and the gate meant he thought we would have broke even. The significant cost in chartering a return flight to Russia is what blew a hole in the budget and left the whole episode in deficit. However why you wanted me to clarify beggars belief.

You obviously don't know how much it costs to charter a 737

I hope I'm wrong, but nothing I've seen so far tells me I will be. However its a win win for me, I'm wrong and we secure higher league position, if I'm right I look all prophetic and remind you of it in mid May.

I got a bit of heat when I brought up our top 5 results against our then 100% record against bottom 6 opposition. What those too quick to pour scorn on what I said by citing I was moaning about beating the wrong teams failed to understand is we operate in a league that splits in April. At that point we play the other top 5 who we've had a dismal record against this season. If results from earlier in the season is anything to go by we can expect 3 points from a possible 15 (based on us actually getting 8 from a possible 39 which was up until the St Johnstone away game in Feb) which would put all of the above in question.

Surely its a development fee because they contributed to his early nurturing? The reason we haven't done it is when you have an empty wallet then you have an empty wallet and to be fair we have on paper a decent attacking element at our club in McFadden, Arnier, Sutton and Ainsworth

I'd rather have dropped a few more points to the kids, journeymen and newly promoted and got a few more from the teams with something about them. If that was the case there's a better chance we would have had a busier January, been £500k better off and had a chance of silverwear. You are correct, they have dropped a lot, which is testament to their shocking consistency rather than our startling form. Sitting 3rd with 8 points from 39 against top 6 opposition (a lot of those 31 points dropped comprised of us being spanked). However inevitably getting pumped by a top six team results in a few hairdryers and soul searching before we play a bottom six team, well there you have your motivation for our 100% record. Hibs - Before Tel has started to bring in some organisation they were woeful, our away win at the start of the season masked how much weren't behind them at that stage Ross County - The squad of 127 or whatever they've used so far and only now seems to have some stability Killie - Off-field shit no doubt playing on minds, however mostly 2 cold, 1 lukewarm, pretty much based on the performance of Boyd St Mirren - 2 decent players, rest pish and an alchy manager Partick - First home win was against Aberdeen (wtf) last week, it's like us playing an internal bounce game at Dalziel Park in 2012 facing them Hearts - Don't really think I have to list their failings Among those 6 teams of 11 starters and 5 on the bench I think you'd struggle to pick an all-star eleven that would hold its own and compete in the top half.

I'm nowhere near calling for McCall's head, just sometimes I'm left scratching my head, things he says, Hammell at RB, resting players early on to no avail and a lack of ideas in too many games. Our league placing flatters us only because the bottom 6 are so awful. I look at this run of results, Aberdeen away and St Johnstone on Ne'erday stand out, however we've been spanked too often by teams around us and handed out only one of our own. We have scored 8 out of a possible 39 so far this season. It's not out of order or hysterical to suggest that when getting interviewed in advance of a game, not going in with a conciliatory, laissez faire, ahh well attitude. We know Celtic are streets ahead, don't admit it though, don't see Tel or McInnes saying shit like that before they play them and guess what, they've pulled off a couple of results or at least compete. I don't mind getting spanked if we fought hard and were outclassed, I do mind when people give up, Celtic away in October is a prime example. I also don't think its out of order to suggest that after 30 games a degree of understanding and competency should be exhibited by the midfield. Virtually no goals, lamented on here too often from early July till last night. Two winnable games against Aberdeen and Albion Rovers would have at least secured a semi at Tynecastle with £120k of the gate plus telly with potential for the final and the money from that. You would hope that we would have tucked away Stenhousemuir so a visit to Ibrox and 40% of what, a 30,000 gate, £240k plus telly. Financial troubles not over but certainly addressed in the short term and the best chance of silverwear in a generation. Am I happy with this season so far? Well if you offered it to me at the end of May last year after the exodus, definitely. If you asked the same question on the eve of the league starting with who we signed and what we had on paper, I'd be OK with 4 points off second but very unhappy about the cups. If posed the same question again today I'd be lamenting our chances to visit a neutral ground for a semi/final and just an overwhelming feeling of frustration - but that's being a dosser isn't it? Motherwell Results vs Top 6 & Cup St Johnstone 3-0 Motherwell Tue 25 Feb Dundee Utd 3-1 Motherwell Fri 21 Feb Motherwell 2-2 Aberdeen Sat 25 Jan Celtic 3-0 Motherwell Sat 18 Jan Motherwell 4-0 St Johnstone Wed 1 Jan Aberdeen 0-1 Motherwell Thu 26 Dec Motherwell 0-5 Celtic Fri 6 Dec Albion Rovers 1-0 Motherwell Sat 30 Nov (Scottish Cup) Motherwell 0-4 Dundee Utd Sat 9 Nov Motherwell 0-2 Aberdeen Wed 30 Oct (League Cup) St Johnstone 2-0 Motherwell Sun 27 Oct Celtic 2-0 Motherwell Sat 5 Oct Dundee Utd 2-2 Motherwell Sun 22 Sep Inverness CT 2-0 Motherwell Sat 17 Aug Motherwell 1-3 Aberdeen Sun 11 Aug

Never suggested it was, is it subversive or out of order to suggest we have a midfield that at least can compete with anyone other than the dross at the foot of the table?

A lot has been made of our 100% record against the bottom 6, tonight has just reinforced how rotten they collectively are and how the other 4 teams in the top 6 apart from us have something about them (ICT have stalled under Yogi but if Tel was still there it would be different). Our performances against them have been pretty much woeful, I'd hate to see a table of just the top six. A lot was made of our run in December/January, we had a functioning defence, arses kicked after Albion Rovers/Celtic results and mostly bottom six opposition, it didn't stop many on here thinking a new keeper was the key to our season and revival. The astute observations above from Kmcalpin and Casagolda highlight a degree of naivety in tactics, team selection and dare I say it, nothing learned and applied from Doncaster away in July. Yes, we are suffering a horrendous injury list and lack of confidence in our keeper, exacerbated no doubt by the fact in the past few years both those issues were no factor, if anything we've been spoiled on these fronts. Significant rebuilding was required, but if basics and understanding can't be adopted and applied by the end of February, when will they?

To be fair a dysfunctional midfield has been brought up again and again from pre-season till tonight. As are a lack of ideas. The points made above about the youth team I'd echo, it must also be a bit disheartening for them too seeing themselves overlooked again and again. That is unless the kids think there is a major gap themselves. That leads me onto the next point, sitting 1 point off second, game in hand, etc. and being as pessimistic as Ya Bezzer points out. McCall repeatedly comes out with this shit when facing playing Celtic. OK it maybe is realism, but fans and players alike don't want to hear it, we want to think there's a chance. Belief has to come from the boss

He must have eyes like a lizard then because he was following the ball and not looking in his immediate field of vision. I think he's a thug, don't get me wrong, but I think the second was an accident rather than malicious.

Fantastic, I always thought this sort of thing would have ended up at Ravenscraig though. Only criticism is surely it could be arranged so the grandstand isn't behind a goal but rather orientated along the long side of the pitch? Means a wee bit of rejigging but longterm I'd think it would make more sense.

Tom Boyd and Andy Walker, it's as if their time at FP was in a fairytale, pair of strokers. RE Goodwin, definite red for challenge one, two was an accident. Adams felt he got off lightly in Paisley when they last met for thuggery, totally understand his reaction, he must have been thinking, does this guy need to stab one of my players to walk?

What is the difference between an issued share and an unissued one?

I'm surprised you didn't list half our current first team steelboy

.... steady!

I imagine the same characters that voted for Gunnar in the wake of the Aberdeen game

Las for me, just edged Faddy, captain's performance.

To be fair Reynolds left the club after a longer spell and under good terms and got fannies behaving like baying hyeena's. Elements of our support gave it out, he gave it back, we universally sang "Callum, what's the score?" all part of the pantomime. Based on us starting it, he's entitled to give us a bit of banter back and the above didn't stop me getting ripped into him at every opportunity. But that release is part of why I pay my money. As for the standard of the football (not the rollercoaster of goals), I thought it was very poor at times, no doubt the condition of the park played its part, the first half was a bit of a non event for me. Ainsworth's lazziez faire antics at times frustrates. However that lunge was bloody crazy, I don't understand when it was obvious he pulled out of the tackle it then merits a yellow card, surely its the intention to foul for gain or malicious intent that's penalised? Hammel's fist pump when the fourth went in said it all to me what the win meant.