wellsince75

The issue for me is 1) formation 2) approach to the game. Not a fan of 5-3-2 - maybe against old firm but not against lower quality teams. Our tactics are defence pass to one other - tap tap tap and then hoof it up. We completely by pass the midfield and because we've don'e the tap tap tap thing the opposition have man marked everyone and there's no space to play. As you mention we have good players but we are not a teams.

Individually there were horrendous performances and decision making BUT more worrying we don't look like a team. Why we play 5-3-2 against such a poor opposition is beyond my understanding. For me MuGabi, Lamie, Maguire, Hastie, Seedorf, Lang , White are not good enough and have all featured as first team players. I was really looking forward to this season but we've been dreadful to watch.

This is one of the worst Motherwell teams I can remember . Complete lack of energy Or ideas . second half performance was brutal . I don’t think the manager has a clue what he wants his team to be doing as an attacking force

I agree. I think he's doing a decent defensive mid role but would like to see him pushed up. Adding a defensive mid player would help.

really enjoyed this post, summarised well. Agree that midfields our problem area, I think we're missing Donnelly/a defensive midfield player and thats messed up our formation. Yesterday we had 5 in midfield but both Odonnell and McGinley are defenders which prevents us moving from midfield to attack well. Both looked a bit out of place. Our wingers are average which is why we weren't penetrating defences when we had possession in the earlier games. Personal view is 4 -4 - 2 (without wingers - just wingbacks) or 4-3-3 (with 3 strikers) could work better for us against most teams. We need to find a formation and give it a run of 5-6 games to bed in.

I agree that McGinley could be a good signing - if we play a back 4 it will be perfect for him at left back. it should be a choice between who to keep from Lamie and Mugabi in centre of defence.

I don't believe it's a 3-5-2 . Today was 5-3-2. Mcginley is not a player who'll go up and down the line. if we keep 3-5-2 we need to play Hastie and hope he comes good. I'd be cool with a 4 - 3 - 3 and just play Long/Watt/Lang together up front.

that was hard to watch - a good 3 points but that was brutal

agree - we're out numbered in midfield with 3 v's 4. I'd take either Lamie of Mcginley off and put on another midfield player to balance us out.

not sold we need 5 at the back against this mob. Would rather have a back 3 and add to either midfield or strikers

flip onto away video - it's working

yes - clearly scoring early has broken the cameras

he's the best right back we've had in a hell of a long time. Might have to go as far back as Corrigan and to be fair he's better than Corrigan.

Completely agree. Against most teams we could have Carroll up the left and O'Donnell up the right . Polworth creating through he middle Long/Lang/Watt up front Happy days.

He'll be given at least the first round of fixtures and to be fair what he's done for the club we should give him time and space to sort it Suspect it's more likely for him to walk than for us to fire him.

Give him to the first round of games before making any decision - didn't expect anything today. He continues with formations/team selections that don't work and are at best odd.

Same line up as midweek . i really hope we learn from what didn’t work with grimmy on right and O’Donnell on the left . keep O’Donnell in right back and use grimmy as defensive midfield please .

A 4-3-3 with Watt/Long/Lang all playing would be great - against weaker teams that is. ( a bit like McCormack/Porter/Clarkson) I'd go 4-4-2 or 4-5-1

over the period he has been excellent. Tactically he at times is lacking but we have good runs and bad runs. If he was a better manager he wouldn't be at Motherwell. I reckon we're his level and so far it's working well.

I do like us playing with 2 up front. Any 2 from Watt/Long/Lang is fine with me

sorry chief.

BOOM Great strike Odonnell

I'd rather give Hastie a run to be honest. We take off one player with no touch and put on another player who's equally poor on first touch

Main scored tonight - we miss him

Sub time. Grimmy and Lang off please. Hastie and Watt on