thewelllfan

No he was signed a week after Kettlewell had resigned as cover for Balcombe.

This is probably the best chance we'll have to end that statistic. Team should be fresh after not playing for a week and it's a rare chance for us to beat both of the old firm at home in the same season.

I'd imagine they could but they probably won't

That is also true but I think if you look at his overall tenure as Motherwell manager he was probably a success. His recruitment however wasn't great. Players brought in under Kettlewell 22/23 Harry Paton - Was a decent enough player for us served a purpose, Decent signing. 23/24 Summer Window Johnathan Obika - Injured constantly barley played poor signing. Connor Wilkinson - Poor Striker can't remember if we mutualled him or sold him in January but another poor signing. Pape Souare - another guy who barley played another poor signing. Davor Zdravkovski - Was decent in his first season barley played in his second decent enough signing Theo Bair - Signing got a lot of negative reaction but proved us wrong. Ended up being sold for 1.5M and turned out a great signing. Mika Beireth - What a player we only had him 6 months but he was a fantasatic footballer and great signing. Brodie Spencer - Another really good loan signing could play both sides and was a really solid player for us. Decent signing. Oli Shaw - Probably the most frustrating St we have had at Motherwell in recent years his movement was really good but could not finish at all, poor signing. Georgie Gent - Another decent loan signing didn't really play first half of the season but when he got in the team was a really solid player and had excellent delivery from that left side, decent signing January 23/24 Adam Montgommery - Looked decent enough in the 2 games he played but got injured and returned to Celtic before the window closed so I guess it was a poor signing but more due to circumstance. Andy Halliday - Been a really solid player over his time at Motherwell so was a good signing despite his lack of minutes this season. Callan Elliot - Don't think he ever played for us so was a complete waste of money and a poor signing. Sam Nicholson - Really talented player but considering he's been at the club since Jan 24 and made 9 appearances to date has to go down as a poor signing. Jack Vale Loan V1 - Decent signing had a postitive contribution second half of that season. Jill Buyabu - Turned up played 1 game fell out with the manager was sent back to Sheff Utd, Poor signing. Adam Devine - Was really average to be honest got caught ball watching to put Airdrie out the cup last night and never really impressed for us, poor signing. Moses Ebiye - Absolute Chaos caused when he was on the pitch but it never really clicked for him was probably worth the punt for his physical attributes alone tho. Summer 24/25 Zach Robinson - Signed on the back of a decent loan spell at Dundee, was a decent ST for us without really standing out did score the winner against Dundee Utd to get us in to the cup semi final but has been out for a signinificant period of time. Poor signing. Johnny Koutrombis - Wasn't used at all by Kettlewell but has been very good for us under JBA. Decent signing. Kofi Balmer - Had a giant throw in and other than that was quite poor. Poor signing. Tom Sparrow - Thought he was a weird signing at the time but was 1 of our best players last season. Good signing. Fillip Stuperavic - Scored in the league cup group stages fell out with the manager was playing well on loan at Morton but done his ACL. Poor Signing. Ross Callahan - Played about 2 games was perma crocked massive waste of money. Poor signing. Liam Gordon - Been a very solid pro since signing and seems a proper leader when he plays. Decent Signing. Kyristian Hegyi - Think most thought he'd start the season as N1 don't think he made a competitive appearance after the League Cup group stages, Poor Signing. Steve Seddon - I liked him thought he was decent whenever he played but had some troubles with injury. Decent Signing. Marvin Kaleta - Started really well then his form fell of a cliff could probably pass as a decent loan signing. Apostolous Stamatelopolous - The fact we paid a significant fee probably counts against him scored basically 1 in 3 in his games last season but has been poor this season and struggled with injury. Poor signing. Tony Watt - Was decent enough for us had some really good games for us but wasn't in the same form he was during Alexander's reign. Decent Signing. Twanda Maswanhise - What a player he's turned out to be for us. Great signing. Jair Taveres - Wasn't very good was he, Poor signing. Jack Vale V2 - This time he was just crocked the whole time and we really didn't need another St. Poor signing. Jan 24/25 Kai Andrews - Thought he was decent under Wimmer and was a decent loan signing. Archie Mair - Played 1 game broke his hand returned to Norwich. Poor signing. Ellery Balcombe - Another poor goalkeeper who probably cost us top 6 last season. Poor signing. Luke Armstrong - Had a couple of decent games and was something different to our other attackers. Decent signing. Dom Thompson - Came with some decent perdigree having been at Arsenal U21 but wasn;y very good for us. Poor signing Based on that SK made 38 signings during his time as manager : 3 were very good - Biereth, Maswanhise, Bair. 2 were good - Sparrow, Halliday. 12 were decent - Paton, Davor, Spencer, Gent, Vale V1, Koutrombis, Gordon, Seddon, Kaleta, Watt, Andrews, Armstrong 21 were poor - Obika, Wilkinson, Souare, Shaw, Montgommery, Elliot, Nicholson, Buyabu, Devine, Ebiye, Robinson, Balmer, Stuperavic, Callahan, Hegyi, Stama, Taveres, Vale V2, Mair, Balcombe, Thompson I'd say overall it was below average. The majority of his first choice Xi were already at the club and he signed a lot of poor players. Doing this also made me remember just how much shite he signed for us, he's done the same at Killie tbf I'd only really want John-Jules and Kiltie at Motherwell of the guys he signed in the summer.

Kettlewell wasn't a bad manager for us. When he first came in he did what everyone was screaming for Hammell to do and played a 352 which ultimately kept us in the league. Second season he developed Theo Bair into a 15 goal a season ST to replace KVV who he sold for 500K . Developed Lennon Miller and had Blair Spittal performing to a very high standard. We finished 8th but weren't in any real danger. Season 3 he sold Theo Bair for 1.5m brought in Maswanhise got us to a cup semi final and had us in the top 6 although we were probably about to drop out it when he resigned. His main issues were he tried to turn Lennon Miller into a 10 for god knows what reason, had no idea what to do with Maswanhise he could tell he was talented but had no idea how to use him in his 541. His main flaw he insisted on using a 541 with absolutely no pace in the side which allowed teams to dominate the game and continued that at Killie who I actually think had they not sacked him when they did would be a couple points better off. He got us 6M odd in transfer fees over his spell (I've added the Miller money in as he platformed him and gave him his chance in the team) I didn't enjoy his football but he was a decent enough Motherwell manager and saved the club from relegation when it looked likely. JBA is a far better coach than SK ever will be but that doesn't mean he was awful. The last Motherwell manager I properly disliked was Graham Alexander because it was an absolutely chronic watch. Getting knocked out the Confrence league of Sligo Rovers who had been beaten of our u21s a year or 2 prior was probably reason enough for that alone.

Watt was middle of Feb and Hendry was the end of Feb the last time JBA spoke to either player.

If they've picked it up for TV coverage I can't see them getting rid of it.

Rangers have benefited in 3 potential game changing decisions and been potentially cost points in 1 against Hearts but I suspect Hearts would have still won the game. Celtic have benefitted from 1 game changing decision that I can remember against Kilmarnock. I can't think of a dubious decision we've had in our favor. Said's goal against Falkirk should have stood which could have changed the game. We should of had a penalty against Rangers that could have impacted the result. When you look at that it's no wonder the monopoly in Scotland can't be broken when they're getting game defining decisions in their favor.

Did you miss the end of it where it says Hearts would be 2 points worse off? Did you miss the Celtic 2 points worse off? Did you miss Rangers being 5 points worse off (At a minimum)? I accept I have edited it from the OP but was still edited before you had replied.

Killie's last night is a red by letter of the law I don't think it should be but that's the way it is. Tavernier's last night is also at the minimum a second yellow but should be a straight red as he stopped John Jules from getting onto the pass over the top and was last man. Hearts benefited from a goal at Ibrox that should of been chopped off for handball as well. it's just convenient that Rangers have had multiple decisions go in their favor that I can remember. Celtic's Arajou should of been sent off v Dundee Utd and the penalty they got at Livi also wasn't a penalty the penalty (I doubt either decision would have had much impact on the result) at Killie to win there at the start of the season also wasn't a penalty. Nobody is saying it's only Rangers that benefit, Celtic and Hearts have all benefitted from shit decisions this season. The Rangers ones are just spoke about more as they are key decisions that would have impacted the result. Reading this through has actually just annoyed me more to be honest. Hearts should be 2 points worse off Rangers at least 2 and Celtic at least 2 that would put us 9 off the top with a game in hand over hearts.

Rangers have had multiple decisions go in their favour that has won them points Livi didn't get a stonewall handball which could of put them 2-1 up and the game finished 2-1 Rangers We didn't get a stonewall penalty which could of got us a point Gassama initiated contact for a penalty they shouldn't have got against Dundee which got them a point. It's not exactly a surprise Tavernier avoided the red card is it.

Pitch Inspection at 2:30 for tonight's game suspect it will probably be called off.

The only way I'd have any sort of hope is if we're within 4 points of the top going into the split at that point there's a chance right now it's a distant thought we're 11 of the top and would have to win Home and away against all 3 title challengers as well as winning basically all of our other games.

I think that probably is the next best solution it also keeps a balance to the shape that a right footer there doesn't give us I feel when JK is there we literally have no width on that side and everything goes back central.

I don't really want to find out how we'll react to going behind I quite enjoy not conceding goals

Furlong was the LB we signed to replace Penney when he went back to Ipswich, he played LWB for us and the delivery from wide areas from him and Max Johnston and the switch to the back 5 was basically the reason for us staying up.

Is JK not also injured or am I imagining him coming off against Livi.

There were definetly Lb's available we could of got James Furlong was looking for a loan move from Hull that he never got I'd of taken him to the end of the season.

i suspect we're hoping he hits form and we can recoup what we sold him for the fact we turned down 800k for him in the summer baffled me doubt we'll get anywhere near that come the summer

I suppose you could look at it as we brought in Bjorgolfsson who strengthens our existing attack, Nicholson coming back creates competition for Just who has been our best player so far. He's also in the sort of 10 mould I felt we lacked at the start of the window in that he can score from range so another potential threat for opposing teams to think about. Mcghee is an upgrade on Balmer and has had time to settle in. We could definitely done with another LB but we're stronger than when we started. Squad for the season now looks like GK - Ward, Connelly, Oxborough RB - JK, Sparrow, SOD CB - McGinn, Welsh, Mcghee, Gordon LB - Longelo CM - Watt, Fadinger, Preistman, Halliday RW - Maswanhise, Just AM - Slattery, Nicholson Lw - Said, RCC St - Bjorgolffson, Hendry, Stama. Robinson 25 senior players with Ross, Mcallister, Mccolm etc on the fringes probably the strongest squad we've had since the 2011/12 squad so hopefully this 1 delivers a trophy.

Welsh back on loan is all I'd expect in. We'd apparently asked Norwich for Lewis Gibbs on loan but that was dependant on them signing a CM which they never did. Can't help but feel we need a LB but I don't think we'll be getting 1. Guess he's trusting 1 of Ross, JK, SOD or Halliday to be the solution there.

That source is erm unreliable to put it politely unless you see anything from Scott Burns or a Jurno down south I'd probably not get your hopes up.

yep the seethe on twitter is sensational viewing after that deal for the boy from Lorient fell through after he failed his medical the 'chuck Motherwell x amount + Welsh' crew are out in full force at the moment. I don't think they realise that Welsh is only interested in going on loan and is on 10 grand a week their I think our top earner is on about 2.

Where you seeing that?

The rumour mill had him pitching up at Partick Thistle on a free at the end of the season so I'd be surprised I think also given the fact we play Dundee on Wednesday we'll be doing most of our preperation for that game today. Also the seethe of Celtic fans if Welsh comes on loan after they've been begging for Maswanhise will be some viewing.