thewelllfan

If we get Thompson and add a holding mid I'd be quite happy. Need to get top 6 to help off-set the cost of this huge squad we've got. I'm not convinced it's off the level to end up there without Lennon but it looks better than it did this time last week

Can only hope he does well for us but signing a guy who can't get in the squad of 24th in League 2 feels underwhelming.

Might be reading into it to much but the blurb on balcombe on the website suggests he's coming in and starting straight away

I think Balcombe is a decent shot-stopper I think he's quite poor at Crosses and distribution isn't great either. Got to be honest I feel it's probably a bit of a luxury deal as I'm sure Mair could of done a decent enough Job till Oxborough was back. I also think in a window where we're desperate for 4/5 outfield players coming in loaning in 2 new Gks probably not the best use of funds. Either way he's coming so I hope he's brilliant for us. We need to bring in another 3/4 at least - A Target-man, Winger/No10 sort of player, Holding Midfielder, Left-Wing Back, We could also probably do with another RWB/Cb option if Mcginn is out for the season.

if it's a prem team we should be asking for 6-8m and a sell on clause that's pocket change to them and worth the risk for a player of his potential. I still suspect he'll go to an Italian team.

I think that in order to play a more attractive style we'd need better recruitment. Like I don't know if it's just me but other than Mcginn who's constantly injured none of our Cbs can consistently play a ball that breaks lines through midfield as well as Ox who never looks comfortable with the ball, so to counter this we go long. It's not the most entertaining to watch but it's the most effective for the skillsets of the players we have. We also don't have a big striker that can make the ball stick and it just results in lots of cheap turnovers. I think in order to get better we'd have to develop patterns that allow us to build out. Like the CCB stepping into midfield when we have the ball with the GK like Butcher did for a period of time before his legs went with the 2 WCBs splitting to outnumber the press. But trying to develop this mid-season will 100% result in us conceding goals from mistakes playing out similar to the Hammell era. With the signing of Andrews and Slattery returning we now have 4 Cms capable of handling the ball and progressing it. Andrews. Slattery, Miller, Paton which should help us create more chances and maybe reduce the need to play long as often. With Sparrow, Halliday and Davor all probably being better at recycling it than progressing. Down the right I actually think we build the game relativley okay with Kaleta and even SOD in the early games of the season. Down the left is where we struggle. Once the ball gets to Stam and Maswanhise I think both have been decent chipping in with Goals and assists it just has to get there more often. Watt been okay in spells and as I said earlier in the season Robinson was extremely useful in getting us up the pitch. Now we have to recruit a LWB and a Striker with a bit more of a presence ideally in the mould of Moult or KVV where they are physical with a bit of mobility. If he was given these things as well as maybe a ball player at CB we should in theory become easier on the eye.

100% - LWB, probably a Target-Man and a Holding mid - Try and punt Callahan and Koutrombis, offer Ebiye and Davor out see if anyone will take them

Might be a bit reactionary but surely games like today highlight the need to improve the squad both now and at end of season. Ox- Keep, Mair- Too early to say, will also go back to Norwich, Connelly- keep as Bu? Kaleta- Make permanent if possible, SOD/Koutrombis- Move On Balmer, Gordon - Keep Blaney- Still not sure on Mcginn- Release too injury prone Casey- I'd probably let move on. Seddon- Keep Wilson - Keep as BU, Sign a LWB Davor, Callahan- Move on, Lennon Miller- WIll be sold, Paton, Sparrow-Keep, Halliday- Keep as BU, Andrews- Will go back to Cov, Nicholson - Move on too injury prone. Slattery - offer 2 year deal if he can stay fit too end of season. Maswanhise- Probably be sold if offer comes in, Vale- Will go back to Blackburn would like to keep if possible. Robinson-Keep, Ebiye- Move on, Watt-Depends on form to end of season, Taveres- Send back to Hibs.

1st goal is offside, fuck knows why Ewan Wilson is trying to do no touch dribbling as the last man for the second , then why SOD pulls at him when the balls floated straight into the GKs hand only god knows. If we don't give away 3 poor goals then there's a good chance we win that considering there was next to nothing in the game, Good to see Slattery back and a good FK from him and thought Andrews wasn't bad either.

It's not just that tho he looks physically inferior to every winger he goes up.

I get Ewan Wilson is a youth player but we need someone who offers more in that position. He's getting his arse handed to him down that side weekly now.

We actually treat the ball like a grenade.

Tbf we'll get a good look at the new keeper. Can see them having us penned in from quite early on.

My team v Hibs would be Ox (If he's fit) Mcginn Balmer Casey SOD Sparrow Halliday Andrews Wilson Maswanhise Watt

From what I can remember he's a Cb don't think he's played much in midfield

Seen a tweet doing the rounds on twitter that we.ve signed Jordan Mcghee from Dundee on a pre-contract not sure how much truth there is in it however.

We could do with a LWB in the mould of Gent tbh just someone that's athletic and decent going forward.

Oxborough really the only player I think that's played well there. Casey's made a huge block to stop a goal but was so bad when we had possesion.

Whenever we play Killie the game is absolutley stinking same with St Mirren none of us have a clue what to do when the other team concede the ball

When is Seddon back Wilsons absolutley out on his feet

We need signings in January that can make an instant impact. - Holding mid is required urgently. - Ideally another Winger to give us option of a change of shape. - Wouldn't say no to a Cb who can bring the ball out the back either. - Also think we need a target-man sort of St up front.

I also forgot about him but he's been great. Thought he'd be a Parker type signing where he's just been signed to have a longer look at him, but he's been good and we've missed him badly in there in recent weeks

I suspect it'll be the same team that started v St Mirren with Mawsanhise in for Watt

I'm not Kettlewell's biggest fan and don't understand multiple signings we made this summer, Callaham, Taveres, Koutrombis, Stuparevic, Vale to name a few. Our budget massivley limits what quality we can sign, I hardly think the manager and the recruitment team are trying to waste money. On surprising contract extensions. Halliday has started near enough every game so will be given a deal. Davor I can see us letting go. Blaney also probably will be let go unless he performs to the the level he showed yesterday more often. Our recruitment strategy this summer was very different to that of previous. Guys like Koutrombis, Stam, Stuparevic are not your typical Motherwell signing in recent years. For what it's worth I think most of the window was decent. Seddon, Gordon, Watt, Kaleta, Balmer, Stam, Maswanhise all been good signings. Robinson I rate but many in here don't so clearly splits opinion. As I said previously barring a change of shape I can only see 1/2 signings being made and 2/3 being moved on/loaned out. With Lennon probably being likely to move on as well.

Koutrombis, Callahan, Taveres would be the 3 I'd be getting rid of 1 of Robinson/Watt/Ebiye but Robinson out for the season I suspect he'll keep the other 2 as cover. We need a holding mid in January. If we keep Slattery and Nicholson fit I think we'll be fine for an attacking midfielder. Wouldn't be surprised to see Lennon go in January as well so if he does we'll need to try replace him as best as we can. Ox/Heygi Mcginn/Balmer Gordon Casey/Blaney Kaleta/SOD Miller/Davor/Halliday/Paton/Slattery/Nicholson/Sparrow/New Cm Wilson/Seddon Watt/Stam/Maswanhise/Ebiye/Robinson Unless he's planning to change shape I don't see us doing a lot of business. Probably end up 8/9th in the league.