johnstone

Wee snippet in the Metro (with McCall quoted) saying that we are hopeful of signing Gavin Gunning on a permanent deal. Blackburn are willing to let him go for free and the only stumbling block is he will have to take a pay cut. If this goes through it would be a very good bit of business by McCall.

I think the issue with Murphy is that if he goes then we will have the funds to find a decent replacement, but that might not happen until the last day of the transfer window which leaves us up shit creek as we can't then get anyone until January (Unless they are out of contract) Bit of a catch 22 this one.

Is that the Motherwell Taliban leader in the crowd?

What right back problem? We have Hateley, Saunders, Page and Devlin.

Ideal.I didn't realise we had a left back on our books. That will do then. We don't need a left back then.

What happens when Steven Hammell gets injured? I suppose Johnny Page can slot in but is he not naturally a right back?

Broadfoots a decent player. We need a left back though.

Thats the problem though. We can sing from the rooftops about community ownership, but it works at clubs like Barcelona, Norwich because they are in leagues with lots of money and also (and more importantly) the chance of success. As this is the thing that brings in crowds. Norwich have increased their season tickets figures from 4000 to 20000 and funnily enough that has coincided with them rises up the leagues and into the premiership. All SPL clubs currently stagnate in our league and getting 6th place is a cause for celebration! The SPL is a two horse race every year. It is ruled by a very poor TV deal and also most of the money is given to the ugly sisters. If we want to improve our own club then we must improve the product it is competing in. Until thats done then you will probably get a fair few folk like me that will give it a miss. Also the self serving owners, chairman of all the SPL clubs need to stop thinking about themselves and do something for wider good of the game.

Just to throw my two cents in. I would have absolutley nothing to do with this at all. I will buy my season ticket and probably take the wee man to the Motherwell kids football training if he is into it, but thats my only connections with the club. I can't see how in this current financial climate that anyone would want to invest in a football club playing in a terrible SPL league where the actual product year on year is getting worse.

You should work as a BBC pundit with that concise assessment of our players...

Get Andrew Little to fuck. Its of absoluty no benefit to us to be loaning players in the SPL. EPL yes its beneficial to both parties, but no chance in the SPL.

1 & 2 - Who gives a fuck. 3 Hearts 4 Motherwell 5 Dundee Utd 6 Hibs 7 Aberdeen 8 ICT 9 St Mirren 10 KIlmarnock 11 Dunfermiline 12 St Johnstone

Nicky Law is a fucking beast of a footballer. This boy is going to light up the SPL.

What age is Devlin?

Oh right I though from the match reports he was a left footer. Ach well as long as he look comfertable on the left. Agree about Hateley he is a good right back, but I just don't feel he has shown enough in the middle of the park and I also feel Saunders is a much much better player. I honestly think he will be a regular in our national team pretty soon. McCall at least has the option of three decent right backs at the club just now. We are a wee bit light on the left with only really Hammell as a natural left back, but if we could get Gunning then we have the competition back for that place.

Fuck me sideways. Heres me trying to get a thread going about team selection and I end up with a Forbes and Casagolda love/hate in. Start your own fucking threads!

From the sounds of it Nicky Law has the skills and we have been crying out for a left sided player for a long time now. Potential team: RANDY SAUNDERS - HUTCHINSON - CRAIGAN - HAMMELL HUMPH - LASLEY - JENNINGS - LAW HIGDON - MURPHY Thats a decent team. We have options in midfield in Forbes and Hateley. We also have Devlin who can slot in at right back. For me we just need another striker as I would like more than just McHugh as backup. Especially as there is a chance we may lose Murphy Apart from that I have total confidence in the kids we are bringing through and would be happy for them all to get their fair share of game time this season. The signs are positive that this is McCall's plan too.

This was in the Herald today. SELFISHNESS is a trait which Nicky Law could never be readily accused of. In each of the past three seasons, Law has finished at the top of the assists chart in League Two. That Law, a summer signing from Rotherham United, has an eye for a pass is not in doubt. What would have most impressed the Motherwell support who made the journey from Lanarkshire for this comprehensive 5-0 friendly win over Dumbarton on Saturday was the range of the left-midfielder’s passing; quick 1-2s, clever balls into space, whipped crosses into the penalty box and an “Adamesque” ability to spot and execute the diagonal pass. Having now worked with the 23-year-old for the third time in his managerial career, Motherwell manager Stuart McCall is obviously acutely aware of the player’s benefits. “Ability-wise, he’s very good but he needs to add more goals to his game, so it was pleasing to see him get one,” said McCall. Law heeded his manager’s advice by supplying the third and most sumptuous strike of an exceptionally comfortable Motherwell victory, playing a 1-2 with the much-wanted Jamie Murphy at the edge of the penalty box before impudently and delightfully chipping the ball over the on-rushing Stephen Grindlay. “It was pleasing to get my first goal,” said Law. “I just thought ‘I’ll dink this one’ and, thankfully, it came off. I’ve really enjoyed it so far, I’m here to help the team out as much as I can but I know I definitely need to score more goals.” Indeed, that was the only goal in which Law, who has scored a paltry five in his past two seasons, had direct involvement. The others arrived courtesy of two poacher’s finishes from Murphy and late strikes from Robert McHugh and Steven Saunders. However, after last season’s top-six finish and reaching the final of one cup competition and the semi-final of the other, a valid question is: how do Motherwell improve on last season? The answer, it seems, is in the actual product itself. “We want to improve individually and collectively”, said McCall. “In the league we want to improve on last season, which would be fifth, but basically we want to go in week-in, week-out and win games but also to entertain – for people to go away having enjoyed what they’ve seen.”

Aye maybe a handful of people, but not the 'majority' of the support. As Jay says Sheridan done nothing to impress most of the Motherwell fans and that was the reason he was not popular at the club.

What a shite statement. Sheridan showed a few flashes, but was nothing special. The fact he is a Celtic player has fuck all to do with it.

Motherwell need to sell on their youth players to keep the head above water. We have gone a few years now and not sold a player for decent money and it has hit the balance sheet. Selling on youth players is the best way for Motherwell to keep in the black. Murphy will either go this season or the next, but if he does we just have to roll up the sleves and get on with it, but at least we will have benefited financially from the player. Unlike Reynolds who moved on for buttons when we had chances to make some money from him earlier.

It the place where footballers like Brian Kerr, Kevin McBride and Charlie Miller vanish into - never to be seen again...

Also a glass of Champange and a olives for each fan on arrival. I would also move the stadium to Monaco cause I will be living there on my Yacht with herion fuelled models on each arm.

I would turn us into the Scottish Man City and sign Tevez.

I would argue he has improved massivley since his first season. He has certainly setup a fair few goals and probably could chip in with a few more, but thats not his role. His crossing has also been much better. Also you have to understand that a winger is probably the hardest position to play in football as you run close to the touchline and your aim is to get by defenders so chances are you will lost the ball more often than other players. For me he is one of the first names on the team sheet.