weeyin

I can't form an opinion until I hear the official underboyleheating verdict.

Maybe it's had to self-isolate.

I'd choose Randolph over Ruddy purely on the basis that he was our player and Ruddy was a loaner. Goram at his best was probably better than either.

That's my point really. With an O'Donnell or a Campbell in mid, you can afford the play maker beside them. Ally Mauchlen beside Gary McAllister is another perfect example of that balance.

I think you could be right, although if we're up against Harry Kane we might need a back 6 or 7.

Generally, yes. I expect ball players to be making time for themselves, picking out passes and looking to protect the ball. When we lose possesion, I expect them to be taking up good position and making themselves available for when we win it back. I didn't care that Davie Cooper, Bobby Russell, Gary McAllister or Brian McLair never tackled or got "stuck in". A well balanced midfield has tacklers, box-to-box and play makers. It's rare to have a quality ball player that is also a midfield dynamo or a hard tackler - and even more rare that we could afford someone who is. Get someone comfortable on the ball and build a midfield to protect them and let them do their job. It's a lot easier to find players who run around and tackle than it is to find a player that always makes time for a pass and has the quality to complete it. A classic example of that balance would the the French Carré Magique of Tigana, Fernandez, Giresse and Platini.

So Dunne's done.

They also expect a ball playing midfielder to be a hard tackling, back tracking, box-to-box dynamo.

Mulgrew is 17th choice for the Celtic job, so we'd need to wait until next Friday to make sure he's not taking over at Parkhead.

Leeann Dempster back tae haunt us.

How Motherwell FC reported it: How it was reported in the Daily Record: Keep moving along. No Old Firm bias to see here.

That's still a negotiation, though, that's usually separate from the mass release of players at the end of their contracts. Personally I think they'd be mad to let him go after he proved his quality at Premiership level, but of course, it's often the change of club that makes the difference.

Roberts still has a year left on his contract, so unlikely he would be part of the general clear-out. Negotiation required - if we want him back.

I see Ross Maciver has signed a one year deal with Partick Thistle after his loan there last season.

I assume it's just an "on this date" kind of tweet, as the second leg was 31st May. I liked Lasley's comment about that game.

I thought he did fine, although he needed an experienced head to play beside him and talk him through the games. I get pretty bored pretty quickly, though, with the transfer chat about bringing players back. Part of the fun of being a 'Well fan is "discovering" a new talent like a Kipré or a Moult. With few very rare exceptions signing ex-players smacks of a lack of vision and ambition.

His agent probably just started that rumour in the hopes Aberdeen would sign him.

There's a lot more competition in midfield than there is at right back. I've got nothing against including a few youngsters when there are expanded squads, but I'd be surprised to Paterson anywhere near a starting slot. I wouldn't be surprised to see Turnbull play, though.

O'Donnell is one of Clarke's projects from his Killie days. Unless he's injured, I expect he'll be a starter.

Not just his agent. I remember shortly after his transfer, Craigan making some pretty scathing comments in one of his TV spots about how Johnson downed tools to try and force a move that the club wasn't even preventing.

I'm more interested to see if the supposed vote to ban them in the Premiership actually happens. That would be a huge step forward. I don't worry as much about what the wee teams like Annan and Killie do. We'll be back at Hampden soon though, I hope.

Looking forward to the comments about how dreadful we look in these games after 2 weeks of preseason training

The apathy that got us to 3rd not so long ago? Professional sportsmen of any sport want to win. They won't stay pro very long otherwise, but they live, eat and breathe winning. Even off the pitch and after they retire. It's a difficult balance for a budget constrained club like ours. One year is too short. Two years is often the longest players will commit to. Three years is great if the player is good - if they are a dud then we have tied up a wage for two years too long. And with a squad of 24, that is quite a big percentage of wage. Can you imagine the complaining on here if the guys we released this summer were all coming back for another 2 seasons?

A quick look at the regs says that Training Compensation is due "each time a player is transferred until the end of the calendar year of his 23rd birthday" So if that is accurate, the compo requirement ended in December 2020. I heard GA say recruitment was well under way, so good to see us get some early business completed.

For me, even the most stringent crowd restrictions would be better than watching a stream from an empty stadium.