Casagolda

I don't think Law's ability was the main thing rather that we had signed a right back (that is where he played for his dad) when we already had 3 guys who could play there on the books; Reid, Kerr and Ramsden. Then McCall trying to play him as a forward it quickly became apparent he didn't have the skill to play that role which brings up the question of why we signed him in the first place (McCall's laziness, jobs for pals etc BTW could all be tossed at signing Faddy after his shite season the year before) Josh Law was the obvious scapegoat for all the frustration at having almost a team of guys contributing nothing but clogging the pay roll, Lawson being the other target. Fair play to Josh though because he has been more than decent at right back, he could improve his defending. Even if Luke Watt supplants him this season he is still useful enough to come on for Ainsworth if he is having an off day, not bothering his arse as he does more than anyone would like.

Last seson we finished 2nd bottom conceding 63 goals. The season before we finished 2nd top conceding 60 goals. I think the main difference is that we only scored 31 last season compared with 64 the year before. A good striker is by far the biggest influence.

It isn't Kieran Kennedy because he is away to Spain with Southend http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/13371659.Southend_United_head_to_Spain_for_start_of_pre_season_training/

What if he didn't travel with the team and is instead a player based over there...

Just going by squad numbers we still have at least 7 players to sign with numbers 1, 4, 5, 9, 16, 17, 20 vacant.

I think we almost shot ourselves in the foot by not playing a few long balls yesterday. Sutton would have dominated Goodwin yesterday and easily won the couple we did play. Our passing about at the back was so bad with terrible touches meant that St Mirren players could press and know they were always going to have time to get back. Throw in a few long balls up, either Sutton wins the flick or we use our extra man and win the second ball to get possession high up the park. We were nearly caught several times dicking about at the back. Passes that weren't going anywhere and were only getting us in trouble. Nothing wrong with mixing it up and making St Mirren think a bit. Think the manager deserves credit for the half time subs. Ferguson was having a bad game and O'Brien was going to get sent off plus Kerr and Law are much better players on the ball.

Iain Vigurs > Josh Law

Iain Vigurs need a map to track an attacker and a when he is subbed he needs a hug and a dummy.

He never played a game as a striker for Legia, instead playing on the right wing. Scored 2 goals in 43 games last season. Doesn't sound like a striker to me. After his initial burst he failed to score regularly for us either. He can be effective setting up others but he is far from a prolific scorer.

That is complete crap. Anier and Sutton started 18 league games together. Sutton started all but one game and was seldom ever a lone striker, in fact he was the striker more likely to play off the front with McFadden or Anier playing up against the centre half. In close games Sutton was always the one who would drop back to defend on the wings, not McFadden who was unable to adequately move up and down the pitch and not Anier who was far too aggressive and reckless to trust at the back. Plus big John isn't great at holding up the play to wait for support. Like Higdon he is great when he knows where he he passing/heading the ball before it arrives at him. He also can't really dribble. So Anier's main attributes were being fast enough to be a threat with balls over the top, skillful enough to beat a defender with the ball at his feet and able to finish when a chance came his way. Last season neither McFadden or McHugh showed they could do any of those three things reliably.

Fixtures Summary Initially 16 home games so possibilities of being bumped in the split Home game first which is good, actually 2 weekends in a row. Kind of shit for the teams that wait 3 weeks until they get a home weekend game. 2x Home St Mirren ICT St Johnstone Hamilton Dundee 2x Away Dundee United Kilmarnock Ross County Celtic Partick Thistle Aberdeen Midweeks Away to Dundee United (mid August, 2nd game of the season) Home to Celtic (late Jan) Home to St Mirren (early April, 2nd last game before the split) New Year Away to Accies

Took McCall until Tuesday to work out what he could have done to thwart Utd, shame we were playing a different team. I believe he was caught out by the return of McLean and StJ playing 2 men up front. McCall needs to realise we aren't a good side adapting to other teams. Play our own game and try to impose ourselves. Playing 3-5-2 was stupid since it isolated Hutchy in wide areas and gave their full backs free reign to be an easy out ball while they had the length of the park to themselves. Easton was in acres of space as he lined up the cross for the 2nd. We really struggle outside of our standard 4-4-2 The midfield was a joke with Anier and Sutton both playing mainly in the centre of the park we had no width to provide easy out balls, ZFA did okay but anytime he got 30 yards from goal Croft and their full back doubled up on him. Lasley, Carswell and Vigurs were doing a lot of standing about similar to the LAwson - Vigurs - Lasley trio from the beginning of the season, they couldn't space themselves out and didn't understand where they should be playing to be effective. The galling thing is we did the exact same thing earlier in the season at McDairmid playing with no width and we got horsed that day as well. That must be the end for Neilsen. I don't care who is in goals but not him. Hollis has been back on the bench, hopefully he will be in for the Hearts game.

Hadn't seen this channel before. Went to look for this goal right away, McKinnon and Lambert free kick routine re-enacted across many a fitba park in motherwell. Goal is at 3:30 but you would miss a rare goal from Toastie.

I think you have to take longevity into account. Sure Bobby Donnelly was terrible but the boy only played a handful of games. The guys that are the worst to me are the ones who hang around like a bad smell. So my team will only include guys who spent more than a season at the club. Colin Meldrum Kevin Christie Brian McLean Jamie McGowan Derek Townsley Ian Ross Paul Harvey Andy Roddie Omar Daley John Hendry Trevor Molloy

Letheren tweeted that he is fine plus they have another keeper John Gibson they have been developing for a few years. It really comes down to whether we want to pay the money to keep Dan. How much does a third choice first division keeper earn?

As well as those goals we are a shambles at set pieces and have already conceded 6 goals from balls into the box. McManus clearly hasn't been an upgrade from Ramsden at centre half where as Ramsden has certainly been a downgrade over Tom Hateley at full back. Let's assume McManus and Hateley would have cost the same in wages who would you rather have?

If it has been posted it would have been exposed as bullshit. While some teams only play Rangers once, some teams play them twice and teams would play them at least 1.5 times on average over a number of seasons. So simply dividing the increased average Rangers match attendances by 19 is bad maths at best and dishonest at worst. I'm sure teams who are going from 3 games against the OF to 1 are going to be effected more than those who have guaranteed.

No it wouldn't breach any rules, it simply means that Sky have the right to cancel their contract with the league if Rangers and Celtic aren't part of it. If either of them are relegated the SPL would continue but the TV contract associated with the league may be voided. Are you thick? TV revenue accounts for around a third of income for Motherwell, probably more this season if we finish 3rd and have had no significant cup runs. To say clubs shouldn't be relying on this revenue is idiotic. Cup monies would also diminish without Rangers existence. The Setanta deal didn't collapse because of extravagant money spent on showing the SPL, it was the money they spent on acquiring EPL games.

Lasley got a one game auto ban for his red then a second game 14 days after the incident for it being his second red of the season so he is still on 5 yellows. For the Aberdeen league game we could have a lot of suspensions. Clancy and Hutchy are already out. A booking for Lasley at Celtic, a booking for Jennings at either Celtic or Dunfermline would see them suspended. Bookings in both those games would see Hammell and Higdon suspended too. Obviously red cards vs Dunfermline and straight reds against Aberdeen in the cup would also be served in that Aberdeen league match.

Congrats to Keith. He has been superb for a good while now and is such an important player for setting the tempo in midfield. Tom Hateley must've been in with a shout too. 3 assists (Las vs Utd, Murphy vs Hibs and Hutch vs ICT) plus his last minute winner last week. Izaguirre won the PFA POTY award last year with 1 goal and 4 assists...

Cheers for the quotation marks...who is that attributed to? Higdon had a good game but I'm not confident he will have a run of good games. It is great he is scoring goals but even his happy clappers (there were fans applauding when he won his first header...it went to no one) can admit his touch hasn't been the greatest, he has tried too many first time lay-offs when he should be trying to hold the ball up and he has been fighting defenders rather than for the ball. As for others not playing well. Steve Jennings had his first good game in a while and looked fit enough for the ninety, Humphrey shows it in flashes but he did nothing spectacular yesterday and Murphy had another quiet game on the wing. Credit to Clancy as well, he is good player if he can cut out his stupid errors, he had a great game at Tannadice.

He is partying in Ibiza and when I spoke to him last night he was delighted at the result. I'm not a big fan of Higdon either but there is no doubt everyone wants him to play well, there is some doubt if he is good enough to play well in a lot of games. He has managed to score goals albeit they all been first time strikes or from close range but is still woeful in his link up play and general effort about the park. I don't want to see him sprinting about like a looney but in yesterdays game he stood and watched Kenneth walk the ball into our half several times without even making a move towards him. The game suited yesterday against two centre halves who like contact which meant Higdon didn't look like an arse turning and reaching out for defenders like he did against Aberdeen, Rangers, Hibs and Celtic while the ball was still in the air. He did play much better though but I still think he needs to work harder off the ball. He is having a very similar start to John Sutton who scored goals but was like the tin man in all other aspects of the game.

Shite again. Only on the team cos he's tall. UNACCEPTABLE

No messing about, 4-4-2 Randolph Hateley Hutchinson Craigan Hammell Humphrey Lasley Jennings Law Higdon Murphy Just get right into Rangers. They are poor in centre mid so Lasley and Jenno should handle them without needing to have a central 3. Plus Higdon showed he isn't effective as a lone striker so we definitely need to keep two upfront.

Dario Quinn is missing from the squad list on the official site. Have we released him?