joewarkfanclub

Given that its nearly 3 weeks to the Celtic game, its pretty hard to predict what version of either side will show up, so predicting how the game is gonna go is pretty pointless. The players are getting a few days off this week to go see their families, so I would have thought that with that and a couple of weeks on the training pitch, then there should be some clearer heads and a greater sense of purpose within the squad. However, it doesnt always turn out that way and we will still have 1 or 2 away on international duty. Certainly JT and Paulsen are away, not sure if Ive missed anyone else? As for Celtic, will MON even be their manager by then? I kinda hope he is because there definitely seems to be a malaise in the East End of Glasgow, and I selfishly wouldnt want them having a new manager bounce against us! I note the game is a 12 noon Sunday ko, which will undoubtedly also have an impact. Lets see what happens between now and then. Just please, no more training ground injuries to key players!

I do think we lack leadership on the pitch. A voice to coach the players through what the manager wants implementing. Last year we had McGinn, SOD & Watt all dictating things and driving standards. I had hoped Fadinger might be that guy this year as the continuity player, but he doesnt appear to be overly vocal, so maybe not his bag. McGinn is supposed to be back training soon, but having SOD in there meantime would help, probably at RCB, rather than RB, albeit you would either have to put Jake or JKL out there.

Said. Ran his arse off. Never lost the ball and mostly found a team mate with his passes. Dribbled out of some hopless looking positions after being given hospital passes by said team mates. Did his fair share tracking back too. I wouldnt have taken him off.

Way to early to be making any judgements on Alfred. However, its not unreasonable to be concerned. We started the season very well and the new players looked up to the task. However, the last 3 games havent gone well. We just dont have the same control over games like we did last year and our rotations have disappeared. I dont expect us to play exactly the same way. But I keep hearing our priciples havent changed. If that IS the case then the players arent wirking hard enough and arent following the gameplan. If they are, then the coaching is rhe problem. Either way Alfred has a problem to fix. He has 3 weeks to fix it (albeit he seems to have given them a week off if Fadinger is to be believed). Celtic up next. No hiding place. We need to look more compact as a team. Less open on the transition and be visibly running harder for each other. No excuses.

He cost the second goal, but he made at least 3 great saves to stop us being even further behind. Do we really think Matty Connolly will do better?

What to say? Its not awful. But its not great either. We play nice enough football, but its all too slow and predictable. Nothing incisive about it at all. My main frustration is that our rotations have disappeared and we no longer appear to have 3 options for a pass like we did last year. Lucky to have 1 at times. Is that lack of coaching? I would hope not given that we retained the same coaching staff as last year. They should know how to communicate the gameplan to the players. Lack of running? Could be. We certainly dont press the same. We dont win the ball back quickly and we get caught on the transition repeatedly. Lack of understanding from the players? We havent had a lot of time on the training pitch. But guys like Said, Maswanhise, Cookie, Fadinger, Longelo, Sparrow, all know how we played last year. They know whats required. Its all very frustrating because some of what we do looks similar, but its not the same. It doesnt have to be of course, but its not effective either. Glad we have 3 weeks until the next game. We are gonna need it to sort this mess out.

Penalty is a shocking decision. No idea how Manny is supposed to get out the way of that. Paulsen terrible for the second. Just leaves it and it hits the post and goes in. Good to get a goal back before half time, but we need to be much better second half. Wind is spoiling the game a bit, but same for both teams. Big second half ahead.

The Motherwell Social media pages are a cesspit of absolute moonhowlers. They make this place after a defeat look like a hippy commune! Kumbaya M'Lord! (Or Tommy Coyne, if you prefer!)

Not sure Bair was written off by many of us? St Johnstone fans thought he was shite, but he scored in his first game against Dundee and the Feed the Bair stuff never really went away. Willy has looked like a wee boy lost at times, but there are flickers of ability in most of his appearances. If he can build on Tuesdays performance and we can get someone on the end of those crosses and get some joy, it will definitely help to build his confidence. Baby steps....

Good to here that Oscar, McGinn & Hendry are all back running and might be ready to rejoin squad training after the break. Obviously might still be a month or so away from playing, but is more light at the end of the injury tunnel. Is that just McGhee and Koutroumbis still out?

Dont disagree. Was thinking more for crosses into the box than anything else, given that seems to be our thing this season. I guess Vogt showed he could do that on Tuesday night. Just not sure we can trust him yet. But I suppose he needs to get the opportunity at some point.

Forgot JT went off injured on Tuesday. I also regularly forget that we have signed Dylan Levitt! Taking those two things into account and trying to inject a little more structure and discipline into our play, I think Id go with the following...... Paulsen SOD JKL Moorman Williams Levitt Fadinger Sparrow Lowry Longelo Palmer Houlden

I know Aberdeen pumped us on Tuesday night, but they still sit below us in the league, and its hard not to feel that they and Hibs are the gift that keeps on giving. Both of them should be miles ahead of us on the pitch but they both seem to keep finding new ways to self harm. Long may it continue, and lets hope Tuesday was indeed a "Speedbump" and we can get back to winning ways asap.

Be interesting to see how he gets on there. I presume he was a free agent if they were able to get him in. Surprised to see he is still only 24 years old.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Happy Clappers, Doom Merchants & Forum Comedians. Whether your comments are balanced or not are sureley for others to judge?

Theres a few of things I noticed last night that on reflection Id like to see fixed. The first thing was our press. With no focal point of the attack, there didnt seem to be anyone to start the press to signal to the rest of the team to go. Not sure if that was by design or default, but Id like to see Seb start as our preferred option in the middle. He has pace and a bit of physicality, so can get to and at defenders/keeper. He needs supported with pace though for any press to work, so for me Maswanwhise and Said have to be either side. Cookie is too slow. Secondly, why were Fadinger and Hodge having to come so deep to pick up the ball? Having Moorman and Jake either side of them whilst doing so seemed mental, didnt work and caused us all sorts of difficulties. If we want to play out our centre halves have to be comfortable on the ball and able to pass out. If Fadinger or Hodge are dropping to play quarterback then the centre halves need to move into pockets to receive the ball instead of just standing and letting the midfield deal with it. Our style requires multiple options to receive a pass at all times. We cant afford passengers or players hiding. Everyone needs to be willing to show for the ball, that hasnt been the case this season and our midfield were very static last night. Finally, we are not winning the ball back high up the pitch the way we were last season. Not sure whether we just arent running as hard this season to get it back (Just was fantastic at it) or whether its something more structural, but its really apparent. Definitely plenty to work on out on the training pitch.

I think its also fair to point out that Alfred is only 35 and Rosenberg was his first job as a head coach. He is still learning and not the finished article.

This is fair comment. Jens IS a hard act to follow. But Alfred has been backed heavily in the transfer market. The early signs were all very good, so Im not going to jump on any negative bandwagons. However, despite still "playing nice stuff at times" we havent looked anywhere near as compact or in control of games as we did under Jens. Thats a tough thing to figure out and fix without coaching time on the pitch and whilst assembling a squad. But the window is now closed and we now go into period after the Dundee game where that excuse will no longer be valid. I would expect to see some significant improvements in the next month or so. We will have a better idea by the end of October as to the actual quality of our squad and the coaching ability of our manager.

Lowry for me. Only one who kept at it, trying to play the positive forward pass. His work rate is also pretty decent for a supposed lazy barsteward!

Would absolutely NOT be dropping Maswanhise on Saturday unless he is injured. Ive been a critic of his performances since February, but the last few games he has ran his socks off. I agree Seb PH should start on Saturday, as his pace in closing people down should spearhead our press, but Id be dropping Cookie or Kanga to the bench before JT. Id also have Said back, he offers a more solid out ball to retain possession and get us up the pitch than some of the others.

Not sure what part of my post you are diagreeing with?

Lots of hard talking required between now and Saturday. We need to be much more structured and disciplined to allow us to play our football from a solid base. We also need to be running harder than the opposition, particularly when we lose the ball, to win it back. Do these things and we can win on Saturday. Dont do them, and we could be on the end of another loss.

Pretty sobering experience tonight. We played some nice stuff and controlled the game for the first 30 minutes, but failed to score and Aberdeen grew into the game. We got a couple of warning shots that went wide before the goal, so no surprise when Molloy scored. Expected us to re-organise at HT and come out re-energised so to lose a self inflicted goal within 30 seconds of the re-start was a dagger to the heart and truth be told the game was dead there and then. After that, for all our possession and passing percentages, we were so indisciplined and wide open on the transition. To say we had 68% possession of the ball and that Aberdeen had 4 shots on target and scored 4 goals suggests that it was a bit of smash and grab by Aberdeen, but in truth it didnt feel that way. We got well and truly Robbo'd tonight and Alfred will have to sit down and contemplate where we go from here. Its defintely his League Cup semi final moment.

Not surprised. He has been under pressure for quite some time. A significant section of their support are not having Robinson at all, so he is guilty by association. I do wonder though how much free reign he has had up there as Cormack seems very "hands on".