joewarkfanclub

Have we ever had a manager you liked?

I fully expext the same tortuous experience as the last game until / unless we get the first goal and we settle down again!

Standard patter for any club thats just come into a large sum of money to stop other clubs over inflating their prices. Whilst I dont expect us to be running out to spend big money, I think if we were able to wheel and deal to get the right player(s) in, a little cash could be released. Any fee would be small, and the wages still within our pay structure. Obviously limits our market, but we know this anyway.

There is absolutely no chance of Stephen Robinson being fired this side of Xmas. He will get until the window shuts in October and after that there is no point bringing in a new manager until the next window. However, he does need to find a winning formula very soon or the pressure will start to build and things could get quite unpleasant, especially if fans start getting back into Fir Park.

Big Bevis. His best game so far in claret & amber. He was excellent at the back, particularly in the first half. Grimmy had a good first half, but got roasted a bit by Frimpongs pace 2nd half. Long and Watt worked hard and ran the channels well. We need to let this partnership have a run of games. O'Donnell was solid if unspectacular today. Not a lot of opportunity to go forward. I generally like Polworth but thought he had a poor game today. Gave the ball away far to much and delivery from set pieces was poor.

I thought we were actually pretty decent in the first half. We were disciplined with our shape and kept possession fairly well when we got the chance. We were able to advance our position up the pitch and had a couple of decent sniffs at their goal. I thought big Bevis was excellent today, best Ive seen him and remarkably Grimmy had a very good first half at left back. The goal was unfortunate as it happened on the breakaway as we were attacking. I thought Lamie could have done better by showing Forest the outside. Everyone knows he likes to come inside and shoot. It was a shame as he had been doing much better defensively tucked in a bit and we were so close to going in at half time level. The second half was a harder watch. Celtic changed their shape and had a lot more possession of the ball. We found it more difficult to retain it ourselves. That said we were still able to get into one or two dangerous positions, but our forwards were too isolated to make anything from them. The 2nd goal kills us and it was OHara that lost his man. I agree with KMcAlpin that we need to swap roles with OHara and Campbell. Wee Kante is more suited to the holding role and is excellent at breaking up play and moving the ball on. OHara is far more athletic and should be the box to box player. Ive no idea why Robbo doesnt see this. Today was always going to be hard. But I saw lots to be encouraged about if you care to look past the result. My main gripe is that there are obvious changes that can be made that would make life so much easier for us if we keep things simple and play to our strengths but the manager seems to overthink things at times. Here's hoping the international break is kind to is. We need some wins on the board quickly.

I think 4-3-3 could work tomorrow, but ditch the wingers who have provided little and just play throught the middle and get in their faces. As others have said, Ajer and Julyan dont like it, so lets not let them have an easy afternoon. Lets get after them from the start. Id go with Carson O'Donnell, Gallagher, Mugabe, Lamie O'Hara, Campbell, Polworth Watt Long Lang

Dont be silly! There's no way we will score 4!

I usually rely on you to be the voice of reason as well Andy! Feck it! Am off down the bookies to put £20 quid on us at 22/1 to beat Celtic!

Was between O'Donnell, Campbell and Polworth for me. But has to be O'Donnell for that strike!

Dont think we should get too carried away with the result. It was a decent performance, but until they had the man sent off it was still touch and go and we were only one defensive lapse away from a defeat. Credit where it is due though, we totally took advantage of the situation and the manager made a positive substitution that allowed us to press home our advantage. Still a little disturbed at him putting SOD at LB to start with. We need to stop this square pegs in round holes nonsense. The boy is a quality RB just play him (and everyone else) in their natural positions so that that they can flourish and produce their best football. The 2 up top was the right call, but Hastie, Hylton, Land or Seedorf could have played on the left without upsetting the balance. Personally I would have played Hastie as he is probably best of the bunch at tracking back in that formation. Great strike by SOD for his first goal btw!

I think they have proved they cant. Teams have us figured out. Time to rip it up and start again. Our players may not be world beaters, but they are nowhere near as bad as they are being made to look right now.

I presume as its a home game, it will be on MFC tv. Not sure if it will be covered on the season ticket, but it will surely be available on ppv.

The ref and linesman got it absolutely correct. When the ball is played Seedorf is in an offside position. He then moves into the keepers eyeline and becomes active and therefore offside. He also tries to flick at the ball to deflect it. If he had stood still where he was there would have been no problem and the goal would have stood. But he didnt.

Turnbull. The boy is class and starting to show what we all know he is capable of.

Finally something we can agree on! He would walk into our current team!

Ooft! Thats a bold claim!

One of the few good things about playing behind closed doors is that the players wont be subjected to abuse feom the usual suspects in the East Stand should things not be going our way after about 20 minutes tomorrow! We really could do with a performance and a result though, just to buy us some time until the squad settles down.....

As John Greig used to say, "Oot the park wins games son...."

My only real criticism of Watts clearance is that he kicked it straight to a United player which allowed them to knock it straight back in. Out the park or in the direction of a Motherwell player would have been preferable. However, I do concede we should have defended it bwtter from there.

No real obvious choices this week. Cant be Watt, Grimmy or Bevis, as between them they were responsible for the goal. Carson didnt have a lot to do but the one save he did make saved a goal. Turnbull, Gallagher and Campbell were ok but went for Lamie as I thought he coped reasonably well being pushed out wide and put in a solid enough performance without again doing anything exceptional.

I thought first half we looked ok. Shape was better and we controlled the play much like we did 2nd half against Ross County. The disappointing thing is that we didnt create any clear cut chances and it seems we are entirely too predictible playing against teams that sit in and play us on the break. We really need to find a formation and a way of playing to counter that. With the pace we have in the team, maybe we should be inviting teams onto us to leave more space for the likes of Hastie, Seedorf and Long to exploit? 2nd half we became increasingly frustrated and none of the changes made by the manager seemed to improve things. Like others, I thought Watt for Hastie seemed a very strange thing to do without apparently changing formation. Hylton was the obvious choice for a straight swap, which was proved correct when he actually came on and Watt moved inside to support White, who despite his critics at least seems to engage opposition defenders and make them work a little harder. Desperately disappointing result, not helped by the injuries illness and suspension. But we need to find a settled formation that works soon before confidence starts to erode and effect performances further. With no actual full backs available for the forseeable, it might be worth just playing 3-5-2 until we have a full complinent to choose from. It would allow Grimmy some respite by allowing him to play further up the park a little, get Hastie over on his natural side, allow us to retain 3 in centre midfield and give long a partner up front. Maybe not a long term solution, but in the interim could be the way to go. Carson Maguire Gallagher Lamie Grimmy OHara Turnbull Campbell Hastie Long White/Watt

I thought the picture was fine. No sound first half and sound lag second half up until about last 10 mins. I understand the cost implications re any features pre and post match and half time. However, surely there cant be that much cost attached to someone from the media team discussing things with a player that is suspended or injured like they did with MFC radio or the little pre match youtube features they used to do? The staff and players are all working on matchday anyway so even 5 mins before, at half time and 5 mins after as a round up would create a massively improved experience. Early days. Lots of room for improvement, but the potential for something really good is there.

The team that "was like watching Brazil!"