Malky79

Well both players have managed to sustain a career in SPL for most of their careers so I guess it isn't their level. They've both been part of decent Motherwell teams that have been top half of the table on a good few occasions and Craigan has had a decent international career where against real top level opponents he's never let himself down. So again they might not be super stars but they are good players and some fans are far to quick to run down their own players when things aren't going well. Hell even when we win we usually still have at least one scapegoat to stick the boot into!

Quite happy with other results myself. No one of the usual fodder is more than 3 points above us and we kept above some teams below us. After 3 games I don't expcect comfortable gaps either way. Over the next 4-5 games we'll see how things develop and then start looking at other results after our own a bit more seriously. We have a transfer window almost on us, so lets see if we get any movement in or out to cheer us up or dismay us further! edit. managed to quote wrong post, canny be arsed fixing it though.

In the debate over winning games versus having a decent style of football to watch I'd much rather we played good football and the reason is simple. If we could win ugly enough to actually win some stuff that would be fantastic, but lets face it not gonna happen. Short of winning stuff I want the team I support to give me some degree of entertainment. I can enjoy a blood and snotters game as much as the next person but this is still a professional level, I expect a combination of decent touch, awareness and physical prowess to allow to have a team worth watching. If we ever get players that combine all of the above I don't expect them to stay particuarly long. And if we ever look in danger of relegation I also don't object to winning ugly. Getting back to the current team I'm quite happy to have Lasley and Jennings in the middle of the park, both are good solid players that get stuck in and ability on the ball is good enough to keep it simple and tidy. But we need players with more creativity for them to link up with. Humphrey has pace, that's a start. He's raw and gonna have off days like yesterday. On the other side of the midfield we don't really have anything, so far strikers pushed out of position mainly. And Hately is doing next to nothing, so we have an unbalanced shape to the team right now. Get in a decent left sided mid, maybe Alan Gow but someone that knows the position and has a wee bit more licence to create than just work hard but who will also protect full back.

Definately sure you just at the wind up now, as you just repeating same old pash even when people have replied to said same old pash, enjoy rest of your trolling if thats what cheers you up.

If Lasley is out of breath it because he was about only one knocking his pan in. You run about way he does and see if you jogging about like you barely broken sweat deep into 2nd half of a game where your team is largely playing guff.

If Sutton was more up front that left mid he might get onto Humphreys crosses but aye why anyone even runs near post for them is a mystery. Casagolda might be pish, only 2nd hand opinion but heard he was ganting at Killie. Hopefully he will settle in and turn out to be good but he meant to be a striker anyway so be surprised if he sorts out our real problem of lacking a balanced midfield

Maybe but of the younger ones, realisticaly only a small few progress to first team. Not sure you lose that much, and daresay even when getting loaned out at times they'll still train and play together plenty enough to form understandings and the like.

Thought Jennings struggled to get to grips with Maloney at times, esp early on. was still disappointed to see him go off and Hately remain on the park. thought we were on wrong end of many free kick decisions, and didn't get many that shortly after led to us giving one away ourseles. Just plain disagree about Lasley today. Humphrey was pish today, maybe thats why Lasley kept thinking twice.

I'd imagine competative fixtures at a lower level would be better than U21/reserve outings.

Brechin please, preferably at home.

Baws he was chasing things long after that including closing down their keeper/defenders after we were down to 10 men. At one point he looked around clearly exasperated at no one else was willing to keep going. Pointed out elsewhere he is no Zidane but he put in a solid all round performance today and not just running about like a daftie!

Watched Lasley make umpteem passes over varying distances to his team mates today. No he isn't Mr creativity to unlock defences but he was solid and did even make one or two that pried and probed.

Lasley wasn't hiding, but Hately has been anonymous all season. Only briefly in his time with us has he looked like a useful midfielder, under Gannon when the defenders seemed to be under instructions never to clear lines no matter what and all passes had to go through him. Looked fairly tidy with a decent range of passing before teams got wise to our tactics and he quickly disappeared and has never looked like a decent midfielder since. Had a decent run at full back before seemingly getting the idea he was wasted there. But if we looked anti football it might be because we don't have a balanced midfield right now and if our only real attacking midfielder Hymphrey has an off day we do indeed look pretty laboured.

Or Reynolds also howfing it out the park trying the same!

Hope so if it means we can get in a couple of new signings. That said bit less sure on that front given Hutchison who did look like a ready made replacement seems to have fallen behind Page who without having embarrassed himself I don't think is gonna cut it. Harsh to judge him playing at left back to be fair. Maybe Saunders and Craigan might work together in the short term with Hately reverting to right back but I very much doubt Reynolds is offski anyways.

Lasley for me, edging out Randolph who had a couple of top drawer saves but had a fairly quiet game over the 90.

Two poor teams on show today, being unbiased Celtic had a little more quality but we stopped them playing for most of game but never really settled ourselves. Their defence looked like a bombscare a shame we couldn't get at them more, Humphrey was off his game today and with very little else in way of an out ball we struggled with at times just no left side to our midfield. Solid performances from Lasley, Randolph, Reynolds and Sutton but the cheapness and slackness that let them in for the penalty was terrible. Soft it may have been but was probably a penalty, certainly one we'd have been screaming for. Referee was horrendous in general. Hately barring one tackle today was nigh on anonymous again I can't believe we hooked Jennings and left him on. Forbes also one good delivery into box but isn't up to pace of the SPL, we need a signing that can play left side midfield week in week out that has some ability and an engine on them to put in a shift. Easier said than done finding said player but it one of a few things we're crying out for.

Creative midfielder and or winger/left sided midfielder we need indeed. With left side the priority, Murphy and Blackman I think will offer creativity enough along with Suttons solid presence but not another striker.

Hmm not sure about that, sure Zola had a 1 in 3 at one point in his prime from attempts at goal. 1 in 50 seems more realistic if you include crosses into box as well as shots. Imagine for Beckham it might not be 1 in 3 but a bit better than 1 every 50.

Not sure what team I'd like to see. Jennings back is a gimme. Not sure who'd prefer up front but don't want to see Sutton in midfield again and Blackman I might lean towards upfront but I still got a freeze frame image of that rotten header when he could have buried it with a bit of composure. Randolph Saunders Craigan Reynolds Hammell Humphrey Lasley Jennings Fitzpatrick Blackman Murphy Not sure about Fitzpatrick but Hately for me if he isn't scoring free kicks has been largely poor since tail end of last season when he decided he was a midfield player and not a full back.

Hard pushed but will go with Murphy despite the missed pen.

Pile of shite, they were no more cynical or cheating than most teams. We defend better and take out chances and we'd have been through. We didn't so there you go.

All respect to Odense who got the job done but we have passed up a spectacular opportunity to progress to the group stages. There was no real difference in quality between the teams, they've edged it and been that little bit more solid. But we were as much the architechts of our own downfall every bit as much as anything else. If we score the penalty, we had better part of 10 minutes to keep up the momentum against 9 men. I wish them the best in the next stages but I will go to the grave knowing but for the odd bounce here or there it could just as easily have been us. Hope the boys can bounce back and hump Celtic at the weekend certainlty be some consolation but we also need a couple of new faces in the squad. Look at tonight where were the subs, no one in the wings anyone would fancy to come on and make difference.