Ya Bezzer!

Hey, an actual good performance! First 60 minutes we totally dominated the match and then typically the worst thing we did in the match was double our lead. After that we fall back, invite Hearts on to us, lose our shape and Hearts get back in it and it's not looking good. Fortunately Hearts are pitiful in defence and gift wrap one for us to calm the nerves. Good energy, good tempo from us today, lots of pressing that Hearts couldn't cope with, and a lot of players who have been underwhelming up till now had great games - O'Donnell, Zdravkovski, Halliday. Watt and Maswanhise have added a lot since they were signed. We could still be doing with more numbers getting into the box at times but we have an attacking out ball now. Also Wilson has settled in and looks like a first team player and I thought Robinson was really good today.

Abysmal set up.

Last home game they were singing 'Fuck the Police' when at that very moment the police were getting bricked and assaulted protecting the most vulnerable people in society from fascists and racists. Embarrassing and genuinely shameful. A bunch of daft wee boys who are entitled up to their ears and never had any adversity in their lives. The problem with these Ultra groups is their unbelievable sense of self importance when they represent a small minority of the support. For most of the time I've supported Motherwell that end section was empty and it didn't make a jot of difference to me. Support the club sure, no one has a problem with that, but if you break the law by your own volition at least be big boys about it instead of whiny kids.

He's brought in an actual winger and Tony Watt can play wide. Maybe we'll go 4-3-3 in certain matches. It gives us more options, both defensively (makes 4 at the back more of an option if you aren't relying on full backs for attacking width) and offensively, if we bring in forwards that can play wide. One of the big problems this season is the lack of width, and it may also solve the creativity in the final third.

Maswanhise did well when he came on but over the 120 minutes it had to be Lennon Miller.

Ok the quality of the football hasn't been great but that's three clean sheets at home and we have honestly not been troubled at all in any of those matches except when Kilmarnock threw the kitchen sink at it in the last couple of minutes of extra time. I think the current squad has potential if Kettlewell abandons some of his pre existing ideas about how we set up. And of course when the injury situation improves.

Watt has already played three times for Dundee United in the competition so I'd imagine that means he's cup tied.

First half I think there was one meaningful shot and it went wide and it wasn't by us. Second half was much better, tempo was much better and we looked a lot more focused. I mean I don't like pointing out the same thing every match but we got so much better when Ebiye came on and Halliday came off. About 2 minutes after he came on Ebiye ran on to a ball through a gap between two defenders and it was almost like he'd reimagined football. It looked revolutionary in this team. The team that ended the match kind of gave you a bit more hope for the future than the one that started it - Maswanhise (good debut), Watt, Ebiye, Miller, Kaleta, a team with some actual mobility. Obviously a long way to go but a few clouds lifted in that second half.

This isn't a football match It's a science experiment entitled 'What happens in a footballing vacuum'. And the answer is of course, absolutely fuck all.

Ryan Jack is a non starter given the current composition of our squad. Maybe if we had a young team you could argue a case but we don't. It's just too big a risk. Given the amount of time he's been out you couldn't even guarantee he'd do a job for us if he was fit. He might well be done.

A winger apparently, so probably someone sitting on the bench waiting to come on for the last 7 minutes as we attempt to salvage something from a match.

We were also paying three managers wages last season because fans wanted a manager out that had delivered a Top 6 position and European football. Paton isn't even that bad if you have the right players around him, Callachan has one 17 minute sub appearance and you seem to have written him off and Nicholson is potentially decent but is injured. Fans need to have realistic expectations and the club needs a period of stability and building instead of the impatient hack and slash of recent times that has only put us further and further backwards.

Watt was already on the slide when he left us. He might be a decent addition but I'd temper my expectations.

I'm not saying it is bad luck....but it could be. You can't just 'rule out' bad luck. I don't know about all these injuries but I know at least a few of them are 'contact' injuries.

I actually think the Hampden chips are pretty good! 🤣

Lamie and Mugabi were both inconsistent but in their spells of good form I think they've both shown more than Blaney has up to now.

Nicky Devlin is at Aberdeen.

Our heatmap from the weekend kinda tells a story. Hmmm, what could be missing?

You can do the same with Paisley by including places like Linwood, Renfrew, Elderslie, Kilbarchan, Johnstone, Barrhead etc. The closest professional club is always going to attract supporters from outlying areas.

There is probably more scope for increasing attendances doing that than trying to get more home fans. Although it comes with a disadvantage if Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen fans are outnumbering us at home.

Kilmarnock have always been a slightly bigger club and Dundee are a city club. St. Mirren are having their best spell of form in decades, it remains to be seen what happens when they drop off but let's also remember that Paisley is a much bigger town than Motherwell.

Don't think any of those things are exclusive to Motherwell's support. Probably applies to all teams at all levels. We have a limited support but I don't think we are 'poorly' supported. In a Scottish context we are probably a Top 10 club and probably only Kilmarnock and Falkirk get slighlty better supports from all the non city clubs.

The fanbase isn't increasing. There have been times when we had excellent players, good form, good results and the home crowds never really change. We have limited appeal and that's what we have to work with. As a fan, I want to be entertained but let's be realistic everyone is happier with one point than none.

Alexander had us Top 6 and it wasn't good enough. Might be a while until we finish that high again. It's just what supporters do now. They have the power through social media so they are going to bash the big red button. However it's almost always a case of destruction rather than construction. Don't always agree with his choices but if we finish above our position last term Kettlewell will have done OK in my view.

We all know that but O'Donnell starts every game. Sometimes managers make things really hard for themselves.