star sail
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Posts posted by star sail
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15 hours ago, weeyin said:
"Best chance ever"
Copyright - every game at Ibrox since 1998.
Absolutely. This shows just how difficult it is to go to Ibrox under any circumstances. It also puts the 3-1 play off win in context. That was an incredible result, that to this day, I find hard to believe.
Having said that, a win has to come some time and there is reason for optimism. Anybody who watched the Moscow game will know that the Rangers defence looked very suspect when put under pressure. Our three goals at Firpark proves that they are vulnerable when put under pressure.
Robinson's biggest achievement in his time at Firpark for me is how he has been able to change the mindset of the whole club going into Old Firm games. It does not guarantee a result but at least it means that the team is not beat before it even leaves the dressing room.
I think that Gerrard's early success has been helped considerably by his reputation in the game. The Ranger's players clearly got a lift when he arrived but the honeymoon period is over. He will be feeling the heat now and will understand fully the weight of responsibility of being the Rangers manager. A motivated Motherwell team, prepared to go at them could cause a lot of problems.
A Rangers win is certainly the most likely but I am confident that we can get something from the game. Prediction: 2-2.
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Congratulations to the players and manager under the pressure of a must not lose game. Let's hope this kick starts our season. St Johnstone have gone on a run since beating us. Let's hope we can do the same.
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19 hours ago, Gadgey said:
It’s not very often that I agree with Ya Bezzer but I’m now in full agreement that Robinson has been sussed by his contemporaries and by his intransigence, he has run his own course. The only discussion at board level should now be who is the best person we can afford to come and get us out of this mess, when is the best time to make the change and how much can we afford to give him to spend in January.
As much as I like Las, he is not the answer and anyone who suggests he is, is allowing nostalgia to fuel naivety.
Any comparisons to McLean and whether Robbo would play Cooper are invalid as quite simply, we would never be able to attract or afford players like Cooper, Russell or even Craig Paterson for that matter in the current market.
All is not lost but I fear that with the current playing staff dynamic, there’s a danger it could be.
I don't often agree with Ya Bezzer either but I always like reading what he has to say and to be fair to him he has been flagging up the poor league performance for some time now. I was actually coming on tonight to make the point you have made about Cooper, Russell etc (you could add Tommy Coyne to that list). I think the days of attracting big names in the twilight of their careers is all but over.
I fall into to the happy clapper camp when it comes to retaining football managers. I think the term happy clapper is misused however in the sense that the happy clappers I believe are actually the realists who know how difficult the job of a football manger is and don't go pretending that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with the next new man that roles into town. A turn around time of about 2 years at Motherwell for a manager over the last decade shows how tough the gig is.
For me the manager has to be given the support of the board and the fans. He has brought a professionalism to the club that has at times been missing in recent years. Those in the know say that he has taken the quality of the training sessions to a new level and it is clear that the players are fit and motivated even if things are not clicking at the moment. I think we must be careful not to confuse a lack of confidence with a lack of effort.
Robinson's biggest crime has been the inability to replace Kipre and Moult but let's face it that was always going to be a very tough task. You can see the thinking behind bringing Johnson to the club. It has not worked out (yet) but that is the risk that every football manager takes.
I enjoyed reading Weeyin's comments about McLean's time because it highlighted very well the lean times under McLean. Sadly I think the days of giving managers the time McLean had are long gone but it would be nice to think that Motherwell could still retain some of the spirit of the Chapman days.
For every good spell with a manager I could highlight poor spells that people tend to forget about. McGhee's first six months at Motherwell brought some of the best football I have ever seen at Firpark. His second season (not his second spell) was poor and there was many a game of hoof ball and head tennis in that season.
I think Robinson can ride this out and I would like to see him be given the chance.
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Nice to hear Baraclough been mentioned in the interview. A manager that did not get the time and support he deserved at Motherwell.
Interesting how it is the same people that called for Baracloughs head that are calling for Robinson’s head. I don’t think you can have that kind of success at any level of international football if you are a diddy.
As for today, I think we will win the game narrowly and that a bit of confidence building will see our season turn for the better. 1-0 Well.
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14 minutes ago, steelboy said:
18 months in charge. 25 contracts handed out. And we are served up shite like that.
We get nothing from the wingbacks, the midfield was a complete embarrassment and the strikers work hard but there's no combination between the two of them or with the guys behind. When we get the ball we're like a school team who just gets the head down and goes straight ahead. This is a badly managed team.
I don't often agree with your point of view Steelboy and from memory have been disagreeing with your views on managers ever since the Jim Gannon days. I tend to want to keep them and you tend to want to sack them. I always find yours opinions interesting however so couple of genuine questions. Do you think this squad of players could be turned into a decent team with the right man in charge and if so who would that man be for you?
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A bit of perspective needed I think. I am not going to make a case for the performance because anybody would be hard pushed to say it was good or entertaining. Before the season started I felt that we would see a split in the league this season for the first time in a long time. Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs have all got their acts together in recent times and are genuine top five teams. Kilmarnock then bridge the middle ground thanks to a manager who is one of the best in the league. The rest, ourselves included, are fighting for best of the rest and it is no surprise to see the bottom five teams at this moment. I think Livingston may join that party soon enough although they have given themselves a healthy cushion this early in the season.
The facts are that we have had two wins (if you count the Livi Cup win), one draw and one defeat against our immediate peers and but for a couple of wonder goals that picture may have looked even brighter.
There are problems to address and Robinson most definitely has his work cut out but I can think of many times in the past that I have walked out onto Firpark Street at quarter to five on a Saturday having watched the worst Motherwell performance EVER!!
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5 hours ago, Ya Bezzer! said:
Finally we get to this close season. Both midfield and forward positions were not significantly strengthen, something that should have been apparent for some time and then disaster happened - the last functioning part of the team - the defence - fell apart. Dunne was injured, Hartley came back from a serious injury and didn't look the same player, Kipre was sold and our best player last season, Trevor Carson, took a major dip in form.
Much of what you say is true in your post but I think this part is particularly telling. Motherwell always have and always will be a team that live on the margins of success and failure. They are always one or two players that can make a poor season a good one. In every aspect of the clubs business they have to work harder to compete with the bigger teams. Fitness, recruitment, tactics etc all have to be worked for that little bit more. For this reason losing the players you mention above is massive for a team like ours. Robinson himself said that the loss of Dunne was a huge blow and possibly the one player in the squad that he could least afford to lose.
The important thing for me is that the loss of these players is not Robinsons fault. In fact he brought each one of these players to the club. Having these players playing and on form may have brought about a very different start to the season. Should Robinson lose his job on the back of this misfortune?
You mentioned Campbell. Robinson brought him into the team. A player from the youth set up who was brought in at the right time with great success. This is again a positive for the manager and contradicts slightly the theory that he never plays the young players.
Moult was indeed for a time the best striker in the league. It was always going to be a tough ask to replace him and yes so that as proved. Should Robinson lose his job on the back of this.
You neglect to mention in your post once more the Cup run. You mention the Aberdeen game in the League Cup and I agree, that was Robinsons finest moment at the club to date. However to dismiss the other Cup games against all Premiership opposition as of no consequence or flukes as others have argued is harsh in the extreme. The performances against Hearts at home and Rangers at Hampden in particular were very good. I have been watching Motherwell since 1980 and have never had the good fortune of seeing to Cup Finals in one season untill last season. Should Robinson lose his job at this time when we have not yet finished the first round of matches?
If Robinson does not make it through the next four/ five games the one thing I can guarantee is this, that the new man whoever that might be will be living on the margins just the same, because that is the nature of the club we support
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10 hours ago, steelboy said:
People need to get their heads round the fact that last season's Scottish Cup run was based on incredible luck. The OG against Acccies, goalie howler and OG at Dens, two goalie mistakes against Hearts, gifts from the keeper and Aranason at Hampden.
I am trying to get my head around the fact that we got lucky against Accies, Dundee, Hearts and Aberdeen (x2). I think Rangers were in there as well on the way to a league cup final. That certainly is a lot of luck over 540 minutes of football. Unfortunately I just can't get my head around it, which makes me think that maybe it was not so lucky after all.
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Just enjoying the highlights again and the McHugh goal gets better every time I watch it. Beautiful delivery from Bigi and a sublime cushioned header into the far corner. Superb goal.
Love the celebration too when he peels away giving the Rangers fans the stare. Happy days!!!
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6 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:
Really? Shocking performance and I don't know where to start.
I have no time for Thomson as a ref, particularly after last season but I thought he managed the game well today in difficult conditions. One or two inconsistencies but no game changing mistakes.
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9 minutes ago, ECOSSE1991 said:
Is it just me or have people got so soft that Hartleys comment upsets/annoys so many? Noise about hehaw in my opinion.
I'm certainly going soft keeping up to date with this thread. I read the last sentence as 'Nose about hehaw in my opinion'. Time to call it a night I think.
Hartley has to put in a captains performance now. Hard, non compromising but calm. He puts a foot out of place on Sunday and I think he will be off.
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I think when Hartley says 'that was fun to watch' he is referring to Cardossa's reaction rather than the challenge itself. However it is easy to misinterpret and there will be plenty of people, particularly Rangers supporters and many within the media, that will be more than happy to misinterpret what was said.
Regardless, it was a really stupid comment to make and it does not inspire confidence in the qualities of our captain to lead the team. He has put the club on the back foot before a ball is kicked, in a fixture where the dice are already loaded against us.
Ironically as a support, we have been crying out for some time for the club to be less submissive in their pre-match interviews when playing the Old Firm and since Robinson has arrived at the club as manager the noises before Old Firm games have been far more positive. This is a step too far however and this comment smacks of the thuggery that the club have been having to defend themselves against in recent times for daring to go toe to toe with the Old Firm. Hartley's comments are a real shot in the foot and in bad taste.
If I was Ryan Bowman, I would be furious tonight. He has had to distance himself from claims of being a dirty player and time would have been nullifying those claims but his captains comments have put him back into the firing line and compromises his game on Sunday.
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2 minutes ago, weeyin said:
Do the League Cup groups not count any more?
Not when we are talking about the pot luck ( or lack of) for the knockout ties.
Ofcourse this takes no account either of two cup semi finals that we won at Hampden against Premiership opposition.
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21 minutes ago, steelboy said:
3 home, 5 away since the start of last season. Can't complain about that.
3 out of 10 if you allow recent times to include Season 16/17. The two ties that season were away at Parkhead and Ibrox.
10 consecutive ties against premiership opposition with only 3 at home represents a fairly tough set of draws unless it doesn't suit you to look at it that way. ☺
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We have been really unfortunate with the cup draws in recent times. Very few home draws to speak of in the knock out phases in recent years. I can't remember the last time we drew a non premiership team either. Morton knocked us out of the league cup a few seasons back. Have we had a lower division side since then?
Ayr Utd at home would have been perfect. Rangers have that. They have been fairly fortunate with cup draws over the last few seasons by comparison.
The fact that the draw has been so unkind in recent years makes last years cup success all the more impressive. If we could beat Hearts at Tynecastle , I think the term cup specialists would be more than justified. A tough tie but winnable.
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9 minutes ago, weeyin said:
However, in the grand scheme of things, I doubt I could care less about what he said if it means he gets a game and puts in some decent performances.
On this we can agree. I really hope that Bigi turns out to be the player that we all hope him to be. If he can put in performances like the Cup Final then it will be like having a new signing.
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10 minutes ago, weeyin said:
It's better PR than "I left for England because Robinson's hoofball left me on the bench in favour of talentless thugs."
Same as it was PR fluff with the McHugh "giving up" the captaincy as a selfless act.
Even in his pre-match, Robinson makes it sound like he's almost reluctantly playing Bigi "with his passing" because he has lost bigger, more powerful long ball specialists.
If I was a player who felt he had been unfairly left out of a starting 11 because the managers favoured style of play did not suit my own, I would be very reluctant to sit in front of the assembled media and give a bullshit story about how the reasons for me being out of favour was that I wasn't trying hard enough.
Your guess is as good as mine as to the reality of the situation. My original point was that it surprises me how some players always seem to get the benefit of the doubt whilst others do not. Your guess as to what happened last season is sympathetic to Bigiramana's cause despite the fact that the player himself has given a different account of events. This back's up my original point that some players get given the benefit of the doubt whilst some players/managers do not.
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9 minutes ago, weeyin said:
Or it could be all PR fluff, and the two of them did fall last season.
I don't think that it is good PR for manager or player to be publicly admitting to having a player that is to some extent going through the motions. I realise that you did not use the word 'good' but if the club is going to prepare some fluff, they should make up some good fluff.
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34 minutes ago, GazzyB said:
Fair play to Bigi for admitting that, seems like a top guy.
Really? Admits he was not trying hard enough last season and this makes him a top guy? If one of the whipping boys of yester-year such as Marc Fitzpatrick had admitted to not trying hard enough would that have made him a top guy?
The article certainly explains why Robinson was not picking him. Turns out it has little to do with Robinson not liking creative players, and all to do with Robinson not picking a player who lacked fitness and motivation.
It is human nature for a player to have a poor season for the reasons mentioned so I am not judging Bigi. It just always interests me how some players, for no apparent reason suddenly seem to be beyond all reproach whilst others get hounded week after week.
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11 minutes ago, steelboy said:
Most of the cup games involved us being gifted goals. Four howlers from Aberdeen. An OG and a goalie mistake from Hearts. A penalty and an OG from Accies. Two goalie mistakes from Hearts.
We didn't deserve to lose any of those games but we were given huge luck in winning them. In pretty much any game where we aren't gifted the opening goal we struggle badly.
So we fluked two cup finals beating Aberdeen, Rangers and Hearts along the way? You can spin things any way you like if you want to.
I will not pretend that we have had a good start to the season and I agree that the style of football could be greatly improved but to write off two cup finals and a 7th place finish last season suggests to me that expectation is unrealistically high.
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A tough first game of the season. With the exception of Livingston, we had the hardest tie of the first weekend. For all the columns of debate being taken up in the press arguing about who will finish second between Rangers and Aberdeen, my money would be on Hibs to finish second this season. Good manager who has assembled a good squad.
Away points are going to be hard to come by against any of the city teams this season so I suspect that todays result may be a taster of things to come. My feeling is that we are fighting for sixth and actually if Killie can keep Steve Clarke, and keep Kris Boyd fit for the season, I think they will have sixth sown up.
That leaves the rest, 7-12. Robinson has assembled a squad to fight this battle. It will be the games against these teams that will define our season. Sadly for me the difference may be this season that we don't have a squad with quite the same drive and determination as last season. If guys like Main don't buy into the cause (and there are signs already that he may not be) then the spark that gave us the edge over the bottom six last season could vanish.
Robinson did an outstanding job last season but I fear that he may be running out of ideas. With one of the smallest budgets in the league it is little wonder that he is resorting to bringing in the type of player that served him well last season but without the intensity that brought success last season I fear that the squad does not have the quality required to match last seasons achievements.
I wish him well because he has a touch job ahead of him. Like everybody else I would like our style of play to improve and like everyone else I hope that the quality we need may come from Bigi but I fear that there is a reason why he does not start games that runs deeper than Robinson's preferred style of play.
It is the first game of the season but there was enough evidence in the league cup games to suggest that the team is struggling at this moment in time. It can all change ofcourse but I am not sure where the spark is going to come from. I hope that our next signing will be the one that sparks the team into life but with the money that Robinson will have to spend I do not know where that player will come from.
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20 hours ago, grizzlyg said:
My concern is we don't seem willing to give youth a chance. Hopefully that will change but not while Robbo is in charge. And no that is not me wanting rid of him as I really like him but the style of play is brutal to watch
Was it not Robinson that gave Allan Campbell a chance. I'm sure that if the young players are ready and good enough they will get a chance.
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6 minutes ago, Dezz said:
Was that the pass he hit on the half volley from inside our own half, near the middle in the pitch?
Remember being absolutely speechless when he hit it.
Yes, that's the one.
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14 minutes ago, weeyin said:
I remember seeing a youtube video of some of Humphrey's goals, and the noticing the large number of times Vigurs played a big part in them.
Vigurs could be hit or miss but two of the most skillful pieces of football I have ever seen watching Motherwell involved him. The first was a pass he made at Tynecastle to Ainsworth (I think?) from central midfield to the right side of midfield that was not only inch perfect but also showed the type of vision that Luca Modric would be proud of. From memory Ainsworth ran about 30 yards from behind Vigurs to get onto the ball. Having watched the clip several times, I still don't know how he spotted the pass. Don't know if anybody has footage of the pass I am talking about?
The second was against us unfortunately. He was playing for ICT and a corner was floated in to the edge of the 18 yard box. He caught it perfectly on the vollley. It was the ease and almost nonchalant way he did it that was so impressive.
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2018’19 Game 12: Rangers (A) Sunday 11th November 2018
in Club Chat
Posted
Important wins against St Mirren and Dundee and the match thread page count increases by 1-2 over the next 48 hrs. Lose today and it jumps 5 pages in a couple of hours. There are some people who love slaughtering this team. The last ten days must have been touch but at least you get to have your fun this evening.