star sail

Good team performance but no stand outs. Went for Hateley. Did very little but a belter of a goal completely changes the tie.

You are not allowed to say that about our captain. Don't you know the rules. Interesting stat Odense 11 fouls 1 yellow card. Well 13 fouls. 3 yellow, 1 red.

As regards the ref decisions, I think that they have a pre-concieved idea that Scottish teams are aggressive long ball merchants so already have a few bookings in their minds. I think Motherwell have played the refs as well as they can, no daft bookings, no diving in and yet we still find ourselves a man down. Very strong performance, good result, just wish Craigan had a bit more pace to get to that ball for the second goal. Real chance next week. Lets make some NOISE!!!!!!!!!

Will be interesting to see how the Scottish press report this. Will they take the Andy Walker angle (nice to see such loyalty from a former player) of John Boyles a hypocrite or will there be a call to arms to support a Scottish Club? Don't have high hopes I'm afraid.

To some extent I agree but unfortunately the Bellamy story in still the bigger story. The plight of a small Scottish Football club will not capture the imagination of the English Football fans so the story will burn out very quickly I am afraid. Hope I am wrong.

I am not a particularly patriotic Scotsman but when I see the likes of that greasy runt Jones, I am filled with a real sense of satisfaction that I was not born an Englishman. He knows its a disgrace, that is why he is so defensive.

There must be a way to argue against these stats but I don't know how to do it. Makes for interesting reading. Cheers for the info.

Could argue that scoring 13 goals in 5 games and only getting 5 points out of a possible 15 is a poor return but would be playing devils advocate to an extent because the stats you provide actually give a strong case for the defence (so to speak) and pretty much blows my arguement out of the water. What was the Dundee Utd ave last season out of interest?

First of millions.

Think the away goal is so important again. It almost assures us something to play for in the home leg. Even 4-1 would leave the door open, if only slightly. 3-0 at home would be a tall order but that seed of hope would still exist.

I think our defence is a real problem at the moment and has been for the last 2-3 seasons. Last year it was to some extent covered over because Ruddy was commanding with cross balls, but despite the praise and hero worship Craigan and Reynolds get on here, I dont think any one of us, hand on heart is relaxed and confident about our defence and we are often waiting to watch the next car crash. For example, Celtic Park last season before the split, Well go 1-0 up (admitidly thanks to Reynolds) then instantly gift a goal to a player that was having a major crisis of confidence. The same player gets a second and we go from 3 massive points to 0 in the space of 15 minutes. We have lost 9 goals to Hibs in the last two meetings with them and lost 16 goals in the last five games of last season. That is not a good record by anyones standards. Remember that McGhee recognised the problems with the defence but failed to sign a defender to fix the problem, despite constants promises that he would. Gannon recognised the same problem so dropped Craigan. Latterly that backfired but initially Saunders and Hutchison were able replacements. I think that we are still crying out for a commanding central defender. I think that Andy Webster was the difference between us and Dundee Utd last season. That is how important the position is.

Could Hammerfist really be the man himself? It just gets more surreal. Also reminds me a wee bit of a Mr Jim Gannon. Love it.

Controversal. Much as I would love to see it happen Rangers will still be 1st or 2nd and by a good margin. Rangers were the poorest they have been for years last season and were still ahead of the rest by a country mile. Remember getting irrate after Kevin Thompsons comments last season only for it all to end just the way he predicted.

Rangers (Smith v Lennon, only one winner) Celtic (for reason above) Hearts (think Jefferies will have booted them into shape) D Utd (thought they flattered a bit last year but will be there abouts) Aberdeen (can't be as bad for them again and still believe McGhee is a good manager) Hibs (think Yogi will be found out but still have the players to see it through) M/Well (best of the rest) St Johnstone (really impressed by McInnes and one of the better teams to watch last seson) St Mirren (new manager will give them a lift) Hamilton (had a good end of season so will be safe_ ICT (Butcher will have them working hard and playing with passion) Killie (struggling to see many positives for them this year and Mixus a poor mans John Hughes)

If this is the case hats off Hammerfist. Have to go through pages of speculation and symbols and 'I know I guy who knows a guy' crap for one gem of truth so will be impressed if tomorrow we are parading Esteban Casagolda as our new signing and you called it right from the start.

I think we need to get over the notion that somehow the club owe's the fans something. Without the fans the club would not exist, true but the same can be said for any business. Without paying customers the business does not float. The equation is simple. Pay for a ticket = Club provide a football match. The club are not in debt to the fan therafter, in the same way that cineworld are not in debt to their customers after they have shown the film. This notion that buying a season ticket means that the club owes the fan something more is also nonsense. You buy a season ticket and the club let you in to every SPL home game. That is where the deal ends. The responsibility of the decision makers (i.e Boyle, Dempster) is to the business, not to the fans. Each individual fan has the freedom to decide to go, or not. Personally I think that £20 is too much to pay for a football match but I will be there all the same without any sense of being a martyr or a victim because at the end of the day the choice is mine.

I can understand the concern but it does not necesarily have to be a bad thing. As far as playing young players in concerned, I think only now in Scotland, playing young players has become acceptable. It used to be the case that if you were under the age of 21 it seemed to count against you regardless of form. I can understand the arguement about inconsistancy but I have turned up to FP to watch a team of experienced players and seen some real dross. Regarding squad size, was it McLeish's really good season when he fielded the same starting 11 from August to December and was sitting 2nd in the league close to Christmas? The consistancy of selection and formation was a key to the success. I understand that back up is preferable and competition for places is healthy but barring some really bad luck I would think you could get through a season with as squad of 18-20 players if those players were of SPL standard. I think we have that.

Why the hostility all of a sudden? Is this us getting cocky now? European big guns. On another night you may have won Aafk and I think your teams downfall was a lack of killer instinct in front of goal. For Motherwell, it represents our best win in Europe to date and we now go on to another really tough test. Did not get a chance to judge the goalkeeper because of circumstances but wish him all the best with a possible move to a big club.

And yet here you are on pg 26. Twenty seven pages and I don't mind admitting, I was hooked, uncool as that may be. Kinda sad it's all over.

Hammerfist?

I'm no mind reader or anything but I think that deep down you don't really mean that. It's a bit like saying 'I hope that M/well get relegated, then you'll all etc etc.....'

Cheers. I would say that Hibs and Motherwell are very similar in ability so it should be a tight game. Motherwell will have to be at their very best to go through.

. Good expression. Motherwells experience this season against Scandinavian teams has been really positive. Obviously as a Well fan I hope that continues both with the friendship between the fans and a Well victory at the end. Can I ask, what was the score with Hibs, home and away, when you played them, and what year was that? I don't remember it. We play Hibs a week on Sunday for the opening game of our season.

I had hoped that there might have been a signing today. No inside knowledge or any of that carry on, just hoped there might have been a wee signing lined up waiting for the outcome of last nights game to seal the deal. Patience I suppose.

It's not as straight forward as that I don't think. Really important if people are already booking transport. May be worth holding back for an hour or two.