Kmcalpin

Aaaaarrrggghhh!

Yes it'll be a tough game- aren't they all? Largely agree about what we need but I'd add another CB to your shopping list and possibly a winger also.

A start would be to change the formation to stop VV being isolated, or at least change the personnel to suit the current system.

As others are rightly saying, surely the review should be active in order to examine the full game and not simply switch off at the final whistle. This seems a ludicrous explanation. Surely the paying public are due an explantion from the VAR staff/match officials. As it is, we don't know for sure what the actual explanation is. We don't even know if the match officials/VAR staff have even discussed it post match.

Looking at the highlights our defending is very poor. Could Kelly have made it harder for the scorer at the first goal? He seems stuck in no man's land. Even at Aberdeen's early disallowed goal, Lamie has no idea that Duk is unmarked and behind him. Their 2nd goal, you're right Spit_it_out, it starts off with Aberdeen players breaking and unmarked in midfield - no challenge or closing down at all. McGinn is left totally exposed with no cover in front of him - Spittal? He's been hung out to dry. The cross comes in and the scorer is unmarked between 2 defenders. There are several other examples in the highlighted clips. Must do better.

I'm with you; that's my understanding too. Taking a very "generous" view of the officials, is it possible that the VAR camera angle was wrong and didn't pick up the incidents? Maybe once but 2 or 3 times??

McGinn didn't looked great yesterday but as a mate pointed out he was often having to cover for others drifting out of position. That made him look worse than he actually was. Aberdeen weren't great but our defence was a bit shambolic and leaderless.

I wasn't referring to the timewasting at all i.e. feigning injury. That was cheating pure and simple, although the media will refer to it as game management. I don't think Stevie would resort to that. More along the lines that Joewarkfanclub said "once it was obvious Goodwin had set Aberdeen up to counter our set up, he didnt go and match him up. We had the players on the bench to do it and I think it would have protected our defence a little more and given us a better platform to play from. " I'm no tactician, but there were a few "faults" that were obvious from the kick off that we didn't address at all. Also, Tierney playing behind Van Veen just didn't work and hasn't worked before.

As things stand, I think we'll struggle to take much from our next 4 games. Its too early to bin Stevie yet but you're right maybe an experienced manager would help to stabilise our listing ship in the short term. He may yet turn out to be a great manager. I think JonnyMFC is exaggerating a tad when he says SH is tactically inept, but worryingly he's certainly been outfoxed a good few times most recently yesterday. I didn't like Goodwin as a player and not as a person, but he certainly had Hammell's number well and truly sussed yesterday.

Agreed. Certain members of the squad like Kelly, Lamie and Slattery have regressed. I exempt Van Veen from criticism today as he clearly wasn't fit and shouldn't have started. I know Hammell has been hobbled by injuries but he isn't playing players in their best positions and the system of 4-2-3-1 just isn't working. Today, Tierney was playing far too deep, leaving VV isolated between 2 wide players. The youngster needs to spend 6 months in the Development squad - not ready for first team football. Yes players had an off day today, but what worried me most was that we looked disorganised with a disfunctional midfield and leaky defence. From start to finish the defence looked very shaky. Anyone who thinks that our only problem is a powderpuff strikeforce is kidding themselves. Our problems lie in all parts of the team. Aberdeen weren't much better than ourselves but took the few chances that came their way. They had more pace, won more 50/50 battles and were more streetwise. For their second goal I counted 3 "mistakes" starting in midfield and culminating in McGinn having to cover 2 men. We gave them too much space and time, in danger areas. What do we do in training? The team lacks bite, energy, aggression and pace. Leadership is also sadly lacking. Presumably one of Stevie Hammell's objectives is to keep us up this season? Finally I'll refer to a bizarre incident highlighted by my good friend Spiderpig. Just as Paul McGinn was about to take a throw in front of the away dugout, Jim Goodwin reached over and pulled his jersey from the back. Even more oddly and somewhat worryingly, the 4th Official who was standing about a metre away laughed and joked with Goodwin about it. A yellow card??? If thats the standard of our officiating then we're all doomed.

I thought likewise. There seemed to be an awful lot of back and forward discussion taking place between the ref and the VAR supervisor/operator. I would have thought that the ref would have simply asked what happened and the voice at the other end would have replied hold on I'll check it frame by frame and then confirmed the facts. Is that too simple and straightforward? The issue for me is what incidents are chosen to be reviewed. And as we saw, some can be ignored.

Many thanks Grizzly.

Looking for some advice. I'm having to go to and leave the game from a totally different direction from normal (for me) today. Is there roadworks/congestion on the northbound M74 junction at the Clyde Bridge. Where is the best place to park for access to Airbles Road? Thanks.

I know its a sweeping generalisation, but Rangers have always played differently to their equally bigoted counterparts. Their play is usually characterised by physicality, athleticism, hard work and pace. Most of our teams haven't been able to match them in that regard. Both sides are quite capable of playing physical and/or long ball football when its suits them, and they're better at it than most domestic opponents.

If we must play Josh Morris then play him in his correct position of left sided midfielder. Until we do that we can't really judge him. He isn't a striker.

We all know that beating either side of the gruesome twosome is a huge task and to do so takes a specific set of circumstances to occur at the same time. Very few disagree with that. There's no disgrace in getting beaten by either Celtic or Sevco. However how on earth does a manager lift and motivate his charges, not to mention the fans, for the next Celtic game, and there's one coming up shortly? If thats Hammy's view why should the fans turn up for the next Celtic home game? We've heard this type of comment many times before from different managers and its counterproductive.

I don't think the squad is quite as bad as many are making out. That said, there are glaring weaknesses and we all know where they are. The trick is in selecting the right starting 11, playing the right formation, and playing players to their strengths. Easy.......maybe not so! A few of our better players ie. Van Veen, Kelly and Slattery are underperforming - why? I suspect we're not playing VV in the right way for example, or those supporting him, to bring out his strengths.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/23062895.celtic-level-motherwell-cant-compete-with-says-steven-hammell-laments-soft-goals-cup-loss/ Well, thats that then.

Pretty much agree with all of that. I didn't expect us to win tonight but was saddened by the lack of fight. In that respect, a new manager but the same old failing. As soon as the first goal went in the heads went down. Oh, how we lack leadership on the pitch. Last season's failings, a weak defence and powderpuff attack have not been addressed. Yes, our gambles at the end of the transfer window have not come off. Most of that can be laid at Alexander's door, but not all. Hammy is a rookie manager and is making the mistakes you'd expect a first season manager to do. I too am struggling to buy into his belief about style and one size fits all. We're hampered by injuries just now and I get that but I have the feeling we're not getting the best out of the players we do have, especially in midfield and to a lesser extent up front. Whether its the formation, the starting individuals, tactics, or the combination of players I just don't know, but something doesn't feel right. Yes, a big response is needed on Saturday. It won't define our season but it'll still be important.

Me too. He would give us some energy and drive in the middle to support our striker.

I've not been impressed by Morris so far, but thats only because he hasn't played well. I didn't dislike Alexander and yes, he did sign some decent players like Slattery and Kelly. I just don't see what Morris brings to the team.

I agree that we all want Stevie to be successful... I don't know any fan who doesn't. Comparison with St Johnstone is a bit strange. A totally different footballing philosophy in Perth, where results are the end all and be all. Entertainment there doesn't enter into their equation. Tom Wright and Callum Davidson are of the same school of thought. They won 2 cups by being hard to beat, solid, combative, smothering the opposition and grinding results out. If we want to emulate their success then we'd have to adopt the same approach.

I agree with most of that but would replace Morris with Cornelius. We need more energy, drive and aggression in midfield to nip at heels, get in faces and feed the offensive players

Absolutely. Its a continuum of course and it doesn't have to be one or the other style, but teams at our level probably can never be successful results wise by playing flowing, expansive and entertaining football. I hope to be proved wrong of course but I don't expect to see it while I'm still above ground.

He's a talented lad and I too just don't get the criticism. I get that he's a bit lightweight at the moment and easily flattened or bundled off the ball but the club will be aware of this and will toughen him up and help him to develop physically.