Kmcalpin

At least today's performance proved that we need several players in January. Whether thats remotely possible or feasible, I don't know. For starters, a commanding centre back who can organise. In midfield some pace please and an experienced old head as an anchor in front of the defence. Oh, and two strikers.

A tad harsh and perhaps impetuous Greg, but yes you do have a point, and a valid one at that. At what stage, or date, do fans stop blaming Alexander for absolutely everything, including today's tactics, and accept that Hammy is maybe at least 1% responsible? We're making the same mistakes and have the same weaknesses game after game. The fact that he is a very popular former player shouldn't cloud folks' judgement. I've stopped listening to his post match interviews as they're tedious and all the same. As for today, why did we sit back at 2-2 and let Hearts come at us? Losing 3 goals to a ten man team just isn't acceptable and serious questions need to be asked. The squad does have serious weaknesses especially in central defence, centre midfield and up front. However its the lack of leadership and character that worries many. Something is not right. Having said that, we do have some decent players who just aren't performing and who have gone backwards - Kelly, Slattery and VV for example. I'm not saying its all Hammy's fault but..... We are stretched for bodies but we do have alternatives in midfield and I'm not sure he's getting the best out of what we have. The personnel and formation with a lone striker just doesn't seem right and it isn't working.

Some truth in that. Does KVV come deep because he likes to play like that; because he is forced due to being a lone striker without much support; or because thats his instructions? I agree about Ross Tierney and think that Dean Cornelius would be a better fit to provide more support.

I've just watched this and completely changed my mind. Its a red all day long. If Watt tried to pull out of the challenge, why did he rake his studs down Goss' shin? As far as I can tell, he simply walked off with no backchat or complaint - unlike Tony Watt eh? He knew perfectly well what he did.

A very importnat and indeed satisfying win. Watt's red card was downright wrong but this is the type of decision of we've very very rarely gotten at Tannadice over the decades and I missed it! The seethe from United fans would have made the trip worth it - a humourless and grim set of supporters if ever there was - East Stand patrons pale into insignificance by comparison. We ground out the win and that was about it. Just watched the highlights and some of our defending was horrendous. Even early on we defended far too deeply. Again missed chances. We showed United far, far too much respect with both 10 and 11 men. Still a wins a win! Happy days.

It depends what you mean by compete. If you mean win a cup or reach top 6 probably not. If you mean stay clear of relegation then maybe, just.

Thats been a feature of our play for quite some time now. I often make the same comment but am not sure if thats only how it looks. Is it down to poor awareness, organisation, instructions? As recently as the Aberdeen game last weekend they were working their socks off to close us down and harass us, where as we stood off them. Whatever the reason, why make it easy for the opposition? I know we're limited for bodies just now but the midfield mix just doesn't seem right. Slattery is off form and I just don't know where Spittal fits into the team. I'd have Dean Cornelius starting every week - he brings drive and energy to the table that we so often lack.

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.