MelvinBragg

While not suggesting we did him a favour, he was handsomely paid for the good service he gave us. He wasn't doing us a favour. Like others have said, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. What annoys (or amuses, not sure) me is the fact that Hateley thought that as a decent SPL player, he had outgrown us. Didn't occur to him that he'd found his level. Ambition is good, but not without realism...

Can't make this game but I have a bad feeling about it. I know Aberdeen have on a few occasions turned up at Fir Park with a team that has looked good on paper and we've showed them up but I just suspect that this time they may have too much for us. A few factors make me think this. They're bedding in fewer new players than we are, they're not playing in Russia on Thursday night and for the first time in a good few seasons, they have more matchwinners in their side than we have... Go on, Motherwell, prove me wrong...

We do if we're relying on our full backs to provide our width...

If the rumours are true regarding him being one of the highest earners at the club (and that's a big if, I know) then no way was a higher salary deserved when we're cutting costs. A solid, dependable right back, he may have been, he doesn't (and didn't) merit being one of the highest earners at the club...

But then again he has to say that for a good few reasons...

Like Higdon, if Sutton is to play up front himself and then bring others into play, the ball needs to be played to his chest and not his head. Although as he demonstrated tonight, put crosses into the box and he'll get his head on it...

No one stood out, no one was horrendous. Went for Lawson, simply like the way he went about his business. He and Carswell, looking forward, would be a good combination as Lasley may play less this season (I wouldn't play Lasley on Sunday)...

They were a better team than us but not that much better (not as good as Panathinaikos or Levante), the real frustration is the goals we lost. One pretty much straight from our goal kick and one from our own corner (Hammell's mistake was as bad as it sounded). With the team that finished last season, we'd have probably lost the same goals but might have threatened more. We will miss Humphrey badly this season and need to get someone closer to Sutton (I seem to remember saying the same about Higdon before Ojamaa's arrival). We'll be alright this season but lack of pace that we've had in previous seasons might mean we'll finish fifth or sixth rather than second or third..

For me the 4231 lacks width. I know that McFadden and Vigurs would have scope to pull wide but I'd prefer them to have defined wider roles not only in an attacking sense but also to avoid the full backs being left exposed...

I'm in the odd position of not having seen any of the preseason games so don't really know how we're looking. So when I say that I'd prefer us to set up 4231, I say that not knowing exactly how iffy our defence has looked. Not knowing how good or bad Kuban are in comparison to us, I have no idea how the game will go. All I ask is that we do ourselves justice. Not so much in European games, when we've simply been beaten by better teams, but in domestic cup games, we've not performed as we can and gone out to inferior teams (both cups last season leap to mind). That's my concern, that we freeze. Most of the squad have played in a good few big games in their career now, so there's no excuse...

Aye, must confess that I'm not totally sold on the idea of a back three...

Aye, average age of a back four of Wilson-Ramsden-McManus-Hammell would be quite a hike from last season when we had Hateley and Hutchinson in there. I'm all for having some experience in the side but some youthful enthusiasm wouldn't go amiss. Average age of our team this season is a lot higher than previous seasons... Which is why as pleased as I am with the quality of our signings this summer, I'm really hoping that the likes of Carswell, Erwin, Kerr, McHugh and Angol make an impact this season to ease the burden when we have to replace key guys who are the wrong side of 30 soon. Lasley and Hammell won't last forever sadly...

Excellent post

What has he done?

By his own admission, he knows nothing about keepers anyway...

What I find interesting is the inclusion of Hollis behind what one would assume is our first choice back four. Could it be that McManus and Hutchinson feel more secure with Hollis behind them? Not a simple case of the best keeper but the keeper that the centre backs are more sure of...?

Could be a straight 442 with Vigurs left, McFadden right. I know Vigurs isn't a winger but neither was Law. Just a shame McHugh is such a different player to Ojamaa. Could play 4231 if McHugh could play wide. Could Moore play that role? Or even at the centre of the three?

I'm disappointed that we haven't signed a right winger but to suggest that it reflects poorly on McCall is laughable. The quality of signings we've made is excellent. Three international players, three guys who've done it in the SPL before and a young guy with potential. Did we sign more defenders than I expected? Maybe, but if McCall is pondering going three at the back, it makes sense. This also negates the need for an out and out right winger. As for having no one to develop and sell on. Cummins, Carswell, Erwin, Moore, Kerr, Angol, just off the top of my head... And despite Kenny Black saying this would be our last signing, I'm not so sure. I seem to recall McCall saying we didn't have enough money for Ojamaa's wages before we signed him. Declaring that we've spent our budget, means that any club we get a loan signing from might not be expecting us to pay too much...

Is tomorrow the signing deadline for next week's game? Is Amier confirmed yet? Must confess, I'd rather have a winger in than another striker. Looking at what we have at the moment, I'd be going with Nielsen Ramsden Hutchinson McManus Hammell Lasley/Lawson Carswell McFadden Vigurs Angol Sutton Don't know whether I'd go with Lasley or Lawson but reckon we need Carswell's mobility. Have put Vigurs in the hole behind Sutton but a wackier idea did occur to me. Against Flamurtari at home, we played Sutton in the hole with Murphy ahead of him. Seem to recall him winning a lot of flick ons for Murphy to run on to. Not likely but an alternative... Not unhappy with that lineup but not much width on the bench...

Anyone paying £65 for a friendly is an idiot. Sorry...

For a country like Scotland, as has been pointed out, you have a load of players who are much of a muchness. Thing is, if you simply pick on form then you run the risk of lack of continuity. So often when someone gets "possession of the jersey", they keep it even if others are in better form. So there may have been occasions in the past where Hammell has been the form left back but others have kept their place as the national team manager sticks with people he knows and has worked with before...

If McFadden plays right wing, we won't need Sutton and McHugh to score that many as I figure McFadden will score more than Humphrey and Vigurs will score as many as Law. So you're looking for Sutton and McHugh to replace the goals of Higdon and Ojamaa. No way will Sutton score as many as Higdon but I reckon McHugh may contribute more than Ojamaa in terms of numbers of goals. On the other hand I think it was you that said to me at one point last season, that on any given day any of our "front four" could be matchwinners. When has that ever been the case with Motherwell? Trying to replace what we had last season, well, that's a big ask...

This is obviously the answer but I could see us being tempted if we sell Hutchinson before Hateley finds a club. Ramsden being used more at centre back would leave us without cover at right back. Of course, the answer there is that in the absence of Kerr, we play Murray or Cummins at centre back... So no, would be my answer. Must confess, while I wasn't his biggest fan, thought he'd have found a club by now. Maybe he's had offers, but not at the kind of clubs he envisaged...

I think I remember saying to Frazzle when he signed in January that my one regret was that we were already out of the cup because McFadden seems to have a sense of occasion. In the post administration season, in the cup run it seemed like he was playing like a man possessed. Which is why I have high hopes for the cup this season.I think he might fancy q a winners medal before his career is over. Don't let me down, James...

Only if he's turned into a winger down there...