MelvinBragg

No one is saying Jennings didn't have qualities but personally I preferred watching the team last season. And frankly that's the priority for me. Motherwell being successful is great but for me what was most satisfying about last season was the fact we did well while playing attractive football. Offer me third playing defensive football or sixth playing as we did last season and I'll happily do without Europe...

If we can retain McFadden then for me, it negates the need to replace Ojamaa. Ojamaa played mainly not as a main striker but as the centre of a three in a 4231 last season. This is a role McFadden could fill. So for me, another striker isn't a priority if we get Sutton. A right winger and a defender (ideally like Ramsden, someone who can play full back or centre half) would be where I'd be focusing... I haven't seen enough of Erwin or Moore to know if they could play a lone striker role were Sutton injured or suspended but given McFadden has played up front on his own for Scotland, I don't see a striker who would be sitting on the bench most weeks as a priority. Not when we have three young guys from our youth team waiting for their chance...

If Lasley is on the wane, I'd rather see Carswell given a run than Jennings brought back. Otherwise what was the point of giving him a new contract...

I, like others, thought we'd miss Jennings. But did we? Given we finished second, probably not as much as we thought we would. With Lawson, Lasley and Carswell on the books, we don't really need him now. We need to be looking at more creative players. Although reading further into the article, the guy Clarke might be worth a look. Right back who played for England U19s prior to injury. Could use a spell at Fir Park as Randolph, Humphrey and others have done, to catch the eye of bigger clubs down South...

I'm not that confident that we'll get McManus. Just a gut instinct... Interesting that McCall mentioned McFadden. I had written off our chances of keeping him. Don't think McCall is prone to flying kites when talking about stuff like this so might be a good chance there. Unless he's trying to sell season tickets by hinting at it... Neilson, Sutton, McFadden, a winger (Ainsworth?) and a defender (either to play right back or to allow Ramsden to play there) and we'll look decent.. Neilson _______ Ramsden Hutchinson Hammell Lasley Lawson Ainsworth Vigurs McFadden Sutton Subs Hollis Cummins Carswell Angol Moore McHugh As I've said, could easily live with that...

McFadden, Sutton and three others? Winger, keeper and maybe defender you'd figure. I could live with that...

I'm sure I read quotes somewhere from Kenny Back pretty much saying that the club were expecting Higdon to be away...

Aye, in our dreams...

Nope, McGhee's leaving present to Gannon. McGhee got lumbered with Mensing on his arrival...

Trust me, typing it was enough to give me chills...

Not a massive fan of Daley but if he is unquestionably McCall's worst signing, let"s compare him to other managers' worst signings. Brown - Casagolda Gannon - Moutouakil McGhee - Sheridan or Grabban (could make a case for Michael Fraser) Malpas - Molloy/Keegan/Elliot/take yer pick Butcher - Khemas/Sengewald Was Daley that bad...?

I'd argue even Daley contributed, particularly in his first season. Thinking of Aberdeen and St Johnstone away...

I think if we were to sign McManus then you'd have to think we'll be selling Hutchinson. So leaving us still looking for a right back or a centre half depending on where McCall wants to deploy Ramsden... If we can bring in Nielsen and Sutton that'll be four very decent signings. Reckon we'd then be looking for wingers...

Indeed. He'd have been mad to move for an extra £500 a week given we set up last season to play to his strengths but that's a wage hike hard to turn down. Surprised that Barnsley were still interested given they've just signed O'Grady, another striker whose strength is playing with his back to goal and bringing others into play...

Unless Aberdeen are planning on selling Vernon, it would seem a strange move for them after signing Zola...

Those 30 appearances, how many (particularly in Daley's case) were late sub appearances? To think that 10-15 minutes every couple of weeks would have developed Lawless better than playing week in week out for Thistle, irrespective of how good our side is, is laughable. With all due respect... Original point still holds. No point in wondering what might have been, no way to tell which of us is right on Lawless. The general point regards our developing our young players is one I can agree with. My concern is Carswell. Here we're talking about a guy who with Law leaving could've been playing week in week out but we've signed Lawson. Difference between Carswell and Lawless is the fact that Carswell actually has shown he can contribute...

Indeed. You can add McHugh to that list. McHugh has by my reckoning more goals than starts for Motherwell. Moore, by all accounts, did well at Cowdenbeath. Erwin was highly rated prior to injury problems. If even one of these guys can make the step up, then maybe we won't need to bring in two starting strikers...

The words "gamble" and "not proven" suggest it's not Sutton...

Slightly disappointing as he'd have been an excellent replacement for Higdon...

No point in wondering what might have been there. Form of Humphrey, Ojamaa and McFadden (and Murphy before him) would have ensured Lawless wouldn't have got any real game time with us last season. Aye, he could've had the minutes that Daley and Higginbotham had but what would that have amounted to? Had we kept him, it would only have stunted his development...

Apparently in the Express this morning that we've agreed terms with Gunnar Neilson...

Could live with McManus for Hutchinson if it meant a decent fee allowing us scope to bring a couple more players in...

Not sure, but the fact I'd even consider it is worrying..

God, no. Fans seem to have a real issue with us bringing former players back...

Scott Burns ran the story in the Express this morning that Sutton was the striker we were after. His track record isn't bad regards Motherwell...