MelvinBragg

I have to say that as someone who has a son who is 3 years old, I've had the explaining offside rule conversation in my head since the day and hour he was born. And I still can't get it right in my head...

For the first time I think, I've found myself saying... HOTD for this pish...

Me too but I think it was the attacking Hearts players...

Kirk's abilities are overstated now because of his part in the Cup run. I remember him getting dogs abuse when playing for us. A frustrating player if ever... Actually, I cannae keep it up. I just wanted to see how long I could compare Reynolds and Arnott before you had a stroke... Point still holds that both are held in higher esteem than they might be because they're seen as "our" players...

Are these not exactly what I was saying? All I'm saying is Arnott's abilities are overrated/overstated because of all the reasons I highlighted in your post. All things I was saying earlier...

Aye, but Joe McLeod scored in the 91 Cup run. Which kind of explains why he doesn't feature on this list very often when it comes up...

Again, he was overrated possibly because he was perceived as a 'Motherwell' man...

Arnott. Was. Not. That. Good. You've kind of made my point anyway. His technical ability wasn't great. His scoring rate wasn't the best, but he could work like buggery. He was highly thought of because he was at the club a long time, he had a habit of scoring goals against the Old Firm, and was part of the cup team. Why is he more revered than others from the cup team? Perhaps because he never played for another professional club? Because he is perceived as one of our own? I'm not saying he shouldn't be held in high esteem for that reason but that's got a lot to do with it. Compare him with how Tom Boyd is seen. As for the difference in how Fitzpatrick and Reynolds are perceived by fans, I'm at a loss. Normally scoring a winner in a semi-final would ensure legend status. But it seems it's been a bit of a millstone round Fitzpatrick's neck. Maybe less is expected of defenders. I really don't know the answer to that one. Like I say, it's not a science...

Thanks for illustrating my point...

Read my post above. Fans take to players for all sorts of reasons. Reynolds gets cut slack for the same reason that Arnott got cut slack in his last couple of seasons. Being seen (rightly or wrongly) as one of our own. Of course, this rule isn't hard and fast. Why do Lasley and Clarkson receive nothing but praise when Fitzpatrick and Quinn don't? Don't tell me it's all about ability. Cos Fitzpatrick isn't that much of a worse player than Lasley...

It works like this. Most of the players that play for Motherwell (like most other teams) fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum regards footballing ability. You will have the likes of McFadden, Coyne and Cooper who are above this level. You will have the likes of Gulli Jonsson, Bob Maaskant and Mario Dorner who are below this. But there in the middle you have a wide range from Simo Valakari to Maros Klimpl, Rab Shannon to Paul Quinn, Dougie Arnott to Scott McDonald. Why are some of these individuals more highly thought of than others? Pick a reason. Workrate (or lack of). Loyalty (or lack of). Who they played alongside (Shannon looked a worse player because everyone else in the 93/94 was so feckin good, someone had to be the worst player in the team). Other random factors (I love Cusack partly due to his fondness for assaulting Hearts players). Fans take to some players more than they take to others. Why do I have more fondness for Valakari than I do for Klimpl when there wasn't that much between their abilities? Search me. If I knew the science of it, I'd be a genius... To sum up, fans are fickle. We like who we like...

And we have a winner!!!

Same rule. Different players...

I rate Lasley. Don't necessarily overrate him. He is a decent SPL midfielder who has got better with age only because he can read the game a wee bit better now. I know there are those on here who do overrate him, but for me he does a solid job, nothing more, nothing less... EDIT Forgot to add, he doesn't really fit here. There are a large number of the Well support who don't rate him. Yerself, kmcalpin and Neil are three that spring to mind right away...

Ah, I forgot to mention the other category. The 'one of our own' category. Which Jamie Dolan and Dougie Arnott fall squarely into...

The title says 'man love' not 'housewife love'...

Inexplicable man love? Why did I think this was going to be about Keith Lasley? Basically you are talking about cult heroes. Often foreign (easy to remember cos of the name) or hard men (easy to remember cos they boot your hate figures up in the air). On Simo. A better player than Jamie Dolan. By. A. Mile. Should be lauded, if for nothing else, for his part in our 2-0 win at Ibrox when Coyle scored twice. His mission that day was to mark Gazza out of the game. Which he did fantastically...

Aye, Colin Healy came in to Falkirk. And a couple of others if memory serves...

Would have liked another striker in, but when Craig Brown refused to let McHugh go out on loan, that told the story right there. For my money, if we could have got a striker in, letting McHugh go out on loan to a Div 1 team would have been a good idea. Toughen him up a bit, let him get built up physically. I reckon it would help him as I think he's too easily brushed off the ball at the moment. But it would appear not to be. If the right back turns out to fit the bill, it wouldn't be the worst transfer window. Aberdeen have done well, as have Kilmarnock though they're strengthening a very weak team...

That it for today then? Or are you working late, Burrows?

Someone gonnae post details cos the fishall cannae cope with all the traffic obviously...

Can English clubs sell or send out on loan after 5pm? I assumed it was closed for business both in and out after that...? Anyone know for definite...?

Again wouldn't surprise me to see it happen but, like you, I would find it absolutely gutting...

I'm assuming Spence and McGlinchey will be it then despite the "undisclosed" Paul Slane fee. Anyone heard anything about Michael Fraser being away to Falkirk? Would leave us with only one goalie...

"Danny was recommended to us by Glenn Hoddle who's had him at his soccer school in Spain. He is not under contract so there is not an issue with time regarding the window closing." Meaning, we can't get him here on time or we haven't made our minds up about him yet...?