MelvinBragg

Like Malky, I'd be surprised to see so much change from one week to the next. Unless we're going three at the back, I don't see Hutchison featuring. Hammell delivered a few good crosses down at Llanelli so I don't see him being dropped. I reckon the Sun may be having a wild stab in the dark. Or he's got one thing in common with McGhee, he likes bizarre line-up changes for big games...

Robertson came through the ranks at Dundee Utd. And none of the other guys you mentioned were established players at our level when they signed for their SPL clubs. All of these guys were players that the clubs took a gamble on. Much like we are doing with some of our signings...

Did John Boyle find £400,000 hidden down the back of the couch? If the answer's no, then we'll not see an established goalscoring midfielder at Fir Park. Just hope that Gannon can turn O'Brien, Coke and Humphrey into goalscoring midfielders...

He left McGarry out and sadly can edit quicker than I can post...

We that good we only need ten men...? EDIT Ah, ye noticed and went back and added McGarry. Too quick for me. You, that is, not McGarry...

I do see what you're getting at but for me the fact that none of them are over 30 is actually a bonus. Take Reynolds. A centre back who has played over 150 games for the club and still only 22. Experience should be measured not by your age, but by the amount you've experienced in your career. Lasley's chances of featuring in the first eleven were written off when Hughes signed and again when Bob Malcolm signed, so I wouldn't be quick to rule out him having a big part to play. I know he has his limitations to his game, but he has a habit of making it hard for a manager to drop him. I mean they have to resort to playing him at right back to justify it...

I thought that too, then I realised exactly how old Hammell, Lasley and Sutton are. Then you have number of games the likes of Reynolds and Fitzpatrick have under their belts. The average age might be on the low side, but the side isn't "inexperienced"...

Thing that struck me about our signings thus far is that they're all relatively young. Very early on, Gannon made it clear he was looking for experienced players so as he didn't have to rely on kids. I know it's all relative and the guys we have signed have a lot more games under their belt than the likes of Slane and Forbes, but it's hardly seasoned professionals we're bringing in. Which leads me to a question. Do we need more experience? We have Craigan, Lasley, Hammell and Sutton who all have years of experience. McGarry and Fitzpatrick (though they wouldn't be my first choices) have also played a fair number of games. Even Reynolds, our less experienced centre back, has played over 100 SPL games. As I say, a genuine question, does anyone think we need any more experienced players? Or are we going the right way about it by looking at younger, hungrier guys...?

To be fair, the two guys you mentioned are two of the most gifted footballers I've seen at Fir Park (either for or against us), so not exactly a criticism of Hughes to suggest that he couldn't match up to them. I only mentioned Russell as someone else was stating that Hughes was the best he'd seen for us other than O'Donnell and Lambert...

Although he was in the twilight of his career, Bobby Russell could make our team tick singlehandedly more often that Hughes did. In my opinion, naturally. I would also be tempted to say that Billy Davies was a better creative midfielder than Hughes. I'm not doubting anyone who says that Hughes is a gifted individual and I have read those that have said, inconsistent as he was, they would have rather had him +1 grafter as opposed to 2 grafters. I take the point, but the SPL is sadly a league where you have to win the battle for the right to play football. Stephen Hughes is not a battler. I think it was yourself who said that all of Lasley's best games were alongside Hughes. For me most of Hughes better performances were alongside Lasley or Fitzpatrick (in particular the Hibs CIS cup game, where Lasley gave Hughes the scope to run riot - his best performance in a Motherwell jersey that night). I'm not suggesting that Lasley made Hughes a better player, but I don't think Hughes improved Lasley either. It's all about combining the right type of players. I maintain to this day that Brian Kerr's Motherwell career would be viewed differently if he had had a fit Lasley to play alongside in his last season. I bear Hughes no ill will, in fact wish him well. But I'm not overly worried about how much we'll miss him...

I also am pleased with the noises that Gannon is making. I won't be making any comparisons as to how Sheepy McShovelface is doing at Aberdeen though until next May. I'm hoping then to grab his heid and rub it in the fact we finished above them. Obviously with that size of heid, a workout programme may be required for me. All I'm saying is let's not laugh at Aberdeen yet. We could end up with egg on our faces...

Not had yer hole recently, Frazzle...?

That's kind of how I read it too. Perhaps if Flow did the interview he could clarify...

Like yourself, I have a slight concern over the one year deals. If the players have a succesful season and attract interest from elsewhere, we could lose them again after only one year. But that means we'll have had a good season so can we really grumble? My real concern would lie with the fact that was stated that Gannon was on a percentage of transfer fees received for players he signs. Did I miss a meeting? Is there a secret forum somewhere I don't know about? I haven't read about this percentage before and it does alarm me, that to an extent one could argue that it would be in JG's best interests (financially at least) to be selling players off...

So if I get this right, Northampton are fizzing that we seem to have signed Coke... I'll get my coat...

At last, a manager who listens...

Interesting interview with Humphrey, although the bit that caught my eye was the quote from Gannon at the end Well, if they're good enough, and we can afford them, get them in sharpish, Mr Gannon...

Tomorrow's Sun mentions a couple of trialists. Kanyuka, the guy from Swindon, we had heard about. The other name being mentioned was Jonathon Tahoe, a midfielder. I'm asssuming that it's a misprint as I can find no record of such a footballer anywhere on the net. Anyone any wiser as to who the midfielder is that we have on trial...?

A few pages back it was suggested that the defender from Swindon and the striker from Aston Villa (Williams??) would be coming in on a week's trial this week. No quotes supporting it but whoever posted it seemed to be stating it as fact rather than rumour... EDIT Well-made said it on page 73 of this thread...

Just a thought, people. Should we get past the Albanians, will the second leg of the third round be at Fir Park? Just wondering given that we were planning to play on it a couple of days later?

What he said...

Answering my own question, it appears to be next Friday night...

When is the signing deadline for the next round? Wouldn't want to facing some of those teams with the squad we have at the moment, but having avoided some of the real big guns, with a couple of new faces we could maybe go a wee bit further. Assuming all goes well next week of course...

Having seen the game on t'internet, I thought Keith Lasley looked quite assured. No one was a real stand-out. Everyone seemed to do their job reasonably well...

I'm not overly confident for next week. I think we were probably the better team yesterday but even prior to losing the likes of Porter and Clarkson, as a team we have found it difficult to break down teams intent of defending in depth. We are certainly capable of beating Flamurtari but I think an early goal is key. To be honest, I don't see the reason for over-confidence on the part of ourselves or on the part of the Albanians who have posted on here. I think it's too close to call and could go either way. Can/should we be able to win by two clear goals? Yes. Having watched Motherwell for a while now, do I think we will? Hmmmm...