MelvinBragg

For me, too young to have seen Willie Hunter, the comparison I have to make is Bobby Russell. Both look like a strong breeze would knock them over, have an excellent touch and can glide past people like they're not there...

He previously got fined and suspended for accusing referees of match fixing. In what world could he take a Motherwell team to Ibrox or Parkhead..?

Not a chance. We haven't given a nutter the keys to the car since Jim Gannon...

Heard from an Arbroath fan in Antalya airport last night that we're apparently in discussions with Dunfermline over Neil Lennon...

I think Ryan Lowe was mentioned around the tirne of one of our previous appointments (Wimmer, Kettlewell or even Hammell, can't remember which). I seem to remember the talk his wage demands were prohibitive...

Jens wasn't appointed til 12th June last year and he had a major rebuild on his hands. I'd rather we took our time and got it right..

I suspect that Dundee United in general pay much more than us as well although I gather they've blown a fair amount so may be cutting back a bit...

I think that's been people's concerns with Jens leaving. We don't want last season to be referred to in years to come as "remember that season we tried to play attractive, passing football that everyone raved about?". The positive is that the noises coming out of the club suggest that they don't want that either....

We didn't appoint Jens until June 12th and we had a fair few bodies to try and get in last season in order to get a workable eleven. Seven weeks later we outplayed Rangers. The framework is in place this season...

There will also be those not good enough for ligue 1 that might do a job in the SPL...

French was easier to learn than Aberdonian...

Never mind McGinn, trying to tell me Ralston deserves to be there ahead of O'Donnell..?

Different positions but he's taking two right backs (Ralston and Patterson) that have barely played all season.... In Miller's position, you couldn't really justify picking him ahead of Gilmour, Christie, McGinn, McTominay or Ferguson. And Kenny McLean was always going. You imagine a new manager post World Cup will see a freshening up. Whether that helps Miller or not, time will tell...

We do badly need cover at left back...

Going to go for Priestman. Great player. So much so that I wouldn't bat an eyelid if Fadinger or Watt were on the bench and he started next week..

We were discussing this in the pub around Christmas time, given an out and out centre forward is maybe the one piece missing from this team, which Motherwell striker of the past would complete this team...? In terms of the last 40 years, my answer to this question is always Tommy Coyne irrespective of style of team. However in this case, I think it's doubly true. Coyne's intelligent runs with Watt, Slattery and Just feeding him...? Good god...

I went with McGinn. Actually although he didn't have loads of saves to make, Ward had an excellent game in terms of positioning stopping chances even occurring. At the front end, Slattery was the pick of the bunch...

Fairly or unfairly, the manager is going to get the credit/blame for signings from Scandinavian football. So Daws is not likely to get credit for Said or Just. Fadinger, Wimmer will probably get credit for. But identifying and convincing the likes of Sparrow, Longelo and Priestman is to be commended. I'll admit that given the Danzaki experience and Stamatelopolous not setting the scoring charts on fire, I was sceptical of signing Priestman but he's been excellent (and Koutroumbis has been mostly solid). Number of players we were signing from the A League was making me think Daws had a house in Australia. But Priestman looks a find.. Generally positive just now about Daws and our recruitment. In his defence, previous failures we don't know if these players were our first choice targets (bear in mind how many keepers we had to sign last season?). So if we're signing maybe the third or fourth name striker on our wishlist, maybe the success rate will take a hit. Maybe having a manager with a strong personality and clear plan has convinced more of our first choice targets this season...?

The things you stumble across when the Well aren't playing. Graham Alexander's Bradford losing to Luton Town who have Devante Cole up front...

As others have said, I'd have liked a left back but given our performance against Celtic with Koutroumbis at left back, maybe we're saving a wage. It's often been a case of scrambling around in January looking for players to dig us out of a hole so this kind of relaxed window with a 'if nothing happens we'll be fine" probably feels odd as a Motherwell fan...

I think he meant 'done' rather than 'fine'...

Aye, if we were looking for midfield cover, I'd happily have had him back...

Ideally you want as many of your good players available so yes Watt being back would be great. But if not, I'm becoming increasingly confident that Priestman will be fine...

Quite cold today. Someone should have nipped and got him a bovril in the second half...

Fadinger or Priestman, take your pick. Although Just and Said are worth the entrance fee every week...