MelvinBragg

I think we all agree that the defence needs work but you have to remember we have signed a new goalkeeper and several midfielders. You would hope that these signings would help the defensive side of things before you even get new defenders Having said that, my concern is (and I've already said this) that we're looking at trialists in this area. Smacks very much of last season's approach to centre midfield when we ended up with Clay and Lucas who were not seen as massive success stories. It may be that like the rumoured left back, Dunne, these are players that Robinson is already aware of and just wants to check their fitness or how they fit in with the rest of the squad but my concern with trialists is always that you're at the point of last resort and end up getting a body in just to make up the numbers who won't really contribute...

Apparently we have three defenders training with us so we can have a closer look at them...

Good luck to the guy. Never got a chance but had a decent record for the U20s. I'm assuming that the Premiership club in question was Accies...

Given Robinson's approach to players that can't match the standards of fitness he's looking for, I'd be surprised if we signed any players carrying too much weight. A centre back built like a brick outhouse wouldn't surprise me though...

Kind of hoped we'd be avoiding the trialist market as much as possible this year. Just feel as if that lends itself to signing guys simply because they're available (Lucas and Clay being the most recent examples). And I know we have had success in the past with the likes of McDonald and Ojaama but we have a better record when it's actually players we have targeted...

Someone needs to show the last couple of pages of this thread to Steve Robinson to show exactly how important it is to Motherwell fans' mental health that we make another new signing soon...

On the subject of Scougall, part of me hopes we don't sign him. Some seem to be building him up to be the solution to all of our attacking problems and I fear he'll not live up to expectations. We all know how tolerant the East Stand can be... On the defence, pretty sure Robinson knows it needs work. But he has addressed it to an extent by acquiring a goalkeeper who he thinks will strengthen it as a unit. And some who are concerned about it (I'm looking at you, Dave) have been saying for seasons it's been exposed by a weak midfield. Given we've signed Bigirmana (who Robinson thinks will help us control the game better) and Rose who brings athleticism and physique, perhaps it won't be quite as exposed as before. I know we need defenders but we should be looking at how the team defends as a unit...

While Stevie Hammell has his flaws and has missed games in the last few seasons, I think the number of times we've tried to replace him or sign cover for him and they haven't been able to match up to him tells me that he's not as bad as some on here make out. Either that or our scouts have a real problem identifying left backs. I mention this simply to point out that finding a suitable replacement for him might not be as easy as people think. Could argue it's the toughest position we have to fill this summer. Replacing a guy who's held that position for 13 of the last 15 years won't be easy. Whoever we get will be under real scrutiny...

Am I really old? Is it only me who read this and thought automatically of Elvis and Johnny Cash?

The accusation of being too close to the players is one that was always going to be thrown at him if he becomes assistant. Thing is with such a high turnover of players, there's only really McManus and Hammell left of the perceived old boys network. Too close to the likes of Cadden and others coming from the U20s? I reckon it's a good thing that the young players will feel able to go to him...

Tend to agree although the English market is sceptical of Scottish players and pays a premium for English players...

If it's true that Burnley want to send him out on loan if they sign Heneghan, what would people's thoughts be if the club were to accept a slightly lower fee on the understanding that Heneghan stayed on loan with us for a season? Not saying either of the clubs or the player would want to go down that road but it has been done before (the lad Craig Dawson at West Brom stayed at Rochdale for a further season on loan after signing for West Brom). Would mean less money in the coffers but would also mean the club wouldn't have to find a replacement until next summer. Not saying it's something I would do, but I can see us as a club at least asking the question...

Not that bothered about Scott Allan. Not convinced by his recent performances. Would rather have Liam Henderson from Celtic but I know that's a long shot...

Not that I'm necessarily putting too much stock in the story from that rag, but given he was linked with Rangers already, what would people think would be a decent fee for Heneghan?

None of us had heard of McDonald prior to him signing first time around...

I reckon that might be the case. Concern there is only 9 goals over the past two seasons. Looking closer he's only started 33 games (although has made roughly the same number of sub appearances). Not a fantastic return but if playing as a winger, 9 in 33 isn't terrible. Obviously I have no idea how long his sub appearances were so reluctant to include or exclude them to give a better idea of his average...

Aye, but would it be stuck to the arse of the metal tray in comes in..?

Both kits fall into the 'they're ok' category for me but like others I'm well past the age where it really matters to me. The 10 year old in this house really likes the away one so given the target market, the club have probably done a good job...

I think that's the question most of us have regarding signings. As I said in my previous post, I suspect that Robinson may see Bigirimana as someone who can dictate games for us. Is this the same as providing guile and creativity? Maybe not but if it gives us control of the ball and he can feed the likes of Frear, Cadden and Tanner then it would be a start. Too often last season, we were a long ball/counterattacking team simply because we didn't have enough in the middle of the park, physically or ability wise, to use the midfield. If the likes of McHugh, Bigirimana and Rose can actually win the physical battle in there and get the ball into forward areas, that would be half the battle offensively. Also would hopefully take pressure off the defence...

Sometimes I think the club doesn't do itself any favours by being open and upfront about what it's trying to do. When we announced the new sponsorship last week, Robinson openly said they were close to a deal for another goalkeeper and an attacking midfielder. It tends to mean that when these signings don't materialise right away, fans start moaning (I include myself in that). On the specifics of an attacking or creative midfielder, it may be that Robinson sees something in Rose that makes him think he can play in a more attacking role than he has done previously. In terms of a creative role, when we signed Bigirimana the manager did say that he thought he would give us better control of games. Certainly sounds like he thinks that he's someone that can dictate play and put us on the front foot, albeit from a deeper position. Could he be a creative player in this sense (thinking Charlie Adam at Blackpool). The questions that the last week have raised for me are... Is Rose the attacking midfielder we were going to sign? Are we going to sign a striker more in the McDonald mould or do we have to move on Blyth or Bowman to do so? Or will we play Tanner in this role? These aren't questions born out of concerns about the quality of players we're signing, more the types of players...

Cadden was playing right back or right wing back for the second half of the season, unfair to judge. Frear was involved in five of our last six goals of last season. Tanner hasn't kicked a ball for us yet. While you may be right, do you think you might be rushing to judgement..?

Indeed. I don't so much have concerns over the quality of the squad as the balance between types of players. In the centre forward and centre of midfield, we seem to have a surplus of a certain type of player and a real lack of other types. If, of course, Rose and Bigirmana are deep lying or defensive types...

He said five before we signed Rose...

I had noticed that too. Means unlikely to be a McDonald replacement until we move on Blyth or Bowman. Concern about the balance of the midfield in that most of our central midfielders are deep lying or defensive in nature...

Maybe it's a bit of proven quality that's recovering from injury...