superward

The group stage is the first round. (http://spfl.co.uk/league-cup/fixtures/) That aside, I do think we will beat Rangers and I do think we will advance anyway.

Tait, Laing, and Skippy (Friday) have all been training. No point in giving a run out if not ready or any niggles.

The team we have right now will be fine for the cup. No bother, wait and see. Telling ye.

I am confident that by the start of the league season we will have a central midfielder in, possibly 2. But I would be willing to bet money it wont be before the Rangers game. Which, for me, is fine as in my opinion we have enough to compete with the League Cup teams we will be playing. The outfield signings brought in to the club are all young Tait (26), Blyth (23) and Heneghan (22). So, I would expect the central midfielders to be the same.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/rangers/14594105.-/

Lasley - 90mins and a goal. Fittest spark in Lanarkshire

We won't go into the season with Lasley as the only midfielder. Maybe, probably, into the league cup games with him as the only one. But others can step in in the shirt term fine I think.

I like the look of that training drill!

Aye I would agree. I think they were both missed when not in the team. We didn't have anyone who could step in anywhere near what they contributed

I am not Lasley's biggest fan but I do think he has something to offer in the first team for another year. For his negatives, last season, when he wasnt there you could see the difference. He does bring experience and covers a lot of the pitch, albeit slower than he used to! If we can get 2 first team starters who are better and offer more than Lasley then great. However, I wouldnt be surprised if we cant and we go with Las and 1 other into the start of the season. I reckon we will be seeing Cadden deployed more centrally for the League Cup in a team something like the below...which could quite easily compete with Rangers and the other teams. McGhee does see Cadden as a wider player but he will know Cadden can do a good job in the middle as he has for the U20s before. Samson Tait Heneghan McManus Hammell Ainsworth Cadden Lasley Johnson Moult McDonald

Yesterday's battles. That's one way to say you were wrong and making stuff up all along. Stop stating stuff as fact when it's not and stop getting in to a tizzy before anything has actually happened and we will all be happy. Deal?

Good news on Skippy Turns out Skippy wasn't 'lost' at all. See, CMWellFan, you could have saved all that anger for another day when something actually happened.

Yeah, agreed.

As I said earlier, Erwin was announced as a free transfer too. Technically, its compensation we get rather than a transfer fee. Pedantry aside I hope we do get something. Because money is nice.

It's not a word play battle. All I am saying, is you are stating things as fact before there has been any sort of announcement by the club at all. That's why folk are jumping all over your posts So, just to recap your statements: 1. We have lost Scott McDonald, therefore he isn't signing again. 2. We have lost Scott McDonald for the sake of £30k/£40k. 'Next to nothing' as you had previously stated. 3. We have lost £240k due to Robbie Leitch going on a free transfer. You could be right on all counts. Let's see how it pans out.

Lee Erwin was reported as a free transfer also, and is still described that way on the Leeds website - http://www.leedsunited.com/players/player/154196/title/lee-erwin Let's wait and see what the club say.

At first you said we had lost him completely...... "Sign up Hammell for two years, lose Pearson and McDonald." ...but we know thats not the case as he hasnt signed for anyone yet. Now you are changing your tune and focusing on the free agent scenario. Or is he definitely gone like you said before? You appear to a have a lot of facts at your disposal because everything is a full on certainty when you write it down. Let's see where we end up before going full on mentalist...

Haha. You're right, and I already knew that as well. Too early in the morning clearly.

Looks like the first League Cup against the Rangers will be on telly. No time confirmed yet on the site. http://sport.bt.com/football/tv-listings/live-football-on-bt-sport-S11376627423099?s_intcid=con_SPFL#SPFL

Are you sure? I saw that they have signed PJ Crossan from Dunfermline who is an outfield player. Our goalie is PJ Morrison.

Leitch is an U20 player who never played for the first team. Hall was a first team player. That's probably why there hasn't been a big announcement?

Robbie Leitch showed a good amount of promise the times I saw him - which was quite a few. But he wouldn't be near the first team as yet and very much in the 'decent prospect' category. Shame to lose a promising youth but no huge deal from my point of view.

Confirmed Robbie Leitch away also on Twitter. Official club replying to a question. Also... Kenny Millar Retweeted Scottish Sun Sport ‏@scotsunsport 5m5 minutes ago UPDATED: Scott McDonald's move to Hibs is OFF as he ponders Motherwell future http://thesun.uk/6012BvRyY

I honestly don't mean to specifically pick up on your posts. But, how much is 'next to nothing'? I get he is an important player and one I will be disappointed to lose if, probably when, he leaves but there has to be a limit to what we pay players to ensure we have a decent coverage across the squad. The financial outlook of the club has changed since last summer. Our elder statesment....Lasley, Hammell and McManus took big paycuts. Seems McDonald was also asked to take a paycut too. Maybe the wage he was given to begin with was unrealistic and not something we could maintain. Don't know the details. If he goes, then I thank him for the time he was here again as in the main he was great. But, as others have said, he is 33 in August, so maybe it will turn out the right move and we move on.

Who could still resign for Motherwell? Yep.