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Motherwell v Hearts 11/11/2023


SteelmaninOZ
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Here are my thoughts on yesterday's game and they more, or less, reflect other views on here. 

We were beaten before we started. The formation, personnel and tactics were all wrong. We all know Blair Spittal's strengths and weaknesses, at least we should. Pace is not one of his strengths. Why play him at LWB?  He's simply not cut out for it. Likewise we've also played the exact same "front" 3 formation and it simply hasn't worked. So why play it again? Biereth is not a target man and doesn't like long high balls. Bair and Wilkinson are not wingers and never will be. The latter is a limited penalty box striker. Why all these needless square pegs in round holes? SK's early success was based on keeping it simple and concentraing on what the players at his disposal could do rather than on what they couldn't. Again yesterday Biereth was left isolated far too often and Bair and Wilkinson dropped deep at times into an advanced midfield role. The aimless long ball tactics simply didn't work. 

The defence and midfield were disorgainsed, or at least thats how it appeared. A bang average Hearts side were given loads of space and time especially in the middle and on the left.

The referee was again inconsistent and the constant VAR delays didn't help. Boyes' penaly claim was rightly dismissed, after unnecessary fuss and delay. He was on his way down at the edge of or outside the box when contact was made. A boot struck his chest, at normal waist height and he dropped to the deck as if poleaxed with a head knock. Surely a yellow card. His theatrics in the remaining minutes also warranted a yellow card. 

My final word is about a minor but curious incident in the second half. Toby Sibbick stole quite a few yards at a throw in in front of the POD Stand. Despite being warned several times by the ref to  stop he continued to advance to maybe 10 yards and was eventually carded. Fine you might think, but he took the throw in from the spot he was booked for. That begs the question why was he not told ordered to go back? 

Anyway a below par performance against a poor Hearts side, despite what the BBC thinks.   

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36 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

Here are my thoughts on yesterday's game and they more, or less, reflect other views on here. 

We were beaten before we started. The formation, personnel and tactics were all wrong. We all know Blair Spittal's strengths and weaknesses, at least we should. Pace is not one of his strengths. Why play him at LWB?  He's simply not cut out for it. Likewise we've also played the exact same "front" 3 formation and it simply hasn't worked. So why play it again? Biereth is not a target man and doesn't like long high balls. Bair and Wilkinson are not wingers and never will be. The latter is a limited penalty box striker. Why all these needless square pegs in round holes? SK's early success was based on keeping it simple and concentraing on what the players at his disposal could do rather than on what they couldn't. Again yesterday Biereth was left isolated far too often and Bair and Wilkinson dropped deep at times into an advanced midfield role. The aimless long ball tactics simply didn't work. 

The defence and midfield were disorgainsed, or at least thats how it appeared. A bang average Hearts side were given loads of space and time especially in the middle and on the left.

The referee was again inconsistent and the constant VAR delays didn't help. Boyes' penaly claim was rightly dismissed, after unnecessary fuss and delay. He was on his way down at the edge of or outside the box when contact was made. A boot struck his chest, at normal waist height and he dropped to the deck as if poleaxed with a head knock. Surely a yellow card. His theatrics in the remaining minutes also warranted a yellow card. 

My final word is about a minor but curious incident in the second half. Toby Sibbick stole quite a few yards at a throw in in front of the POD Stand. Despite being warned several times by the ref to  stop he continued to advance to maybe 10 yards and was eventually carded. Fine you might think, but he took the throw in from the spot he was booked for. That begs the question why was he not told ordered to go back? 

Anyway a below par performance against a poor Hearts side, despite what the BBC thinks.   

Yeh, agree, the team selection was horrible and completely ruined the first half for us. No surprise that we improved after the break with Spittal further forward and Spencer at full back. Kettlewell has to get back to doing the obvious/sensible things. For the first 6/7 months of his tenure I thought he was great, finally we had a manager that didn’t try to over think and played players in position and in a system that worked for them. We have to get back to that.
 

The Dundee game at FP is now huge, I’m assuming (even if we play well) we’ll lose at Parkhead, that’ll be 2 points from 30, lose to Dundee and the pressure on the club/manager for change maybe too much to resist. 
 

3-5-2 Kelly, Casey, Butcher, Blaney

Spencer, Slattery, Paton, Spittal, Gent (might not be great but gives us balance)

Obika, Bierth

I think we’ve all now seen enough of Bair and Wilkinson for the time being, and O’Donnell looks finished at this level I’m afraid. 
 

Could make a case for Mugabi at CH and Butcher in the holding midfielder role instead of Paton, but I fear the time playing at the back and his recent injury would render him too slow. 
 

Oh, and I think Sibbicks yellow card was for time wasting, not even sure the ref noticed the stolen yards!

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14 hours ago, MJC said:

What part? Suggesting that we are likely to be relegated or the ‘fat lady’ bit?

Either way, I’ve not seen any convincing argument against my belief that relegation is a distinct possibility (to put it mildly).

Don't disagree with the relegation part just the way you put things , that's why the poster was having a pop 

Sure you are ok in your own way 

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8 minutes ago, Great Balls of Shire said:

Don't disagree with the relegation part just the way you put things , that's why the poster was having a pop 

Sure you are ok in your own way 

Just my own weird humour and trying to make light of our dire and dismal situation. 
 

I did find a great deal of irony in the poster calling me a roaster and to “enjoy the journey back to Edinburgh” because  by their own admission they weren’t even at the game. :lol:

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1 hour ago, MJC said:

Just my own weird humour and trying to make light of our dire and dismal situation. 
 

I did find a great deal of irony in the poster calling me a roaster and to “enjoy the journey back to Edinburgh” because  by their own admission they weren’t even at the game. :lol:

So we cant comment on a post because we weren’t at the game. Give me a break some members aren’t in the same country , even the same continent . Next time let us know when your attempting humour so i can try and have a wee chuckle. 😉 . Oh and i dont do irony by the way.

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53 minutes ago, stv said:

So we cant comment on a post because we weren’t at the game. Give me a break some members aren’t in the same country , even the same continent . Next time let us know when your attempting humour so i can try and have a wee chuckle. 😉 . Oh and i dont do irony by the way.

You can comment on whatever you like. I just think you made a tit of yourself by telling me to enjoy the “journey back to Edinburgh” accusing me of being a Hearts fan when I was at the game, supporting Motherwell and you weren’t. 

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6 minutes ago, MJC said:

You can comment on whatever you like. I just think you made a tit of yourself by telling me to enjoy the “journey back to Edinburgh” accusing me of being a Hearts fan when I was at the game, supporting Motherwell and you weren’t. 

Aye but you were humming the Heartz song which you admit you love. Along with all things Edinburgh.

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