Motherwell v St Johnstone 09/12/2023

[Kmcalpin]

6 hours ago, Wishielad said:

If McGinn needs to wear a protective mask or his injury isn't fully healed, I suspect Levein will ensure he gets (re-)injured early doors. 

Not just Levein. An age old tactic.

[Kmcalpin]

1 hour ago, fizoxy said:

We can't have st j strolling up to our 18 yard line like dundee did last week.

We're going to get battered with crosses and set plays, so hopefully they don't have any wee guys for us to ignore.

Agreed, but we don't have the midfield to stop them. 

[wellup83]

2 hours ago, Mccus28 said:

SK speaks so so well and always shows himself in a good light when put in front of the camera

He does, but on this interview to me he sounds scunnered and almost resigned to his fate. He's a likeable guy and I'd love to see him turn it around. Unfortunately I don't think we've got the personnel and injuries on Tuesday won't help matters. It's a big January window for us again, who will be in the hotseat to oversee it remains to be seen.

[Suprawell]

Slattery was at the conference today and when asked about the players being behind the manager he did a massive tell of rubbing his neck.  The next question was again is their unity in the dressing room the neck rubbing was in evidence.

I'm no expert, but it looked very telling and wouldn't suprise me of the dressing room is fractured.

[smiddy]

13 hours ago, David said:

Kettlewell knows that his job is hanging by a thread, so the last thing he's going to do is drop the captain and someone who clearly holds a lot of sway in the dressing room.

At the moment it seems like the players are still very much behind the manager. Dropping Kelly and making an example of him could change that in a hurry and simply add to his problems.

i didnt say that he would drop him david, i infered that he should drop him, but as we know he wont as hees only given the other catchie 1 game , so probs doesnt rate him, but then thats a differant discussion , as i have said on here before, if he not good enough then get him to F and bring in somebody who will be    rant over

ps he really shouldv been dropped way b4 now anyway

[Kmcalpin]

1 hour ago, Suprawell said:

Slattery was at the conference today and when asked about the players being behind the manager he did a massive tell of rubbing his neck.  The next question was again is their unity in the dressing room the neck rubbing was in evidence.

I'm no expert, but it looked very telling and wouldn't suprise me of the dressing room is fractured.

Didn't notice that but did pick up that for a fair chunk of his interview, he didn't look at the camera.  He did look uncomfortable.

[FirParkCornerExile]

7 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

Didn't notice that but did pick up that for a fair chunk of his interview, he didn't look at the camera.  He did look uncomfortable.

So he should he's one of the biggest culprits, utter pish for weeks.

[Great Balls of Shire]

2 hours ago, Suprawell said:

Slattery was at the conference today and when asked about the players being behind the manager he did a massive tell of rubbing his neck.  The next question was again is their unity in the dressing room the neck rubbing was in evidence.

I'm no expert, but it looked very telling and wouldn't suprise me of the dressing room is fractured.

Probably embarrassed after Tue more than anything 

[Great Balls of Shire]

2 hours ago, Suprawell said:

Slattery was at the conference today and when asked about the players being behind the manager he did a massive tell of rubbing his neck.  The next question was again is their unity in the dressing room the neck rubbing was in evidence.

I'm no expert, but it looked very telling and wouldn't suprise me of the dressing room is fractured.

Here is the new narrative, rather than not being good enough, the dressing room is " fractured" ...just go out and win games of football, it's not complicated 

[joewarkfanclub]

3 hours ago, wellup83 said:

He does, but on this interview to me he sounds scunnered and almost resigned to his fate. 

I thought the opposite.

Considering the run we are on and how much pressure he is under, I thought he sounded quite upbeat.

My concern is what he means by back to basics.

If he means keep it simple and hoof it forward and play your football in the final third, we could be in for a long afternoon.

We have already shown that we are not very good at that and that its a total waste of Mika's talent.

Hopefully he has remembered what made him and us successful last season and try and replicate that.

 

[SteelmaninOZ]

Slattery says 

 

[joewarkfanclub]

So looks like Butcher, Casey and McGinn are out for Saturday.

Doesnt bode well at CB, but might force SK into playing Spencer and Gent in their natural positions if we only have SOD, Mugabi & Blaney available for the back 3.

Hopefully no more Wilkinson in midfield either!

 

[David]

11 hours ago, smiddy said:

i didnt say that he would drop him david, i infered that he should drop him, but as we know he wont as hees only given the other catchie 1 game , so probs doesnt rate him, but then thats a differant discussion , as i have said on here before, if he not good enough then get him to F and bring in somebody who will be

Oxborough is clearly the number 2. A backup, only needed if Kelly gets injured or is suspended, neither of which has happened in quite some time. 

Him not playing doesn't mean he's not good enough, it means that the manager (and the managers we had before Kettlewell) prefer Kelly. I guess they could all be wrong though, along with our international manager who selects him routinely.

[wellfan]

2 hours ago, joewarkfanclub said:

Hopefully no more Wilkinson in midfield either!

Kettlewell will be as good as sacked before KO if this is what he chooses to do again. 

[Stevie73]

I’d bring Lambie back, I know he is shite but better than the two clowns in the centre of defence at the moment, bring back a few of the loan boys, make this lazy crop fight for their places.

Going to struggle again tomorrow against a very poor side, but if Levein has been watching us, play with wide men as they get the freedom of the park, put balls into the box as we can’t defend them, easy to play against.

[texanwellfan]

Probably line up per below since not too many options due to players out

kelly

O’Donnel Bevis Blaney

Davour

spencer Slattery Spittal Gent

Mika  Wilkinson

[David]

3 hours ago, Stevie73 said:

I’d bring Lambie back, I know he is shite but better than the two clowns in the centre of defence at the moment, bring back a few of the loan boys, make this lazy crop fight for their places.

What makes you think he wants to come back?

[wellsince75]

4 hours ago, Stevie73 said:

I’d bring Lambie back, I know he is shite but better than the two clowns in the centre of defence at the moment, bring back a few of the loan boys, make this lazy crop fight for their places.

Going to struggle again tomorrow against a very poor side, but if Levein has been watching us, play with wide men as they get the freedom of the park, put balls into the box as we can’t defend them, easy to play against.

Lambie like others cost us goal after goal . Was more the problem than any solution. 
 

for what it’s worth I’d drop the 3 man centre half and opt for the extra midfield man.

Time to drop sod . Put Spencer right back , gent left back (sorry say this every week )

Have Davor , Paton in defensive mid with Slattery and spittal further up 

Mika and whoever he wants as his strike partner - prob obika 

this is what I hope we refer to as basics - play people in the natural postions 

[Kmcalpin]

Paton is suspended for tomorrow.

[yosemite sam]

4 hours ago, texanwellfan said:

Probably line up per below since not too many options due to players out

kelly

O’Donnel Bevis Blaney

Davour

spencer Slattery Spittal Gent

Mika  Wilkinson

Only change I would make to that is Obika for Wilkinson.

[numpty]

55 minutes ago, David said:

What makes you think he wants to come back?

Tough tatties, wouldn't be his choice.

[bobbybingo]

11 minutes ago, numpty said:

Tough tatties, wouldn't be his choice.

Do we have the choice?

[GazzyB]

Of course we don’t.

 

And Bevis Mugabi doesn’t suddenly go “aw no Ricki Lamie’s back” and instantly turn into prime Gerard Pique.

 

I really don’t buy this whole stuff about players chucking in the towel and trying to get the manager sacked. In my opinion the players very much do care for the cause, they’re just not good enough, being led by a manager who’s not good enough.

[bobbybingo]

6 hours ago, Stevie73 said:

I’d bring Lambie back, I know he is shite but better than the two clowns in the centre of defence at the moment, bring back a few of the loan boys, make this lazy crop fight for their places.

Which loan guys? The kids, or Lamie, Tierney and Maguire, who were here when Alexander and Hammell got the chop?

[ppower]

We have only won 2 out of our last 10 meetings with them. Saints also won both visits to Fit Park last season. Slag Levein all you like but he is an experienced manager. This is a game we can't afford to lose. I would take a point right now. Even if we lose I don't think the board will sack Kettlewell. If they did pull the trigger it would be admitting they cocked up again and that they are incompetent.