2025/26 Ins & Outs Discussion

[Mad Dog]

Do we have any updates for the injuries to Sule and Robinson? We may not need to spend any more money if they fit well with Askou's system.

[Kmcalpin]

The jury was already out on Robinson before his injury and many including myself concluded that he wasn't a goalscorer.  The only decent main striker we seem to have on our books just now is Sule and he's never really been tested. 

[joewarkfanclub]

I understand the debate and doubt over Stama and Hendry. Statistically you can make a case for saying neither are very good when it comes to measuring their worth as a striker.

However, that really depends on what their role in the team is and what they are being asked to do. 

No one actually knows that, and only Jens can really assess whether they are worth their place in the team or not.

For what its worth, I did think Stama would have come good by now and scored more goals from open play, and since that hasnt happened, Im willing to conceed that we will be looking for re-inforcements come January.

However, I keep hearing that Stama has continually fluffed his lines and Im struggling to recall this conveyor belt of sitters he has missed that proves any point. Similarly with Hendry.

We are not a team that continually gets to the by line and throws the ball into the box for a striker to attack or pays off second balls that they could exploit. Everything we do is very measured and controlled to the extent we look like we are trying to score thw perfect goal on every occasion.

As a result our strikers are lucky if they are getting 1 or 2 chances per game. Even Haaland would steuggle off that.

And for those complaining that Maswanhise is just a winger and as such his goals dont seem to count as much? Id point out he plays a similar position to Mo Salah, and no one is saying he isnt a striker......

[ropy]

Jens started by sorting the midfield, he now seems to have sorted the defence, next the attack? 

[mfc88]

Tbh my main worry is the potential loss of welsh. He has been brilliant for us. Could either see a few suitors coming in, or the new celtic manager fancying him back. Or knowing our luck, neither of the above but he gets injured 🙄

Could do with another ball playing centre half either way.

Imagine we will see a few outs as well.

[wellfan]

16 hours ago, joewarkfanclub said:

However, I keep hearing that Stama has continually fluffed his lines and Im struggling to recall this conveyor belt of sitters he has missed that proves any point.

You can add the glorious chance he missed around the 27–28 minute mark today to his ever-growing list of missed sitters. Look back through the threads and you’ll find plenty of references to his constant spurned chances, which is why he ended up with the “nearly man” nickname.

[Spiderpig]

2 hours ago, wellfan said:

You can add the glorious chance he missed around the 27–28 minute mark today to his ever-growing list of missed sitters. Look back through the threads and you’ll find plenty of references to his constant spurned chances, which is why he ended up with the “nearly man” nickname.

Spot on, and to avoid any confusion the one Stamatelopoulos missed and the one Hendry missed were as well were both sittters.

[texanwellfan]

Although I will give AP credit for his PKs. He exudes confidence, doesn’t Fanny about and has mixed them up. 

[Ya Bezzer!]

On 12/5/2025 at 11:48 AM, wellfan said:

Stama’s inability to score from anything other than the spot has nothing to do with our system. He’s had chance after chance under different managers and setups, and he keeps fluffing them for reasons we’ve all gone over already. At this point he’s just an expensive investment who hasn’t delivered what you expect from a number 9.

As for Hendry, I’m starting to think the jury isn’t out anymore and that he might not cut it either. We’re not short of goals right now, but we still need to go out in January and sign a proper striker. 

Stam's actual stats in a Motherwell shirt for league games are

21 (9) 11

Not really that bad.

All his goals last season came from open play and penalties still need to be scored.

He has missed chances but strikers will always miss chances.

You'd like him to be scoring more, especially this season but I do think there is something in the style of play argument.

And again 11 goals off 21 starts is really not that bad.

[texanwellfan]

11 minutes ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

Stam's actual stats in a Motherwell shirt for league games are

21 (9) 11

Not really that bad.

All his goals last season came from open play and penalties still need to be scored.

He has missed chances but strikers will always miss chances.

You'd like him to be scoring more, especially this season but I do think there is something in the style of play argument.

And again 11 goals off 21 starts is really not that bad.

Sometimes perception and facts just don’t match up. 

[Ya Bezzer!]

13 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

Sometimes perception and facts just don’t match up. 

I've not actually put in today's appearance yet so it's actually 22 (9) 11.

I dunno if that strengthens your case slightly!

[joewarkfanclub]

7 hours ago, wellfan said:

You can add the glorious chance he missed around the 27–28 minute mark today to his ever-growing list of missed sitters. Look back through the threads and you’ll find plenty of references to his constant spurned chances, which is why he ended up with the “nearly man” nickname.

Was waiting for this.

Yes, was a bad miss. Should have scored.

But point me in the direction of any other chances he had today other than his penalty.

On the other hand Hendry missed 2 just as bad but he runs about and does things so doesnt get the same criticism?

For clarity, Im not excusing Stama's misses. Just putting context around why his goal return might not be what would want/expect.

[Jonesy]

I'm not having Stama's miss today as a sitter. He should have done better with it right enough but that's hardly a sitter.

That Hendry header on the other hand.

[wunderwell]

I'm not Wellfans biggest advicator in his views "initially"

From Kettlewell to Stam he is proven right in the long haul usually.

The problem I now have with Stam is 2fold - and as an optimist I hope he cant  sort.

1. The ball bounces off him one foot every time it is played to him - we don't need someone necessarily that give more goals but what we do need is a striker is who can take the ball in and feed others.

2. If you listen closely to the coverage the commentator he says AP "was caught in his heels there" -a better aspect is finding someone who isn't

Over to you AP or Wellfan let's see who is right in the long haul.