League Cup Semi Motherwell v St Mirren 1/11/2025

[bobbybingo]

24 minutes ago, wellon said:

I was at the game and empty seats add nothing to atmosphere or spectacle..hardly obsessing suggesting ithat it goes to a smaller stadium 

Some of our fans would've missed the game yesterday if it had gone to a smaller stadium. 

In hindsight....

[wellfan]

Watched the highlights again. That starting eleven wasn’t good enough. I’d happily see the back of half of them. Far too much jogging about and too many mistakes in a cup semi-final.

JBA needs to be realistic. His system will fail more often than it succeeds until we get a competent GK, one or two strong ball-playing CBs, a proper RB, and a physical CF who can actually lead the line. He needs to make adjustments now and have a plan B to see us through to the January transfer window.

[claretband]

It’s almost a blessing those final 2 goals went in. If it had finished 2-1 then the injustice re the 1st goal would be huge


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[wellfan]

4 minutes ago, claretband said:

It’s almost a blessing those final 2 goals went in. If it had finished 2-1 then the injustice re the 1st goal would be huge

We can absolutely piss and moan about poor officiating all day long, and in this case it is justified, but their first goal came from a corner we failed to defend, as usual.

[mfc88]

2 hours ago, star sail said:

St Mirren's game plan was successful last night but there is a ceiling to that style of play. That is why Scottish teams are embarrassed every July/ August by European minnows who'd style of play had moved on from the 1980's.

100% this mate. And as we saw under SR, GA and SK - once it goes stale it can be really bad. I believe in JBA's philosophy and wish the rest of the fanbase would be more patient.

Having said that I do feel the wimmer appointment was a bit more of a happy medium so would have been nice to see that play out.

Would like to see us play with a bit more punch though, as we have seemed to move forward with a bit less purpose as teams have started to sit off. Still early days though and the right recruitment could make all the difference.

[grizzlyg]

Also and it might seem like I am being picky as I just don't rate the guy but I feel if Ward fully outstretched his arms he might actually save more.

The 2nd goal is a peach but Ward's arm not fully stretched.

However I was more disappointed with Longelo and Watt yesterday.  We wondered if Longelo was carrying an injury, if yes why start him?.  As for Watt he has been immense but him and Fadinger yesterday were terrible. 

Hopefully next week we can repay the fans with a strong performance and victory. 

COYW 

[joewarkfanclub]

Longelo was very frustrating yesterday. Never went by his man once. I did wonder whether he wasnt 100% fit or if he had been instructed not to leave any spaces in behind him (albeit that would seem to fly in the face of how we play).

Similarly Maswanhise was very disappointing. He is such a frustrating player at times. Capable of lighting up a game and scoring from nowhere, but an empty jersey the rest of the time.

I felt there were too many of our players just not at their level yesterday and wonder whether the exertions of Wednesday night took too much out of them.

It does raise more questions of JBAs game management on Wednesday night now that we have seen yesterday play out.

[wellon]

1 hour ago, bobbybingo said:

Some of our fans would've missed the game yesterday if it had gone to a smaller stadium. 

In hindsight....

Tynecastle not hold 22k.?

[Kmcalpin]

21 minutes ago, mfc88 said:

Having said that I do feel the wimmer appointment was a bit more of a happy medium so would have been nice to see that play out.

Would like to see us play with a bit more punch though, as we have seemed to move forward with a bit less purpose as teams have started to sit off. Still early days though and the right recruitment could make all the difference.

Personalities aside, this is where I'm at. I didn't enjoy the football under Alexander and Kettlewell at all. Likewise, I haven't totally bought into JBA's philosophy and I remain to be convinced. At times, the walking football style is a turn off, although I can thole it if its interspersed with sudden bursts of aggression and pace, with some end product. IMHO there's been an OTT love in with it, but thats absolutely fine as its good to see positivity about the club.  Like you I'd like to see more punch and steel. 

I'd settle for a happy medium.  I'm not against JBA's style of play; it might succeed but it might not. Time will tell.   

[johnstone]

Chill out folks. 
 

Yes it was a bad day at the office, but we are essentially three months into the season, we have totally transformed our style of play and overall it’s been fantastic so far to watch. 
 

We got outfoxed yesterday by a very organised system, it happens. 
 

Also I think had we not lost that third goal then an equaliser could have maybe came, but St Mirren easily deserved their victory yesterday. 
 

I think the manager has recruited very well and when we get into January then he will have a much clearer understanding of what he might need to bring in during the window.

 

To essentially write this whole project off due to one game seems mental to me, don’t understand what some of our fans want sometimes. 

[wellfan]

18 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:

It does raise more questions of JBAs game management on Wednesday night now that we have seen yesterday play out.

It won’t be the first time some of us have questioned his game management. Giving Slattery the full 90 on Wednesday then benching him yesterday should haunt him for a while. He needs to learn these harsh lessons sooner rather than later.

[robsterwood]

1 hour ago, bobbybingo said:

Some of our fans would've missed the game yesterday if it had gone to a smaller stadium. 

In hindsight....

Some would have been glad to miss that dire show.

[Spiderpig]

4 minutes ago, johnstone said:

Chill out folks. 
 

Yes it was a bad day at the office, but we are essentially three months into the season, we have totally transformed our style of play and overall it’s been fantastic so far to watch. 
 

We got outfoxed yesterday by a very organised system, it happens. 
 

Also I think had we not lost that third goal then an equaliser could have maybe came, but St Mirren easily deserved their victory yesterday. 
 

I think the manager has recruited very well and when we get into January then he will have a much clearer understanding of what he might need to bring in during the window.

 

To essentially write this whole project off due to one game seems mental to me, don’t understand what some of our fans want sometimes. 

Totally agree yesterday was a bad day at the office, our lack of a goal threat cost us badly, as St Mirren just sat back and gave us the midfield knowing we would not get through or in behind them.

Its not the first bad performance this season and it wont be the last, the 3rd and 4th goals were a shambles defensively, nobody taking charge and too many playrs standing watching instead of blocking the shots etc.

The final score flattered St Mirren big time but they took their chances when they came, we didn't.

I hope JBA can see what we all can ie we are hopeless up front, when we did move the ball quicker down the wing, great ball in and we scored, why cant we do that more often?

So we learn from yesterday and move on , disappointing that we  cant win the treble now, but onwards and upwards.

 

[bobbybingo]

24 minutes ago, wellon said:

Tynecastle not hold 22k.?

Just under 20k, though I think they're talking about increasing that. 

I totally get the better atmosphere argument, but it would be ludicrous if anyone missed out on a ticket for a semi-final between 2 provincial teams because there weren't enough seats 

[SteelmaninOZ]

3 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:

Totally agree yesterday was a bad day at the office, our lack of a goal threat cost us badly, as St Mirren just sat back and gave us the midfield knowing we would not get through or in behind them.

Its not the first bad performance this season and it wont be the last, the 3rd and 4th goals were a shambles defensively, nobody taking charge and too many playrs standing watching instead of blocking the shots etc.

The final score flattered St Mirren big time but they took their chances when they came, we didn't.

I hope JBA can see what we all can ie we are hopeless up front, when we did move the ball quicker down the wing, great ball in and we scored, why cant we do that more often?

So we learn from yesterday and move on , disappointing that we  cant win the treble now, but onwards and upwards.

 

Spot on Spider 

[purestate]

34 minutes ago, johnstone said:

Chill out folks. 
 

Yes it was a bad day at the office, but we are essentially three months into the season, we have totally transformed our style of play and overall it’s been fantastic so far to watch. 

To essentially write this whole project off due to one game seems mental to me, don’t understand what some of our fans want sometimes. 

I happen to agree with this but on other hand I have no issue with some people coming on a fans forum and having a vent at manager / players etc.  I had rest of family with me yesterday all really up for game and it was a crushing disappointment.   

im sure the players will feel the pain but unlikely to be anywhere near what we all do.  
 

best way they can make it right is winning against Aberdeen and Killie and I’m sure many, if not most, will be up for the Hibs game under lights.  

[joewarkfanclub]

40 minutes ago, wellfan said:

It won’t be the first time some of us have questioned his game management. Giving Slattery the full 90 on Wednesday then benching him yesterday should haunt him for a while. He needs to learn these harsh lessons sooner rather than later.

Absolutely.

Slattery should have been hooked at 60 minutes on Wednesday in preparation for starting yesterday. Just didnt play at all and could easily have managed 30 minutes.

Maswanhise was also absolutely burst with 20 to go on Wednesday and was invisible yesterday.

To be fair, I do think the injuries to SOD and potentially Welsh on Wednesday night altered the gameplan for subs, but it definitely felt like there were different decisions that could have been made then, that look even worse now.

 

[claretband]

Thing that confuses is this. First few league games of the season we played the possession game but with real pace when needed and as often stated other fans raving about us. See the Hearts game etc.

But in last 3 games inc yesterday the pace has slowed to a crawl. Anyone know why?


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[wellfan]

8 minutes ago, claretband said:

But in last 3 games inc yesterday the pace has slowed to a crawl. Anyone know why?

The focus on retaining possession seems to have overtaken the need to get the ball into the box, leaving our play pedestrian and easy for opponents to manage in non-dangerous areas.

[robsterwood]

When you looked at betting odds before match we were 10 to 1 to win the cup. It's not total surprise we lost. St Mirren are now 7 to 2 to win the cup. 

[couttsy]

Desperately trying to lick wounds today, but is anyone else still a bit in disbelief around how that played out yesterday?!

Can’t help but keep thinking, can we play that again today and the real Motherwell turn up….grim

[FirParkCornerExile]

2 hours ago, wellon said:

I was at the game and empty seats add nothing to atmosphere or spectacle..hardly obsessing suggesting ithat it goes to a smaller stadium 

Apologies I wasn't meaning to have a go at you in particular. I just get fed hearing people talk about how it looks on TV. We are a small country and we have empty spaces in football grounds, it's normal. 

[FirParkCornerExile]

59 minutes ago, bobbybingo said:

Just under 20k, though I think they're talking about increasing that. 

I totally get the better atmosphere argument, but it would be ludicrous if anyone missed out on a ticket for a semi-final between 2 provincial teams because there weren't enough seats 

And why put fans to the expense of going to Edinburgh which would take a few thousand of the crowd when Hampden is right between Paisley and Motherwell. 

 

[wellon]

1 hour ago, johnstone said:

Chill out folks. 
 

Yes it was a bad day at the office, but we are essentially three months into the season, we have totally transformed our style of play and overall it’s been fantastic so far to watch. 
 

We got outfoxed yesterday by a very organised system, it happens. 
 

Also I think had we not lost that third goal then an equaliser could have maybe came, but St Mirren easily deserved their victory yesterday. 
 

I think the manager has recruited very well and when we get into January then he will have a much clearer understanding of what he might need to bring in during the window.

 

To essentially write this whole project off due to one game seems mental to me, don’t understand what some of our fans want sometimes. 

You'll see from the comments that some didn't like ga/sk football and they also not too on with jba stuff, so they don't know what they want either

[FirParkCornerExile]

11 minutes ago, couttsy said:

Desperately trying to lick wounds today, but is anyone else still a bit in disbelief around how that played out yesterday?!

Can’t help but keep thinking, can we play that again today and the real Motherwell turn up….grim

There is so much bollocks being talked about tactics, formations, tactical genius blah blah blah. The simple reality is every one one of our players under performed from what we know they can. Every St Mirren player played to their potential. Play that game another day its a different result. 

St Mirren got the break of the  crucial refereeing decision that settled them down to get them ahead. 

Even in the first half when we were at our poorest their keeper brings of a great save and manwanhise fluffs a great chance. 

We were really poor but the "excellent" St Mirren performance very nearly derailed. Had we not given away a comedy goal straight after we equalise I think St Mirren could have been rocking. 

Yesterday was a very fine margin despite how we underperformed.