Kilmarnock v Motherwell 17/10/2026

[joewarkfanclub]

I actually thought that we played pretty well for the majority of the first half.

The sucidal start apart, we got in their faces, won the ball high, played some nice football and created a good few chances. Felt like we were in control of the game at that point and could have been a couple of goals in the clear.

The second half capitulation though, wow! Kilmarnock didnt even have to do anything special either. A few long balls over the top, 2 more gifts and we were done. 

How the same group of players can put in such markedly different levels of performance in the same game, is absolutely wild.

We are now in deep shit and Im not sure the manager looks like he knows how to get us out of it.

Starting to fear the worst......

[Wellsince1976]

4 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:

I actually thought that we played pretty well for the majority of the first half.

The sucidal start apart, we got in their faces, won the ball high, played some nice football and created a good few chances. Felt like we were in control of the game at that point and could have been a couple of goals in the clear.

The second half capitulation though, wow! Kilmarnock didnt even have to do anything special either. A few long balls over the top, 2 more gifts and we were done. 

How the same group of players can put in such markedly different levels of performance in the same game, is absolutely wild.

We are now in deep shit and Im not sure the manager looks like he knows how to get us out of it.

Starting to fear the worst......

I also thought we were decent in the first half. Not brilliant, but decent enough with something to build on. Second half, we weathered a spirited start from Killie, took the lead then, BOOM! Capitulation. SOD's was way off it and badly to blame for the 2 goals. But he wasn't alone. I thought Moorman looked decent at the start of the season, but has fell away badly(as have quite a few others.) I still don't think we should be talking of sacking the manager, but we need to see something, anything in the next 3 games, that shows there is some spark in the team.

[grizzlyg]

1 minute ago, Wellsince1976 said:

I also thought we were decent in the first half. Not brilliant, but decent enough with something to build on. Second half, we weathered a spirited start from Killie, took the lead then, BOOM! Capitulation. SOD's was way off it and badly to blame for the 2 goals. But he wasn't alone. I thought Moorman looked decent at the start of the season, but has fell away badly(as have quite a few others.) I still don't think we should be talking of sacking the manager, but we need to see something, anything in the next 3 games, that shows there is some spark in the team.

Yup i agree pal.  AJ needs to sort it but the basic errors are down to the players.   I try to be positive but do understand and respect concerns from folks 

[Kmcalpin]

9 hours ago, Great Balls of Shire said:

He (Paulsen) has cost us a few points this season,  time for a spell out, if MC isn't trusted , he needs to go to.

Agreed. I wasn't convinced of him when we first signed him, but he's selling just too many goals. He's a great shot shotstopper, but still prone to the odd howler eg at Dens Park. His distribution is poor and he's costing us a number of cheap goals from passing out. Add to that his lack of aerial ability and in short, his strengths are outweighed bu his weaknesses. Would it be possible to cut short his loan in January? Our alternative, Matty Connelly, doesn't fill me with confidence either.  

[Kmcalpin]

16 hours ago, Bart Verheul said:

Yeah it just feels like its not going to work with this manager. 

I don't want to be calling for a managers head in October but there's something not quite right and the early results papered over some of the cracks.

My thoughts too. I thought he was a strange appointment at the time but had confidence in the Board. However too many factors just don't add up as you suggest. We started off well but our form has fallen off a cliff. The more time Alf has had on the training ground with the players the worse our form has become. The assistant manager and coaching staff have remained the same as last season and so there's been continuity. Yes we lost 4 important players in Ward, Welsh, Watt and Just; but we retained a solid core of decent players - SOD, Longelo, Fadinger, Said etc. The form of these stalwarts has fallen off a cliff. Reading reports of games now the words "the players chucked it" are occurring all too frequently. Either the players don't understand their roles or they've stopped playing for AJ. Something just ain't right. 

Our style is completely different from last season despite being promised continuity and thats something I can't come to terms with. AJ is not picking his strongest team and many of his substitutions are questionable. Players are needlessly being played out of position. He just can't seem to sort out our defence which has unravelled; there's no other word for it. Sure the players must accept some responsibility but we signed some decent ones (on paper at least) in the summer.   

Sadly, I've come round to Wellfan's view that AJ is out of his depth.  I would give him until maybe mid Novemberish and if matters haven't improved by then, a parting of the ways would be best for both parties.  In those circumstances, if the Board doesn't act by itself, then fan power through plummeting attendances will force their hand. 

 

[wellup83]

Just watched the highlights and dear god, that defending is truly schoolboy stuff. Paulsen sets the tone with his weekly howler and we let every long ball from them bounce on the edge of our box. I could see from only 5 minutes that O'Donnell has probably had one of if not his worst game for us since signing. I wasn't there yesterday but caught the score at 1-2 and thought great it's Killie and we'll hold out. Not to be. The players genuinely don't look like they know what they're meant to be doing but that's no excuse for the persistent individual brain farts. Confidence is low and the body language from some on the pitch is alarming.

[Benson]

Stood behind goal with son watching shooting practice,son piped up have you seen maswanhise shooting hes woeful,think he hit net with one out of seven shots,the rest of players not much better.

[Great Balls of Shire]

7 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

Agreed. I wasn't convinced of him when we first signed him, but he's selling just too many goals. He's a great shot shotstopper, but still prone to the odd howler eg at Dens Park. His distribution is poor and he's costing us a number of cheap goals from passing out. Add to that his lack of aerial ability and in short, his strengths are outweighed bu his weaknesses. Would it be possible to cut short his loan in January? Our alternative, Matty Connelly, doesn't fill me with confidence either.  

But if we dont give Matty a shot, he shouldn't be there, we could be quite a few points better off with a competent goalie

[MJC]

Alfred says post match that we started the game well? We were a goal down within two minutes with another howler ffs!

We are in serious trouble if we persist with this guy.

[grizzlyg]

1 hour ago, wellup83 said:

Just watched the highlights and dear god, that defending is truly schoolboy stuff. Paulsen sets the tone with his weekly howler and we let every long ball from them bounce on the edge of our box. I could see from only 5 minutes that O'Donnell has probably had one of if not his worst game for us since signing. I wasn't there yesterday but caught the score at 1-2 and thought great it's Killie and we'll hold out. Not to be. The players genuinely don't look like they know what they're meant to be doing but that's no excuse for the persistent individual brain farts. Confidence is low and the body language from some on the pitch is alarming.

The 3rd goal sums up what I have been saying for weeks............Sparrow is not a right-back!

[Kmcalpin]

42 minutes ago, Great Balls of Shire said:

But if we dont give Matty a shot, he shouldn't be there, we could be quite a few points better off with a competent goalie

I get that, but was the decision to give him a contract extension the right one in the first place? Its putting a helluva lot of trust in an unknown goalie coming in on loan. Matty isn't the biggest or best in the air and he'll have a lot less defensive protection than he had last year. 

[Great Balls of Shire]

28 minutes ago, MJC said:

Alfred says post match that we started the game well? We were a goal down within two minutes with another howler ffs!

We are in serious trouble if we persist with this guy.

He obviously meant after that which was accurate, guy has enough issues without getting pulled up for semantics. 

[couttsy]

What a frustrating afternoon, we saw the good the bad and the ugly (downright shambolic) from this team. 

I seem to be in the minority now, but I feel for AJ given the crazy individual errors we’re making in nearly every game at the moment.

Like a few of us I thought we played reasonably well for most of the 1st half and should have been ahead at the break, despite Paulson madness at the start. 2nd half we take the lead then immediately invite them on to us. O’Donnell horrific for Killies 2nd and 3rd and Sparrow just as bad for the winner. 

The leagues very tight and we’ve yet to complete the first round of games. I don’t think it’s gone yet, but the next 3 are massive, need 4 points minimum.

At least if nothing else O’Donnell will surely take his seat back on the bench for the rest of the season. 

[grizzlyg]

21 minutes ago, couttsy said:

What a frustrating afternoon, we saw the good the bad and the ugly (downright shambolic) from this team. 

I seem to be in the minority now, but I feel for AJ given the crazy individual errors we’re making in nearly every game at the moment.

Like a few of us I thought we played reasonably well for most of the 1st half and should have been ahead at the break, despite Paulson madness at the start. 2nd half we take the lead then immediately invite them on to us. O’Donnell horrific for Killies 2nd and 3rd and Sparrow just as bad for the winner. 

The leagues very tight and we’ve yet to complete the first round of games. I don’t think it’s gone yet, but the next 3 are massive, need 4 points minimum.

At least if nothing else O’Donnell will surely take his seat back on the bench for the rest of the season. 

I am very much outspoken defending AJ, the individual errors and cheap goals aren't his fault. Those are basic errors from individual players.

What he needs to do though is get players in correct positions and drop the ones we can all see for ourselves that need dropped

[El Grew]

1 hour ago, MJC said:

Alfred says post match that we started the game well? We were a goal down within two minutes with another howler ffs!

We are in serious trouble if we persist with this guy.

Mmm? In a previous post you stated:

“Some Motherwell fans really are deplorable individuals.

Yet again they are showing just how poisonous and toxic they are.

Deserve all they get after causing Graham Alexander to leave and shouting at Kettlewell.

Selfish, parochial and spoiled arseholes who are lucky to have a team to support when a wee club like ours really shouldbe looking to merge with Accies, Airdrie and Albion Rovers for the good ofScottish football”

[El Grew]

1 minute ago, grizzlyg said:

I am very much outspoken defending AJ, the individual errors and cheap goals aren't his fault. Those are basic errors from individual players.

What he needs to do though is get players in correct positions and drop the ones we can all see for ourselves that need dropped

I take your point Grizzly but if he did that I doubt we’d have enough left for a 5 a-side team.

[grizzlyg]

Just now, El Grew said:

I take your point Grizzly but if he did that I doubt we’d have enough left for a 5 a-side team.

Ahhhh.  Very true 🤪