Motherwell -V- ICT : Matchday Thread

[CaleyD]

Think there's a lot of knee-jerk reaction to todays result....and still a bit of bitterness from those who seemed to be waiting for an opportunity to stick the knife in (again) about the loss of Munro and Duncan....move on people, all the bitching in the world isn't going to change things in that regard.

I actually thought we played not too bad in spells today and our biggest problem was that we were a bit too stand offish when defending. The scoresheet might say 3-0 (and I know that's what counts) but I didn't witness a 3-0 performance from ICT. Hit the woodwork 3 times...on another day they would all have gone in and it would have been 3-3 and been a lot more representative of the match as a whole.

Proctor didn't give a good showing, but don't think any of the rest of the team had (individual) bad games.

The difference between the teams today was that one team knew each other and were used to playing together and the other seemed a little rusty at times.

All in all, I saw nothing that can't be fixed. Give the guys a little time to gel as a team and I think we could be in for some very interesting and exciting football from ICT this season.

If mine is one of the posts you're referring to here then, with hindsight and the benefit of a night's sleep, you're correct that it was too much of a knee-jerk reaction, born I suppose of disappointment at the result and performance. You're wide of the mark in your comments about 'bitching' and 'waiting for an opportunity to stick the knife in (again)' in my case at least, but I do agree with you and Alex that it would be pointless to keep referring to the loss of Duncan and Munro, as we need to move on.

However, in trying to put together some sort of match report for this first game, I do think it's going to be necessary to weigh up what we have lost - with reference to all the departed players - against what we appear to have gained on first impressions of the new players. Briefly, as I will need to develop this in more detail later anyway, what concerned me most yesterday was that we appear to have lost a few players who are capable of reading the game and anticipating opponents' moves. Duncan, Munro and Rooney were all particularly strong in this area and thus tended to be in the right place at the right time more often than not. This is why I'd always preferred Duncan to Cox as deep-lying cover for the back four, although I suspect that once he has recovered, this is where Cox will be played. I thought Aldred, despite his undoubted strengths, looked a little prone to be pulled out of position - he reminded me a little of Bulvitis in this respect. Tade, too, didn't always seem sure of where he should be - there was no doubt about his hard work and the amount of running he did, but it did look a little aimless at times. Hopefully, however, this was down to over-enthusiasm and as the team gels and the new players settle into the SPL, their abilities to read the game will emerge and they will hold position better - it was, as several people have correctly pointed out, just the first game of a long season.

Tansey, incidentally, looks an excellent signing - with his vision and range of passing he might be a replacement for Ian Black, a player we have missed badly IMHO.

My comments weren't aimed at any one person.

My "knee-jerk" observation was just that...we all do it and that's par for the course when following football. In the past people got these things out of their system in the pub or whatever and by the time they reached a computer they had calmed a little and had others opinions to reflect on before making "public" comment. With the internet being so readily available and taking over from pub talk then these conversations now happen online for more often...something people need to bare in mind also before getting "upset" about forum talk/chat.

With regards my comment on bitching about Munro and Duncan...I was waiting for it and had said to people that it would happen, I could probably have even written a list of those who would have been first in there. Of course people are going to want to "compare and contrast" and I like that kind of conversation. We've had many players over the years who have set benchmarks for what we, as fans, expect from their replacements. Robson, Wilson, Wyness, Mann (to name but 4)...and now Munro. All names that come up regularly in an "are they as good as these guys" type discussion. I see no problem with that and in a sense it honours the contribution these guys have made over they years. What doesn't honour these guys is when they are used as nothing more than a beating stick when having a go at the club/manager just because a person disagrees with something.

[absent friend]

I see many comments on Proctor as the 'problem puppy' at the back but having watched the highlights and I accept the highlights ONLY ... number 20 is the player who appears too timid to throw himself into the tackle.

Aldred may be new but he needs to show willing and get stuck in for the team. In Rossco we have a player who at times we wish would be less hasty to get stuck in but I hope Aldred is not going to be a player that stands aside and lets the forwards do their best!

The Game?? We were beaten by a team with lots of speed, appetite and control, with a plan that worked.

ICT?? Reserve judgement.. but some signs were OK.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I see many comments on Proctor as the 'problem puppy' at the back but having watched the highlights and I accept the highlights ONLY ... number 20 is the player who appears too timid to throw himself into the tackle.

Aldred may be new but he needs to show willing and get stuck in for the team. In Rossco we have a player who at times we wish would be less hasty to get stuck in but I hope Aldred is not going to be a player that stands aside and lets the forwards do their best!

The Game?? We were beaten by a team with lots of speed, appetite and control, with a plan that worked.

ICT?? Reserve judgement.. but some signs were OK.

Proctor is always keen enuff and can get stuck in - I am afraid that his achilles heel is that - in the three games I have seen this season - he is prone to lack of concentration or control and being a rite back we lose goals becos of it.

I have actually been quite impressed by Aldred and I feel that he is only too willing to get stuck in - Thomas the Tank will be OK as long as he has a Fat Controller either beside - or preferably just in front of him. I cant believe how square our central defence was.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Based on the highlights only I must admit that ICT never seemed to be at the races. The ICT defense refused to get in a tackle, weak or crunching, and watching them going backwards instead of forwards was a real eye opener.If the defense is standing still what do you think is going to happen as the other team's forward comes towards you--is he going to stop and say "after you Claude"? In short Motherwell seemed to be given lots of space and time to run, maneuvre and get into a position where they could take shots.

The overriding impression I got was of a bit of chaos, poor communication and a lack of leadership. Some of these players seemed totally confused and did not seem to understand where to go or position themselves and this resulted in groups of blue shirted lads all bunching in the same area. The lack of disciplined older , experienced players showed I fear.

I also have concern about what appeared to be a lack of passion ! This is not a team made up of local lads and IMHO the bulk of the players don't feel the urgency that will be needed in the SPL. Hope they get the message and so doe sTerry. Why?---- Frankly ,they are just too young.

I simply don't think you can build a solid house on shifting sand and the stability that would have been given to the team by the retention of some

of the older players that Terry let go was absent.

Is it a shambles? Well, we only have the highlights to view yet but he has his work cut out to get this team to gel so good luck Terry. Hope your big gamble can be achieved.