Motherwell preview & matchday thread

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Motherwell have gone top with that win

[hislopsoffsideagain]

Since we beat Hearts in January, we have won three out of nineteen league matches (one of which was against a second string Hibs side). In that period we have conceded 43 goals. On four occasions we have conceded four goals; twice we have conceded three.

You have to admit, plenty of clubs have sacked managers following runs of form as bad as this, have they not?

I'm sorry, but this now feels like September 2008, when Brewster's ICT side couldn't buy a win. And we all know what happened then...

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Butcher back to his old trick of making intelligent 90th minute substitutions, I see.

Never mind eh! One of the happy clappers will be on here soon saying we're only one good win away from 6th spot!

[lukemackay]

Don't understand football. Dominated the game create so much more chances than them but lose 4-1?

At 2-1 Motherwell should've been down to ten men, foran was clean through, and got taken out. Some wonder saves from Randolph stopped us getting 3 or 4 goals

I'm bewildered.

[Fanoffooty]

When is Chris Hogg back ? our defence sounds desperate !

[Pele_Is_God]

Our defence is **** luke, the stats prove that. Surely you can see that no?

[Renegade]

Where's that panic button gone? I think I'll give that a wee push.....

[Hiro]

Where's that panic button gone? I think I'll give that a wee push.....

No need, I've been pushing it from about 4:30pm today......

[RiG]

our dreams for top 6 is now over for this season looks like it be the bottom 3

I really hope no one thought we had any chance of making top six this year.

[Donview]

Just back from Inverness where I caught up with the 'Courier' sport. Usual Butcher tripe and the headline was 'critics will eat their words'. This was a direct reference to HIS team responding to the embarrassing humping from Celtic. Over to you Butcher for this weeks excuses!?!?!

[ICTGAZ]

Long old season, two hammerings in quick succession, releagtion fight, defence is a joke

Rant rant rant

[ForzaCaley]

Ok, calm down dears

We have two weeks to regroup and sort this mess out.

If we find ourselves getting thumped up till county game then I'll push the panic button. If there's any repeat of march 2003 in the derby then ill make sure butcher eats the panic button! But I can't see it happening, butcher will spend these next two weeks gruelling them and they'll be ready for dons, BELIEVE!!!!

Also, say Butcher left tomorrow. Who would have the right Pedigree to take over this squad? (If anyone says john robertson they'll get a virtual slap in the balls)

Terrys here to stay and I Believe he'll get it sorted!!!

We are Caley, Super Caley :D

[alternative maryhill]

For the neutral that was probably a cracking game to watch. We had a lot of possession and played some nice stuff in midfield, but there were too many wrong decisions in the final quarter. We did have quite a few chances, although I'd still say Motherwell had more, and obviously they were much more clinical than us. The fourth goal was an absolute beauty, but or the others, the ICT defending was calamitous, especially Raven for the third. Humphrey tore Shinnie apart all afternoon on the other side too. All the same, if Gary Warren's overhead kick hadn't been saved, if Andrew Shinnie had scored his penalty, then we might have had a very exciting finish.

I still maintain we're playing much more attractive football than last year, but after the defensive displays of the last two weeks, people ate entirely justified in feeling worried about the season ahead. It'll be interesting to see how Butcher responds to this.

[Ronaldo]

beginning to loose faith, will settle for 11th place

[The Mantis]

Raven's blunder turned the match. We were well in it till then. As Mary says, dubious decision when Foran was hacked down at 2-1.

Defending was shocking though.

[ictchris]

I quite enjoyed that match in a bizarre way. We lined up with Foran up front for McKay and Meekings slotting into the back four in place of King. Straight from kick off we won the ball and pushed forward with some decent play and for the next five minutes most of the play was ours. Ross Draper hit a low shot just wide and it looked like it might be an enjoyable game. Well started to push back into the game and forced a succession of corners which we looked a bit shaky at, Hately has great delivery from dead balls and Higdon is always a handful. Following two or three corners, Hately whipped one in and Ryan couldn't keep it out at his near post. He'll be absolutely gutted about it, there really isn't an excuse for not getting that ball. Almost straight from the kick off Well were two up as Humphrey, who was lively all day, tore down the left and evaded two lunging, desperate tackles from ShinnieG and Draper, centred for Higdon who took advantage of the space in the area to knock it home.

It was absolutely gutting at this point, we looked on the end of a real hammering. However, we started to push back into it and had the ball in the net when Richie nodded the ball to the back-post for Sutherland to knock in, although this was then ruled out for an infringement on Foran's part. Being at the other end of the ground I didn't really have a great view but there didn't look to be that much in it. Foran then chased back, won the ball out wide and tore in on goal but his effort was blocked. We had pushed right back into the game and deserved the goal that came just afterwards. A corner was knocked clear to Owain Tudur Jones, who lobbed it to the back post where Foran headed in. We probably looked more likely to score at this point and Foran was played in by a long pass from Meekings for a great opportunity. His shot was blocked and he couldn't direct his header from the rebound goalward.

In the second half the game was more end to end with both sides having chances. There were a couple of massive Well shouts for a penalty, one when Meekings (I think) made a tackle in the area (looked decent from our end) and again when a shot hit what the fans and players claimed was a hand. We also had a shout for a penalty when Richie was brought down while bearing in on goal by Mr O'Reilly had no time for it.

Things were nicely poised when David Raven, who had actually been pretty solid today compared to other poor displays, made an absolute howler. We'd had the ball in midfield and Raven received it and tried to roll the ball back to Esson but his short pass was eaten up by Higdon, who knoced it home. It was an absolute sickener, we had fought so hard to get back and to lose a goal like that is hard to take. We continued pushing forward, Shane came close with a header from a Foran cross that his marker did well to put behind for a corner. Subsittute Ojama helped finish us off though, tearing away on a breakaway, beating his man and squaring for Higdon to crack one home for his hat-trick.

We could've cut the deficit almost straight away when Foran was clearly brought down in the box by Page and the ref gave a penalty. Shinnie's spot kick was well saved by Darren Randolph, who had earlier made a stunning diving stop from a Gary Warren overhead kick. I left with a couple of minutes to go as our train was at 1711, not sure much of note happened in injury time.

Overall I feel strangely positive after a 4-1 defeat, which isn't like me. We really did well going forward, although, as AM says we took the wrong option around the opposition goal a few times. Richie Foran was absolutely brilliant today, on another day he could have scored a hat-trick, he worked hard, won everything in the air, played good passes and crosses, fought and harried. An absolutely towering display and we need to keep him up there if we are going to get anything out of this season. The obvious downside is our defending. We looked nervous defending corners and Chris Humphrey was livewire and had the better of Graeme Shinnie a lot fo the game. We just seem to make basic errors too often - a short passback, not dealing properly with a run from wide, letting a corner sneak in. I fear we'll end up repeating the mistakes of last season, chopping and changing at the back. Raven I feel sorry for, he hasn't done that well but was playing OK today until their third goal. Graeme Shinnie was caught a few times by Humphrey and looked uncomfortable against him the whole game. Shinnie is the sort of the full back who dominates his opponent by pushing onto them rather than by dealing with them and that style isn't suited to a guy like Humphrey who is pacey and got time today. In midfield, I think Ross Draper is a great player and had another influential game. Owain Tuduro Jones, cross for the goal aside, is a waste of space. He looks like he can play but he never actually raises his game and takes control fro 90 minutes. The fact he was subbed in a straight swap (for Graeme Morrison who was better) says it all. I thougth Shane and Doran did OK, took a few too many wrong options but were available and looked fluid, espeically Doran who popped up all over. Andy Shinnie had some good touches but had a quieter game than previously.

We need to sort out our defence and it's a big job but watching that today it isn't hopeless.

[old caley girl]

Pleasing to hear that those fans who were there are not too downhearted and see lots of positives with this seasons team.

[CaleyOwl]

It'd be easier if we started games without already being 2-0 down....

[caleydawson]

its good that we can score goals and that but if got 1 maybe 2 decent defenders then we would be a top six team

[jaggy]

With the current set up and tactics, we need 2-4 goals just to draw. Not good.

[qwerty11]

i feel, at times, too many of our players lack concentration and intelligence...experience possibly

[ictchris]

I think a back four of Meekings, King, Warren and Shinnie isn't bad. From what I've seen this season (three games in the flesh on one live on the box) none of those players are completely out of their depth in the SPL. King had an absolute shocker against Celtic but against Hearts and Killie he looked decent. I hope that we don't go back to last season, chopping and changing of the back four with gay abandon.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Well this is going to be a couple of rants !! To begin with this was the first feckin game that I have ever been at stone cold feckin sober and will probably be the last (sober that is !!). I think that Mantis was amused that I had never actually noticed before that there is some slope across the pitch towards the main stand.

Like Chris I actually was quite entertained by the match and I felt that it was a clear improvement on last week. In essence you cant give a team like Muvversmell a two goal start. Then you provide them with a "killer" third and miss a penalty. Will have to see if the highlights matched my eyesight but I could not see what was wrong with the Shane goal although nobody, apart from Foran, complained. It also looked like a stonewall penalty fro Well and a sending off for Shane at 2-1 and then we go up the park and I felt that the ref made ammends when Foran was clearly chopped and the defender would have saw red. But lets face it Muvversmell were the better team but until the third goal it really could have gone either way.

But what really got on my feckin goat was Butcher's after match comments. This is no fishing trip that follows as it is my actual serious perspective becos I felt that Butcher fecked it up today. Seriously have a pop if you dont agree but let me know if you do as well.

1. We could have called this the "Richie Foran Show" as it felt that our main tactic was to hit Foran at every opportunity. Esson aimed everything at him, as were all the free kicks and all the midfield balls. He was probably MOM as he played 60% of all of that well but that tactic nullified Andrew Shinnie, nullified Doran and completely neutralised Shane. When you play somebody like that you need a pacy striker alongside him - a predator / a goalscorer - like McKay (who did more in 9 minutes than most did in 90). Shinnie likes to come from deep with the ball at his feet - Doran needs to pick the ball out wide - and poor Shane looked redundant often standing there on his own being marked by somebody who was a foot smaller than him. When we passed the ball we passed it side to side and mainly backwards. I accept that we should use the Foran tactic but there also has to be a Plan B.

2. Butcher decried the defence for the first goal and Esson did look at fault. But his evident tactical ploy is to leave the front post unattended. Prior to the goal the previous corner had been on our left and Meekings went to stand by the front post and was completely bollicked by Malpas. Need to see the highlights but the same thing happened again at the goal. And after that numerous fans were shouting at the players to cover the near post at ensuing corners and it never was. So okay it may be out of the new coaching manual but I would have thought that it would be a vow of Butcher and Malpas and a team who employs it - as with zonal marking - is always prone to losing goals.

3. He also criticised Shinnie and Draper fer the second goal. It was a clear tactic of Well to play Humphreys wide and use his pace as much as possible, Butcher initially appeared to concentrate on trying to double team Higdon and Humphrey caused mayhem in the first 15-20 minutes. Shinnie was getting no cover as that is not the wont of Doran. He may have dived in but Humphrey duped him with skill and pace. As fer the race between Draper and Humphrey - well lets feckin compare Frank Bruno and Usain Bolt - Draper actually almost got him and pulled out from fouling him. It was early doors and he probably feared a yellow but it would have been admired if he had taken a card fer the team and sent Humphey over the barrier in to the Disabled stand. It was a brilliant piece of wing play and a great cross to finish with and a good finish from Higdon.

4. The error from Raven was simply ludicrous and killed us off - and heads did go down. And despite Foran looking like Andy Murray in New York we continued to try and feed him constantly.

5. Randolph pulled of a "world class" save from a tremendous overhead scissor kick from Warren and, although the penalty was at a good height fer a keeper, it was still a fine save.

I actually thought our central defence played well, Raven was passable until the third goal and Shinnie stuck to the really difficult job of controlling Humphrey. The fourth goal was an error from Andy Shinnie and again it was a great example of a breakaway and another good finish from Higdon.

I felt that we lost this game in the middle of the park and through the tactics employed.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

SMILEYMOMETER :

ESSON :clapping: Apart from the first which was as much due to a questionable defensive tactical ploy he had little chance with the other three.

RAVEN :clapping: As I have alluded to before he is being "proctorised" by the fans and Butcher. His self confidence must be shot. I actually thought that he was solid enuff but is prone to making "bigger" mistakes and the third goal error was a complete shocker but I have seen it before - and as before - any bad pass is picked up by the fans.

MEEKINGS :clapping: I thought that he had a solid enuff game.

WARREN :clapping: :clapping: What a feckin overhead kick !! I thought he did well against Higdon despite the hat trick.

SHINNIE G :clapping: Given a torrid time by Humphrey but I felt that he was isolated for the first 15-20 minutes. More protection thereafter from Warren and Shane.

DORAN :clapping: Is he podgy or wot ? He is as frustrating but not as good as Hayes - but how often was he "ignored" today.

OTJ Two early 40 yard passes were David Becham - esque. Unfortunately thereafter he played like Posh Spice,

DRAPER :clapping: Full of running - again suffered from the overuse of Foran as he rarely could run from deep.

SHANE :clapping: Plenty of effort and did well defensively - but that aint what we want or need. I cannot believe that we never ONCE used him as an alternative out ball. HE IS NOT A FECKIN WIDE MAN.

SHINNIE :clapping: Hugely disappointing but again suffered for the overuse of Foran.

FORAN :clapoverhead: :clapoverhead: MOM and deserves it for the individual effort, movement, aerial prowess, the goal and he never stopped encouraging. but IMHO it detracted from the overall performance.

Got to add - why the feck will few have a feckin shot at goal instead of trying to pass it ??

The boy from Arsenal is a Bob Marley lookalike - lets hope he has us all jamming.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Good post from Well fan (Casagolda) on P&B:

Top of the league, who needs Ryan Stevenson? With 3 teenagers & a 22 year old in our defence and Ojamaa and Murphy on the bench I was concerned going into this one. Yet here we are full time still unbeaten and top of the league, unbelievable given the circumstances.

I actually thought ICT played welll in the first half and certainly didn't deserve to be behind. A corner swung into the near post by Hateley and to be honest I have no idea what happened. A crowd of bodies blocked my view and the next thing I knew everyone was celebrating. Can only assume it was an error by Esson. Then before I'd sat down we were two up, Humphrey sprinting and jumping over several tackles with all the grace of an olympic hurdler before looking up and picking out Higdon for a simple finish. Good move and they combined well for most of the game. We were 2-0 up and we hadn't even started playing in my opinion. ICT were playing quite well and only **** defending had them behind. Randolph kept us infront with some great saves either side of Foran's goal, which was a soft goal to lose.

Second half we were far better for me and missed several good chances to finish ICT. If Lasley's chip from the edge of the box had found the top corner it would have been goal of the season right there. ICT had chances as well but again they shot themselves in the foot, fair play though to Higdon for reading the pass and intercepting it and it was a good finish from a tough angle on his weaker side. The fourth was sublime, great skill and a great pick out by Ojamaa and f**k me Higdon nearly took the net off. What a finish that was and it shows if you play to his strenghts he will score goals. We then gifted a cheap pen but another great save by Randolph kept ICT out. At least 4 top saves from him, and the best keeper in the SPL for me. Top display today.

Encouraging win given the number of youngsters we had out who done themselves proud. Don't think 4-1 was a true reflection of the game as I said Randolph made some top saves where as Esson didn't make one from my recollection. Still you can't defend like ICT did att this level and get away with it, we were clinical today. Kerr was brilliant again for me and you can see why Birmingham snapped him up at 16, looks a top prospect. Like ZFA who I thought done well up and down the left. Humphrey had one of his good games, frustrating still at times but caused plenty of problems and set up several good chances. MOTM has to be Higgy though, always stuck up for the big man and today once again he showed what a top striker he is for us. Three brilliant finishes, the third in particular was sublime.

Good to have a few weeks off and rest some of the walking wounded, also good to be top of the league again. An outstanding effort given the start we've had and credit must go to McCall and the boys.