Matchday Thread Motherwell -V- ICT

[davie]

We look so tired yesterday, and Motherwell looked loads fresher not having a midweek game. The first half was the best showing we've had this year against Well (which ain't, I admit, saying much) who looked every inch a second place side. We played some neat stuff, and Shinnie's goal ? Should have stood really. Their second goal killed the game stone dead, and for about 15 minutes our heads went down and we lost a lot of coherence. Thought that Shane and Phil Roberts looked ineffective when they came on, but that was probably due to us having to chase the game whilst Well were already home, dry and knew it. I think that Butcher put Draper out wide because it provided an out ball for Esson because Ross, McKay and Shinnie were winning nothing in the air down the middle.

As for Roberts, his style of play looks what the papers would call "languid" if it works and "lackadaisical" if it doesn't. To suggest that the guy is getting a game when he doesn't care or try is stretching it. So is suggesting his personal popularity has any bearing on it. Do you like everyone that you work with? One thing is certain - if he was the complete player, he would still be at arsenal. He isn't and that tells it's own story - he's lightweight and inexperienced and looked it yesterday.

Still third.

[alternative maryhill]

Our most worrying performance to date, yet for a while it seemed to promise a lot. I thought the first half hour was the best we have played against Motherwell this season, and in fact among the best football we have played in any game, but as has been the case in a lot of recent games, we just seemed a little too tentative around the box - a few too many touches taken, or players looking reluctant to go in where it hurts. As soon as Motherwell scored, though, it seemed you could see the fear creeping into the players and the midfield ceded more control of the ball, although we still competed fairly well until half time.

There was a rather bemusing tactical switch at the start of the second half, with Draper moved to wide right: if there needed to be any sort of change, it was upfront rather than across the middle, imo, and the players didn't look comfortable with it at all. We had one very promising move early on which ended with Ross scooping his shot just over, and had that gone in then perhaps we might have seen a very different second half, but as soon as the second Motherwell goal went in the heads just went down completely. Any remaining fluency went out of our play when we did have the ball - the players looked as if they couldn't wait to get rid of it - and we were bullied off it far too easily. This is one of the reasons why the introduction of Roberts to the game was so baffling - whatever qualities he does have, strength on the ball isn't one of them, and he looked very lightweight. In the end, we were probably lucky it wasn't more than three.

In contrast to the previous games against Motherwell, where they just looked to have our number from the start, we actually looked like we could match up to them quite successfully for most of the first half, but in the second we made it far, far too easy for them. I don't really buy Butcher's 'fatigued' argument - or if that really is the case, then it's even more alarming, as we've not played any more games than any of our rivals. Rather, it looked like confidence, finally, had just deserted the whole team rather than just affecting the forward players. I do admire Butcher for persisting with the commitment to an attractive passing game - he said it would come good after our slow start to the season and was proved correct, so maybe he sees no reason why it shouldn't come good again - but after yesterday's performance, and if he does really believe what he says about the players being tired, then maybe now is the time to change it, particularly as we face Hearts, a team that has already proven it can outmuscle us, next. If Foran is fit, I'd be inclined to play him (hopefully just as a short-term fix) as a striker to try to add greater power and nuisance value in the box; maybe also give Shane Sutherland more game time too, as he is pretty tenacious in possession although not as skilful as some of our more regular starters.

In the past Butcher has proven that one of his strengths as a manager is the courage to make changes when something isn't working, and while the regular line-up has served him incredibly well this season, I don't think it would be a knee-jerk reaction, after a series of quite toothless performances, to rest two or three players and try something slightly different now.

[PaderbornCaley]

I watched it twice on Alba

I hope your feeling ok today! ;)

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

I watched it live in the pub and thought our defence were ran ragged by Higdon , we simply couldn't handle him and at times it was men against boys .

[Yngwie]

Motherwell are 2nd but I'm not convinced they are that good - perhaps they are just a mediocre team that knows how to play ICT. Take away their 9 points from 9 v us and they are down near the bottom with a negative goal difference.

[Zoid]

Motherwell are 2nd but I'm not convinced they are that good - perhaps they are just a mediocre team that knows how to play ICT. Take away their 9 points from 9 v us and they are down near the bottom with a negative goal difference.

 

Was thinking the same.

[old caley girl]

Motherwell are 2nd but I'm not convinced they are that good - perhaps they are just a mediocre team that knows how to play ICT. Take away their 9 points from 9 v us and they are down near the bottom with a negative goal difference.

 

Was thinking the same.

Can't argue with the stats but they looked a pretty good team to me yesterday!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I may have to aplogise as most peeple posting appear to disagree with my comments and appear to be agreeing more with CD    

 

I actually think that Motherwell are a good side - I have seen all three games this season and they certainly are the best team I have seen. Unfortunately they do appear to always play at their best against us and Higdon always feckin scores. I suspect it is that TB's style is well known to them and McCall is yet another who has sussed us out. Humphrey didnt have as much an impact becos TB did get the tactics rite and did start of by double teaming him with Ross and G.Shinnie.

 

Baffled as well as why Meekings was given the job of marking Higdon instead of Warren. I also note that Andy Shinnie was having a go at the home support but he looked like he was "away" already and performances like that will drive the support away.

 

I also actually initially clapped my hands when he took of McKay and put on Shane and Roberts - and waited for them to go on the heels of the last two defenders and get about them. It looked to me that Shane went left and Roberts went in to a deeper position. I really feel sorry for the guy as his control is getting worse and worse. But I gather that he is maintaining his self confidence though - allegedly !!

[The Mantis]

Let's see how long this comment lasts. The just of the one that got deleted was that IHE wasn't spouting sh1t, Roberts is not liked by the players

And if he wants to grow up and play for arsenal he'll have to learn to take criticism also I feel qualified to criticise him after spending hundreds supporting this team. Water off a duck's back I'd how it should be for Terry or any of the players. Also don't diss IHE's source for criticising Roberts...... His source was three players.

No, the gist of it was that it was abusive. Not content with a post which abused a player twice, you then posted the whole thing in triplicate. It's not difficult to edit/delete your own posts. We did you a favour deleting it for you - it saved everybody else seeing (3times) what a stupid post it was.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

May I add that my post of PATHETIC was not wholly aimed at CD for the personalisation on a MatchdayThread but was aimed at the manner in which the thread was going. I apologise if I have actually inadvertently created an issue here but alcohol and frustration do not mix and I suppose that a potential accusation that I was lying and trying to use the rumour to "enhance" my own reputation on this site angered me and some of the others who bore witness to the discussion that was witnessed.

 

End Of please.

[dead_ball_specialist]

Not sure why Roberts is taking so much flak on this site. The stats speak for themselves. Our results have been better on average when he's been in the starting 11 than when he's been dropped.

[ICTPaisley]

Not sure why Roberts is taking so much flak on this site. The stats speak for themselves. Our results have been better on average when he's been in the starting 11 than when he's been dropped.

Probaby because he hasn't put in a decent shift for around 3 months now.

[lizi]

Just as an aside, I have met the said Philip Roberts outwith football and outwith ICT altogether, and he is an extremely laid-back person, charming, polite, and the comments made herein about him "not being liked" are alien to the young man I met.   I hope he goes on to be an extremely good and well known footballer in the higher leagues of football - go on, Philip, show us all what you can do in the future, away from Inverness and those sour critics.  You have my best wishes.  Liz S

[RiG]

#TeamRoberts

[Renegade]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned already, but there didn't seem to be any police at the game on Saturday and there was no segregation apart from the seating (so much so that upon arrival, I accidentally wandered into the home end!), with both sets of fans using the same pie stalls and toilets etc.  Supposedly this is quite common at Fir Park, unless it's a big game.  I would have thought as well that this'll save Motherwell police costs in the process.

 

Surely this is something ICT should look into in the future?

[+Fraz]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned already, but there didn't seem to be any police at the game on Saturday and there was no segregation apart from the seating (so much so that upon arrival, I accidentally wandered into the home end!), with both sets of fans using the same pie stalls and toilets etc. Supposedly this is quite common at Fir Park, unless it's a big game. I would have thought as well that this'll save Motherwell police costs in the process.

Surely this is something ICT should look into in the future?

I said the same on P&B and apparently yes it is common at Fir Park. My feeling is though that the police up here would have a big hairy fit if that was suggested to them. Perhaps this upcoming single force might actually help us with things like this, dunno.

[Renegade]

IMO the only league games that police would be needed at the TCS would be Celtic and Ross County, and possibly Aberdeen.  Is there really going to be any trouble in games against the likes of St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Dundee etc?

 

Seems like a waste of time and money for the police to be there, to be honest.  

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Shocking - there could be a riot if somebody jumped the queue or bought the last pie or an opposition fan accidentally sprayed wee on anothers leg. And what if ya went for a dump and the ******* before ya used the last piece of toilet roll. It is all a recipe fer disaster.

[FoolPhysio]

Shocking - there could be a riot if somebody jumped the queue or bought the last pie or an opposition fan accidentally sprayed wee on anothers leg. And what if ya went for a dump and the ******* before ya used the last piece of toilet roll. It is all a recipe fer disaster.

You'd be safe enough with most of the away support there - most would be wondering why there is notepaper in the cubical and why you would want to write anything anyway when there is a perfectly good wall to scrawl on. Unless they riot because there isn't a pen provided . . .