ICT -V- Motherwell : Matchday Thread

[ictchris]

Third time in six home games this season we have taken the lead and not won the game.

[Shooter]

It's going to be a long season...... poor result the day! top six......no chance!

[kencar]

Well done to all who attended on such a horrible day but

Oh dear!!

I think it's safe to say that the double substitution McGhee made changed the whole game so I hope Brewster was taking notes!! We were 1-0 up and the only side in it and he obviously needed to do something as that was the worst Motherwell performance I'd seen up here for a long, long time! Will need to see the hi-lights of how they got the equaliser as Porter seemed to have oceans of space and buried the ball clinically.

The free kick from Malcolm was a superb one although it should have never been given in the first place.

For those querying the substitution of Black it looks like he hurt his shoulder again so the swop for McBain can be explained. However, I have no idea why we took Rooney off when Wood was the obvious candidate to get hooked and putting Barrowman on with 2 minutes to go was pointless.

That's 5 defeats in the last 6 games now. Even the most super-optimistic of our fans must realise we are in a relegation dog fight already! Saying that I think we are better than Hamilton & St Mirren

Edited October 25, 2008 by kencar

[Alex MacLeod]

Everyone from fourth place down looks to be in a relegation dogfight at the moment. And even the third placed team got beat at home today by the bottom team.

[dead_ball_specialist]

That was a game we should have won comfortably. But for a moment of madness from rooney (getting in the way of gary wood who was clean through on goal, motherwell going up to score seconds later) and a shocking decision from the referee (decided to give motherwell a free kick right on the edge of our box for absolutly nothing) we would have.

The most frustrating thing about these home defeats is the fact that we're losing by inches (always by a single goal, a single break of the ball) I don't think it'd be unreasonable to say that with a little rub of the green we could have taken 9 points from hamilton, st mirren and motherwell rather than 0.

If we weren't so toothless in front of goal (wood and rooney just aren't doing the business IMHO) we could easily be chalking up scorelines like 4-0 or 5-1 based on the balance of play.

Considering the conditions I don't understand why gary wood was even on the pitch. I lost count of the number of times attacks broke down when he miscontrolled the ball. And what the heck was brewster thinking about with his substitutions? Waiting until there were 5 minutes to go to take on barrowman, hooking black who'd adapted to the conditions better than anyone, rather than the completely anonymous cowie, and taking on vigurs on the right wing instead of barry wilson. Absolute madness.

Although the result was a disaster, the performance probably doesn't merit doom and gloom although I expect some of the more excitable posters on here will start beating the 'we looked like relegatin fodder', 'brewster must go' drums. There were plenty of positives to take from the game, particulary that Duff and Munro look like a good partnership. I can't think of too many poor individual performances apart from wood and cowie. One more moan, I can't help but wonder how much of a difference Dennis Wyness would have made to our season if he'd still been here, especially our home results.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Before I launch into a major offensive - where did Brew play Cowie and Imrie ? Where did Vigurs and Royster go into?Did he go 4-5-1 with the subs ? Did he push Cowie or Imrie forward ? How did Rosscoe and Hastings fare ? Please tell me that Barrowman had more than 2 minutes ?

And as ICT Chris - a man who has a bit of feckin sense says - that is the third time we have thrown away a game this season.

Will I be 50% tomorrow ?

[RednBlackComeback]

3 points thrown away.

Unbelievable substitutions.

After the wee glimmer of hope of last weeks performance, normal service has been resumed !!

:thumb04: :018: ;)

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

That was a game we should have won comfortably. But for a moment of madness from rooney (getting in the way of gary wood who was clean through on goal, motherwell going up to score seconds later) and a shocking decision from the referee (decided to give motherwell a free kick right on the edge of our box for absolutly nothing) we would have.

The most frustrating thing about these home defeats is the fact that we're losing by inches (always by a single goal, a single break of the ball) I don't think it'd be unreasonable to say that with a little rub of the green we could have taken 9 points from hamilton, st mirren and motherwell rather than 0.

If we weren't so toothless in front of goal (wood and rooney just aren't doing the business IMHO) we could easily be chalking up scorelines like 4-0 or 5-1 based on the balance of play.

Considering the conditions I don't understand why gary wood was even on the pitch. I lost count of the number of times attacks broke down when he miscontrolled the ball. And what the heck was brewster thinking about with his substitutions? Waiting until there were 5 minutes to go to take on barrowman, hooking black who'd adapted to the conditions better than anyone, rather than the completely anonymous cowie, and taking on vigurs on the right wing instead of barry wilson. Absolute madness.

Although the result was a disaster, the performance probably doesn't merit doom and gloom although I expect some of the more excitable posters on here will start beating the 'we looked like relegatin fodder', 'brewster must go' drums. There were plenty of positives to take from the game, particulary that Duff and Munro look like a good partnership. I can't think of too many poor individual performances apart from wood and cowie. One more moan, I can't help but wonder how much of a difference Dennis Wyness would have made to our season if he'd still been here, especially our home results.

Crossed posts there - but Brew is clearly becoming MORE tactically inept and losing us games - we look like relegation fodder cos we are not beating teams that we should be - that is becos of the choice of players to start and where ya play them - you **** that up and ya lose the dressing room. Shure there are positives but what is the point when the negatives outweigh them and the average fan on the street can see what is going on but the manager cant ?

[caley1980]

Very weak defence, and the most inexperienced forward line in the SPL, We were always going to struggle this season

Will we have any money to change things in the Jan window AND would you trust our Manager with the cash ?

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Saying that I think we are better than Hamilton & St Mirren

Saying that Hamilton and St Mirren think that they are better than that - and they have both beaten us at home.

[FortressICT]

Disgusting game, disgusting weather, disgusting ICT performance, disgusting subs by Brewster, disgusting support, disgusting football on show and disgusting prices for the match.

Both times were very poor, we had a decent 15mins straight after HT, but again Brewsters subs let us down but also his starting line up! The man doesn't have a clue!!

Relegation battle here we come!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Very weak defence, and the most inexperienced forward line in the SPL, We were always going to struggle this season

Will we have any money to change things in the Jan window AND would you trust our Manager with the cash ?

Ask Alan Savage, Orion and Marius Niculae - they duped our Board - we have **** all funds - but we have the players to survive if they are managed,led and played correctly. We need the "togetherness" - we can restore it but it needs a winter cull not a January spend.

[davieB]

It's quite hard to work out how we lost that game. We were very comfortable in the first half, and should have gone in ahead.

We started the second half very brightly and Rooney took his chance superbly. We had another great chance straight after that, but Rooney and Wood got in each others way......and then it was all downhill.

Motherwell certainly picked up when they made the changes, but we helped them out by sitting so deep it was almost inevitable they'd draw level.

I've no idea why Rooney was taken off either, Wood was awful today, and seemed the obvious choice for replacing. The other subs were fine, Blackie looked like he'd injured his shoulder, and Duncan was just mince.

We seem very wasteful/hesitant in front of goal in every game. Rooney looks the only one of our strikers capable of getting us a few goals at the moment so Brewster should just stop messing about with our attacking options, and just play Rooney on his own, or Rooney +1.

Disappointing result today, we should've won. I'm getting a wee bit concerned that these kind of results could come back to haunt us at the end of the season. Then again, if we were playing ***** I'd be more worried, but I don't actually think we're playing that badly. We seem to have a habit of switching off for periods during games though, and we're getting punished for this.

[kencar]

I think the most annoying/frustrating thing about today was that on the whole we were the better team.

4-4-2 suits us at home and everyone started in there preferred position for once.

It's not as if anyone played particularly badly either and yet we come away with nothing - again!!

Unfortunately for us the Motherwells managers substitutions were just better than ours although like I said earlier he can be forgiven for the Black - McBain swop as Ian was injured

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Disgusting game, disgusting weather, disgusting ICT performance, disgusting subs by Brewster, disgusting support, disgusting football on show and disgusting prices for the match.

Both times were very poor, we had a decent 15mins straight after HT, but again Brewsters subs let us down but also his starting line up! The man doesn't have a clue!!

Relegation battle here we come!

NOT if we get rid of the top quickly and we hit a loan forward fer a few months - and splash the cash to survive. I am available to take on the mantle for the Bairns game - I couldnt do much feckin worse - drunk or feckin sober.

I think the most annoying/frustrating thing about today was that on the whole we were the better team.

4-4-2 suits us at home and everyone started in there preferred position for once.

It's not as if anyone played particularly badly either and yet we come away with nothing - again!!

Unfortunately for us the Motherwells managers substitutions were just better than ours although like I said earlier he can be forgiven for the Black - McBain swop as Ian was injured

DOH - playmaker injured - Royster ? - eh - swap Cowie - or Wilson ??

It's quite hard to work out how we lost that game. We were very comfortable in the first half, and should have gone in ahead.

We started the second half very brightly and Rooney took his chance superbly. We had another great chance straight after that, but Rooney and Wood got in each others way......and then it was all downhill.

Motherwell certainly picked up when they made the changes, but we helped them out by sitting so deep it was almost inevitable they'd draw level.

I've no idea why Rooney was taken off either, Wood was awful today, and seemed the obvious choice for replacing. The other subs were fine, Blackie looked like he'd injured his shoulder, and Duncan was just mince.

We seem very wasteful/hesitant in front of goal in every game. Rooney looks the only one of our strikers capable of getting us a few goals at the moment so Brewster should just stop messing about with our attacking options, and just play Rooney on his own, or Rooney +1.

Disappointing result today, we should've won. I'm getting a wee bit concerned that these kind of results could come back to haunt us at the end of the season. Then again, if we were playing ***** I'd be more worried, but I don't actually think we're playing that badly. We seem to have a habit of switching off for periods during games though, and we're getting punished for this.

Well you usually make sense and try to remain positive - so why is Brew persevering with Wood ??? Why do we play deep - at home - when we have the momentum ? Yet another poster - like me - who thinks taht we are as good as ost of the rest - but thinks that we suffer from tactical and selection ineptness ?

[caley1980]

We can't see a game out, and never look like keeping a clean sheet!

I laugh when other teams say in the media Inverness is a difficult place to play!

5 league wins in 10 months would suggest If I was opposition manager I couldn't wait for the next trip up the A9

[Alex MacLeod]

Perhaps we could bring in a couple of these stars

[davieB]

Well you usually make sense and try to remain positive - so why is Brew persevering with Wood ??? Why do we play deep - at home - when we have the momentum ? Yet another poster - like me - who thinks taht we are as good as ost of the rest - but thinks that we suffer from tactical and selection ineptness ?

I thought Wood played well last week, so wasn't that surprised Brewster stuck with him today. Unfortunately he just didn't do it, and while I think he has far more potential than Rory does, I think he should be being used a lot more sparingly than he is at the moment.

I think what confuses most is the substitutions themselves. Everyone could see Wood was having a stinker today, yet he's the one that stays on. It's the same with a lot of Brewsters substitutions this year (Blackie at Hearts etc), in that, whereas the criticism used to be he left his substitutions far too late, he now just makes some completely baffling changes which make no sense at all.

I can't put my finger on why we're not getting the results as we're certainly no worse than anyone else I've seen this season. Infact, we've played some really nice stuff at times. We do seem very frail at the back, and keep making stupid mistakes and gifting teams goals. But even in saying that, thats quite hard to work out too....as you wouldn't really say any of the defence has been particularly bad this season.

I've no idea why it's going wrong to be honest, as I said, if we were mince it'd be easy to understand, but we're not.

One thing I do think we're really missing though is a Dargo like striker (or Dargo himself!!), someone with pace and someone who takes their chances!!

[ictchris]

What's interesting is that we aren't obviously falling well short in any particular area. We haven't conceded more than two goals in any game, we haven't lost by more than one goal, our defence is either as good as or better than half the leagues and we outwith the Old Firm only two sides have scored more goals than us.

I think the problem is that while we don't obviously fail anywhere we don't seem to have the fortitude to grind out results. We haven't been ouclassed in any of our matches this season (except for periods in the game at Tannadice where United were clearly superior) yet we have lost six out of ten league matches. We have a younger squad than at any stage since we've been in the SPL - from today's squad six were 24 or under (Duff, Black, Barrowman, Rooney, Vigurs and Wood) and we have more youngsters involved regularly in the first team than at any other time since we were elected to the SFL. Add to this the fact that we have players older than the guys above who don't have a great deal of experience uin the SPL (Imrie, Fraser and Cowie for example) and we have a situation were we need real leaders in the squad. Guys like Russell Duncan, Grant Munro, Roy McBain and Phil McGuire need to start dragging our players to the next level. From what I have seen in away games we don't lack talent.

Regarding substitutions I think they are severely over analysed on this board. It's easy to say 'if player a came on at time b then we would have had result c' but football rarely works like that. For example, when Brewster pulled Blackie off at Tynecastle (steady) everyone went apeshit - if Black had stayed on we wouldn't have been any more likely to win that football match.

If you want to analyse substitutions then I think there's a better case for Brewster using substitutes very well this season - against Falkirk away we won with goals created and scored by substitutes that Brewster brought on, against Morton in the cup both goals that took us through were set up by substitutes that Brewster brought on, against Dundee Utd the introduction of Barry Wilson and Adam Rooney saw us come right back into contention for a result were it not for a linesmans flag we'd have got a point and against Celtic Rooney set up a goal within five minutes of coming on as a substitute.

[davieB]

I'd agree his substitutions have, in the main, been good this season, in comparison to the first time he was here. And, in general, it's been the players playing crap that have been hooked. But he has made some very odd choices as well.

I think most people can see that we're certainly no worse than the rest in the league, but we're falling short too often, and often when we shouldn't be. As I said, if we were clearly worse than the rest then it'd be easy to pick the faults, but we're not.

[caley100]

What a load of bollocks Chris! talk about looking through a pair of Brewster coloured glasses!

We were crap today, CRAP

Cowie gets a start when he is consistantly poor, Wood plays when he is average at best (marginaly better than Rory),

We chase the game and he takes off Rooney and puts on Vigurs?????????

Sad.....

[AJS]

Everyone was pritty average today , hats of to Rooney for taking his goal so well.

But what was Brew thinking with the subs. Black and Rooney off for McBain and Vigurs...thats pathetic. And it takes him till about 3 minutes before the end to bring on Barrowman. And he left on Wood who had a pritty poor game by SPL standards, and Woods mix up with Rooney before Motherwell equalised, what a joke! Imrie as well...totally different from last week.

Again it was the same story where we build up fairly well in midfield and then when we get to the final 3rd we run out of ideas or don't have the quality to create the chances....set pieces were well wasted again today as well...whereas Motherwell get one promising one and take 3 points with it.

I think we are perhaps lacking some SPL experience up front and on thw wings and thats something i think that needs corrected...i also think Djebi-Zadi should be given a chance as Hastings had yet another poor game.

[ictchris]

What a load of bollocks Chris! talk about looking through a pair of Brewster coloured glasses!

We were crap today, CRAP

Cowie gets a start when he is consistantly poor, Wood plays when he is average at best (marginaly better than Rory),

We chase the game and he takes off Rooney and puts on Vigurs?????????

Sad.....

I didn't see the game today, you'll notice that my post doesn't actually refer to today's game in any way, just to general points over a season.

Cowie had a good game last week, he is also a goal threat from midfield and a threat from set pieces. Wood is far better than Rory - again he had a good game last weekend.

I presume when Rooney came off Imrie pushed up alongside Wood and Vigurs slotted in for Imrie?

[FortressICT]

Cowie had a good game last week, he is also a goal threat from midfield and a threat from set pieces.

Everytime there is a free kick in a decent position for Cowie to take it, imrie jumps in and takes it and always misses the target! Cowie is a much better free kick taker and finisher, Imrie is just poor and a liability for getting sent off all the time. Imrie should be on the bench at the most! But Brewster is to scared to do that, cause he'll run straight to the press like he did a few weeks ago when he got left out!

Edited October 25, 2008 by roscoe23

[ictchris]

Cowie had a good game last week, he is also a goal threat from midfield and a threat from set pieces.

Everytime there is a free kick in a decent position for Cowie to take it, imrie jumps in and takes it and always misses the target! Cowie is a much better free kick taker and finisher, Imrie is just poor and a liability for getting sent off all the time. Imrie should be on the bench at the most! But Brewster is to scared to do that, cause he'll run straight to the press like he did a few weeks ago when he got left out!

Imrie's only been booked four times since he signed for us and the only time he's come close to being sent off is last week when I thought he committed quite a few fouls. Of course, he was also probably our best player last week, maybe he needs to kick a few more opponents.

I like Imrie - he is a bit of a rough diamond but he gives us a bit of pace, persistance and drive down either flank. I doubt anyone cares that he spoke to the press saying he was pissed off to be left out.

edited to remove a word from one of the quotes Chris (AM)

Edited October 25, 2008 by Alex MacLeod