'Well score two but concede five against Celtic

[Footymad]

Motherwell suffered a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Celtic in the lunchtime kick-off at Fir Park. Despite an impressive start and an early lead we ran out of steam and paid the price for some slack play. - External Link

[LawSteelman]

To be honest it wasn't the worst performance from us but we were so, so naive tactically and it was no surprise we lost five goals. The fact that we managed to score.twice gives a slightly misleading look to how that game went, especially as the first was a goalkeeping howler and we offered nothing afterwards in attack. Defensively we were shocking and the midfield lineup was always going to be a disaster. I honestly don't know what Robinson was thinking of lining up against Celtic like that, but I am becoming more and more miffed by the manager as time goes on.

I know it's early days yet, but I am seriously worried for us this season. We were murder last week against Livingston and got away with it and today have been ripped to shreds but in both matches have created nothing and our midfield has been totally overrun. The early signs unfortunately are that Robinson has yet again made a pig's ear of the transfer market and key areas of the side are still drastically short. We do not have a centre forward at the club worthy of the name (Liam Donnelly is our top scorer FFS!) and we still lack creativity. I said it last week and I will say it again, Hylton and Seedorf are not good enough at this level and in the case of Seedorf, he was painfully out of depth today.

[choccy1314]

Charles Dunne will never be a centre half. With a real defence and some steel in midfield Celtic would not have been too clever today. I heard Robinson say that the midfield was not fit enough to last the game. Who trains them and who picks them? Without Turnbull there is no pace or guile.

[LawSteelman]

I didn't hear that interview but that's a worry if the manager is bemoaning the midfield not being fit enough in early August, the second league match of the season and after four league cup games. It's his remit to have the players fit so if they aren't then he's the one that questions should be being asked of.

"Without Turnbull"

Without Turnbull (and Hastie, to a slightly lesser extent) last season we were nothing and only started looking like a football team when he started becoming a regular. Before that we looked clueless and were awful to watch, funnily enough, as we do now that he's out of the side. I don't expect David Turnbull to play another competitive match for us so we can't pin our hopes on his 'return' to save our season yet again. Without him we have no flair in that side and no creativity and nothing coming through the ranks this time around to ease our worries. That and the fact we have no centre forward at the club worthy of the name, something that we have yet again failed to address during a summer transfer window and have recruited three duff midfield/wide players who are totally ineffective at this level, means that we have serious cause for concern for the season ahead.

[firparkUSA]

Perhaps it might be a bit harsh to consider this but having seen the 5 goals against, I say if Carson is fit and capable as he had been before dvt, then Robinson should be thinking about resting Gillespie if he is intent on keeping Carson for the season. Perhaps Gillespie could have done more than he did on the day and perhaps a bit risky to switch with a cup tie, but if that doesn’t go well I might consider switching goalies. How much game time has Carson gotten? 1 game in pre-season?

[texaco cup]

We allowed an average Celtic team back into the game within minutes of us taking the lead,through poor marking and organisation. The second goal we concede also comes from poor organisation and decision making. Dunne should be dropped for a while and Hartley bright back in to a flat back four of Tait, Gallacher, Hartley and Grimshaw . There is no point having wide players putting crosses into the opposition box if you don’t have a centre forward to take advantage of these opportunities, and this already early in the season must be our number one priority. I also thought we looked a very unfit team yesterday with some players dead on their feet around the hour mark which is very worrying. Our next league game is Accies away lose that and we would be 5 points behind them after only three games. Now is the time for Robinson and Lasley to show exactly why they got their contract extensions otherwise it is going to be a long difficult season

[Handsome_Devil]

Not that I don't like a good panic session myself but in November last year we were more than 10 points behind Livi and still finished above them - being five behind Accies, if it happens, is a sign of a poor August for sure but hardly a guarantee for the season ahead.

As for Gilliespie, come on, he was poor yesterday but has been one of our best and most consistent players for months. If he's poor for a while by all means drop him for Carson but he's not going to get chucked under the bus for one game.

[dazlhigh]

Not that I don't like a good panic session myself but in November last year we were more than 10 points behind Livi and still finished above them - being five behind Accies, if it happens, is a sign of a poor August for sure but hardly a guarantee for the season ahead.

As for Gilliespie, come on, he was poor yesterday but has been one of our best and most consistent players for months. If he's poor for a while by all means drop him for Carson but he's not going to get chucked under the bus for one game.

Gillespie had a bad day, but drop him??? We won't be playing Celtic every week, and 'at this level', as the saying goes, I think that our wide players, for example, can trouble most of the teams in our league. We actually had at least ten corners at Livi, but made nothing either of the attacking play which led to them or, with one exception, of the corners themselves. We are short of a 'sniffer' in the box. When the crosses / cutbacks come in there has to be some claret and amber causing a nuisance.

How's the fitness of the guy who scored with the overhead at Gretna?

[sieb1886]

Did anyone actually think we'd get anything from the game? I'd suggest not many. So, as said earlier, points against Smeltic won't do anything for our league position. Gillespie should clearly remain as goalie, we need to get Tait to RB ASAP, Dunne's a liability, bomb-scare and gives me heart attack moments every game! Needs dropped. We so lack a quality forward, and as for Seedorf ... nice name, shame about the ability.

[skippy91]

Seen enough in the first 30 mins yesterday to be confident we will do ok in the games that will make or break our season. Yesterday was not a make or break game but still painful enough to watch the 2nd half performance. Friday night is a season defining game.