Lasley

[capilano_well]

Keen to get opinions of board readers on how to use Lasley now? He is getting a lot slower, running increased risk of late tackles, giving away penalties / fouls etc, so should he be used now for only 30mins or so?

I suppose the question is who do we replace him with, not just in terms of position but also his experience and the captaincy? I was pleased to see McCall take him off yesterday as previously he seemed to be immune from being subbed in the past.

[steviex]

Keen to get opinions of board readers on how to use Lasley now? He is getting a lot slower, running increased risk of late tackles, giving away penalties / fouls etc, so should he be used now for only 30mins or so?

I suppose the question is who do we replace him with, not just in terms of position but also his experience and the captaincy? I was pleased to see McCall take him off yesterday as previously he seemed to be immune from being subbed in the past.

The entire midfield needs a rehink. Carswell is as slow as treacle and can't tackle. Leitch is equally as slow but can tackle. We desperately need pace in the midfield and another ball winner.

[Wellup4it]

Pretty much agree with that Stevie. Leitch has promise but as you say isn't blessed with pace. Lasley was taken off yesterday as he was knackered and couldn't last 90 minutes. Inverness midfielders were outpacing, outfighting, outmuscling and outhinking Lasley and Carswell yesterday. I doubt very much if they'll be earning fortunes.

You're right this critical area of the team needs a complete rethink.

[sieb1886]

Can't agree with only having Lasley on the park for 30 mins; more like 70 mins IMO.
That said, I was gobsmacked he earned a 2 year deal and not just 12 months - what's that all about?!
Carswell ... despite his early promise and potential, I'm afraid he looks to be going backwards now.
Our midfield is pi55 poor and will be over-run all season I reckon.

[director]

We are what we are and there is nothing that can be done.Finacially theres nothing to bring in players. So we have to except what we have and the coaching staff will have io earn their crust by coaching them to improve their game and thats the only we will improve is by hard work at training.

[WoodyG]

I think Lasley is a great club man and will see the season out and go on to coach and be involved with Motherwell.

We are cack so far because, as always we gutted the team of key players for cash and it has always been the way at Motherwell. We just got lucky with a decent manager who will be off to Rangers soon anyway.

BTW I haven't been to a game yet as it remains way overpriced.

[bheron]

We are what we are and there is nothing that can be done.Finacially theres nothing to bring in players. So we have to except what we have and the coaching staff will have io earn their crust by coaching them to improve their game and thats the only we will improve is by hard work at training.

Spot on.

[Wellup4it]

So we have to except what we have and the coaching staff will have to earn their crust by coaching them to improve their game and thats the only we will improve is by hard work at training.

Hard work by itself will achieve nothing. The players have to be managed and deployed according to their talents. Yes individual coaching will help of course, but there is nothing to be gained by being inflexible and applying the same tactics time and again whether they work or not. We are making the same errors time and again and never seem to learn from them.

[firparkloony]

Can't agree with only having Lasley on the park for 30 mins; more like 70 mins IMO.
That said, I was gobsmacked he earned a 2 year deal and not just 12 months - what's that all about?!
Carswell ... despite his early promise and potential, I'm afraid he looks to be going backwards now.
Our midfield is pi55 poor and will be over-run all season I reckon.

I cannot understand all this nonsense about the mid field being rank, apart from McFadden, Who a lot of posts indicated he was "done", and did not play in a lot of matches, the midfield is the same. Lasley was easily 'WELL's best player last season, I don't see him as unable to complete a game through fitness, I just think the team collectively needs to adjust to the fact that other teams are aware of how we play and adjust our tactics accordingly. Additionally I am confident that with a fit Vigurs in the team our attacking options will improve considerably.
'Mon the 'WELL

[Wellup4it]

The midfield is the core, the beating heart of the team if you like. It should protect the defence, including the keeper, and provide support and ammunition for the strikeforce. It is all about balance and mix. It needs to be physically robust, pacy, creative and aggressive. You don't necessarily need all of these qualities in the one individual so long as they complement and balance out for each other.

With the exception of the clearly unfit Lionel Ainsworth, we have no pace there whatsoever. Law, Lasley, Carswell, Leitch and Lawson are all short on speed. Keith Lasley, for example, is about half a yard slower than he was last season and he was never fast. That means that we can't break at speed to support strikers and catch the opposition off guard and we can't close down attackers quickly. These 2 failings were evident for everyone to see on Saturday.

Creativity? On Saturday, we had no one until Iain Vigurs appeared late on. Again Ainsworth is unfit. There was not a sin