Address the midfield

[dasdeid]

We are informed club will address the midfield with a loan/signing next week
Jack Leitch is not the answer, even as cover, and those who hounded Carswell should turn attention to Leitch as much in common - POINTLESS
(He should not wear bright orange boots as only beings attention to himself .. otherwise would go unnoticed)
Forwards were starved and not until introduction of Thomas did we see an improvement.
Thomas should/could have started as Dundee Utd were light in the centre and his skills would have created chances. Disappointing and frustrating defeat but we will improve and hopefully without Leitch.

[Wellup4it]

I would not single out Jack Leitch as the sole reason for our defeat, although I agree he's heading down the Carswell route. Dom Thomas looked promising but his final ball was awful. In truth he flattered to deceive a bit. We need 2 midfielders - one to replace Lasley in a defensive role and one other who can play box to box and provide competition for Pearo.

[steviex]

No one is singling out Leitch merely pointing out hes one of the weaker elements in the team. The midfield is desperately short if Pearsons out or not playing well and Leitch aint the answer. If anything it was the mangers subs that put the nail in our coffin. As ineffective as Leitch was the manager made it worse bringing Clarkson on. What little hold we had in midfield evaporated on the substitution .

Carswell wasnt hounded he was just cack that's why hes an ex player, same as McHugh. Leitchs youth (borderline now) I suspect saved him from the door but we gotta move quicker in realising when players just don't have what it takes. We cant spent 6 seasons trying to work it out as we did with McHugh and 9 seasons with Stevie Woods when it was obvious to a blind man and a dug they were cack in season 1 / 2. Sure we will on occasions make the wrong call but if a player is cack 90% of time the chances are hes basically a cack player. Leitch is almost identical to Carswell in that he ha

[dazlhigh]

We do have a better squad than we had last season, but the midfield without Pearson isn't near as effective. The match arguably turned on the fact that our balls into the six-yard area were booted away; one of theirs was sclaffed into our net by Louis. We did OK, and on other days we'll get goals. And we start off with a bunch of games against four of last season's top six and Hearts away. So far we're not being played off the pitch. Ainsworth is OK for Wednesday, isn't he?

[Wellup4it]

Yes Ainsworth will be available for Wednesday and hopefully we'll have another central midfielder by then too.

[wellowell]

I will give leitch time as still young but feel we were just unlucky today played very well at times and the 1 positive I did take from game was the keepers performance as he looks demanding and also had a few good saves as well

[Handsome_Devil]

Lack of pace is not necessarily fatal for a midfielder but you certainly have to have other attributes to make up for it if you're slow. Leitch hasn't done enough to be written off just yet but nor as he shown enough to suggest he has special promise either. He's probably fine as a squad player to start this year (assuming the new signing does come in, he's effectively fourth choice for two spots remember) - if he's moved a couple of spots up the pecking order by May, give him a new deal, move him on if not.

As a general rule, 20 is not young for the players Motherwell should be looking to bring through and develop. Ideally 17/18 is when the token five-ten minute cameos should be made, 18-19 the first starts and by 20 we should have a good notion if a proper contract to guarantee a few is warranted.

There will always be exceptions (Erwin's injuries for example) and occasionally late bloomers but essentially StevieX is spot on - as part of the (latest!) youth system revamp we need

[wellin]

Thank god someone agrees with me about Dom Thomas. Every time we are in trouble it seems to be call for Dom Thomas. He never made much of an impact when he came on yesterday, he flatters to deceive and lost the ball more often than he got past his opponent and created something. He is only a young lad, he will be a decent player but has a lot to learn. - view external link

[WoodyG]

Agree the midfield needs strengthened. Leitch had faded badly by the time he was replaced and seemed to be well off the pace of the game.

The substitutions unbalanced the team completely and i can't understand what The Barra was trying to achieve.
A point at home isn't the worst result in the world

I sense we will see a lot of games like this where we compete for most of the game but don't get anything from it. It is going to be another tough season.