Dundee disaster -24h on

[Footymad]

Oh dear! This habit of waking up after a Motherwell game with the realisation that we shipped a barrowload of goals has to stop. Will we win again this season? - External Link

[Gowboy]

I try to avoid immediate reactions, so 24 hours is enough to take immediate feelings out of my thinking. The worst aspect of yesterday for me was the complete lack of spirit in that team. There was no hint of togetherness, no sign of helping lift each other's spirits, no cohesion and no sign of organisation. Looking at individuals, it was also depressing. Joe Chalmers just isn't Premiership class. Jules is out of his depth and seems incapable of jumping - he's a young guy and has to learn quickly to use his physique to defend (he actually looked more comfortable going forward). I thought Ben Henegan worked hard and was our best defender and unlucky to be booked. McMillan is a young guy learning his trade. The organisation of the whole defence was non-existent - Haber was completely unmarked fir the fifth goal; unbelievable. Samson does not command his area and flaps at crosses, but is not the worst keeper we have had, but would be a number two, ideally.
Clay has progressed in my view and there is a footballer in there somewhere. Pearson is too patchy - can be great or invisible within any two minutes in the ninety. I'd still have him in the team but get on his case to use his ability more consistently. McHugh steadied the defence and I would stick him beside Henegan in the centre for the next few games. However, he did not show any signs of leadership - I think he was the Captian but only because I think he had the armband. When big Jules scored the o.g. he should have been over at him telling him to get his head up "these thing happen" but McHugh (nor any other experienced player) failed to go near him and Jules' game just went downhill. All the other 4 goals came from the Chalmers/Jules area of the defence.
Cadden now finds two guys on him most times he gets the ball and needs support and maybe to develop a few variations to his game, but is still one of the best youngsters we have had for a while. Moult is a very good striker and works very hard and we are lucky to have him, for now, while Skippy is what he is, but I think he is now thinking of warm sunshine and a cool Fosters.
Then there is the manager. I had no problem with him coming back or of how he left - he went back to where he was a club legend and for more money, so it was a no brainer. I also think the way he handled himself and, more importantly, how he led the club when Phil O'Donnell died was exemplary. However, his behaviour recently has become erratic and it must be having a negative effect on the players. So, as said elsewhere- give him the Killie game but if we get gubbed in that one, then a change is necessary. If he can turn that one round and steady the ship going forward, then change manager in the summer (but not Billy Davies, please).
An awful long post - sorry folks - but I needed to get that out my system.

[texaco cup]

Fully justified long post Gowboy your just saying what the rest of us are feeling.Only thing I would like to know is who is responsible for teaching/showing our defenders how to mark opponents,position them at throw ins and set pieces.Have always played the game when in defence you get goal side of the man your making,This season I have lost count of the goals we have conceded because we are positioned wrongly.Lose to Killie on Saturday and the board cannot justify keeping McGhee in place.

[neillyboy]

24 hours on and I can't believe this tosser (McGhee) is still at Fir Park. Absolutely clueless fud

[dazlhigh]

Fully justified long post Gowboy your just saying what the rest of us are feeling.Only thing I would like to know is who is responsible for teaching/showing our defenders how to mark opponents,position them at throw ins and set pieces.Have always played the game when in defence you get goal side of the man your making,This season I have lost count of the goals we have conceded because we are positioned wrongly.Lose to Killie on Saturday and the board cannot justify keeping McGhee in place.

As a guy in the pie queue said at half - time 'How can we tighten up the defence when we huvnae got a defence' (I've omitted the words beginning with 'f').
We're chucking goals away. Dundee were able to pass the ball around in our penalty area, and they're not Barcelona ; in contrast, their defence regularly put the ball into Knowetop Primary playground (literally) and regrouped. We preferred, too often, to pass it to a Dee player, whereupon it came straight back.
There's a big decision coming for the Board, though I wonder if they might allow one more home game before convening a meeting. That said, even a point on Saturday might delay a decision. Like all the other 'Well fans, I'm just sick at the way things have gone, not least because I really do think that we have enough decent players to keep us up; we just don't seem to have a structured team.
I wouldn't patronise or criticise fellow 'Well fans who feel that enough is enough, and that it's time to do something else on a Saturday, but I'll be at the Killie game. We're in dire straits; my personal feeling is that, despite everything, it's still more helpful to turn up. At least the pies will be good.

[Wellup4it]

In fairness to McGhee our defence (and central midfield) has been poor for some years now. This season however its gotten even worse. If MM stays on there will be no magic bullet and I really can't see things improving much. If we change managers now at least there will be some hope of improvement even its its only remotivating the players.

[markymark]

Big question is at this stage of the season who do we bring in? Who would want to come?

[Handsome_Devil]

You could also - normally - say that if a back four of Chalmers, Jules, Heneghan and McMillan has a complete mare and we got thrashed 5-1 in a one-off then meh, there are few defences in the league which could cope with losing 75% of its starters and replacing them with kids.

That defence is completely undermined by the performance of our first choice back four though - we've been a shambles all season. I don't really see the point in having a go at the four who played on Saturday, it's not their fault they're not good enough in that situation, but it's symptomatic of our entire season.

It's hilariously damning we're now counting the weeks till McManus comes back!

[Handsome_Devil]

Absolutely no idea to either of those questions but when McGhee got the job we had something like 100 applicants...remarkably we are still a draw and will be next time as well. Within that group applying next time, whenever it is, there will be a decent candidates but whether we're capable of finding them is a different matter.

[Wellup4it]

Big question is at this stage of the season who do we bring in? Who would want to come?

IF MM is asked to leave we have 3 options to replace him. 1) Fill the vacancy as we've done before. This would be a thorough exercise and its right to take time but we don't have that many games left for a new man to make his mark (no pun intended) and it could take some weeks. 2) Draft in an old hand quickly and give him a short term deal until the end of the season. This would give the benefit of short term certainty but would he be right for us? 3) Use existing staff eg Robinson, Craigan, Faddy on a short term basis. Would they want to do it? Do they have the qualities required?

Club Directors will know more about the personalities than we do and therefore have better intelligence to make a decision but I go with Option 3 - Stephen Robinson to take the helm temporarily.