This is an excerpt from this week's McGarry on Motherwell, a free Motherwell newsletter written by Graeme McGarry that goes out every Thursday at 6pm. To sign up, click here.
Like all true professional sports journalists, I timed my annual summer leave to coincide with the start of the football season, so apologies for the lack of updates over the past couple of weeks.
What my boss may have seen as gross negligence though, was in fact, in part, a clever ruse to ensure that I could take in Motherwell’s opening game against Rangers as a punter and really enjoy the occasion. And if you had seen me on Sunday morning, you would know that I did.
Like most in the home stands on Saturday evening, I would wager. Jens Berthel Askou’s boys put on a showing, particularly in the second half, that not only surpassed expectations at this early stage in the team’s development, but enthralled the impressive 6000 or so home punters who turned out to see it.
I’m not going to caution against getting carried away, because that’s what being a football fan is all about, and the team gave plenty of reason for ‘Well fans to raise the optimism levels about the new campaign.
There is no getting away from the cliches around St Mirren’s physicality and direct play, and there is no other fanbase in the country who understands just how effective a Stephen Robinson team can be. The challenge in Paisley will therefore be in stark contrast to the one posed by a rather passive Rangers side, who were quite often hesitant and dithering in possession when Motherwell coughed up the ball deep in their own territory.
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Will Askou bend to Scottish football, or will Motherwell fans bend to his will?
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Motherwell 1 Rangers 1: Martin unable to win first league match
St Mirren will be pushing high and looking to quickly exploit the spaces that Motherwell leave in behind. And I often feel this is where the Buddies are done a disservice, because while they may only play when they are high up the pitch, they have the players to do it effectively and can hurt teams with their incisive passing and strong running.
Killian Phillips is a player who has caused problems for Motherwell in the past, and with the style of play Berthel Askou has implemented, theoretically it should play to his strengths. So, while I am all on board with this new, progressive approach, Motherwell will have to be crisper in their passing and more diligent in their defending than they were at times against Rangers, particularly in the first half, if they are to back up that fine start with another impressive result.
All that being said, the flip side of the coin is that if Motherwell can play through the press, as they did almost at will in the second half of the Rangers game, then there should be plenty of space for them to exploit. It’s an intriguing clash of styles, and how refreshing it is to not really know how it is all going to play out.
That uncertainty is, I think, all part of the appeal. This won’t be two teams trying to get the first goal and shut up shop, as we have been all too used to seeing in this league over the years. Motherwell will be going to the SMiSA to win, and to win by playing attractive, attacking football. It may not transpire that way, but who knows? It certainly shouldn’t be dull to watch.
I was encouraged too on Saturday by the way that the crowd seemed to get behind what the team were trying to do. There was still the odd moan, groan and heart palpitation along the way (I overheard one older gentleman go from the brink of a breakdown to the brink of ecstasy all in about three sentences as he berated the players for playing around at the back before lauding them for brilliant play as they came out the other side with the ball, for instance).
But it really felt like the penny had dropped with the vast majority of the crowd that this way of playing can really reap huge rewards if the team stick to their principles.
There are still areas to improve, of course, and the team could be doing with a more natural ball-playing centre-back in my view, as well as some striking reinforcements to help Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, particularly now that Eseosa Sule has been ruled out with a long-term injury.
It’s easy to forget just how long he had gone without competitive football due to his bad luck with injuries last season, and I am more than confident that his goalscoring touch will return when he gets fully up to speed once more. That being said, at least two further forwards to provide competition as well as a bit of respite for him given the yards he is being asked to cover, is a must.
We should in the next few days see a conclusion to the Lennon Miller saga, so hopefully the manager will see at least a little of that money to beef up the squad in these areas.
If so, then whisper it, but Motherwell may just be in for a season to remember.
