'WELL SUNGLASSES
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6.40pm

Oh dear.  Well, what can I say about today's 3-0 gubbing at Firhill?  I'm just glad that I paid a pre and post-match visit to The Counting House, as the several jars I had seem to have numbed the pain somewhat.  After last week's encouraging performance against Rangers we took a healthy support through to Glasgow this afternoon, but unfortunately they were rewarded with a performance which was nothing short of abysmal.

A mystifying team selection saw us line up with Cowan, Vaughan, Partridge and Hammell at the back, McFadden, Corrigan(?), Adams and Craig(?) in midfield, with Clarkson and Lehmann upfront.  With both Pearson and Lasley suspended our midfield was already considerably under strength, and I can only assume Scott Leitch was injured. Anyway, whatever Terry Butcher had in mind it clearly didn't work.

There's really very little to say about the game itself as we were absolutely murder, in fact I can't remember the Thistle goalkeeper having a single shot to save during the entire 90 mins.  The home side had all the early play and created a couple of half-chances, however they had to wait until 28 mins before taking the lead, when Alex Burns fired the ball home from a tight angle with Dubourdeau looking none too clever.  Our only efforts at goal during the first half were a couple of long range free-kicks that came nowhere near to troubling Arthur in the Partick goal.

After such a shocking showing in the first-half, the 'Well fans were hoping that Terry Butcher would have gone through his players at half-time and hopefully improve things after the interval, but unfortunately we were treated to more of the same dross.  Thistle had already missed several good chances to increase their lead before Britton look advantage of some comical defending and goalkeeping to make it 2-0 after 68 mins and virtually kill the match as a contest.  At this point, myself and many other 'Well fans had seen enough and decided to leave the ground, and fortunately we missed Britton adding a third in the last minute of the match to make the final score Partick 3, Motherwell 0.

So what went wrong?  After last week's showing many 'Well fans turned up today in confident mood, but the team simply did not play at all and we deserved absolutely nothing from the match.  I can think of utterly no positives to take from today's performance - our strikers were powder puff, the midfield was all over the place and ended up being completely outplayed, and as for our defence, well I'm afraid some of them wouldn't get a game at our 7-asides on a Tuesday night.  It was unbelievable to think that a team at the bottom of the league and in deep relegation trouble could produce such a lethargic display when they should have been fighting tooth and nail for every ball.

At least Dundee Utd also lost this afternoon, which if nothing else sets things up nicely for next Saturday's game at Fir Park.  Apparently the club are cutting admission prices to £8 for adults and £2 for concessions, but if we play anything like we did today then I'm afraid the only thing that is going to save us from relegation is if the SPL refuse Falkirk entry to the league.

Team: Dubourdeau, Cowan, Vaughan, Partridge, Hammell, McFadden, Corrigan, Adams, Craig (Offiong 69), Clarkson, Lehmann.
Subs not used: Woods, Ramsey, McDonald, Kinniburgh

Booked: Craig, Partridge, Lehmann

Attendance: 4,870

Terry Butcher's comments after the game were as follows:
"The last few games of the season are going to be all about scrapping and fighting for everything.  It isn't going to be pretty and we are going to have to turn in some ugly performances.  Thistle are also fighting for their lives so it wasn't just about us. Our confidence has been up and down and to be a Motherwell supporter this must be the most frustrating season ever.  We hit a high and then a low and I don't know if that's down to the players being young, self-belief or what.  But we are going to need a different mental approach for the next few games coming up.  The players have definitely got it, they're good lads but when they have a bad day they really have a bad day.  If we play like that next week then we will lose that game so we have it all to do then.

"I didn't think much of the game today. I wouldn't say I'm disgusted with the players - that's a very strong word - but I'm certainly disappointed.  They are a bunch of really honest guys, they're not cheats, but they let themselves down today.  Especially after last week's game, I expected so much more from them than I got in terms of attitude, effort and will to win. All credit to Thistle because they had that in abundance.  We have been over this course so many times when we do well against the bigger teams and then we're disappointing against the teams at the bottom end of the table. If anyone knows why that is they are welcome to come to Fir Park and tell me."

TB has again hit out at the SPL for their indecision over the relegation issue.  The 'Well boss has 10 players out-of-contract at the end of the season, but says he can't offer them new deals if there is still a chance we can go down:
"I would love to be able to let players know one way or another what is going to happen but I'm just not in a situation to do that.  If Falkirk are not being allowed to come up, then everyone at this club could move forward. As it is, we might not know for certain until May 24. I don't know how the SPL got themselves in this position.  I can't offer anyone anything because relegation would mean me having to cut costs and perhaps sell players.  My hands are tied right now. If we finish bottom then I'm going to have to wait before offering any new contracts.  If I knew for certain we were safe, then things could progress and I could begin building towards next season but I don't know where we will be.  In all my years in the game I can't think of a similar situation."

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