SENTINELCELTS

Morning,all.

I’m on review duties today instead of our usual MAHE Monday missive. And I have to say that despite a blistering start, that first half left me distinctly underwhelmed. It all started so well, a first minute goal with Maeda climbing to meet an excellent cross from Big T. And that was as good as it got for a while. 

In fairness to our side, we weren’t getting any favours from the officials on or off the park. In fact,we had two goals ruled marginally offside in the second half, and I remain unconvinced on either. Or on the validity of the Well equaliser, come to that. But it doesn’t alter the fact that, after that quick opener, we really struggled to get much going in that first half. 

To the extent in fact that Motherwell started to look more likely than us, and proved it midway through the first half with a dodgy equaliser. After some CalMac carelessness in midfield, the ball was swung over from the left, which CCV rose to clear. An obvious push in the back made sure that he missed it, and as the ball ricocheted around the goalmouth, Armstrong of Well, who had strongarmed CCV out of the way in the first place, score a debut equaliser for the home side. 

This,I might add, is a guy on loan from Carlisle United. Literally the worst side in the EFL, bottom of Tier 4. Can’t get a game for them but scores against us, and was a handful throughout. Inexcusable. 

We were struggling to do much, although we did create the occasional chance at the other end. And on the half hour mark, Idah struck to put us ahead. A wonderful ball from Maeda on the left, across the six yard box for Idah to give us the lead. It’s almost as though he feels liberated by knowing that he is the current first choice, instead of having to prove himself every week from the bench. 

The second half was a vast improvement from us, and Motherwell barely got a look-in. Shortly after the restart, we had the ball in the net again, Kühn this time. Harshly ruled out by Beaton on VAR. Worse was to come later in the half when Idah had one chopped off in even more debatable circumstances. But even as we searched for that elusive third, I don’t think we were in danger of losing an equaliser. And when Jota arrived late on the scene, all hail the conquering hero, it was almost in the stars. 

Scoring on his third debut, and right in front of our fans. In the last minute of added time too. An iconic image for sure as he raised his arm in salute to the fans, then ran back to restart the game while on the verge of tears. He has had a torrid time since he left us, and we can only hope that his cameo sub appearance and late goal are a sign of things to come. 

We now move on to either Manic Monday or Groundhog Day. Time will tell. In my opinion, we have made a complete mess off this window in much the same way that we so nearly screwed up the summer one. We knew Kyogo was offski, and made no move to secure a replacement before selling him. We knew Taylor wasn’t for signing a new contract any time soon, and that Como were courting Barcelona’s Valle. And that these two factors seriously complicated issues at left back. We also knew that it was unlikely that Arteta would allow Tierney to leave last month-yet no immediate move was made for a left back. 

Nor a hard and mobile defensive mid in the mould of Big Vic. 

I dunno about you folks, but I’m fed up being told how well-run a club we are when we continually screw up on transfers. And when our No 1 target up front is a guy we first looked at 18 months ago-and were quoted €4m-whose value has apparently trebled, I’d say that there are certain people charged with bringing players to the club who should be nowhere near the role. 

There will be more on this particular topic later in the week, but BR must be getting mightily miffed at it all. Or deja-vu all over again to the 2018/19 season. Yep, we won the treble that season. But we had to do it without our manager. Lessons need to be learned from this, lessons that should have been learned six years ago and plenty of times before that too. 

It isn’t sabotage or anything like it. It isn’t trying to win a pissing competition either. It’s sheer incompetence and negligence. From people paid unimaginable sums of money to do one job. Time they started doing it. 

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Above article by BMCUWP