Joe Newell

[B.H.F.C]

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You think we were in control of the game vs st Mirren before having a man advantage? Dundee United we had less than 40% possession, had less shots, that’s certainly not controlling a game. Aberdeen we pumped, no question, Kilmarnock again less possession at home. If you want to watch a team that sits back, defends well, and hits on the counter perfect. I enjoy those results and don’t overly mind the performances, but to evolve from that we need to control the midfield better than them and Newell allows us to do so.

Not in control, but we didn’t have zero control. It was a scrappy game, horrible conditions, not a lot happening. You mentioned narratives earlier in the thread but, of course, you’ll discount the Hamilton red card when assessing the control we had in that game.

Motherwell had less than 40% possession today but who was in control? We battered Aberdeen (your words) with 40% of the ball yet got battered up there having 60% plus possession.

Possession doesn’t win games of football. Newell is a decent player but I don’t see him having the transformational effect on our play that other do. Could pick out plenty games that we won, earlier in the season where we weren’t dominating the ball.

[hibbysam]

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Not in control, but we didn’t have zero control. It was a scrappy game, horrible conditions, not a lot happening. You mentioned narratives earlier in the thread but, of course, you’ll discount the Hamilton red card when assessing the control we had in that game.

Motherwell had less than 40% possession today but who was in control? We battered Aberdeen (your words) with 40% of the ball yet got battered up there having 60% plus possession.

Possession doesn’t win games of football. Newell is a decent player but I don’t see him having the transformational effect on our play that other do. Could pick out plenty games that we won, earlier in the season where we weren’t dominating the ball.

I’m not discounting the Hamilton red card, of course it helped, after 10 minutes it’s hard to tell how 90 minutes would pan out without it. Again I agree that possession doesn’t win games, however long term I don’t want us to simply be a counter attacking side. I want us to be dominant on the ball (especially at home) and Joe Newell allows us to do that. Days like today the whole team were off it and missing huge chances as well as giving soft goals away, I wouldn’t blame today on our midfield, I’d blame our centre forwards and central defenders more than anyone else.

[B.H.F.C]

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I like Newell, he offers us a lot, but we’ve looked a poorer team since he came back into it.

My thoughts also.

[B.H.F.C]

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I’m not discounting the Hamilton red card, of course it helped, after 10 minutes it’s hard to tell how 90 minutes would pan out without it. Again I agree that possession doesn’t win games, however long term I don’t want us to simply be a counter attacking side. I want us to be dominant on the ball (especially at home) and Joe Newell allows us to do that. Days like today the whole team were off it and missing huge chances as well as giving soft goals away, I wouldn’t blame today on our midfield, I’d blame our centre forwards and central defenders more than anyone else.

We’ve been crap at home. It’s fine having this idealistic way of playing but it’s pretty clear, IMO, what way we need to play to get results at home with this set of players and, probably, on that pitch. Although, in the case of the Aberdeen game particularly, I don’t think it was all just about hitting them on the break.

[hibbysam]

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We’ve been crap at home. It’s fine having this idealistic way of playing but it’s pretty clear, IMO, what way we need to play to get results at home with this set of players and, probably, on that pitch. Although, in the case of the Aberdeen game particularly, I don’t think it was all just about hitting them on the break.

Against Aberdeen I felt we were in full control purely as even without the ball we kept them playing in front of us, and they were so slow and static.

We have been crap at home, but majority of our poor results come on the back of a prolonged period of not changing the side and freshening it up and us getting found out IMO. I made the point the other day when folk were saying you don’t change a winning side, but when Doig dropped out it made no sense to play Stevenson as a wing back, so we should’ve freshened up a few other positions such as Porteous/Nisbet coming in. Teams soon suss out how you play and you need to adapt and change to take teams by surprise otherwise it’s easy for them.