As has been the case since McCall took the reigns, his assembled side has been greater than the sum of it’s parts. It had to be given that so many top performers left Fir Park last summer to be replaced essentially “like for like”, but not quite. The lack of width in the side at the start of the season was shown up early on, as was the omission of an imposing goalkeeper. Creatively, the team became more patient in lieu of pace, while the forward line’s link up play differed from what had been seen in the past two seasons.
What they did have though, was a determination and grit to see the season right through to the death, keeping the chase for second and the hopes of European football for the sixth time in seven seasons alive. Achieving both of those aims with a highest ever top flight points tally (and a rank rotten goal difference) is yet another remarkable achievement for the Steelmen, and McCall, who seems to have this Moneyball lark down to a tee. Kris Jack writes.
Looking back at the mid-term report card I gave Stuart McCall’s side in January, the B- grade I landed on looked to be perhaps either a few pence over or under being on the money in my assessment. However, with the way that things dramatically unfolded at Pittodrie on the final day, that B- was justified, as Motherwell finished the season as “Best Of The Rest” for the third season running.
With the much maligned cup disappointments the only true blips, and a raft of surgery requiring injuries leading to disappointment for some, the 2013-14 squad has performed magnificently, if not spectacularly to make Motherwell history.
Goalkeepers
Gunnar Neilsen – The next Randolph or Ruddy, he is not. Big things were hoped for the Faroese, given he had spent time on loan at Fir Park in the past. Those big things didn’t really materialise though, as he struggled to oust Lee Hollis as number one in the early stages of the season. On his early appearances, he didn’t instill confidence; uncomfortable in coming for the ball and communicating with his back line. When Hollis picked up an ankle injury in November, Neilsen looked to have found his breakthrough moment, but a 5-0 trouncing by Celtic, where he looked less than capable, saw Dan Twardzik drafted in on loan, such was the lack of faith in Gunnar.
An infamous and literal slip-up at McDiarmid Park didn’t help his case either, meaning Hollis regained his place until injury loomed again. Towards the end of the season, Nielsen did put in some decent performances, most notably making amends against Celtic, brilliantly saving Kris Commons’ penalty. However, once Hollis was fit again, he took the jersey back.
Lee Hollis – As mentioned above, his first season to lay a claim to the number one spot was hampered by injury. There was nothing spectacularly good or bad about his performances this year, meaning there were no stand out moments for him. He still looks too short to be a first choice keeper, but is more than a capable back up. He is far more composed with the ball at his feet than Nielsen, as evidenced by the striker-deceiving step overs he’s fond of, but whether that’s enough to make him first choice next season is up for debate.
Defence
Stevie Hammell – 500+ appearances in claret and amber are reward for the consistency that Hammell has shown in his Fir Park tenure. As he get’s older, the more level headed he becomes and after recovering from the poor positioning that led to Motherwell exiting Europe at the first hurdle, he has been more focused and determined than in past seasons. Scotland recognition, albeit without playing, has probably made this season a career highlight for Hammy and the emotion shown at the final whistle at Pittodrie epitomised what he means to the club and it to him. His work on the left hand side of defence, supporting Shaun Hutchison and Zaine Francis Angol has been heeded by the youngsters, and while it’s not been a vintage season defensively for The Well, Hammy’s veteran ways have remained a constant.
Stephen McManus – After a start to the season that perhaps showed up his rustiness, Mick has eased through the season, if somewhat unspectacularly. An early penchant for putting through his own net, he’s managed to end on a plus one for the season (four for, three against), with a few booming headers at the right end. Probably not his most dominant season defensively (Motherwell’s goals against column being shocking for a team finishing second), but he has clearly enjoyed the challenge, having signed on for another two years at Fir Park. If anything, he’s been another massive influence on…
Shaun Hutchinson – Destined to leave Fir Park in the coming weeks, Hutchinson has had another stand out season, but still has the rawness of an incomplete central defender. However, if he was the complete central defender, he’d not be at Motherwell, as the chaps on SteelmenOnline are found to say often. However, he is at the stage where he needs to move on. Having been coached by Stephen Craigan, then spending last season as the oldest regular head in defence, McManus’s presence this year has again brought him on even further. His performance in the post-split games (Dundee United aside), particularly at Pittodrie, and the taps aff celebrations that came with it, should herald pastures greater than Fir Park for him next season. A great servant and best of the rest finishes in his developmental seasons will see him seen off fondly.
Simon Ramsden – Injuries and subsequent botched surgeries aside, Ramsden could have been a stick on for Motherwell’s player of the year. Having taken Tom Hateley’s right back berth, happy to actually play at right back, the former Bradford man was fantastic in the first half of the season. Pin point balls forward and great tracking ability in defence, he has looked the most assured full back on that side since an emerging Paul Quinn. While Quinn had youthful exuberance and Hateley was made to work at the position, Ramsden’s aged experience shows in the role. Recovering from injury will be his aim for pre-season, so that he can hold down his place ahead of the chasing pack.
Fraser Kerr/ Craig Reid – Kerr and Reid have been and would be the most likely to deputise for Ramsden this season and next, if they are about. Kerr has proven to be a decent utility man, although his fervour in getting forward can detract from his work at the back. He’s probably played more than Stuart McCall intended this year due to Ramsden’s injury, and the addition of Craig Reid to the side in February perhaps shows that there’s not a lot of faith in his abilities to be the only back up. Reid came in and did a job and by and large looked a composed figure. Described as being “not the most talented” by McCall, Reid will go down in Well folklore regardless, thanks to the scrambled second place earning winner at the death. Whether it earns him a permanent contract still remains to be seen, but he wouldn’t be a bad addition to next season’s squad.
Midfield
Zaine Francis-Angol – A break out season for ZFA, there’s still questions over where he is best deployed. McCall has opted to utilise him mainly as a left winger, occasionally deputising for Hammell at left back, but even then, like Kerr, he has a tendency to get himself forward at pace, but not so much in getting back. Consistency has arguably been his greatest adversary this year, where one game he will look like a world beater (setting up Anier for his goal at Tannadice with a beastly run down the left), the next he’ll be anonymous. His decision making at times hasn’t been great, with options in attack and defence being costly early in the season against Aberdeen and Dundee United respectively, but his forward game has improved. He’s found himself in goal scoring positions in the latter half of the season, netting against Celtic in the 3-3 post split game, and has upped his link up game as well. Another season of first team football should see him develop in to a decent SPL winger.
Iain Vigurs – Like Ramsden’s injury, Vigurs’ slow adjustment to McCall’s system probably prevented him from being in the running for the club’s POTY. It took a while to see the craft and creativity that had earned him his move from Ross County, but in the final stretch, he was integral to the Steelmen’s final position. Tagged as being the replacement for Nicky Law, he has the skills but not the speed of the departed Law, but as a lot of the pace was taken away from McCall for this season, that could be said for the whole team. His goals tally probably wasn’t as was hoped, but his strike against Inverness at the Tulloch kept the hopes of second place alive. Will be a massive player for The Well next season, as the role of creator will be firmly on his shoulders now that McFadden has left.
Keith Lasley – After a season where the dynamism of his team mates allowed him to be a little less intense, Lasley had to come to the fore once again this year in lieu of the speed of his colleagues. The Captain’s armband has never fit better on Lasley than it did this season, as he battled every cause that his ever ageing legs could take him to. There’s a reason that the Motherwell fans hold him in such high regard, both on and off the pitch. He’s committed to the club and hasn’t let his passion get in the way of strong performances throughout the season. Like Vigurs, he’d have liked a few more goals, but donning a claret and amber scarf, Rambo style, for his BT Sport interview on the last day showed just why he is Mr Motherwell. Having completed his Testimonial season and with Jack Leitch coming through, he may have about one more season left in him at this level, which will hopefully, and likely, be at Fir Park.
Stuart Carswell – The most improved player at Fir Park over the last 12 months, Carswell has steeled up the midfield alongside Keith Lasley, adopting the position that Steve Jennings enjoyed while in Lanarkshire. (Battling in midfield that is, not his own seat at the bookies… allegedly). Doing the often unnociticed job, breaking up play, recovering possession and mainly getting stuck in, Carswell has recovered well from last year’s team photo incident.
Shockingly overlooked for the Scotland U21s this year, he is lighting the path for the next batch of youngsters like Jack Leitch and Craig Moore to become mainstays in the side going forward. With Lasley getting more handsome, but losing his legs a little, Carswell may be deployed in his captain’s role more often next year, and can be happy to have picked up the club’s young POTY award for showing his capabilities this time around.
Lionel Ainsworth – Arguably the find of the season. Double figures from wide on the right is a great return in any league, but for Ainsworth to come to Scotland, having pinged about in lower league England for most of his career, and apply himself in a way that not many others of his ilk would, shows just what an eye for talent Stuart McCall has. The pace injection the side needed, Ainsworth is an upgrade on former fan favourite Chris Humphrey, and if he signs on for another season and plays to the same level he has shown this year, could get a half decent move back down south.
His goals have been pretty special too, with spectacular strikes against Dundee United and Hibs highlighted in the Top 5 Well goals of the season. With budget cuts looming at Fir Park, holding on to him me be a bit of a struggle, but if he does sign on, he could be key to another high finishing season.
Forwards
Henri Anier – Signed up on a permanent deal after doing well on loan from Viking Stavanger, Henrik Ojamaa’s best pal struggled for form and fitness in the second half of the season. Scoring a late super sub winner on the first day after a few goals in pre season, he was looked at as being the Ojamaa to John Sutton’s Michael Higdon. That kind of partnership didn’t really materialise, but it didn’t stop Anier from becoming a hit with the fans.
A capable and nippy finisher in the first half, his injury problems saw him score just the twice after January. Decent foil for Sutton, more should be expected from him in the 2014/15 term. Staying injury free will be his top priority as he looks to give a better return than his nine goals from thirty three games last year.
James McFadden – It wasn’t a vintage year for Faddy, as like Anier, injuries took their toll on the former Scotland talisman. Being plagued with trips to the physio since leaving Fir Park the first time have limited McFadden from playing on a higher plane of late, but last season saw the mercurial one able to muster up only a handful of decent performances. There’s no doubt that if fit, McFadden would have contributed far more than what he did, but a habit of trying to do too much, like he used to, often left him frustrated.
Granted, he hasn’t been played in his ideal position too much, the 5-1 win over Partick showcasing what he can do through the middle, but it wasn’t a position he was afforded often enough. Having already agreed to leave Fir Park for pastures new, few Well fans will be disheartened that he’s gone, other than those that still harbour their teenage ragers for him. We’ll always have the rat tailed, red striped, post admin days in our hearts.
John Sutton – Big Johnny Handsome. Twenty two goals, which in heat map form would have set fire to penalty spots and six yard boxes up and down the country. Having been treated to the delights of Michael Higdon for the previous two seasons after Sutton’s departure for Hearts after the 2011 Scottish Cup Final, his return was perhaps not greeted as he would have hoped. But just like Higdon, he proved the naysayers wrong by constantly being a pain in the arse for opposing defences. Not the most mobile or lithe of forwards, he’s made a habit of being in the right place at the right time for The Well this season.
Fully deserving of the “Golden Chest” award that STV’s Jamie Borthwick made up for him on last week’s “Best 12 forwards” podcast, Sutton’s return is even more remarkable given that he couldn’t buy a goal or game for Hearts in his time at Tynecastle. His highest ever goals tally in Scotland helped Motherwell to their highest top flight points tally and second spot at the end of the season. A feat that would have been unthinkable as McCall’s rebuild began last June. A mighty fine season, for him, his cheekbones and all involved at Motherwell FC.
The Others
Paul Lawson – Not a great season for the former Ross County man, of whom big things were expected. Unable to find his feet in Stuart McCall’s formations, he may be on his way out of Lanarkshire after such an abject season. Injury hasn’t helped, but he often looked like the proverbial Sticklebrick in a box of Lego, when given the chance to shine.
Craig Moore – After probably the greatest first professional touch that Scottish Football has ever seen (also in the Top 5 Well Goal blog), Moore has pushed for more opportunities to showcase his talents in the latter half of the season. His time at Cowdenbeath last year has toughened him up, and will likely fill the Bob McHugh role for the coming season.
Jack Leitch – His father’s boy, young Jack has taken the promise shown for the U20s and ran with it, getting an extended slot in the side both pre and post split. Fairly small in stature, like his Dad, he has the means to get over with the Well faithful, like his dad, if he continues to show that he can mix it, just like his Dad.
Adam Cummins/Bob McHugh – Both lads were farmed out on loan to facilitate the permy signing of Anier, to contrasting success. Cummins earned himself a Championship winner’s medal with Dundee, while McHugh almost fired Queen Of The South to the Championship/Premiership play off finals. Having both started their season playing in Europe, it’s likely not how they envisaged ending it.
Dan Twardzik – Deserves a special mention for back stopping the side to it’s best run of form, before heading back to Dundee who have now released him. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him back at FP for next year. Unless Jamie MacDonald wants a shot.
To read more from Kris Jack on Motherwell then check out their version of Hot Goal Time Machine: an article reminiscing about favoured strikes from season’s past.
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