As we enter the final stages of a climactic SPFL campaign, there still appears to be question marks over the credentials of Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough. It may even be the case that he will be judged, solely, on whether or not he keeps the Lanarkshire side in the Premiership beyond the current season.
Appointed in December with Motherwell one point from safety and eight points behind Partick Thistle in ninth, Baraclough began his reign with back-to-back victories. Two consecutive clean sheets as well – doubling the club’s shut out record for the season. Subsequently, Well reverted back to pre-Baraclough form, embarking on a sequence of eight matches without victory and finding themselves joint bottom with St Mirren and Ross County.
There was a transfer window in that time. Baraclough required an instant impact from his new signings but saw Nottingham Forest loanee Louis Laing and goalkeeper George Long simply contribute to this woeful run. Marvin Johnson struggled to make much of an impact while Conor Grant merely teased with glimpses of his potential.
Forgiveness can certainly be extended to those who ridiculed what they perceived to be desperate signings of unknowns from the English lower leagues – or Everton youth team, in the case of Grant. Now, each of the aforementioned additions is contributing towards Motherwell’s recent upturn in results.
After a precarious start Laing has improved a previously charitable backline somewhat – evidenced by the reintroduction of Mark O’Brien in Laing’s absence versus Ross County – while goalkeeper Long seems to have put his horror show at Pittodrie behind him and is now showing why Baraclough dropped Motherwell’s top performer this season, Dan Twardzik, in order to accommodate him. Johnson’s pace and directness is now causing problems for opposition defences on a weekly basis and, following a spell amongst the substitutes, Grant is back in the side contributing to goals.
So what has changed in that time? Towards the end of February, Motherwell defeated high-flying Inverness on Scott McDonald’s debut – their first victory since that eight-game barren spell. The Australian then netted in the following two matches and has since taken his total to five – a goal every two games. He has scored in key relegation battles against all three of Motherwell’s closest rivals and has contributed directly to 42% of Motherwell’s 19 goals since his arrival.
Additionally, McDonald appears to have aided in lifting the performances of other key attackers in the Motherwell ranks. The progression of Lee Erwin has accelerated immensely and he, like McDonald, has contributed to 42% of Motherwell’s since the former Celtic striker’s arrival.
The mercurial Lionel Ainsworth has struck his best form of the season over the same period, contributing to almost half of Motherwell’s goals in the previous ten matches. All this has seen Motherwell win five and draw two of those ten.
In fact, put Ross County’s championship-winning form over a two-month period aside and Baraclough’s team would likely be sitting in a comfortable position – at the very least without having to rely on other results. As it is they sit three points (and seven goals, if applicable) from safety, with two opponents still within their grasp.
Of course, McDonald doesn’t deserve all the credit. It is a team game, to state the obvious, and Baraclough has done well in implementing an effective attacking style, knowing he cannot rely on his defence to win them points. All told, Motherwell are now a few signings away from being a decent top-flight side. Unfortunately for Baraclough, all this may count for nothing if he fails to keep them in the Scottish Premiership.
WRITTEN BY CRAIG CAIRNS
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