Prior to heading into the corresponding fixture with Hearts at this stage last year, Motherwell where riding high in the SPL. Third in the league (a position they’d hold retain right to the end of the season), still in the league cup following wins against Raith Rovers and Hibernian and with new manager Mark McGhee at the helm, things seemed to be going well down in North Lanarkshire.
In a troublesome season that included the death of captain Phil O’Donnell during the 5-3 win against Dundee United in the final game of 2007, and the high-profile cancellation of their game against Celtic (and temporary lodgers Gretna to play some of their games in nearby Livingston) due to a pitch that resembled a World War I battlefield, fuelled by goals from Chris Porter (14), Dave Clarkson (12) and Ross McCormack (8), the side ploughed a steady furrow that saw them hold on to third spot and a valuable UEFA Cup spot. Motherwell finished the season on 60 points, seven ahead of fourth placed Aberdeen (but a massive 26 points behind second placed Rangers).
One year on – almost to the day – the league table tells a very different story. The Steelmen currently lie in 9th place, four points clear from bottom side Inverness Caley and have so far managed only 6 wins, 3 draws and 11 losses – a record that is pretty much a direct opposite to the same statistics last year when McGhee managed to won 11, draw only 2 and losing seven. Losing Ross McCormack over the summer to Cardiff City was a great loss. The young striker became unsettled at the club as manager Mark McGhee seemed to leave to take over the managerial seat at Hearts. A last minute re-think on the steps of the plane to Lithuania made McGhee decide to stay with Motherwell, but by that time McCormack had already left. Poor performances in Europe (a first round UEFA Cup exit at the hands of French minnows Nancy) and the League Cup (a first round exist to South Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton) saw this season get off to a disappointing start. Between the 2-0 defeat to Celtic at the beginning of November to the 3-2 win over Inverness Caley in the final game of 2008, Motherwell didn’t win a single game, scoring two while conceding 13 (mind you, that run did include a credible 0-0 draw with Rangers).
Mark McGhee faces a tough challenge to get Motherwell back up the table, starting with tonight’s game against a team who are doing rather better than last year, Hearts (ironically, these sides met at the same stage of the competition last year, albeit a 2-2 draw in the Scottish Cup). It’s the second time the teams have played each other this season – back in August it was Hearts who came out on top in the first game of the 2008/09 campaign, recording a 3-2 win in a pulsating game of football with Dave Clarkson scoring both goals for Motherwell. Hearts lost a rather scrappy game away to Aberdeen last week, a game marred by incidents in the tunnel after the game and damage to the visiting teams’ dressing door. Both Marius Zaliukas and Lee Wallace where sent off. Motherwell where away to St Mirren (0-0) in a game remarkable only for the fact that it was the Saints’ last home game before they move to their new ground.
Mark McGhee welcomes back Marc Fitzpatrick, while Calum Elliot returns to the Hearts lineup following his return from his on-loan spell at troubled Livingston.
Related posts:
- Hearts lose 4-0. What is going wrong with football in Scotland?
- European Night: Falkirk and Motherwell look to progress
- Motherwell through, but Falkirk falter
- Hearts exit stage right. Cue: Rangers..
- Motherwell 0-1 Llanelli
Tags: Hearts, Motherwell, Preview
Hello,
I’m back!
Good result from Utd’s point of view last night, gives us a wee gap over Hearts.
Good times.