The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Lack of confidence concerns Well boss
Manager Stephen Robinson admits Motherwell’s poor form and lack of goals is a major concern ahead of their Europa League qualifier with Glentoran.
The Fir Park outfit, who finished third in the Scottish Premiership last season, are back in European action for the first time in six years on Thursday evening.
The Steelmen have yet to win in the league this season and have failed to score in four of their five league outings.
They drew a blank once again as they lost the Lanarkshire derby to Hakeem Odoffin’s late winner for Hamilton.
Robinson said: “It looks like confidence. They are boys who go into their shell when they get criticised. We don’t have a magic wand – or a magic cheque book – to change the personnel.
“We have a decent squad but people are under-performing. You are not going to win football matches if your strikers are not in form, whether you are Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen or Motherwell.”
Hamilton manager Brian Rice rounded on his side’s critics after securing a first win of the season which lifted them off the foot of the table.
Accies had lost their opening three games of the campaign – 5-1 at Celtic and then back-to-back 1-0 home defeats to Ross County and St Mirren.
“Confidence will come from getting the three points,” Rice said. “I’m reading we’ve had a wretched start to the season and when we are bottom of the league we get battered.
“It’s time I stood up for my club as I’ve been reading things I don’t like. We’ve not had a wretched start, you can’t tell me Celtic won’t score five against other teams this season.”
● St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin conceded his team needs to start being more clinical in front of goal.
The Paisley side were held to a 1-1 draw with Ross County on Saturday after taking the lead through Jon Obika but then spurned several good chances.
Saints, who had Joe Shaughnessy sent off midway through the second half, had to settle for a point after County equalised through a Nathan Sheron own goal.
“I’ve real mixed emotions (about the result) as when it was 11 versus 11, I felt that we were going to add to our goal,” Goodwin said.
“I thought we were going to go two up, maybe even three up. So we’re disappointed not to hang on for all three points.”