Showing too much respect cost us dearly, insists Cadden
JUST when they needed their trusted formula and game plan to click into place, the day fell flat. On this of all occasions, the real Motherwell did not stand up. Physical and aggressive, but extremely effective, Stephen Robinson’s men know what they need to do in games to achieve results.
Yes, finishing top of the bottom six in the Premiership was not ideal, but there is a reason they have reached both major domestic cup finals this campaign.
They get in the faces of opponents and let them know they have been in a contest.
It was odd, then, that none of these characteristics were present against Celtic at Hampden yesterday.
Truthfully, they never came close to upsetting the odds and stopping Brendan Rodgers’ men from clinching the double Treble.
It left midfielder Chris Cadden frustrated and wondering where it all went wrong.
Respecting the opposition? Allowing Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham the space to strike? It was certainly not the
Motherwell way.
‘It didn’t go the way we imagined. It was a tough result,’ said 21-year-old. ‘We lost the game in the first half. That gave us too much to do in the second half.
‘We had chances, but we didn’t take them. It wasn’t what we’d hoped.
‘We showed them too much respect in the first half.
‘Obviously, they’re a good team, they’ve spent a lot of money, they have got guys on good money as well. They deserve some amount of respect.
‘But that’s not really our game, showing people respect. We’ve got to get into people’s faces and we didn’t do that first half.
‘We did it more second half, but by then it was too late. I don’t know why we started like that. It wasn’t nerves because we’ve been here before and we know what it’s about.’
There were plenty of pyrotechnics in the stands, but the Steelmen lacked spark until it was all too late.
Curtis Main missed a couple of decent chances, with Celtic keeper Craig Gordon forced into a neat save just after the break.
Shocked at half-time, fireworks were reserved for the Motherwell dressing room. The chance for this group to win their first cup since 1991 was slipping away.
‘The manager gave us a rocket,’ continued Cadden. ‘He said: “There are 45 minutes left of the season, you’ve got to go and leave it all on the pitch. No regrets”.
‘He told us if we end up getting beat, then we get beat, but run your socks off and see what happens.
‘We needed a bit of luck on a couple of occasions. Especially when you’re playing a team like Celtic. They’re a good team, you need that, and it wasn’t on our side today.’
Chasing their own piece of history with back-to-back Trebles, Celtic faced up to Motherwell, with Kieran Tierney playing high up the left and James Forrest on the opposite side — plus the tireless McGregor — causing chaos.
It was an opportunity these Bhoys were never going to let slip out of their grasp.
But to suggest they simply wanted it more than the Steelmen does not sit well with Cadden.
‘They won the league pretty comfortably, so they’ve been good all season,’ he said. ‘The first half was due to us giving them too much respect.
‘I don’t think them going for the double Treble was a big factor. They didn’t want it more than us.
‘You can see our boys, we’re gutted for the fans, for everybody. We wanted it just as much as them.’
Cadden will need to recover quickly from this major disappointment as he prepares to fly across the Atlantic with Scotland for the friendlies against Peru and Mexico.
Gaining his first senior call-up has lifted the midfielder, who will also watch his brother Nicky play for Livingston in this afternoon’s Premiership Play-off final second leg against Partick Thistle.
‘I’m going to need to pick myself up now,’ he added. ‘I’m still emotional. I’ve not really thought about Scotland, if I’m honest.
‘It was good at the time, getting the call-up, but I’ve been keeping my head on the cup final.
‘I’ll console myself tonight with my family, then I’ll look towards that on Sunday.
‘It’s good to have that to look forward to; getting away and seeing what it’s all about.
‘It’s my first call-up, so it’s a real honour for me. It was out of the blue but I’ve had a good season.
‘It’s not something I ever really thought about, I just kept working hard, but it shows hard work pays off.’
‘I’m going to watch my brother play now. I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully Livvy can do the business.’
For many at Fir Park, this setback will only help them strive to go one better next season, even if it will be a difficult task.
Defender Tom Aldred, whose loan from Bury now expires, hopes to be a part of the feelgood factor at the club.
‘I’ve been here for six months and enjoyed every minute of it,’ he said. ‘I’ve loved it but unfortunately there isn’t a happy ending.
‘I have another year at Bury, so we will see what happens. We are trying to sort something out with Motherwell, so we will see how that goes.’
Our game is getting in people’s faces... we didn’t do that against Celtic