Boss Kettlewell boiling mad at ‘soft’ Staggies
Ross County boss Stuart Kettlewell bemoaned the soft side of his team that emerged at Fir Park.
The Staggies were only 1- 0 behind against Motherwell at half- time, but imploded after the break and lost 4-0.
Kettlewell admitted he could no longer come up with excuses for a team that is losing too many goals.
He said: “It was a major disappointment. I feel like I always fight it when I am asked questions about our fragility defensively – conceding goals and looking a bit soft.
“But I told the players, ‘I can’t defend that’; when we see what happened in the second half.
“You saw how loose we were. Even when Motherwell scored their second it was a point for us to consolidate.
“But you could see by the chances we gifted and the slack play that there is that mental aspect.
“We did become a little bit soft and that frustrates me as there were plenty of positives in the first half.
“We had hope and belief going into the second half but big Alex Iacovitti going to ground at the penalty gave us a mountain to climb.
“We then had two or three chances to get back into the game and we didn’t take them.”
Ross Stewart missed a great chance with the score at 2- 0. There was some suggestion of him being impeded but Kettlewell admitted there was no chance of a penalty being awarded.
He went on: “No, I don’t think we should have had a penalty. I’m honest enough to say it’s not a penalty. Ross Stewart should have put it in the net.
“I don’t have any issues with their penalty. I need to be careful, but what I will say is I think the player is clever. He knows the challenge is coming.
“So I think how we coach and speak to our players has to be different.
“We need to be more sensible inside the box. I don’t think there is a whole heap of contact and I am not saying it isn’t a penalty.
“But the game has changed that much that I need to tell my defenders to stay on their feet. That last- ditch, going to ground tackle, when you see if you can hook your leg around the ball, is probably gone from the game.”