Taming the lions! || Motherwell 3-0 Livingston
- Marc Christie
- Dec 7
- 6 min read
Matchday 5 in two weeks for the Steelmen, as we return to Fir Park following our 0-0 draw with Falkirk, hoping to see off David Martindale's Livi Lions. The Well go into this hopefully with some confidence in spite of Tuesday's borefest, due to the following: 8 unbeaten, 3 clean sheets in a row, and we managed to emerge victorious in our last encounter at the formerly named Tony Mac Arena.
As stated, the Well go into this in fine form. Our last defeat in league action coming October 18th against Falkirk. In fact, our last gasp victory against Livingston following that defeat kick started the terrific league form we currently find ourselves in (with that defeat against St Mirren lobbed in their for...bad measure?). A victory today can see us solidify 3rd spot (results pending), and close the gap on 2nd place Celtic (and somehow, top of the table Hearts!) to 6 points (before the champions face Tony Bloom's Jam Tart revolution on Sunday).
Livingston however, come into this in a worrying state of affairs. In the same time period following Well's last defeat, Livi have amassed a grand total of...0 wins. 6 games, 4 losses, and 2 points total pulled in that time. However, the bigger picture is bleaker. No win in 13 (yes thirteen) games. Livi will take heart from the fact that in those 6 games they have only failed to score in 1 (their loss to Aberdeen), and have only lost by one goal in the games they have lost. A few tweaks and the Lions' form could turn. League table wise, it is still not pretty reading. Livi find themselves slowly dropping behind the pack at the foot of the table, 4 points behind Dundee (who, with results pending, could see themselves 7 behind). A big game for all, as every match appears to be in a season where, the table is as tight as ever.
Line-ups
Askou brought around the changes once again for the Well today, with 7 changes from our draw with Falkirk. Into the side came: Stephen O'Donnell, Liam Gordon, Johnny Koutroumbis, Elijah Just, Regan Charles-Cook, Elliot Watt and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos. Out went: Emmanuel Longelo, Stephen Welsh, Tom Sparrow, Oscar Priestman, Callum Slattery, Callum Hendry and Ibrahim Said. Luca Ross remained on the bench for the Well today.
In terms of formation, the tweaking seems to be done for now, as the Well resorted back into Askou's preferred 4-2-3-1. Koutroumbis positioned at left back as SOD appears at right back. Tawanda Maswanhise back on his right hand side of the 3 man attacking midfield, with Just in the middle and RCC on the left. Apostolos leads the line.
The gaffer learnt from the previous encounter with Livi and the personnel tweaks reflect it, not just in part to the fixture congestion. Longelo just before Livi last time seemed a bit off, and Livi away was perhaps his poorest showing of late. Koutroumbis stepping in to freshen up, while also provide something different down the left. Welsh out for McGinn, not tactical, but truly down to freshening up as Welsh has played every match in our run so far. Last time out we started with Said on the wing, but bringing in RCC provides a different approach down the left, perhaps more direct. Again, these changes seem - on the surface - to be just freshening up, but in comparison to our last Livi encounter, some tactics may have come into play.
Livingston came into today naming an unchanged side from last Sundays defeat at the hands of the Dons. Livi's shape also remained unchanged, matching Motherwell's 4-2-3-1.
Livi's side also saw some changes from their last encounter against the Well. A change at right-back; Samson Lawal replacing Joshua Brenet. A change in the central midfield spot; Mahamadou Susoho replacing Mohamed Sylla. A change in the attacking midfield; Lewis Smith ahead of Robbie Muirhead. And finally, the change up top; Tete Yengi picked ahead of Jeremy Bokila.
Back to normality
In comparison to the Falkirk game, this was the game the Well we have seen in recent weeks returned. Motherwell dominated the ball, and created opportunities again. Tawanda sneaking his way inside and having a long range strike on his weaker left. It didn't trouble Jerome Prior in the Livi net, but intent was signalled by the Well. And in the 18th minute, we broke the deadlock.
A long ball from McGinn saw Stamatelopoulos flick it on. A slight nick off the Livi defender perhaps helped by removing some pace from the ball, and onto it ran RCC. Koutroumbis provided the overlap, then provided the cutback towards Tawanda. Livi managed to cut it out, but the ball fell to Elliot Watt on the edge of the box. A touch, a reversed strike, and in spite of Prior getting a hand to it, the net bulged. 1-0. Watt scoring his second of the season. Livi pressed, but ultimately saw no shots on target in the first 45. The Well also continued to press forward, with Stamatelopoulos forcing a good save from Prior. Watt swung in a free kick that was pinpoint for Stamatelopoulos. Prior raced out into no mans land, and 2-0 seemed certain. However, the ball flew over, and Livi stayed within touching distance.
Trust the process
The second half kicked off the way the first ended. Another ball in from Watt from a freekick found Liam Gordon's head. The flick on screamed for Stamatelopoulos to poke it home, but smart defending from Livi saw it poked over the bar (and onto the roof of the net) or a corner instead.
From the other end, a Livi corner played short and swung in found it's way to Susoho, who unleashed a venomous strike to wards the Well goal from just outside the box. For the first time in what feels an age, Callum Ward was truly called into action. Some may say the strike was straight at him, but with the power on that strike, getting both hands to that was no easy task. A terrific save from our goalkeeper.
A terrific ball over the top again from McGinn found Koutroumbis in the 59th minute. A touch with the head, and cutting inside into the box, a chance was on! Liam Smith had other ideas, clipping Koutroumbis. A penalty awarded, and well...you know the rest. Up stepped Stamatelopoulos, who converted again from the spot, sending Prior the wrong way. 100% conversion record from the penalty spot conserved.
Motherwell continued to play good football and dominate proceedings. Livi changed shape and made subs, going 2 up top to try claw their way back in, which ended up giving us some more space in midfield to utilise, and that we did.
In the 88th minute, some simple passing and moving cut open the Lions. Gordon out wide to SOD. SOD inside to RCC. RCC lays it back to Slattery and makes a move. Slattery returns it, cutting the defence open with a great pass. RCC races on to goal, and cuts it back along the six yard box. Emmanuel Longelo was under pressure, but any decent connection, and it's a goal. And that it was. 3-0 to the Well, job done.
The Stats here show just how dangerous we can be when it all clicks. Less of the ball than what we've been used to in recent matches, but still controlling the game. 14 shots on goal compared to Livi's, but 7 on target showing how we aren't as wasteful as the Livi Lions (1 shot on target). Forcing Prior into some good saves, on another day we could be 4-5 up. Ward finally had a save to make today, and what a save it was, securing his 3rd clean sheet in a row. Another usual stat for us to see now is more passes, more forward passes, more accurate final third passes, and in general an extremely high %passing accuracy.
Trust. The. Process. A blip (like Falkirk) is normal. It shows the growth of that team that we see a point as a blip. That's us now 8 unbeaten. And in that run, only 2 goals conceded, 14 goals scored, 18 points from 24 available. 3rd in the league, with a 6 point gap on on second (and top of the table!). Let's enjoy the positivity and the good football while we can Well fans.
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