Falkirk are not going to be pushovers but let us not talk ourselves out of the game before it even starts. Are they better than us? Yes, marginally, but we have already shown that stopping Latapy stops their entire midfield. Stokes is a problem we have to deal with but better strikers than him have had off days or been stopped by defences just as poor as ours. We can win this if we play well.
Smith in action at Falkirk
But will we play well? Surely to goodness we will get some sort of reaction from last week as the players attempt to salvage some pride. Hibs were good but losing like that, especially at home, is simply unacceptable. We might have Craigan back and even Martyn Corrigan must be getting close to coming back into the side. Elliot is probably still out but on his recent showings he will not be missed too much. We will have a fitter Scott McDonald playing and he is more than capable of causing the Falkirk defence problems, even if he is virtually unsupported by the rest of our team.
A loss may well send us back to the bottom of the league but a win could re-open the gap, lift us over United and to within one and three points of St Mirren and Falkirk respectively. Falkirk have not won at Fir Park since 1992 but they will know a win will put them nine points clear of us, almost guaranteeing their safety already.
If this game is not quite a must win (and it can't be far off) then it is definitely a must not lose. It'll be scrappy and we will know doubt be terrible again but no one will care come the final whistle with the score at 2-1 Motherwell.
Remember the last time we played