A big Motherwell support
will follow the team to Aberdeen on Saturday in search of cup glory.
The fifth round of the
Scottish Cup opens up the prospect of a meaningful run in the old competition
and with the Mighty ‘Well enjoying good form the visiting fans will anticipate
success.
Both sides had an
unexpected free midweek as waterlogged pitches interfered with their league
fixtures. More rain in the north east
may put the tie at risk, be aware. Kick off is at 7.30 - blame Premier Sports.
Aberdeen have recorded two wins from the last ten in all competitions, one of those was in the fourth round against Raith Rovers. Nevertheless they hold a league position just below the top six and they will look to their seven winter additions to put some life into both league and cup.
Happy fans at Pittodrie
The departure of Leighton
Clarkson has not gone down well with the Aberdeen support and his absence along
with concussion affected Mats Knoester will offer Motherwell a much altered
opposition.
Motherwell continue to
impress. The claret and amber faithful
are slowly coming to terms with the revolution that arrived with Jens Berthel
Askou. It has taken a while to
understand that the weekly display of high class football is no flash in the
pan and that the team is worthy of the praise that falls their way.
A measure of success
is that only one new player was signed during the window. Eythor Bjorgolfsson joined the forward line
and from his two short spells on the pitch it looks like he will fit well in to
the team. It’s business as usual for the
Steelmen.
Team selection under
Askou’s regime is hard to predict. He
makes full use of his squad and varies the starting eleven according to the
characteristics of the opposition. He
will also have to make an accommodation for the likely heavy surface that may
present as a sodden Pittodrie.
Some long memories
will recall Stevie Kirk fire the gun for the winning cup run in the early
90s. Others will celebrate Craig
Reid bundling that ball into the beach end goal in 2014 to make
Motherwell league runners-up at the cost of the Dons.
It is time for another
to write his name into ‘Well history with an extra-time goal after a 1-1 in
regulation time.
