STEPHEN O’Donnell has admitted Motherwell need to improve dramatically up front to end their 15 game winless run and haul themselves up the cinch Premiership table after failing to register a single shot on target against Rangers.
However, the defender has stressed he has complete confidence in the Fir Park club’s strikers being able to convert chances as he looked ahead to the difficult league meeting with Aberdeen at Pittodrie tomorrow evening.
He believes that he and his team mates just need to start executing their manager Stuart Kettlewell’s game plan from kick-off instead of leaving it until the second half for their forwards to receive the service they need to score.
Motherwell, who were beaten 2-0 at home by their Ibrox rivals on Christmas Eve, have now netted just once, a last minute Mika Bireth equaliser against St Johnstone earlier this month, in their last four outings.
They are only five points above bottom-placed Livingston as a result and look set to be involved in a battle to avoid relegation from the top flight in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
“We didn’t test their keeper enough,” said O’Donnell as he looked back at the Rangers game on Sunday and ahead to the encounter with Aberdeen tomorrow.
“There were positives in the second half, but we weren’t creative enough to go and test Jack Butland. He is a good keeper, but on the whole we didn’t work him enough.
“I think sometimes the ball fell to the wrong people, but I don’t see a confidence issue. I see we have got five very good strikers at the club in training every day. It is important that we try and supply them with chances. I am sure when we do that we will get some goals.
“What is positive, and we have seen it time and time again, is there was a reaction (to Motherwell going 2-0 down against Rangers early on). We have a group of boys who want to do well and want to win, not just for the club but for the manager.
“The frustrating thing is we are given all the information before the game. That is what is so disappointing – that it takes 45 minutes for us to start playing. We definitely need to come together and sort it faster.”
“There have been some very good performances. The first half against Rangers wasn’t good enough, the second half was much better. We need to look at doing it for one whole game.
“We have a difficult away game against Aberdeen now and we will look to be competitive in that and keep ourselves in the game. Hopefully we can put an end to this run.
“The second half against Rangers gives us a positive – it showed we can perform and compete against a very good side which finished top of their European group and which is doing very well in the league.
“I know myself we can compete with anyone on our day. We have shown it in the past. We just need to make sure we do it against Aberdeen for the whole match.”
Meanwhile, the former Scotland internationalist has predicted that Blackburn Rovers loanee Georgie Gent will benefit as a player from being involved in Motherwell’s struggle to remain in the Premiership this season.
“He is a young boy, he has got a lot to learn,” he said. “But I think wing back suits him as he has got a lot of energy and a very good left foot. Gent has had a tough time of it, but it is good to see him playing and I am sure he will improve from the experience he has gained.”
