IT has become common for clubs to make their players watch matches back on DVD, no matter what the result.
The whole practice may well be wearing thin for Motherwell, though; the action in front of them spoiled routinely by a tendency for those on screen to fluff their lines.
It has been an enduring problem, Motherwell having failed to score in five of their last six matches and it is little surprise, then, that they have lost each of them. The other match brought a reprieve – a 3-1 win over St Johnstone last weekend – but it was a fleeting one, as they followed that up with another goalless performance against Dundee United earlier this week.
It would seem easy to be critical of Motherwell, but their failure to find the net is not for a want of trying. Nicky Law was a frustrated figure against United but also one who will feel it was fortune that abandoned his side rather than their composure; Motherwell hitting the crossbar and a post in that defeat.
Another home match against the other club from Dundee this afternoon might offer a chance to redeem themselves in front of goal, and it will be heartening for his side that Law's confidence has not been dented by an inability to hit the target. "We watched the game [against United] back again and we actually played well and created quite a lot of chances," said the Motherwell midfielder.
"We have probably done everything but score. We just have to put our chances away, it's something we have probably struggled with a bit lately.
"In all the games we have lost we have created chances. We just have to keep creating chances and start taking them. But the manager is drumming it into us to still be confident and keep playing how we are. We know we are a good side and if we are playing well, we are as good as anyone in the league, so we will keep plugging away."
Henrik Ojamaa has been the Motherwell player most afflicted by a failure in front of goal – the striker has yet to score this season – but he could not have come closer against United. "He was unlucky on Wednesday night with his shot. He has come inside, done everything right, hit the bar and it has come down and out," said Law.
It was the sort of miss that leaves a player hiding from the papers the next day for fear of being criticised. You could forgive the Dundee players were they to have opted to boycott their local shops given the coverage they have received during an unconvincing return to the top flight this season.
Yet Jim McAlister believes his side have turned any bad press to their advantage. "You read it all the time in the papers and hear it all the time on radio stations and TV. It's been like this all season to be honest," said the Dundee midfielder.
"We've actually got the stuff up on the dressing room just as an extra bit of motivation. It gives us motivation."
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