Motherwell travel to Edinburgh to take on Tony Bloom’s treble-chasing champions-elect in Match Day 3 of the Scottish Premiership
Another audit of Askou’s ascent. Motherwell head to Gorgie to face a well-drilled Hearts side who have opened with back-to-back wins over Aberdeen and Dundee United. After an uncertain summer, Lawrence Shankland looks sharp again. Here we set the context, revisit the recent history, and outline the key duels that will decide it.
The Context
| POS | TEAM | PLD | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart of Midlothian | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Celtic | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | Livingston | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Hibernian | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Kilmarnock | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Rangers | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Motherwell | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Dundee United | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 9 | Dundee | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 10 | St. Mirren | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 11 | Falkirk | 2 | -2 | 1 |
| 12 | Aberdeen | 2 | -4 | 0 |
The Jambos have begun the league well, taking six points from six against Aberdeen and Dundee United. The only blemish was a penalty shootout exit to St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup.
Against Aberdeen they were tidy and efficient: 48.3% possession, 13 shots (3 on target), 3 corners, 3 bookings. The breakthrough came via a Shinnie own goal, then Stuart Findlay settled it. At Tannadice, Findlay struck twice more in a 3–2 win, underlining a clear early theme: a back three with the wing-backs high, plenty of balls into the box, and a serious set-piece threat with Findlay arriving on first contact.
What the early numbers tell us
Small sample, but the profile is consistent.
- Goals: 5 scored, 2 conceded.
- Possession: 60.4% on average, pointing to territorial control.
- Corners: 6.0 per match on average, reinforcing repeat entries and pressure.
- Shooting: 14.5 shots per match, 5.5 on target on average.
Why this matters for Motherwell
Expect a back-three build (though, Hearts fan outlets report they suspect a 4 at the back, so I stand to be corrected here!), aggressive wing-back lanes and traffic from dead balls. The practical checklist is simple: protect first contacts on set plays, own the penalty-spot channels where Findlay attacks, and limit cheap corners (not a historical strength of Motherwell’s, admittedly).
Do that, and you blunt a big part of Hearts’ early-season edge.
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Words from the manager
In briefing the media, Askou was happy to report that Liam Gordon and Jordan McGee are back in full training. Additionally, Callum Slattery is back from suspension. Johnny Koutroumbis is injured and so is Tom Sparrow, though Askou expects Johnny to only miss this weekend whereas Sparrow will miss the following two matches.
If we do things right inside the club, the support is outstanding and growing, which is positive for everyone. We can’t wait to pay that back’.
Askou heaped praise on the Motherwell faithful too. He said ‘We could probably fill it [Tynecastle] twice with the support we’re getting, which is amazing… I heard a lot of good things about the club when I came – well-supported and with very loyal fans – and they’ve shown that quickly. I’ve been extremely impressed. The away support of around 1,500 the other day is a big number for a club our size, and adding 300 new season ticket holders is a big thing. It says a lot about the community and the club. If we do things right inside the club, the support is outstanding and growing, which is positive for everyone. We can’t wait to pay that back’.
Askou also spoke about Motherwell’s new signing Callum Hendry. He said that Hendry is looking sharp, but hasn’t played competitive league games this year yet, so that last bit of fitness and sharpness will come by playing. He alluded to him featuring on Saturday, saying ‘We’ll see if he gets his first minutes on Saturday’. Askou also spoke about Slattery, saying that he’s getting fitter and fitter. He also spoke to his importance of playing in this squad, but emphasised that we have more and more good players who can also step in when needed.
Slats is one who has really led the way over the summer, and even before I arrived. He’s growing, adapting well to what we’re doing, and taking good steps. I’m happy he’s back
Jens berthel askou on callum slattery’s importance to motherwell
Key Duels
Stuart Findlay vs Motherwell’s first-contact: Findlay has three league goals already (one vs Aberdeen, two at Dundee United) and Hearts are reliably creating repeat entries from corners and wide free-kicks. The basic risk isn’t just a clean header — it’s Hearts’ second-ball behaviours around the penalty spot. Your plan: fix a dedicated blocker on Findlay’s starting lane, and assign a second player to the spot seam for the ricochet. The personnel picture has shifted a touch: Liam Gordon is back in full training and “ready to participate”, which bolsters Motherwell’s aerial match-ups; Johnny Koutroumbis won’t make it this weekend, so right-side cover will likely rotate
Lawrence Shankland vs Paul McGinn/Liam Gordon (and the six-yard line): Shankland’s penalty at Tannadice was routine, but his threat profile here is about front-post pins and late box holds when Hearts’ wing-backs recycle. The counter-argument: Motherwell have limited shots-on-target against in open play so far, and with Gordon available again the aerial pairing is stronger than in MD1–MD2. Still, avoid cheap corners (Hearts won nine at Dundee Utd) and deny uncontested first balls.
Hearts’ wing-backs (Milne, Borchgrevink/Forrest) vs Emmanuel Longelo + RB cover: Hearts can morph the back three into a five-lane attack quickly — Milne has already supplied from advanced positions, and Forrest has started at wing-back. The flip side: Longelo offers Motherwell a real out-ball and scored late vs Rangers; space behind Hearts’ wing-backs can be attacked if the first pass after regain is quick enough. The Koutroumbis absence narrows Motherwell’s options on the right, so manage Longelo’s forward bursts with a conservative starting position and clear hand-offs in transition.
Second-ball control: Devlin/Spittal (Hearts) vs Watt/Fadinger/Slattery (Motherwell): This may decide territory more than any single 1v1. Hearts were happy to live in a duel-heavy midfield vs Aberdeen (lower possession, still won 2–0), then dominated the ball at Tannadice. Motherwell can play both ways — they ceded territory vs Rangers, then owned it at St Mirren — but the availability of Slattery (back from suspension) raises your ceiling for regains and short passing in tight areas. The challenge to our own script: if Hearts press the first pass into Watt, can Motherwell break that line cleanly enough to help spring the third-man run?
Transition lanes behind Hearts’ outside centre-backs vs Maswanhise/Just/Stamatelopoulos: Motherwell created their best looks vs Rangers via direct surges after turnovers. Hearts switched personnel at half-time at Tannadice (Kent off), so there’s precedent for stress on their rest-defence when chased into wide channels. The check on our narrative: Hearts still won that match and managed late moments well; you’ll need runners from deep (Fadinger, maybe Hendry if used) to really expose the space outside the back-three.
Goalkeeper command: Zander Clark vs Calum Ward (crosses and restarts): Set-piece volume points to a busy afternoon inside both six-yard boxes. Clark handled late pressure at Tannadice and is the clear No.1; Hearts have recalled Liam McFarlane from loan after Ryan Fulton’s groin tear, which affects depth more than selection. For Motherwell, it’s Calum Ward — and the key is traffic management rather than shot-stopping, given Hearts’ corner count and Findlay’s presence.
Fitness and depth that tilt the duels: Motherwell’s updates: Tom Sparrow is out “for the next two games”; Koutroumbis is out this weekend; Liam Gordon and Jordan McGhee are back in full training; Slattery available; Eseosa Sule remains a long-term absentee. Net effect: centre-back depth improves (important for Findlay/Shankland duels), but the right-side rotation is thinner, which increases the defensive load on whoever starts there.
Hearts’ availability caveats: Hearts confirmed Ryan Fulton’s injury and the recall of McFarlane; otherwise, their outfield core from the first two league wins remains intact. If they do lose a wing-back option late (Borchgrevink has had a recent hamstring issue per local reporting in late July), expect a temporary back-four look to steady things — that would slightly reduce Findlay’s frequency of penalty-spot entries from open play but not from set pieces.
How to weight these duels (and where our narrative could be wrong)…
If Motherwell cut Hearts’ corners down to average or below, the Findlay duel shrinks dramatically; the game then becomes about Shankland’s box craft from open play rather than restarts.
- If Motherwell struggle to progress without Sparrow’s support on the right, Hearts’ wing-backs pin you back and the Longelo outlet fades — in that case, bringing on a true runner (Osong) earlier is the corrective.
- If Slattery’s return lifts Motherwell’s second-ball wins, the match tilts toward midfield control and fewer chaotic restarts, which suits Askou’s preference for slow suffocation rather than wild exchanges.
Tomorrow will be a tough test for the Steelmen, but it’s one that we’re quietly confident we can get a result in. Time to beat Tony Bloom’s supercomputer.
A very safe travels to the ‘Well fans making the trip to Gorgie, be loud and proud. Let’s back the boys and get the three points!
COYW.
