It has to be said that there is no point in getting carried away with winning pre-season games but if there’s a choice between winning and losing it’s an easy one to make. We will be in confident mood on the back of successive victories over Morton, Dumbarton and Partick Thistle but Leeds United should prove a different kind of test entirely.
The Elland Road side will be expecting at least a top six finish in the Championship this season which would earn them, at worst, a crack at the Premiership through the play-offs. Their squad boasts one very familiar face in the form of Ross McCormack while Patrick Kisnorbo and Robert Snodgrass are also not unknown to Motherwell fans.
From our point of view we have moved along nicely with each game and with a squad which seems healthy, Stuart McCall’s selection here will give a good idea of who he wishes to start in the curtain-raising clash with Inverness next week.
Unless there is a cunning plan, it would seem likely Hateley rather than Saunders will play right back with Lasley and Jennings taking up the berths in the middle of the park. Law now provides an extra creative option going forward along with Humphrey and Murphy but there is slight concern over Michael Higdon who picked up a knock against Thistle – it remains to be seen if he will be able to have another crack at breaking his Motherwell scoring duck.
A win here would obviously be nice but against tougher opponents the manager will be satisfied with a reasonable performance. A solid display at the back and some chances being made at the other end should ensure we are in high spirits when the real business begins next Saturday.