Remember the far off days when we used to fear lower league opposition in the cup! The days we squirmed in anguish as we were outclassed by teams like Airdrie. How we can laugh now and shake our heads at our gauche naivete!

Tonight we were never going to lose. Even when AU equalised, it seemed to be because we relaxed too much on the slender 1-goal lead and while in the past us fans would have growled and panicked and despaired, we sort of knew that we were going to come back and win by a comfortable margin.

Yet we made it hard on ourselves, or interesting if you prefer. AU scored two, could have had a couple more, and also hit the bar. Our defence had more sleepers than the House of Lords. Just as well our midfield and forwards were in control. Mostly. Pascali made a few bizarre passes that can be described as passe.  I mean, that could be described as  “of last season”. But we forgive Manuel because of his effort. Sissoko also looked unsettled, but made up for any indecision in defence with a goal from a bullet header at the back post.

It was an enjoyable evening altogether. Next we are away to Aberdeen this weekend. Hopefully Mixu will play Big Fish upfront in his sole striker role. Yes, it was just Airdrie and yes he had a bit of space in the box, but there can be no denying his composure and effort and – yes – skill! He deserves the chance after this.

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But to the football….
Mixu Paatelainen gives the impression of a man who takes his time to learn something. This trait probably harks back to his childhood when he no doubt struggled for many months to learn how to spell his name. More recently he has taken time out of football management to travel round Europe visiting clubs, speaking to managers, listening to players and coaches alike, noting down tips, forming new tactics, re-evaluating the very basis of how the game should be played.
For all that he’s seen and heard, and for all his great learning, for all the notebooks stuffed with wisdom, for all the great gurus whose sage advises he’s gathered and brought back – for all this prodigious pilgrimage and any eventual enlightenment that may have taken place – it cannot have prepared him for the peculiarities of the SPL and its most puzzling constituent, Kilmarnock FC.
Oh, Killie, what shall we do with you?

The first half revealed a transformed Killie side from last season’s hit and hope worst displays. Yet we lost a goal from one mistake when Motherwell had done nothing constructive up to that point, relying on kicking or tugging anything that moved. Killie produced flowing, passing, confident moves that Motherwell could not prevent, but that time and again foundered in the final third, with Invincible trying hard with no outcome. Maybe trying too hard. We could once adopt this approach when we had the likes of Boyd as a lone predator, but that player, oft criticised for laziness, wouldn’t have ran and chased like Danny did. He would however have produced one or two goals out of our controlling efforts in the first 45. We clearly need a striker and Mixu has said he’s trying to get a better-than-good one.

New boys Dayton and Sissoko were impressive and comfortable, while Silva danced and harried like a more direct Taouil, yet like Mehdi he did seem to over-elaborate on occasion, beating a player two or three times. The 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 formations seemed to be working, except for the lack of a clear threat. Yet we did have chances – Silva and Bryson coming close.

The match’s notably bizarre refereeing decision – there’s always one – came in the first half. We will have to see the tackle again on tv, but from the East stand, right in front of the incident, it looked like the decision could be nothing except a definite yellow card for Motherwell’s Hammill after a late and rather robust lunge into Dayton. This coming after a string of fouls committed by Hammill and the rest of the Motherwell team. Surely even the pathologist in the Dr David Kelly case would judge that a violent crime had been committed? The referree however, shocked the crowd by booking Dayton for diving. If it was a dive, it was a bloody good one and we’re fortunate to have a player who can simulate so well!

After this injustice had led to fisticuffs in the tunnel at the break, with a couple of bookings thrown in, Fowler being one, the second half started brightly and Killie looked to have taken some determination back out. We resumed our domination and even Fowler had what you would call an almost mazy run at the ‘Well defence. When he was replaced by Sammon we reverted to a traditional 4-4-2 and our style reverted to the traditional too. We never really got into a good run again, with the previously measured play becoming patchy and often high rather than on the deck. Ironically we produced a few chances then, with Sissoko and Pascali coming close with headers and Silva producing a real curving free kick. Dayton and Kelly also had shots but this second half petered out as we rued chances missed.

On this evidence our old problem of lacking a striking threat persists, but I would say after seeing one game and on the evidence of this alone, that Mixu will provide us with more entertainment and passion than the last two old codgers we’ve had. He seems more thoughtful; and I think we have the prospects of an interesting season ahead. All the best Mixu. Just keep us well away from relegation this season and we’ll be happy. Hope you succeed with us. We’ll support you till we don’t.

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