Source: Team_Talk
Craigan enjoying new trend
Motherwell's Stephen Craigan admits the trend towards possession football in the SPL is proving as enjoyable for players as it is for fans.[LNB] Motherwell on Saturday face a St Mirren team whose manager Danny Lennon has transformed their style of play this term after surviving his debut season in the top flight.[LNB]Kilmarnock took the SPL by surprise last season with their flowing football, which helped them to a top-six place, and Motherwell have started the season playing the quick passing game that manager Stuart McCall preaches.[LNB]The approach has paid off for SPL leaders Motherwell and St Mirren so far, with both teams going into the Paisley clash unbeaten.[LNB]Craigan said: "You probably look now and think (St Mirren) are the most improved team already from last season, the way they are playing.[LNB]"Danny has stamped his authority on the team and brought in good-quality players. Danny obviously has a system that suits them and how they want to play.[LNB]"I think it's been heartening for Scottish football that a lot of teams are trying to play passing football.[LNB]"Of course there are times when you have to go route one and clear your lines.[LNB]"Hearts tried to play last week a little bit, St Mirren are trying to play, Kilmarnock, we feel as if we are trying to play, Inverness were a changed side here at the beginning of the season, they were more of a passing team than the last couple of years."[LNB]Craigan found it difficult to explain the improvement.[LNB]"It just seems to have evolved for some reason," the former Northern Ireland international said.[LNB]"In football sometimes there are fashions, there is the craze where a team will play one striker then suddenly everybody plays with one striker, teams play 4-3-3 then everybody seems to play that way.[LNB]"It has come round to the stage where everyone is trying to play passing football.[LNB]"In three years' time everyone could go back to playing a target man and a little guy round about him.[LNB]"Maybe they have seen the success that Kilmarnock had last season for example.[LNB]"I'm not saying they set the tone but they tried something different, I think.[LNB]"Managers have maybe cottoned on to it and maybe realised that's the way to play.[LNB]"It's enjoyable to play and it's enjoyable to play against and most importantly we're trying to entertain spectators."[LNB]Despite their emphasis on going forward, Motherwell have yet to concede a goal this season and Craigan believes that is down to a concerted effort by the whole team.[LNB]"We felt we conceded far too many goals last season, so the aim was for everyone to put a little bit more in and maybe get ourselves back into shape a bit quicker and try to give the back four and goalkeeper a little bit more protection at times," the 34-year-old said.[LNB]However, the defence has been hit by the loss of Steven Saunders, who will be out for between six and nine months after having surgery to repair the Achilles he ruptured playing for Scotland Under-21s.[LNB]Manager McCall will now look quickly at bringing in a replacement.[LNB]"We were looking to bring in a defender as it was, but now I feel we need to bring in a centre-back who can play at right-back," McCall told the club's official website.[LNB]"We have to be looking at bringing in a defender now. That was the case before Steven's injury but it has been made more urgent after his injury."[LNB]
