Alfred Johansson seemed to be taking on an exceptionally demanding role when he arrived at Motherwell this summer.
Motherwell had finished fourth in the Scottish Premiership the previous season, producing some outstanding football despite operating with one of the smallest budgets in the division.
Johansson not only had to succeed Jens Berthel Askou following the Danish coach’s move to Toulouse, but also needed to cope with the loss of several important players. Elijah Just, Elliot Watt and Calum Ward departed for Swansea City, Samsunspor and QPR, respectively.
Nevertheless, the Swedish coach has made an impressive beginning.
Sunday’s 2-1 triumph away to Hibernian secured a third consecutive victory after Motherwell’s 5-0 aggregate win over Faroese side HB Torshavn. Their performance at Easter Road also demonstrated both their attacking quality and defensive resilience.
Motherwell remained composed as the home team applied heavy pressure in the second half, with summer signing Martin Moormann leading the defensive effort. Ibrahim Said then delivered a superb winning goal on the counterattack.
Johansson said the contest had fluctuated between positive and difficult spells for both teams, adding that he was delighted to leave with all three points.
He felt Motherwell had displayed encouraging quality in possession during the opening half, but believed the team’s determination deserved even greater recognition because the players had to withstand several periods of intense pressure.
He highlighted Moormann’s committed blocks, the willingness of the front three to retreat and support the defence, and a series of excellent saves from Alex Paulsen.
Johansson added that Motherwell looked highly impressive when everything came together, although he wants those dominant spells to last longer. He also acknowledged that the team would still face difficult moments even after improving in the coming months, and said the players had proved they were prepared for that challenge.
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
