'We need to be more clinical' - Motherwell assistant boss Chris Lucketti assesses 1-1 draw with Aberdeen

Motherwell assistant boss Chris Lucketti reckons the team paid for not being clinical enough in Saturday’s 1-1 home Scottish Premiership draw against Aberdeen.
Chris LuckettiChris Lucketti
Chris Lucketti

Vincente Besuijen put the Dons – led by new manager Jim Goodwin for the first time – in front with a first half tap in but Mark O'Hara's strike after the interval made it one draw and three wins for the Steelmen against Aberdeen this season.

Lucketti – who spoke to the media post match on a day when ’Well boss Graham Alexander was serving the first game of a two-match touchline ban – emphasised that the Fir Parkers’ lack of ruthlessness in front of goal cost them the three points.

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He said: "We just needed more of a cutting edge with the chances that we had. We had enough chances to win two or three games.

"We just had to find that clinical quality to put the ball in the back of the net.

"I think the goal was deserved. We won all the battles all over the park, we were on the front foot and created all the chances. It was only a matter of time before we got our goal and we were the team on the front foot, looking for three points.

"We will look at ourselves and concentrate on that. As the old cliché says, we will take every game as it comes."

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Motherwell – who are currently sixth in the league table with 34 points from 27 games – suffered the blow of strikers Kevin van Veen and Joe Efford both sustaining injuries against the Dons. Van Veen had a shoulder problem after going down in a challenge with Dons goalkeeper Joe Lewis, and Efford was substituted in the second half.

In terms of the likelihood of the Dutchman and the American being fit for this Sunday’s league game against Rangers at Ibrox, Lucketti added: "It was great from Kevin to play the whole game. He was in a lot of pain.

"He had treatment but he wanted to stay out there and help the team. We need him on the pitch because he's a top quality player. You can see the lift he gives the team and the stadium as a whole.

"So every credit to Kevin for carrying on. It was his shoulder so we will get him an x-ray to make sure he is alright. Hopefully he is all right for next week.

"Joe felt his groin midway through the second half. He is going to be assessed by the physios and hopefully he will be fine for next week."

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