What has happened to Allan McGregor’s positioning?
When the veteran stopper was recalled to the starting XI due to Jon McLaughlin’s injury, a couple of good performances saw him, rightly, keep possession of the starting jersey but there have been worrying signs against both Liverpool and Motherwell that he is already regressing back to some of the displays that we saw towards the end of last season.
We know about his distribution and how it can cause issues but, he has always been a dependable shot-stopper, against Liverpool though he was caught out on more than one occasion.
At Fir Park, he only really had one save of note from Kevin van Veen and even then he got lucky that the big Dutchman fired his effort towards the middle of the goal rather than the far corner.
McGregor was at full stretch when he stopped Van Veen’s effort but, if he wasn’t so far over to his near post it would have been a more comfortable save, it was a similar story against Liverpool with one of Mo Salah’s goals that he should have done better with at his near post.
As for the goal that we did concede, McGregor had an absolute nightmare. The look on his face after he concedes it says it all. His starting position is fine, however, he takes a step forward towards the crowded six-yard box which instantly puts him underneath the ball and with no chance of saving it, one step to his left and it’s an easy take.
That’s twice now, against Dundee United at Ibrox and Motherwell at Fir Park, that McGregor has conceded soft goals that he should have saved and saw us put ourselves under needless pressure, I won’t be screaming for McLaughlin to be recalled to the starting XI but what it does do is highlight, once again, that failing to sign a new number one in the summer was Ross Wilson and the recruitment department’s  biggest mistake.
McGregor deserves some criticism for a couple of the goals v Liverpool but down playing his save against Motherwell just to suit your agenda , is out of order. It was a great save at a really important moment and helped win the game as much as Tillman and Lundstrams goals. He shouldn`t have been standing watching the goal go in but it was a mishit cross which went high and then came down into the top corner . Not sure he would have got it , given that he has to be alert to a proper cross and position himself accordingly.
Hi William, the save he makes he is at full stretch but it is going down the middle of the goal, if his positioning is right he wouldn’t be at full stretch. As for the goal, just watch his movement then look at his reaction after, he knows he’s made a mistake. We should’ve signed a number 1 after 55.