Alex Paulsen (Motherwell FC | Scotland [On loan from AFC Bournemouth])

Motherwell get spanked 4-1 (7-2 on agg). Paulsen in goal.

It was 1-1 until Girdwood-Reich got sent off at 57 mins (DOGSO?)

Paulsen scored second best for Motherwell on the BBC with a 8.11 rating.  Sofa score has him as Motherwell’s best with 7.3.

Not used these ratings much before, but the top one indicates he hasn’t damaged himself with the fans, the opposite in fact. And the bottom suggests why, he must have played well in a difficult game. 

Not often you’ll let 4 in and be the best player you’d think! 

Most matches that are as lopsided as this are going to have the keeper as the top rated player if they go at least not awful. Similarly, Celtic lost 5-1 and BBC ratings had their keeper as their highest rated player.

Guna get lots of chances to make saves at least!

3-3 draw at St Mirren for Motherwell.
AP in goal.
Those early season clean sheets have stopped.

Some saves from the St Mirren game.

Given the way Motherwell try to play, recycling the ball out from the back as often as possible, an error like this will happen from time to time.
A lesser team the keeper hoofs the ball down field every time in that situation.

Note Motherwell had 70% possession away at Ibrox the first half. More learnings for Paulsen.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/motherwell-boss-defends-goalkeeper-rangers-37631121.amp
 

Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson refused to lay the blame for their defeat at Alex Paulsen's door after his howler gifted Rangers all three points in their Premiership clash and ended his side's unbeaten start to the season.

The Steelmen suffered their first league defeat as they went down 1-0 in Govan, but they will be frustrated that the only goal of the game came from an error of their own making.

Paulsen got caught in possession on the edge of his own box just 12 minutes in as he tried to fake a pass and take the ball around Rangers' Ryan Naderi. But the striker gleefully pounced to snatch the ball and slot home the easiest of strikes into an empty net.

The hosts had multiple opportunities to add to their lead - including a penalty on the half hour mark which Kim Minsu fired wide of the target - but the error from Paulsen was their undoing in the end.

However, Johansson says their shot-stopper redeemed himself with a number of big saves after that and insisted it is not even something he is thinking about post-match.

The Swede said: "It is not even a point in my head today. The reason it stays 1-0 today is also because of Alex Paulsen.

"You look at how consistent he has been, how many clean sheets we have had at the start of this season, so it is not even a point for me.

"Over the 90 minutes, I think we weren't good enough. We are used to seeing this team do much better on the ball and it is disappointing that we didn't play to our best and we lost, but that is also part of the game. We will not be at our best all the time.

"If you come here and dream of taking three points you have to be at your best and we weren't."

Motherwell were still very much in the game after Paulsen's error and bossed possession, holding 70 per cent during the first half.

However, the Steelmen were sloppy in the second half and were caught out on a number of occasions. Only poor finishing from the Ibrox side prevented a bigger scoreline, as James Penrice hit the post, new signing Kevin Kelsy hit the bar on his debut and Daisuke Yokata blazed over from 10 yards.

Johansson added: "Congratulations to Rangers. I think they were better than us today and they deserved the three points. We didn't play our best, especially not on the ball, and then the game becomes one of too many transitions and Rangers are good there.

"So that's why the game ends the way it does.

"I think in the second half we tried to go for it a little bit more. Rangers obviously in that moment had the lead, so it is a little bit of a different scenario in terms of how we approached the first half."

Motherwell, who have slipped to fifth in the Premiership, are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Aberdeen.

Style of play is not an excuse for this shocker, especially in such a big match. Many lesser teams than Motherwell also have their keeper trying to pass the ball without fluffing it up like that. 

Was it you Colvinator who recently said Paulsen should have started at the WC ahead of Crocombe?

AP still a young keeper, and he will make mistakes. He was poor in Poland. The 2nd half of the season very poor. One ratings website had him the worst keeper in the Polish league.

Playing such a big match at an intimidating large away venue like Ibrox, can make someone more prone to a mistake not less. On field communication more difficult. Maybe the Rangers analyst told Naderi & Co, watch out for the Motherwell keeper to try fake the pass, you may get that chance to dispossess him.

But watch any league at a decent level, and nearly every week you will find a keeper in the modern game, make a similar split second costly error of judgement. Motherwell under Askou last season, and it seems their new gaffer this campaign are all about trying to hold the ball and play out. That can come at a cost. Even in 2023/24 when AP and the Nix did so well, I remember him playing out a poor pass and the Nix conceding. Admittedly not the glaring error of last night.

Keeper is currently a weak spot in the AWs squad, ie neither Crocs or Paulsen are at the level of most of their starting 11 team mates.
Fingers crossed by 2030, Alex P is a very consistent GK and mistakes like last night have basically vanished from his game.

that's all on Paulsen, if he was gonna try and get around the striker his fist touch needed to be better, otherwise welly the crap out of it.