'Confidence rock bottom' - Killie near unwanted record as drop fears deepen

When Neil McCann took charge at Kilmarnock on 6 January, the club said they had "complete faith" the former Scotland winger and assistant Billy Dodds had what it takes to keep the embattled Ayrshire club in the Scottish Premiership.

Stuart Kettlewell had been sacked in December after 10 matches without a win and interim boss Kris Doolan only managed one point from his four games in charge.

The club turned to McCann for an injection of confidence, hoping points would duly follow.

There has not been a new-manager bounce in the three matches since though and Saturday's 4-0 thrashing at Motherwell means it is now 17 matches - 16 in the Premiership - without victory.

Fail to win at home to Aberdeen next Saturday and away to Rangers the following weekend and Killie would match their worst-ever league run, set in the 1980-81 season when they were relegated from the top flight - a bleak omen perhaps.

McCann clung to the positives after the defeat at Fir Park, pointing to a bright start he felt was undone by officiating errors.

Liam Polworth had a goal disallowed for a narrow offside and Tom Lowery was dismissed for two bookable offences, just before Tawanda Maswanhise doubled Motherwell's lead.

"The offside goal was not what killed us today, but it's so marginal," McCann said. "It looks like guesswork.

"We've got another still where it looks like [Polworth] is just on with Tom Sparrow's shoulder.

"What has hurt us is the red card. I'm told the first [yellow] is reckless. I can't see anything reckless whatsoever. It's such a poor decision, because it puts a combative midfielder on a tightrope. I thought the second one was soft as well.

"When we go down to 10 men against a side with their tails up, it's going to be difficult."

McCann took a point from his first match in charge at bottom club Livingston, who trail Killie by three points, but was then dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Dundee last weekend.

Yes, his team were hamstrung by Lowery's sending-off against Motherwell, but they were already behind at that point and were subsequently played off the park by arguably the most eye-catching team in Scotland.

McCann understandably backed his players after morale took another hit, but supporters have seemingly lost all faith in this squad.

It was telling that many in the away end headed for the exits after Maswanhise found the bottom corner.

This is a team performing exactly as the statistics indicate they should be and one whose malaise stretches back into the Kettlewell era.

No team have had less possession in the Premiership this season and no team have faced more shots on target.

They have the second-worst defensive record, having shipped 43 goals in 23 matches, while their shot conversion rate and their touches in the opposition box are the second lowest in the top flight.

The only saving grace is Livingston are even worse and on an even worse run - without a win since August.

"The confidence at Kilmarnock is rock bottom," former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart said on Sportsound.

"They need a stroke of luck or a moment of magic from somebody to turn it round.

"What they also need is for refereeing decisions to go for them. The second [yellow card] I don't think there is any need for the referee to be brandishing a red card so quickly. It wrecks the game."

Anna: Well done Neil McCann, YOU cost us the game with your atrocious team selection - 4-1-2-1-2. You left way too much space down the flanks and in midfield and that's where Motherwell punished us. I have followed Killie since 2009 and have never seen such an abject, dreadful performance from players who aren't fit to wear the shirt.

Jim: Come on [Killie owner] Billy Bowie, it is obvious you are not giving McCann any money to get players. He seems happy to plod on with second-class players. Not good enough.

Kenny: It's the same old story, Killie don't have the quality required to compete in the league and unless drastic measures are taken to improve the squad the Championship looks inevitable.

If the squad doesn't get improved before the end of the transfer window then I think McCann would have better luck playing the boys from the Under-19s as they know what it takes to win a game.

Iain: Same old, same old. I think the fans are getting tired about hearing lack of confidence, poor decisions by the referee, yellow then red cards undeserved, a bit of bad luck, and so the excuses continue. It is about time the players took a long hard look at themselves and not at the excuses.