I'm looking ahead to next season because i never cared about this season anyway
Manager - Gerrard
Naive, stubborn to a fault with 4-3-3, picks favourites and worst of all for me is it coming out that the staff are aware our tactics suit Europe but don't suit Scotland. The decision making of a complete weapon to choose a system that doesn't suit your domestic league. He has to change the system now.
I do think there could be a decent manager in there, he's shown an ability in one off games to get big results but like his playing career can't put it together in the league.
THE SQUAD.
Goalkeepers
The big question is how ready is McCrorie, another final season on loan before taking over from McGregor or understudy for next season to learn from him.
Foderingham is out of contract and should not be renewed, a decent servant and seemed like a nice guy but not in the same league as McGregor. Firth will do as 3rd choice.
No need for any change here if McCrorie isn't going on loan, if he is we need a back up.
Left Back
Thankfully Halliday is out of contract as is Flanagan. Neither should be kept on, Flanagan had decent spells but spent too long out of the team.
Barasic is quality and we need to hold on to him, he could still do with toughening up though. A new left back required in the summer to challenge him.
Centre Back
Strangely i like all four but none have been allowed to build a partnership for very long. It's definitely an area we need more experience in (this was supposed to be Helander)
Edmundson and Katic both have fantastic attributes, big guys, dominating in the air, physically imposing but they need to play games and we need to improve in this area so i would be loaning one of them out next season to give us room to bring in a proper experienced leader.
Right Back
Tavernier for me is an easy pick, i get the issue some have with him being captain but we have seen much we miss him when he doesn't play.
Polster isn't a bad player but he's not the answer, move him on and lets develop Patterson.
Central Midfield
Jack has been the best of the bunch so he's fine, Arfield can be effective and is useful, more so in Scotland.
Aribo is a work in progress but he's got something and provides goals, I want to see more of him, even if it's off the right.
Davis looked finished when he arrived and has looked finished since the break. A little annoyed we gave him another year if i'm honest, a squad player to be used sparingly next season.
Kamara has had very good games and shocking games, suits Europe but by fook he annoys me sometimes going sideways and back when the forward ball is on, i take the rumours around him with a pinch of salt but get offered about 3m for him and i would be selling. Not sure how much actual interest he would get but i hope he's sold for a decent fee.
Docherty deserves his chance. We need energy and enthusiasm, physicality and goals from midfield. He's been the solution for Hibs, it's time for him to get a run for us.
McCrorie left a lot to be desired last night in the FA Cup, he's either going to be loaned out again or moved on, he's in between positions and i see him no more than a utility man. I wouldn't care if he left if i'm honest.
Wingers
Kent has had a lot of unfair criticism, he delivers big moments in big games. We still need a bit more from him though.. Starter again next season.
Jones, i would like to see play more so i can make a proper judgement on him, the manager seems to have done that already and he's not taken to him so he will move on and probably make us 1m or so.
Murphy goes straight into our strongest team if he's fit and firing, he's got a bit of magic in his boots as we've seen before. Goals from wide areas
Stewart needs more starts, creative, scores goals and seemingly not trusted by the manager. I would hope he would still be a back up option next season.
Barker can fook off.
Hastie didn't have a great loan spell, we would probably still get some cash for him though as he's shown he can be useful for Motherwell.
Middleton, another loan next season then decision time for him. McPake is probably the more promising player but he needs games on loan first.
Forwards
Morelos, a huge decision. I would sell for around 20m. We need more focus on the team and less distractions/liabilities. We need a clinical replacement, not another handful with erratic finishing.
Defoe, good back up.
Loanees - Hagi, Kamberi
Hagi the jury is out, impressive on the ball, almost a man down off it. Kamberi looks like a decent footballer but he's not instinctively a striker. Would not take either right now though.
OUT - Foderingham, Halliday, Flanagan Polster, Kamara, McCrorie, Jones, Barker, Morelos
Loan Out - Edmundson/Katic, Hastie, Middleton, McPake
In - Left Back, Centre Back, Central Midfielder, Right Winger, Forward x2
Rangers, who's for the boot?
posted on 3/3/20
Hope so, he had a few months where he was good to very good but that aside he's been mince and i would hope he doesn't want it to sour.
posted on 3/3/20
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
I think ultimately that's been the major difference, the Rangers players couldn't handle the pressure, it also explains why when playing in europe as underdogs your players seem to perform at a higher standard.
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I really struggle with this assertion.
I fully agree that in Rangers collapse there has been a big element of mental weakness.
But at times this season the team has stepped up when there has been far more pressure on then January when we returned after the break.
In the cup final we were terrific.Morelos clearly has a mental block against celtic but that aside Forster was out of this world and the ref was dud. That's what cost us the cup final.
And after the devastating blow of that defeat we went on in December to qualify for the knock out stages of the Europa and put ourselves in a great position in the league.
I find it hard to accept there was more pressure on Rangers in January than there was in that December run of games after the cup final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After the new year game it was all in Rangers hands, the media had started tipping Rangers, it's a completely different kind of expectation, they also had the collapse last year which when a game is tight would have been praying on their minds.
Pressure is huge in football, it's the same reason Celtic are no longer in europe, that wasn't an abilty issue, Jozo & Ajer are plenty good enough to play against the Copenhagen players, but the pressure got to them and we went out, we'd have probably put on a better show against a team we'd have been expected to lose too, it much easier to focus properly in that situation.
posted on 3/3/20
hunna
posted on 3/3/20
comment by HB Fash (U21935)
posted 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
Not to mention Davis legs went in January and we've not seen them since.
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Doesn't stop Ath getting on here most days.
posted on 3/3/20
comment by Sjb1888 (U5188)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
I think ultimately that's been the major difference, the Rangers players couldn't handle the pressure, it also explains why when playing in europe as underdogs your players seem to perform at a higher standard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I really struggle with this assertion.
I fully agree that in Rangers collapse there has been a big element of mental weakness.
But at times this season the team has stepped up when there has been far more pressure on then January when we returned after the break.
In the cup final we were terrific.Morelos clearly has a mental block against celtic but that aside Forster was out of this world and the ref was dud. That's what cost us the cup final.
And after the devastating blow of that defeat we went on in December to qualify for the knock out stages of the Europa and put ourselves in a great position in the league.
I find it hard to accept there was more pressure on Rangers in January than there was in that December run of games after the cup final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After the new year game it was all in Rangers hands, the media had started tipping Rangers, it's a completely different kind of expectation, they also had the collapse last year which when a game is tight would have been praying on their minds.
Pressure is huge in football, it's the same reason Celtic are no longer in europe, that wasn't an abilty issue, Jozo & Ajer are plenty good enough to play against the Copenhagen players, but the pressure got to them and we went out, we'd have probably put on a better show against a team we'd have been expected to lose too, it much easier to focus properly in that situation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We lost to celtic in the cup final - one chance of silver ware gone.
We then had to get a result against Young Boys - a team who had already beaten us - or else we would have been out of Europe. That would have been two competitions over in a week.
And then we had the really tough run of away fixtures ahead of the parkhead game (our toughest domestic fixture of the season). We knew that if we had slipped up signigficantly in those games celtic could have been looking at a double digit lead going into the new year if they had won the OF game.
I get that the expectation can be a different type of pressure. But I cant for a minute think that they felt so much more pressured going into the Hearts game than they did during the month of December that that's what lead to the collapse of the last month.
For me it was the absences through injuries/suspension, some sort of change in the mindset of the players following the break and the exposure of the lack of aggression, toughness and leadership on the park.
I wouldn't be surprised if something happened in Dubai. I know there are a lot of daft rumours going about but something hasn't been right since.
posted on 3/3/20
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Sjb1888 (U5188)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
I think ultimately that's been the major difference, the Rangers players couldn't handle the pressure, it also explains why when playing in europe as underdogs your players seem to perform at a higher standard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I really struggle with this assertion.
I fully agree that in Rangers collapse there has been a big element of mental weakness.
But at times this season the team has stepped up when there has been far more pressure on then January when we returned after the break.
In the cup final we were terrific.Morelos clearly has a mental block against celtic but that aside Forster was out of this world and the ref was dud. That's what cost us the cup final.
And after the devastating blow of that defeat we went on in December to qualify for the knock out stages of the Europa and put ourselves in a great position in the league.
I find it hard to accept there was more pressure on Rangers in January than there was in that December run of games after the cup final.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After the new year game it was all in Rangers hands, the media had started tipping Rangers, it's a completely different kind of expectation, they also had the collapse last year which when a game is tight would have been praying on their minds.
Pressure is huge in football, it's the same reason Celtic are no longer in europe, that wasn't an abilty issue, Jozo & Ajer are plenty good enough to play against the Copenhagen players, but the pressure got to them and we went out, we'd have probably put on a better show against a team we'd have been expected to lose too, it much easier to focus properly in that situation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We lost to celtic in the cup final - one chance of silver ware gone.
We then had to get a result against Young Boys - a team who had already beaten us - or else we would have been out of Europe. That would have been two competitions over in a week.
And then we had the really tough run of away fixtures ahead of the parkhead game (our toughest domestic fixture of the season). We knew that if we had slipped up signigficantly in those games celtic could have been looking at a double digit lead going into the new year if they had won the OF game.
I get that the expectation can be a different type of pressure. But I cant for a minute think that they felt so much more pressured going into the Hearts game than they did during the month of December that that's what lead to the collapse of the last month.
For me it was the absences through injuries/suspension, some sort of change in the mindset of the players following the break and the exposure of the lack of aggression, toughness and leadership on the park.
I wouldn't be surprised if something happened in Dubai. I know there are a lot of daft rumours going about but something hasn't been right since.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's never one thing, couple of injuries might have some players doubting if they are good enough without certain players, one bad result heaps more pressure onto then next.
As far as Europe goes I think Rangers have been underdog most of the way and that's helped them, if you had been favourites in the last round I have my doubts if you's would have got through.
I doubt very much Morelos is well liked at the club, sure look out for your career but too many times in his Rangers career he's talked about leaving, that rubs people up the wrong way.
posted on 3/3/20
certainly not the "golden" boot
posted on 3/3/20
As far as Europe goes I think Rangers have been underdog most of the way and that's helped them, if you had been favourites in the last round I have my doubts if you's would have got through.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
We won the first leg against Braga. We had the lead in the tie. I don't think the players actually went into the second leg thinking they were underdogs.
The bookies had both teams at 10-11 to qualify so even they didn't have Braga as favourites.
I think we went through against Braga because they play a high line and try and work the ball through the midfield. Tactically it was pretty obvious how you would counter that. Fortunately the players had a good night and we took one of the chances their tactical set up allowed us.
posted on 3/3/20
Think too much is being made of the underdog thing.
We’re simply soft as shhiite, and Hearts just got right in our players faces. And manager daft enough to keep the same tactics against them for what the third time this season
posted on 4/3/20
comment by RenegadeOF (U9457)
posted 12 hours, 34 minutes ago
Think too much is being made of the underdog thing.
We’re simply soft as shhiite, and Hearts just got right in our players faces. And manager daft enough to keep the same tactics against them for what the third time this season
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In a nutshell
Its fookin obvious watching out games we are being physically bullied - particularly against teams like Hearts, Killie and Livvy.
They are probably the three teams that you play you know every time in the first 20 there will be at least 3 or 4 players leaving a good bit in tackles. The ref will do absolutely nothing about it and the Gers players will sheidt themselves. Not one single Gers player will go through an opposition player and give a good bit back.
Sets the tone. Gives the opposition a lift and we don't have anyone to change the narrative.