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For me, it's a fairly understandable initial reaction but, I can't see how anyone would, after some reflection think sacking the manager and his coaching team would hasten our return to success. There's no doubt Gerrard has his faults so to ignore that and/or our recent form would be silly. However, we have made good progress over the last 18-24 months so sacking him after one period of bad form (in which we've been missing a few key players as well) is a complete over-reaction. Much better to be constructive in our criticism: 1. The manager simply has to be more flexible/adaptable in his selections and systems: relying on the 4-3-2-1 isn't working. 2. He has to be prepared to change things quicker during games. 3. To not have adequate similar backup for Barisic and Morelos, in particular, is now bordering on negligence when they are so important to the way we play. 4. We have to solve the issues we have after international breaks. 5. We have to examine why we've lost so many games recently from winning positions. 6. He needs to be stronger in his criticism of the officials. I'm sure we could add a few more points to take us to 10. All things considered, discussing these flaws makes for a more interesting thread than ripping everything up and starting again, where we'd then need more transfer windows as well as finding a better manager, questions not certain to be answered. I'm afraid, we just need to maintain our support and have further patience amidst dreadful times to be a Rangers fan. That's not easy but, if don't fancy following our motto, then Rangers isn't for you.

What a myopic outlook. Who genuinely cares about this 10 in a row nonsense? They won more than half of those league titles while we were away from the league or were in utter turmoil. Bringing in a manager for a short term fix to simply to stop them is crazy and could do more damage long term IMO. That's old Rangers thinking and it's tired. SG is building something tangible. Has he made mistakes? Of course he has and I'm sure he would be the first person to admit that but let's stay strong and remember what he's done. You mention the last 32 in europe as if it's nothing. People really have short memories. It's just over 2 years since the club's lowest point in European football and we now we have a team that can compete in a European competition and doesn't look out of place. That's a huge step forward

There is no doubt it has been a frustrating few weeks, to say the least. A couple of defeats to Hearts and Kilmarnock, and more worryingly in my opinion, a series of pathetic performances have littered our fixture list. Any potential title challenge we had within our grasp has been wrenched from it -- perhaps irrevocably? As is right, the manager has been at the forefront of some robust criticism. There have been some over-the-top, knee-jerk reactions (such as, 'Gerrard should go!'), but there are valid questions to be asked. The main criticism is his reluctance to use the bench. We are well past the hour mark before he makes his first change, even when it is clear the game is not going the way it should well before. Gerrard is almost damned if he does, damned if he doesn't here, though -- Were we not complaining about constant changes to the first XI last season, and now we're complaining about him being too obstinate? It doesn't matter what he does, as long as the end result is the right one: there were a couple of glorious European performances that were based on not changing things. I'm not so sure we have the quality on the bench to change things. The only player I think that has been unlucky, with regards to minutes on the pitch, is Stewart. Stewart is not blessed with pace, but he is a clever, technical player capable of unlocking stubborn defences. He is also not shy to shoot from distance. He is a natural forward, than has that instinct to get into the box. I'm not so sure the players on the bench should be getting more game time. Polster has not done anything wrong, but he is a replacement for Tavernier, so won't play often, and shouldn't; Docherty doesn't quite suit the system, and is now on loan; Jones has been injured; Ojo has been disappointing; and Edmundson has Goldson, Helander and Katic ahead of him, so he's not going to play much. Add to that they are different types of players from the ideal first XI players. In the attacking positions, Gerrard wants players that can take the ball in tight situations, between the lines. Jones and Ojo are not able to do that. It is clear we need more attacking options off the bench, more suited to our system. I'm not so sure the criticism around our formation is valid either, or at least not entirely so. The 4-3-2-1 was working very well, and then since the break we've struggled to create chances and score goals. Gerrard is not even being obstinate here, for he has tried to change that with a recent shift to the 4-2-3-1, which adds another attacker to the mix. (I would question the make-up of the two sitting players: I don't think this role suits Arfield.) We are still struggling. For me, the problem is not personnel or system, but the lack of movement from the first XI. If we look at the blueprint Gerrard is trying to emulate, or take inspiration from, Klopp's Liverpool, we can see several instances of this lack of movement. Mane and Salah are constantly running into the channel, in-behind; our guys are standing there waiting for the ball. Liverpool also have Robertson and Alexander-Arnold running on the overlap too, or coming into the channel to make space for the wingers out wide; our Full-backs are quite static, waiting for the ball -- although Barisic is better than Tavernier in that respect. Even Henderson and Wijnaldum break forward; our Centre-midfielders seldom break forward. If you watch Robertson, Mane and Wijnaldum, the left side of their team, they are constantly rotating position. Robertson will lay it off to Mane out wide, and drive into the channel, and Wijnaldum will drop off to take Robertson's LB slot. Sometimes Mane will cut inside, while Wijnaldum will drive out wide, or into the channel to create space. Sometimes Robertson is out wide, with Mane coming back to cover Left-back. There is constant rotation. As well as creating space and moving players about, their positioning keeps passing options open. Our first XI is good, in my opinion, but we need to work on movement on and off the ball; rotations, making space for each other, third man runs, running in-behind to stretch the defenders, etc. I think it's an almost old-fashioned way of playing to say 'go out and express yourself' -- it is too vague and you need to be a good player for that, and we don't quite have that calibre of player. Our players need to be given more detailed instructions, like a Guardiola or Bielsa: if X has the ball, Y moves here, Z moves there, etc. To make that next step, I don't think wholesale changes are needed. Taking on Livingston on Saturday, we need to see better attacking movements. We could switch to a front two--which is an easy change to make--but, it means dropping Kent or Hagi for Kamberi, and going to a 4-4-2 (diamond)/4-1-2-1-2, with Hagi or Kent as a lone #10. However, if we continue with the same impotent attacking movements, nothing much will change. I would revert to the 4-3-2-1 that has stood us in good stead for a while. It is a more defensively stable formation, and packs in most creativity. I think Kent has been off form, so I would replace him with Stewart to play in one of the #10 roles. He has a natural instinct to get into the box, which can benefit us. I would also like to see Aribo play deeper, with a license to drive forward. He suits the deeper role: he is good at winning the ball back, has good close control, and can beat a man with his power and pace. (Kamara is better in a sitting role, because as with Jack and Davis, he can't really break the lines by beating a man.) I think we have the components of a good side. If we can show a little more courage, aggression and creativity in the final third we can get back on track. It is important to get back to winning ways, so any win will do: whether that is 1-0 or 5-4. If we can pump some confidence and energy back into our attacking players, we'll see a much improved side. Results will follow.

It will hit home when it's repeatedly mentioned by the yahoos and the press (if they manage it). I think Celtc are likely to win 12 major trophies in a row now. That is embarrassing for everyone in Scottish football.

I was saying to a colleague that we need to be giving more of the fringe players more regular minutes so that they are ready and able to effect change when they are called upon. A lot of the good work we do tends to stem from the way the team starts games. Tempo and pressing are the two things that signal our intent and get the crowd on site. Both of which have been lacking for large spells since the January break. Stewart has to be given starts IMO. Not just because he has a quality surname. I'm not under any illusions that he's some sort of panacea, but we can all see he adds something different. So for me the challenge is how Gerrard can adapt his preferred system to suit different situations.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't, indeed. Were some not complaining about constant changes last season, and now we're complaining about him being obstinate? The only player I think has been unlucky, with regards to minutes on the pitch is Stewart. (Polster's a Tavernier replacement, so won't play often; Docherty doesn't quite suit the system, and hasn't shown enough; Jones has been injured; and Edmundson has Goldson, Helander and Katic ahead of him, so he's not going to play as much.) Add to that they are different types of players from the ideal first XI players. We need more attacking options off the bench. The 4-3-2-1 was working very well, and then since the break we've struggled to create chances and score goals. SG has tried to change that with the 4-2-3-1, adding another attacker to the mix. We're still struggling. For me, the problem is there is no movement. Mane and Salah are constantly running into the channel, in-behind; our guys are standing there waiting for the ball. Liverpool also have Robertson and TAA running on the overlap too, or coming into the channel to make space for the wingers out wide; our Full-backs are quite static, waiting for the ball -- although Barisic is better than Tavernier at that. Even Henderson and Wijnaldum break forward; our CMs don't break forward very much at all. (If you watch Robertson, Mane and Wijnaldum, they are constantly rotating position; each taking each others positions at some stage.) The first XI is good, IMO, but we need to work on movement on and off the ball; rotations, making space for each other, third man runs, running in-behind to stretch the defenders, etc. I think it's an old-fashioned way of playing to say 'go out and express yourself'; you need to be a good player for that, and we don't quite have that calibre of player. We should be giving them detailed instructions, like a Guardiola or Bielsa: if X has the ball, Y move here, Z moves there, etc. I don't think wholesale changes are needed. We just need to work on attacking movements.

Compare it with what happened to us. Knocked down three fucking leagues and prevented from playing in Europe. We were singled out compared to everyone else. City, Juve, Saracens. Nobody got more screwed than Rangers did.

I don’t believe any genuine supporters want Gerrard sacked.

Support your Local Team. Yesterday's 'Media Review' had the usual panel providing their predictable usual take on media events. The difference, after a dozen years, it was the last. DrStu', Eammon O'Neill, and Anna Burnside said goodbye to John Beattie and Anne Marie Watson, waving goodbye to the circus. Obviously, they knew it was coming for a while and probably explains last weeks seven minutes on the Scottish Finance Secretary's resignation, and 14 minutes on Michael Stewart/Jim Traynor. This week's, the last ever was equally strange. The starter topic was Philip Schofield's coming out on This Morning. Fifteen minutes of sneering attitude. Philip was not brave, his wife is to be pitied, and the consensus was the whole thing had been carefully choreographed. DrStu' wondered aloud, "Ah bet, there had been a rehearsal"? Dearest Philip was the subject of informed speculation, his mentoring of a young male Runner within the This Morning production company was raised twice in knowing euphemistic terms. I am not interested in Philip Schofield's sexual activities and am genuinely surprised it was worthy of such discussion? However, it was the duplicitous comments about choreography and rehearsals that stunned me; seriously, for twenty five years DrStu' has done that very same thing in dozens and doxens of 'Off the Ball' when discussing Rangers and Rangers supporters. How many Producers have telephoned in, armed with provided script in hand? My favourite occurred several years past. After a 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle, DrStu' hosted a supposed Hearts fan calling in from Newton Mearns with the nomme de guerre, 'Gordon the Jambo fae Glasgow'. Obviously, no Producer with the appropriate Edinburgh/Lothians accent was available, thus Newton Mortgage was conjured. Gordon the Jambo told of Hearts fans singing lustfully of Rangers being no more, and the future being dubious for sevco. Remember, several senior executives at the Beeb had to resign because of Producers calling into shows they were producing? there were no resignations at PQ. The next story to be discussed was the closure of the Queensferry Crossing ie the new Forth Road Bridge. DrStu' told us this was the very epitome of an SNP Bad story. All the journos were Unionists, finding traction from falling ice. The reports of folks stuck in traffic for three days were hysterical. Deliberately, they set out to undermine Scotland. Anna Burnside and Eammon were bored of the story, they all confirmed that none of them had to experience the ten hour traffic queues. Interestingly, Joanna Cherry MP on last night's Beeb Question Time spouted the same line(rehearsed), although she told of sitting for several hours attempting to attend a funeral. Thus, having taking a swipe at Schofield(and that will be because of some perceived slight on behalf of DrStu' back in his high heid yin media management days) and finding comfort again in his preferred political prejudice, it was time to support his local team. DrStu' has spent in excess of 25 years as a resident of Dennistoun, lives just over half a mile from ra Stade de Gadd. He has been consistent this last quarter of a century, nothing grinds his gears more than seeing RSCs and CSCs buses leaving Perth and other towns. Support your local team is the mantra. DrStu's last ever point on the Media Review was to encourage ra Sellik in their demands for a SKY apology, "we should all know who provided that translation on Morelos"? DrStu' confirms what we all knew, it's always all about the Rangers. PS : There was a wee bit about the Philip Schofield diatribe that rung, in the middle of sympathy for his wife and family. They claimed in their script to have been aware of Schofield's sexuality for several years and were okay with it. I thought DrStu' is a duplicitous cnut, I wonder if his wife and family know it, and are they okay with it? We should be told?

As I said before, time and again, at home against teams that pose no threat, go 3 at the back and 1 DM, the rest should be there to attack and hurt the opposition in their half. Also something I would actually utilize Polster (yes Bluedell, i know ? ), as he can play right-back as well as DM, so can cover that side of a back three in full ... or step into midfield, while Tav would usually and solely be found somewhere in a right attacking slot. Hence e.g. ... with Stewart and Jones tracking back and Davis being the anchor in midfield. Jack and Polster may step into a more attacking area too, if opportunity arises. McGregor Polster - Goldson - Katic/Edmundson Jack Stewart - Davis - Kent - Jones Morelos - Kamberi

On tight grounds where it's hard to create space with intricate passing you have to wonder if 2 up front is worth a go and a slightly more direct style. I know it's horribly out of fashion but 4-4-2 has some strengths. Without Barisic in particular we lack threat on the left when Halliday steps in. In a 4-4-2 the need for a marauding full back isn't the same if you have a winger who can do it. At Killie we could have had, Tav Goldson Katic Halliday Kent Jack Aribo/Hagi Jones Morelos Kamberi Kent could be twice the player he is now if he was allowed to just focus on running onto through balls played in between the centre back and the full back and then cutting it back or chipping it to the back post. Just now he is playing as a playmaker at times which he is terrible at, and his shooting is awful more often than not. If he hugged the touchline on the right I think he could give a left back a horrendous time. If the left back stayed narrow (which they want to do when sitting in) he wouldn't be able to stop Kent running straight down the line and getting in behind. The left back would be pulled out wide which would open up a gap between him and the centre back which is exactly what you want. I'm not saying the above would be a recipe for success in every game because the 4-3-2-1 has served us well but you'd have to think we are surely looking at alternatives now, especially when big players are missing.

Aha! Ah well, just to reinforce the point ?

FAO all users: As much as I can understand the strong feeling after a defeat and the subsequent discussion of what I feel was an OTT thread, please refrain from personal insults as it just makes those who make them look silly and, on this Valentine's Day, I love you all too much to fall out with any of you...

What a shame. Maybe now he can be put out to pasture and we can bring in a good PR firm who have never made disparaging remarks about Rangers supporters (like he has).

When will it ever end

So I'm presuming that's another merchandise boycott until this is cleared up. The feeling being it appears that fat Mike has his grubby hands up elites ass? So, what's happened here? We have signed a deal with elite, they sponsored auchenowie and subsequently there is suggestions that someone is interfering in our relationship with Elite? So much so that we are now entering litigation with them for monies owed. Total mess.

That guy has given me nothing but grief for weeks The information Input out weeks ago about Elite & it would lead to court action is bang on

I could list six issues with your suggestion of Dick Advocaat if you like?

Polster in that team doesn't work IMO. I don't thinkhe is positionally sound enough to play in a back 3. Against Hearts he got caught very, very narrow a number of times. If playing a back 3 then, for me, it would be Goldson, Katic and Edmundson. But I wouldn't go a back 3 anyway because, strange though it sounds, we would be less attack-minded with a back 3. Our current formation is more attacking because, in possession, we effectively play with 2 at the back (Goldson and Katic) whilst the full backs off width on the overlap. With a back 3 the wide midfielders are going to have to do the tracking back which, as Rousseau says, negates their attacking threat.

? It's just a bit deflating to see this thread sitting at the top of the pile . I'm not helping matters either ?.

I think we have a couple of problems: 1. We are too slow on the ball, we want to emulate this modern free-flowing fast paced football but too many players take too many touches. 2. We've brought in a guy who looks like he can play one touch football, however we seem to have lost a lot of movement up front which he needs to thrive. 3. We are playing way too many little passes in the opposition half. Sometimes I think we just need to get to the byline, get the ball in and let it hit off a few shins and arses to get those half chances. It's all way too neat (or trying to be). We are running before we can walk at times.

Yes, but you don't need to change the whole formation to isolate Kent against the Full-back. If one of the wide CMs stepped up into the half-space, Barisic tucks in, then Kent can go wide. That's the sort of thing Man City do, to get Stirling in-behind. With the 4-4-2, there's no reason for the opposition FB and RM to stay narrow if there's no one there to mark. Not in every situation, but you know...

It's a very revealing stat.

I think it's just when you have such a bad run of form in such a short period the criticism is more intense. Unfortunately, Celtic are doing so well we simply can't afford to drop any points and that's incredibly difficult to do (especially when the officials are so poor in one direction).

We will get there in the end it might just take a little longer

Aye, I've been doing a rewatch too. So, so good!

(Can you tell I've been binge-watching Curb Your Enthusiasm recently?)

The Wolves and Leicester mat h should be a good one to watch

Our primary focus, as a club, is winning the league. Always has been, always will be.

I think it's hard to be fair. We're damned if we do, damned if we don't. We have a decent first XI but we have a lot of squad players that are exactly just that, squad players. Guys like Jones are not going to win us the league but what do we do? Spend money we don't have for expensive back up players? I'm sure SG was hoping the fringe players would press more for starting places but it's not materialised. I feel sorry for Stewart tbh. I thought he looked like he could offer something different between midfield and attack. Jones I do not rate at all. Looks happy enough just to be at Rangers IMO. I also question the judgement of throwing in Hagi into the team at this point of the season. I'm excited he is here but now we are looking for him to change games after 10 minutes in the country. I may get pelters but I would persevere with Kamara, Davis and Jack in the middle. It was working for us and helped us control games but I feel we've lost that dominance now.

We need better players. Some of our players can play very well at times but the mark of a very good player is consistency and we don't have enough of them. Good players cost money and we don't appear to be generating much of that at the moment or producing players through our youth system.

We have dropped 2 points with barasic and tav playing and 14 or so with one or other missing. We need better back up at full back.

Let give the boy a break remember he's still a green horn manager and he has done very well in his short tenure if we keep our cool we can still win the league I don't give up until its mathematically impossible

In normal circumstances, our points tally would be quite acceptable. The main problem, for me, is the manner in which we have dropped points at Rugby Park, Tynecastle and Pittodrie - all from winning positions.

I'd stayed away from social media for the past 12 hours due to the expected levels of hysteria and panty wetting that happens after a bad result. I didn't expect to find it on here. It's fucking ridiculous! Look at where we were before Gerrard came in and look at it now. Look at the players he's brought in. Look at the development we've seen from other players. How much in a worse place would we be without Gerrard? There's no way that the team would be anywhere near to where we are now. To throw the toys out of the pram after a few bad results is frankly pathetic.