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Six matches played. Six defeats, 22 goals conceded and just two scored. It's safe to say our CL Group Stage stats don't make for good reading as Rangers exit Europe for season 2022/23 in a campaign that, so far at least, just hasn't got going at all in Europe or domestically. Just what has gone wrong? Rewind back to the start of the season and the outlook was much brighter. Yes, we'd lost important players such as Bassey and Aribo to big money moves but we had strengthened the squad as well. Meanwhile, we still had players such as Morelos, Roofe, Jack and Helander to return from long term injuries so - aside from perhaps one or two positions - most fans were fairly comfortable with the status of the squad. Unfortunately, since then things have turned rather sour. Player after player has succumbed to injury leaving us down to the bare bones in midfield and defence in particular whilst key performers - people we've relied on in recent years - simply haven't turned up for long periods of many matches. Team selection has been inconsistent, our tactics changed regularly to cope and subsequent results are as erratic as the manager's comments in press conferences. Off the field, the club is equally unimpressive. Communication is conceded to be a problem but, aside from one or two brief and less than encouraging interviews, fans are offered mixed messages at best. We're asked to continually fork out top dollar ticket and merchandising prices before then being told there's no money to properly invest in the side. Rangers are apparently about to report recording breaking turnover but instead of that money being put into the team on the park, other projects such as Edmiston House are prioritised. Perhaps more worryingly as more issues are identified with the squad, a variety of player recruitment staff have left with a lack of clarity as to their replacement. At this point I think it's fair to say I don't envy the Rangers board. As much as we've historically been the dominant team in Scotland, circumstances over the last twenty years have undoubtedly affected that position. David Murray, Craig Whyte, Charles Green and others all contributed to weaken our club substantially this millennium. A lack of foresight and planning coupled with greed and ego seen Rangers drop into the lower leagues and, as much as many fans will rightfully tire of that being used as a crutch as we approach 2023, the affect cannot be denied as we attend matches now. Even with the huge amounts of turnover we'll report over the next few weeks – these monies only go so far and cannot be spent all at once. The 'modern-day' Ibrox Stadium is now the better part of 50 years old. That alone is startling enough when you take a breath but a lack of investment in the venue under various regimes offers a maintenance bill that will be eye-watering. Roof repairs, general improvements and ongoing work to develop various areas such as hospitality and disabled facilities have and will continue to cost millions on an annual basis. Some will ask why these were put ahead of players on the park, well, whilst any payback period of the Blue Sky Lounge or Edmiston House may be lengthy, we cannot rely on European football alone for our income. Supporters also need to appreciate that, before this year’s financial reports, the club was loss making with directors making up any short fall via the purchase of shares. That just isn’t tenable longer term and these people have to be paid back at some point. As such whilst (erroneous) headline figures of £30m+ of profit appear exciting, it doesn’t automatically follow we’re spending all of that on players. We still spent £10m in the summer which is a large amount comparatively speaking and we need to budget for more than one season. Unfortunately, it’s where we’ve spent that money that is more of an issue. Was Rabbi Matando any better than Fashion Sakala? How much time did we take to evaluate John Souttar’s injuries? Was Ridvan Yilmaz the marquee signing we needed? Should we have kept one Leon instead of developing the other? Who is responsible for deciding not to strengthen in midfield? All these questions, and more, are key football strategy questions that need to be answered. From the manager, to Ross Wilson and the board, a clear explanation would perhaps help supporters understand our position and apply some rationale to any concerns. Of course the AGM is coming up where some questions may be answered but such meetings aren’t always constructive. Therefore, it’s very important that the board address our perceived shortcomings in plain speak. Football supporters are never the most patient of ‘customers’ so it makes sense to offer clarity. Have we focused too much on infrastructure or was the unavoidable? A plethora of injuries can be attributed to some bad luck but we knew the risks when signing certain players and/or relying too much on others. Who is culpable for what seems a raft of player deficiencies: age profile, fitness, recruitment and contracts? What are our plans for squad investment in January and next summer? In many ways, there are merited reasons for under-performance this season. However, excuses – no matter how valid - can only mitigate so far and I think if we’re honest with ourselves many problems signal deeper issues that appear to go further than the product on the field. Improvement and progress can be found but that will require the kind of clear leadership that seems to have been missing of late. Six months ago we were in a European final but we’ve gone backwards since then. Of course we’ve no right to success but that regression has to be accounted for and responsibility taken. Some honest answers will help and may allow time to turn things around. Nothing else will do and the club must avoid bland soundbites. With no recognised fans group to speak of, the board may think they’re above such transparency. Season ticket waiting lists, a huge MyGers membership and afore-mentioned record turnover may also make some directors feel over-confident when any of that could reverse very quickly if results on the park don’t improve; not just this season but beyond. In contrast, supporters must be prepared to absorb bad news as well. If change is to be made, whether in the squad, the coaching staff or our Sporting Director, that will take more time, more money and more patience. And there still remain no guarantees – not when there are other increasing costs for the club to meet. Lastly, it’s also fair to acknowledge the last ten years have been difficult for our fans and despite daft songs, we haven’t walked away and still back the club impressively year-to-year. The good times have been somewhat rare but they are coming back slowly, very slowly but an inconsistency remains for now which won’t be easy nor quick to solve. That may be tough to recognise or accept but it’s one of the few truths available to us. It's not what you or I want to hear but patience remains a virtue.

We've let the narrative become all about the money and lack of investment when I'd argue there's a case to say that what money we have made available for wages & fees has been poorly spent. I also don't think it's as simple as Ross Wilson's signings have all been terrible - they haven't. What sane board are going to throw lots of money at the issue just now? They could literally spend nothing and worst case, we'll finish second and have another crack at CL next year. So why wouldn't they just "consolidate" with the income from last year to get us on a more solid footing going forward? If indeed that's what's happening, I'm just guessing. We are faced with a squad rebuild because the iterative, small season-to-season changes haven't happened and we now find ourselves with an aging squad. The signs have been there for at least 2 seasons. Under two managers. Who have both spent money and also chosen to stood by some existing players on big money who have consistently underperformed. We've been incredibly unlucky with injuries, but the squad looks nowhere near as fit as it has done. Are those things linked? I think we're seeing a number of factors all hitting us at once, but I don't for one minute believe that Gio is getting the best out of the players he has.

The current situation is unacceptable and the ongoing silence emanating from the Blue Room compounds. Ra Sellik won the Premiership last season. Their automatic qualification for the Champions League group stages was facilitated by the national coefficient, largely established by Rangers efforts in the prevailing four seasons. We qualified for the group stages by playing four qualifying games, winning two, drawing and losing one apiece. I believe we have contributed 6.5 points to the coefficient this season, more than any other Scottish club? I drove to last night's game and heard BBC Radio Scotland's build up, they played a full ten minutes of commentary of all goals conceded by us in this season's CL group stages, interceded by clips of GVB saying, "we will learn", "we are in development" and, "we cannot compete". Big Dick introduced and Liam McLeod screamed with satisfaction. Truly, we are chastened. Currently, we hold the record for the worst performance ever in CL group stages. I am not looking for a sacrifice, I am not looking for pointless reaction that raises the whole tone of the campaign. Certainly, I am not looking for a repeat of November'69 - I stood as a 12 year old schoolboy with my Old Man in Edmiston Drive with 12,000 other Bears. We had just lost 1-3 to Gornik in the ECWC, a trophy we were favourites to win. Lubanski's goal would have won any cup buy Man City beat the unfancied Poles in the final. The Rangers Manager, Davie White was sacked that evening. I do NOT want a repeat. I want the Board to come out and accept responsibility and tell us the way ahead. I want leadership. Without leadership, others are allowed to seize the narrative.

The question at the AGM shouldn’t be what happened this season but where do we plan to be in 2025 and what’s the pathway?

I csn easily live with coming bottom I don't think that in itself has shocked any of us the problem is the manner in how we did.

The team had no momentum when Gerrard left. None at all.

On the contrary, it's exactly the sort of calming tone that's needed to counter the predictable hysteria that always descends in times of trouble. It would be a mistake to gauge our piety simply by the ferocity of our criticism - this is precisely when sober and constructive reflection is needed. I hope those running the club also recognise this.

IMO, we cannot stabilise finances and satisfy expectations whilst we operate in the current environment. The CL is a monkey on our backs and pushes us towards an unrealistic budget in the pursuit of sporadic revenue. That model cannot succeed in a 2 horse race, one nag will get its nose in front and the runner up gets peanuts despite spending more than it will earn in second place. CL is designed for big 5 teams, it rewards big 5 teams and throws buttons at the rest of us. Meanwhile, we can't afford not to overspend or our rivals will be in a 1 horse race. Its not healthy for either team, not good for Scottish football and results in humiliation and profligacy. We should withdraw from CL and so should every FA outwith the B5. Give them the super league they want. Reduce the impact of failure and we could operate within our means, expectations managed realistically and our facilities and infrastructure would benefit from this freedom. We are chasing rainbows nowadays and the consequences are there for all to see.

Multiple issues require addressing and have been brought into sharp focus due to a combination of injuries and probably the worst possible CL group draw. These factors have served to highlight our deficiencies. Seems to me that all our current problems can be labelled as symptomatic of poor strategy at every level. Squad that lacks quality, hasn't been bolstered by effective recruitment and contains far too many stale players well past their best. Add to that a lack of self belief and what appears to be a disconnect between the coaching staff and squad. It cannot be easy for our board, trying to balance player budgets and capital expenditure on facilities that have been neglected for donkeys. I don't envy them at all. Nevertheless it looks to me that high level planning has perhaps focused too much on stadium and training centre projects and gambled that the playing side could do enough to buy time for finances to stabilise. Effective strategy requires clear goals and the prioritisation of the basic product. Prime focus should be the team, coaches, recruitment and squad management, take care of that and the finances will come to allow infrastructure outlay. Our board have made mistakes that will take time and money to resolve in an environment not conducive to patience. They need to start communicating and explaining, how much has been spent over the last few years on infrastructure? Was this outlay critical and unavoidable? Despite current circumstances do they have a steady hand on the tiller? Candid answers may buy them some understanding and time to redress. More bluster and platitudes will not suffice.

What’s a doctor and where can you find one?

Think its the same. Even if we can get a couple of loans in if we have no money. We need bodies in midfield.

The thing is, we wouldn't have ben able to afford Roofe and Helander if they had had exemplary fitness records. It's all a big balancing act, which is failing at the moment.

Last night was the coup de gras in a group where we stood no chance from the outset,and as the squad got decimated by injuries and a suspension not much option was left in the tean selection. We now have to use the fact that we now have less games to get our squad back up and the manager/board have to do some hard talking to find out why some of the team have capitulated,be it a disenterest from the players towards the manager or wether his coaching team do not have the quality. The board also have to come clean on the situation of Helander/Roofe/Soutar on their seemingly permanent injury status. Sunday should see wether or not the players have a positive reaction and hopefully restore some pride.

These teams are levels above us in terms of fitness. I know some people think fitness should be a leveller of sorts but it isn’t always the case, better teams can afford to recruit a high calibre of athlete (like Ajax recruiting Bassey from us).

Stats post game on BT sports have alluded to other teams running more than us. Is it that by design or is it a lack of capability. perhaps the gentleman in charge of our team who famously said we can’t compete at this level could take a leaf from a Martindale/McInnes/Courts who’s teams couldn’t compete with us - but found a way.

Indeed, we should have narrowed the gap not lengthened it. We were toe to toe with Frankfurt barely 6 months ago they were seconds away from topping their group where as we've become an abject laughing stock.

So apparently we have the worst goal difference of any CL team in history. How can people turn around and just say we were simply out of our league and this was coming to us? The worst goal difference in CL history. That is completely unacceptable to my mind, how any can defend that. It was capitulation after capitulation. We couldn’t even make our boring football style keep things tight.

Looking forward to beating St Johnstone at the weekend. Get back some of the happy clapping spirit from Saturday.

Its a virgin on the internet who posts made up nonsense for attention.

Can You Speak Out of Your Arse? PQ Producers regularly ask this question when considering pundits to talk matters Sellik? Last night, Big Dick introduced a ten minute segment of fellow Dandy, Liam McLeod commentating on Rangers conceding nineteen(19) goals in this season's Champions League group games(after 5 matches). To highlight and reinforce the paucity of Rangers preparedness for CL group games, Big Dick finished by telling of BBC Alba's Alex O'Henley reporting yesterday's CL Youth group match at Firhill, it finished Rangers 2 Ajax 6. Big Dick was anxious to let us know it will not get any better any time soon, he relished taking away the hope. I watched yesterday's Youth match and Rangers were 0-1 down early on, then were deservedly reduced to ten men, Rice sent off. We recovered and the ten managed to edge 2-1 ahead. Ajax equalised in the second minute of first half injury time. Ajax Youths are top notch, the second half was an exercise in finding the extra man and, deservedly ran out 2-6 winners. We know Alex O'Hanley is a good friend to Rangers? Anyways, he did NOT report the whole story and Big Dick knowingly pounced. I thought I have never heard BBC Scotland report on Euro Youth games before? I listened this evening as Peter Grant, Pat Bonner, Chris Sutton, Liam McLeod, .... etc all spoke out their collective bahookie. Real Madrid defeated Angeball 5-1 and, Pat articulated amazement at the amount of chances created by Sellik. Peter was anxious to expose his bigger arse, "if Benzema was playing for Sellik, with those chances, Sellik would top the group". Sellik finished bottom of their group, just like Rangers. Sellik Youths lost 4-1 to Real Madrid today and finished bottom of the group too, but none of this was reported. I suspect South Uist born and bred Alex O'Henley was having difficulty finding his mouth/arse? During his playing days, Peter was a great gesticulator. He pointed out he was NEVER to blame. Thus, if Albion Rovers had signed Benzema and created the necessary opportunities, then Coatbridge's finest would be topping a CL group. If Pat knew his arse from his elbow, he would be speaking out of his cubitus. The last time Real Madrid played a Scots club, it was fifteen months ago at Ibrox, Rangers won 2-1. Alex O'Henley failed to report this too, he was too busy flicking his green'n'grey tongue at Pat's cubitus, or was he licking Peter's arse? We should be told?

£40 on the draw I should be taken away by the men in white coats 🤣

And the team were not playing for him. It was the correct season for him to go but the timing was dreadful.

Que sera sera: Thumbheid's downward trajectory seems inevitable, inescapable. Thus you may return the Magic Lamp to your Maw's press.

We need to get the best of the young Scottish talent if there is such a thing these day’s if they come up to scratch play them if they are good enough age shouldn’t matter by doing that we have saleable players who cost little and could be very profitable. All these foreign players have me thinking they are duds even before we buy them why would bigger clubs not snap them up it’s because they are not up to the job. And it’s time to ditch the oldies get rid of them be sentimental can be costly . And we need proper investment not soft loans so on that point I would appoint someone to sell the club lock stock and barrel in horse racing blue is a very popular colour among the Arabian mega rich owners .

If we have 9 points from the next 3 games then the general outlook on things will be positive. Europe has banked us some cash and its done. Lets focus on the treble and see where it leas us.

IMO the bosman signings are a bit of a misnomer in terms of value. The club wont have to pay a fee but will likely over pay on agent fees, sign on fees and wages. Perhaps better value to be found in the ~£2 million bracket signings as they can likely command less in terms of wages and fees. Aribo was a good example of a free that turned out well, but I'm sure we spent around 2 million in fees to bring him in (development fee to Charlton, sign on fees for agent and player). Sakala, Lundstram and Lawrence will all be on a healthy wage as a result.

I thought when SG came-in we were working to exactly that - a long-term plan with a consistent approach on and off the pitch in terms of how all ages of team played, trained... more focus on training smarter, better fitness and nutrition etc, better facilities. A higher standard all round. We certainly saw the benefits in terms of how fit the players looked. If you look at the players we've signed and released, on paper at least, you can see the same upward/forward trajectory in terms of quality... But after 55 it seems to have stalled too. Looking at this summer window for example, on paper at least, Lawrence, Yilmaz, Colak, Davies and Matondo, all looked like good, sensible signings (for different reasons). Even Sands and Tilman, given their potential and apparent ability when played in their natural positions, look like the sort of signings we should be making with a view to being sellable assets. But I assumed we'd also sign a #1 keeper... McGregor & Davis would retire.. Borna would probably go.. Arfield too.. And they'd be replaced. I assumed Goldson would go but even with my reservations about him, I can see why we chose to offer him a new deal. I assumed we would prioritise the signing of a first-choice central midfielder. I assumed we'd sell Kent and/or Morelos if they wouldn't sign new deals and we'd definitely get rid of Helander and Roofe. And all of this would see us bringing in other players as well as promoting a few like McCann, Lowry and King to be much more involved. That's a long way of saying that I think we did have a plan, but buts gone off the rails somewhere.

This.

3 games to go. Let's win them all and try to regroup.

What do you want them to do though? We don't need to spend massive amounts of money to win this league and we know we already need to reduce our wage bill. All I see on social media is "where's the money gone" and "sack Ross Wilson." I think those at the AGM need to be asking different questions which highlight the issues we're seeing on and off the pitch just now. Honestly, how much more than everyone bar Celtic do people want us to spend on fees and wages to come up with a team who can beat Livingston at home?

I wouldn't group Jack with Helander and Roofe. I think Jack is good enough and influential enough to keep around, and he plays enough games over the course. Helander and Roofe are quality players, that we wouldn't ordinarily be able to sign. It worked for 55. However, I am now of the opinion that these two just don't play enough to warrant their presumably high wages. That money would be better spent elsewhere.

I think so. Employ a fitness coach worth his salt. We had superb fitness under Milsom - who, incidentally, is out of work... 👀

That's exactly what will happen. If you take emotion and sentiment away its actually a sensible approach. However it'll be hard to stomach.

yeah lets be honest its not about running more its about running smarter.

Seen it all before getting thumped seven one six nil and plenty more disastrous days but back then we could always come back and win leagues and cup but this current bunch are pretty useless we don’t have much money so it’s going to be difficult. mon the gers

Untold millions and no potential widow or orphans. Am I happy with the Board? Very good question. Current events don’t make me very happy and I don’t expect the Board members are either. Trouble is, they don’t have access to untold millions. I can criticise the Board for a missed opportunity after 55 but Gerrard let them down. He should have been able to manage the team past Malmö then he might have got money to spend. I can criticise them too for appointing GVB. I didn’t think he was the right man based on absolutely nothing other than the fact that he was plying his trade in a football nowhere. I suppose he could just as easily turned out to be a genius. There is no new benign + wealthy owner coming soon. I award the current Board seven marks out of ten. The manager needs to go. Some players need to get tell’t.

The manager can get more from this squad. If the money has been used to stabilise the club finances then we will get the benefit of that in future.

Go on lads, get it out of your system. #pathetic (especially from a moderator) I'm due a break from here anyway (see you in a few weeks).

I'll give it a go when you post the same thread next month.

That's certainly part of it. However, we did play teams like Porto and Benfica - CL teams - and if not beat them, at least gave a good account of ourselves. Even the game against Leverkusen several years back: it was clear there was a gulf in quality, but it wasn't a humiliation.

You could listen to me!! In July I said the squad mgmt had been poor and this season wouldn't be pretty. Last night I predicted 1-3. #TrumpetBlower 😉

The team as has played in much of CL this season wouldn't have gotten any where near the EL final last season.

We can’t compete, but BVB, RBL and Frankfurt who we could compete with have all given a good account of themselves. We have cleared regressed but why and who is at fault? Many questions. There is ‘we can’t compete at this level’ and there is getting horsed every game you play. The latter is unacceptable.

Next European package won't be so easy to shift.

Got to feel for the fans who forked out money in these difficult times to watch this tripe .

Some points to remember about tonight and they apply to much of the group stage. We played with two young centre backs tonight. I rank them as 5th and 6th choice in that position. I don't believe that Sands has a future in that position and both are below par in physical stature. We also played with Davis in midfield. He obviously still has some quality but, given that he is in his late 40's now, is also far down the pecking order. We are not playing these players by design. We have taken some risks with the squad that have not worked out. We have also made some bad recruitment decisions.

I can take being bottom of the group, what I can't take is the manner of how it happened not once, not twice but six f*&king times. We basically regressed with each and every game. Not one single player comes out of that campaign with any credit whatsoever not one single player.

How can you go from being one of the fittest hardest working teams around to this embarrassment in the space of six months? No hunger, no desire, bereft of leadership, no belief, a complete destruction of player value. It's as if we've swapped double expresso's for mogadons.

Strangely, of all our CL debacles this season, tonight was probably the one where our options were so limited that it's hard to blame the manager or the players he had available. Whatever you attribute it to, we just didn't have the ammunition required to compete in this gunfight.