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Uh oh. We are back in "Kent did nothing" territory are we ? Kent was one of our 2 or 3 best performers yesterday - indeed, he had a very valid shout for Man of the Match. He was constantly at it, looking to cause them problems, use his pace, be direct. McCrorie struggled to handle him for most of the game yesterday. "If he plays as an attacker he has to contribute" - he does, you just either don't, or refuse, to see it. At one point yesterday he nutmegged McCrorie, continued his run and then had Kennedy on him as quick as a flash. Contributions are as much these days about OFF the ball as they are about ON the ball - and Ryan Kent does an inordinate amount of unselfish running off the ball. With his runs, often to not receive the ball, he is pulling players away from spaces for others to exploit. Kent is very, very good at this and opponents fear him so it creates much space for others. You talk about direct involvement in goals... but that doesnt tell a full story. Kent may never get a touch on a ball and, ergo, isnt directly involved in a goal.... but his unselfish running down the line, offering himself up even as a decoy and pulling players away to create space for others very much is an involvement in a goal. Kent is more often than not at least double marked and this, in itself, is involvement because it means there is space for others elsewhere to exploit. The fact they don't exploit it often enough isnt Kent's fault. But Kent had a very good game yesterday.

Beale has given / trusted Kent to play with more freedom and he is looking far more dangerous in the "free" role. Even when not at his best, his work rate could never be questioned. He gives 100% everytime he plays.

Well said Craig. There have been occasions when Ryan Kent had a poor game. Yesterday definitely wasn't one of them. I'd also suggest since Beale came back, Kent has been our most consistently productive forward.

Kent played well yesterday. Any opinion to the contrary is absurd.

Glad to see Ryan Jack starting to show up well in games with his general and match fitness improving with more minutes. Lundstram was below average at times yesterday whilst Kamara was again very poor. We knew central midfield was a priority so hoping see reinforcements imminently. Struggling to explain what has happened to Kamara. Post Euro 2020(21) he has gradually regressed and is a pale shadow of the player we seen during the 55 season. Not alone in that obviously but his worsening contribution a real puzzle. Has gone from Mr Reliable to a liability. All things considered, progress has been reasonable under Beale over the last six weeks and more injured players returning will help too. However, it remains obvious we lack quality in the squad so new signings essential asap. As is removing the 'anxiety' which remains an issue and really needs to be addressed. This Rangers team are frustrating in that for periods you can see real quality in our play but we remain vulnerable on the transition which is an issue when we often give up possession far too cheaply. Various players coughed up the ball too easily yesterday, a few knocked five yard passes directly out of play and I thought our defensive clearances/headers were laughable at times which happens far too often. We deserved to win yesterday but it's clear much improvement is required.

McLaughlin is better, IMO. I would still prefer McLaughlin to McGregor. A sweeper-keeper is just someone who can burst off his line. There are many 'keepers that can do that. Of course, we can't afford to sign Allison; our choice will have flaws. I've always argued that a sweeper-keeper would benefit this team greatly. I would love to see McCrorie get a chance.

Perhaps, but many (including me) went on about McLaughlin being so much better than McGregor with his feet. But we shut up when he had a brain fart at the Brendanbeu. We can't afford a top goalkeeper. Whoever it is will have his faults. We'd be as well trying to develop McCrorie.

A sweeper-keeper would have dealt with both of their "goals", IMO.

I thought Kent had a good game yesterday. Yes, his decision making in the final third wasn't always great but he was a constant threat.

McGregor barely moved for their two goals. We should play McLaughlin until we can get someone better in.

Come on lads, keep your distance 😁

If it wasn't against Rangers the pricing would be far lower. Not saying they'd "sell out" but would have sold more than 300. St Johnstone and Rangers really ripping the arse out of the cost for tickets (sure both jave to agree on the pricing).

In seasons past we were linked with and brought in some big names Gaza ,Hateley , Laudrup now it’s Morgan Whittaker sounds like a solicitor’s name.

If this is the Ryan Kent we are going to see under Beale then we need to extend his contract pronto.

Kent and Jack were our best performers. I'd give it to Kent who seemed most likely to create whenever he had the ball and our only player that seemed to cause panic in their team. He worked tirelessly throughout the 120 minutes.

Ryan Jack for me but if @der Berliner is reading I went for Kent 😉😄

and he played a cute pass in leading up to our first goal. I think DB and others watched a different Ryan Kent.

When you look at the team in the stark light of day it's hard to see who isn't replaceable at the moment, maybe the central defence pairing, Sakala and Tillman? Our past best players are now in decline, for example Jack, Tav, Morelos, honestly we've held on to some for too long and we are paying the price for that. Even players that have plenty of skill seem to have really dipped recently, Kent being an example. I wonder if we held out for too much money for players like Kamara, Morelos and the like. Even Tav, I love the guy, but the more forward looking option would have been to try and move him on and hold on to Patterson. Of course, there are so many caveats there, teams may have had no interest in Tav. Still though, it's left us where we are now, not enough of the team have been turned over in the last few windows.

Barisic is a bit like Morelos in that no matter how well he's been playing, you know there's going to be a costly error or a period of below-par performances just around the corner. I'd still like to see us start next season with two new fullbacks. Why do we seem to have such indecision in our back line whenever the ball comes in to our box? Every single game we end up with a few scrappy games of pinball in our box where the ball could end up anywhere. Re Barisic and/or McGregor, round about the 15th minute, a ball came back to Barisic's area and the pass to make 99 times out of 100 was to play it back to McGregor which he chose not to do and instead tried to play a long ball forward. I just thought that was a bit telling of where we are at the moment.

Both were at fault for the Aberdeen goal. Very poor defending.

I had an exceptionally good view from my seat in the North stand. Kent punched him in the face to assert dominance over him. Scales was greeting afterwards.

Gunners’ barrage continues. 2-0 win away to the Hotspur. Newcastle third place 1-0 Fulham. Long way to go but Arsenal, Newcastle first and second at the end would be refreshing.

I agree. However, what happened to the, 'we don't need Rangers, let's have a Sell Out Saturday' routine?

Going for Kent. Most mobile and productive i've seen him in a long time.

Sorry, but what did Kent contribute aside from running all over the pitch, wasting the few good chances when he actually did shoot? It was, by his standards, a bang-average performance with no end product again. If he plays as an attacker, roving or not, he has to contribute. One goal against the Scum, i.e. 1 in the last six games, 2 for the season, 2 assists in the last 10 games (and a mighty 7 all season) is hardly what we need. Wright came on and within a couple of minutes set up Roofe. As in: if Kent is or was meant to be another water-carrier, fair enough. As I showed earlier in another thread, his direct involvement in goals has been seriously lacking all season, yet the likes of Wright, Matondo and even Sakala get and got it in the neck. I have no problem with his effort or now free-roving role, but we sure need someone else in that attacking slot, as we are simply lacking any goal-threat from his position and have all season.

As does Allison....although i thought McLaughlin may well have sweeped up the through ball leading to their goal.

It seems to be becoming a regular thing. It is as if he is modelling for his statue.

Forty two seconds of torture.

Pic taken by an online acquaintance. Rather magnificent.

We certainly need a centre forward.

That was a tough watch at times. Our defending was abysmal and we created far too few chances. We couldn't clear our lines and are desperately needing a keeper that dominates his box.

Hampden is a dump. I'm not going back. Still swithering on going to the pub or watching via a stream because I'm already paying for BT and Sky.

2024, so Hibs will look for 5m plus, as per usual ...

How is Lowry ready? Because he can (at times) rip semi-professional and amateur players / teams apart? Tony Weston was ripping the Lowland League apart (and looked decent) but has struggled badly on loan. Lowry is a talent, but to say he's ready is very premature. Also worth noting MB has stated nobody from 1st team squad will be going on loan.

Depending on what his remit is I don't think its worst appointment the club has made. He's a former Holyrood politician and someone who has held various roles, some senior, at the BBC, he must have an intimate understanding of how both work. We've not enjoyed good relations with either of those institutions for a long time now, and whatever your views surely an improved relationship with both is beneficial for the club. I'm guessing, so there's every chance I'm wrong, but my take is Morrison has been brought in to try and create a better relationship between the club and the large public institutions that run and influence much of Scottish day-to-day life. That won't be easy, I wish him luck as I think he'll need it.

I don't catch Off The Ball often these days but I caught some of it on Saturday. They'd a couple of ex-refs on and I assume they'd hoped to further fuel the Ange bonfire that Scottish VAR and refereeing was being placed upon. Instead, at least while I was listening, the ex-refs laughed at the ridiculousness of these allegations of bias against the Celtic. One of them, (was his name Conroy?) explained he was a Celtic fan and once got pelters from his pals for chalking off a Celtic 'goal' against us. Both easily explained the 'hand ball' rule and expressed surprise that Ange and co didn't know it. Cosgrove sounded uncomfortable at this breaking out of common sense, Cowan, to his credit, mocked Celtic and their acolytes.

"on these matters, I am always part of Team Harry". Yesterday, amid the outpourings of Team Sellik, RAB Cosgrove on sibling rivalry proclaimed, "on these matters, I am always part of Team Harry". Now, RAB never misses an opportunity to establish and reinforce his republican sympathies; why is he anxious to support the Royal spare heir? As we know only too well, RAB is a callous selfish prig and it is no surprise in the immediate aftermath of Prince Harry revealing he had killed 25 Taliban that RAB demands association. Splattering a couple of dozen ragheads conjured the imagery created by Scotland's leading Historian, Tom Devine - the 120,000 Covenanters that perished during, 'the Killing Times' in the 17th century, "were Scotland's equivalence of the Taliban". However, deeper thought arrives a differing conclusion. RAB is a callous, selfish prig and his constant praising of fellow supporters of Nationalism who live outwith Caledonia's craggy majesty. Alan Cumming lives in New York and bides in an apartment block with a rooftop swimming pool. Brian Cox has houses in both New York and Primrose Hill, both have adjoining swimming pools. Martin Compston stays in Las Vegas and when he is not conducting ra Sellik balaclava Choir, he is sprackling in the chlorinated waters of his swimming pool. Irvine Welsh relaxes in his Chicago pool when not practising with his band - Stairway 13. RAB himself regularly bigs up his villa in Sri Lanka with attached infinity pool. RAB occasionally mentions he escaped the terrors of council house scheme, Letham in Perth and Prince Harry has related the cramped de- Keynesian conditions he suffered in Frog Cottage but breathes easier in his £15 million Santa Barbara estate with two swimming pools. RAB is Team Harry because of their shared membership of the Brotherhood of Filters and Pumps(Registered charity in Monaco).

Oor Chum, Jum? I suspect Rangers are visiting Tannadice this weekend? The man Auntie Beeb let go(binned) twice because he could not(refused) to control his hatred for Rangers and Rangers supporters. I know the fixture must be at Tannadice because Jum Spence refuses to stray too far from the Tay. I know it is Rangers because Jum gathers together his hate filled finger buffet early. The first delicious bite comes in the wake of Pope Benedict's recent passing. Regularly, Jum eulogises his faith and, gives thanks for the strength provided. You would think the passing of the(a) Primate would demand respect? Nope, not when there is the opportunity to stick it on the H-u-ns, Jum Tweeted on Monday : "Farewell to the only Pope to get a well known delicacy cancelled at a Scottish football club's hospitality lounge". We are only three, four weeks past PQ's Dynamic Duo, RAB Cosgrove and Tam the Token discussing at some length and agreeing that the breakfast/brunch dish of Eggs Benedict had NEVER been on any menu at Ibrox in the first place. It was up there with Peperami being withdrawn from Ibrox kiosks because of green packaging and the Pitch having the grass cut in the shape of a sash. Why let hateful facts get in the way of a preferred warped story? Jum knows what he is doing. Now, Jum goes on to Tweet footage of masses being said Benedict's honour including lots of pomp and ceremony being mustered by the Swiss Guard. However, he misses a few helpful facts. Joseph Ratzinger when first elected Pope was subject to considerable unhelpful media coverage reference two photographs. One was of Joseph replete in his Hitler Youth uniform, the other as a member of the Luftwaffe. Pope Benedict sporting a Swastika is a tough image. The former is explained because it was German law for all 14 year old boys to join the the Hitler Youth. The other does not stand much investigation. Joseph Ratzinger became a Luftwaffenhelfer - a search light operator coordinated with anti-aircraft artillery. Aged seventeen, he began six months infantry training and, rejoined the Luftwaffe as an Anti-Aircraft gunner. The Vatican assured all that Joseph deserted soon after, having never fired a shot. This was surprising, a Luftwaffe battalion attached to a Waffen SS Division in northern Italy/ Austrian border area would have been a priority target for both the RAF and USAF. By Spring'45, the Allies had enjoyed nearly two years of air superiority, Typhoons and Mustangs would have been hitting continually. As an anti-aircraft gunner, it would have been a target rich environment. As the week progressed, Jum ramped up the hate, Sheriff Lyndsay Wood(Rangers shareholder) had a complaint against him withdrawn by the Law Society due to lack of evidence. Several Tweets supporting St Johnstone fans' complaint of their club awarding Rangers away support three out of four stands. Saintees are boycotting the Scottish Cup tie and Jum supports these actions. Further, solidarity with Establishment Club, he feels for ra Sellik and Angeball reference VAR, "other clubs are in the same boat". Finally, support for Police Scotland Union spokesperson, Calum Steele(you will remember after the Scottish Cup final of 2016, Calum Steel was the Clown claiming Rangers supporters threw their children in front of responding Polis vehicles). Jum resigned his position as Dundee Uni' Rectum because he said he did not have the time. I suspect Jum as a conservative catholic did not relate well to young Undergraduates, like Pope Benedict he walked away without firing a shot. Rangers on the horizon is too much, he needs cheering up. Why don't the Luftwaffe mark the passing of one of their own? A fly pass of a Stuka, Focke Wulf, Messerschmitt and, Heinkels over the silvery Tay will get Jum sparking his Jackboots again.