der Berliner

"Deemed" is a pre-VAR-phrase. It was clear handball and the green filth on the pitch and behind the screen knew it.

Merely a clear handball ... who cares ...

We've rotated more managers in the last decade than during the previous 100 years. One of the bigger mistakes were that we handed so many people the job and gave them time to build their own version, that we lost the leagues (refereeing interference aside) during their trainee period time and again. You might blame all the managers in person, but they usually dragged a whole bunch of people to our club, all with football brains (you would have hoped), yet none came up with a pragmatic approach to the realities in Scotland. How can these 4 or more people in every managing staff time and again fail in spotting the obvious? If I were the CEO (with not that big a football brain), I'd get some football experts around me, have their opinion, and then ask the manager what he thinks needs to change. If this approach is not in line to the realities and other opinions, I'd think about someone doing it better. Clement got a contract till 2028, so was obviously earmarked for a transition process. A horrific injury record sure didn't help, but no matter who was available, we toil along with no change in the approach, half a handful of games aside. So, where's the transition? You come to a point where you ask yourself that whomever we may sign in January is essentially irrelevant, as long as we don't adapt the system in a way we should.

Our problem is not our defence. It is our setup and the fact that we don't score enough from the chances we create. Play people who can score goals rather than people who might score, and that's that. BTW, I don't mind having Shankland in the side (probably the reason we didn't go for another striker last summer). Even if he's as mobile as a fridge, he will always have a couple of defenders around him and thus weakens a defence. You obviously need a Danilo or Igamane or both next to him in the attack line.

Since the English league sides probably face a similar "problem", unless the "EPL u23" (if they have it) is a success, why not set up a league structure for them? That is, a way to give them challenges against talented / quality sides rather than Lowland league footballers? Set up a northern British league, and a southern one, and have play-off at the end of the season for the u23 championship title. Our biggest problem under Walter and his followers was that we bought far too much "quality", and thus hardly ever gave any talented youngsters a real chance to progress. And IMHO, most young talents grow better by playing with equally talented "veterans" / first teamers. Lowry showed up quite brightly, yet we send him packing to Hearts rather than keeping him, now he's essentially done. I have no idea what the problem with McCausland is, who was fully dumped after the arrival of Cerny. Probably more to do with Clement than McCausland himself. (Mind you, I'd put him in behind Cerny during such affairs like Sunday's or vs Dundee at home. No use having a RB there who fails to cover and hardly provides much these days bar consternation.) Mind you, we rather play Bajrami on the wing, or Hagi, than real wingers. The problem remains the same as always. We don't rear truly talented youngsters in the way we should, back in the days of Walter because there was no necessity. Nowadays because of structural failure or ignorance on part of the managers.

It is an admin over there indeed. Alas, I never made excuses for PC anyway. He got his time ... and is contracted till 2028. Some project we are in.

... nor is he that good at defending. He's more often in or near the opposition box than where he needs to be if the call comes. The last attack ran over his right flank, and it was Cerny chasing the attacker.

Sunday away to Motherwell won't be a jot easier, then the Scum (who play at home to St. Johnstone). Some fixture selection ... Maybe we have some players in and out after January, so we can try our luck with the cup. Mr. Stewart, the floor is yours.

Nah, I leave you with your opinion on Ridvan and Jefte and whomever you like. And I'll keep mine.

Just look at the goal we lost against the second Ulsterman this evening ... and answer that question for yourself. Ahead of going after a chap who's just back and overhits three crosses.

That should teach you, my friend. You may sleep under the stairs with Harry tonight.

Thank heaven our right-back superstar was no-where to be seen too

Where do Scottish teams get all these refrigerator-throwers and train them to play football?

NB: Would have been a great opportunity to give our recovering/ 2n row players some game time, McCausland, Danilo, Cortes, even Dowell and Dessers. But we stick to Plan A, same players, same system, no matter what. And if people don't show up, we belong exactly where we are right now. Hope the new CEO follows up on his grim face.

I didn't spot "a performance" at all. It's like watching 11 strangers out there. Hagi, Igamane and Cerny, but are left without any sort of support, Diomande again doing the yards and hardly any more before, and very little after the goal. Bajrami is virtually invisible. Jefte has acquired Tavernier's level when the latter is having a mediocre day ... We might start bets who is getting hooked first and who will be the replacement. Are we going to risk Raskin ahead of the OF?

Christmas gift from Butland. Hopefully this kicks his teammates into action.

The name Kevin McGowne (sp?) somehow's stuck in my mind, like Adrian Sprott (Hamilton Accies) and Ivan Sproule (Hibs). Ages past, though ...

Thursday - 26th Deczember 2024 - 17:45 Scottish Premiership SMiSA Stadium, Paisley v Referee - David Dickinson Assistants - Chris Rae und Paul O'Neill Video Assistant Referee - Gavin Duncan Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Andrew McWilliam Missing - Rabbi Matondo, Tom Lawrence, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, John Souttar Live on - Sky Sports Football and Rangers TV

Over the last decade or so, my "outdoor"-working place's regular colleagues have become some sort of "third family", along with all the Eisbären supporters one meets every other week since 2008. The "first" family is obviously all the relatives, parent, brother, sister, nephew et al. And then there is that "second" family, most of whom I never see in person, but which are still close due to the bond we share for decades now: our love to Rangers. Thus, "second" family, have a merry Christmas, or Frohe Weihnachten, as we say over here, with friends and family, far and wide. You won't escape your annual dose of East German festive songs, though instead of Tausend Sterne sind ein Dom, you'll get a tune from the very same time, choir, and album ... including a translation. It is more appropriate these days ...

Isaac ... was one of the three patriarchs in the Hebrew Bible, whose story is told in the book of Genesis. Staunch?

I have Isaac on offer too! Rangers are weighing up a move for Standard Liege midfielder Isaac Price, with a mystery English Championship club also doing their homework on the Northern Ireland international. (Walfoot via Daily Record, external) Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi is wanted by Serie A side Genoa, recently taken over by Romanian businessman Dan Sucu. (Gazzetto dello Sport, external - in Italian)

Three more points, won by bitter toil. After the much better games, we're back to brutal SPFL fare. Granted, we struck woodwork 4 times, but the final third was a medicocre show again. Hagi tried his best, but is sure no winger. We didn't need Diomande today in the role he played (for 90 mins), hardly anything going forward from him, hardly anything he was needed to get involved in. Not his fault, though. Barron might at least have brought in some drive and passion. Solid defence, almost untested as it was.

Like some must raise them immediately, and others must not raise them immediately?

That's a couple of times that this joke of a linesman lets play go on, people running and playing, before raising the flag. Abysmal behaviour.

Take off a striker, bring on an attacking midfielder? While having two DMs on of which one contributes next to nothing.