der Berliner

As for that neat stat up there ... you might want to believe your eyes first and foremost, right? Here's a list of our goals so far, with scorers, assists and those "secondary" assists. And below you can find a youtube link to the highlights of all our SPFL league and cup games to have a look again: MD 1 Livingston 1-1 Arfield (Kent, Barisic) 1-2 Tavernier (Colak, - ) MD 2 Kilmarnock 1-0 Colak (Lawrence, Colak) 2-0 Morelos (Matondo, Davis) CLQ USG 1-0 Tavernier pen. (Barisic, ) 2-0 Colak (Arfield, Tavernier) 3-0 Tillman (Barisic, ) MD 3 St. Johnstone 1-0 Tillman (Tavernier, Wright) 2-0 Colak (Matondo, Tillman) 3-0 Arfield (Matondo, Jack) 4-0 Lawrence (Arfield, Tavernier) CLQ PSV 1-1 Colak (Tavernier, Davis) 2-1 Lawrence (Tillman, ) MD 4 Hibernian 0-1 Tavernier pen. (Colak, - ) 1-2 Lawrence (Barisic, Kent) CLQ PSV 0-1 Colak (Tillman, ) MD 5 Ross 1-0 Lundstram (Kent, Barisic) 2-0 Colak (Wright, Lundstram) 3-0 Colak (Kent, Lawrence) 4-0 Davis (Tavernier, Wright) SLC QotS 1-0 Ure (Kamara, Barisic) 2-1 Arfield (Ridvan, Sakala) 3-1 Arfield (McCann,Lovelace) MD 6 forgettable MD 7 Dundee United 1-0 Colak (Tavernier, - ) 2-0 Colak (Barisic, Lundstram) MD 8 Hearts 0-1 Colak (Kent, Colak) 0-2 Colak (Matondo, Lundstram) 0-3 Morelos (Tavernier, Morelos) 0-4 Kent (Tillman) MD 9 St. Mirren 1-0 Colak (Barisic, Colak) 2-0 Tavernier pen. (Colak, Tavernier) 3-0 Colak (Sakala, Tavernier) 4-0 Sakala (Morelos, Tavernier) CLGP Liverpool 1-0 Arfield (Jack, ) MD 10 Motherwell 0-1 Tillman (Tavernier, - ) 0-2 Lundstram (Barisic, - ) SLC Dundee 1-0 Davis (Wright, Tillman) MD 11 Livingston 1-1 Lundstram (Kent, Roofe) MD 12 Aberdeen 1-1 Colak (Tillman, Lundstram) 2-1 Lundstram (Davies, Tavernier) 3-1 Tavernier (Barisic, Kent) 4-1 Morelos (Sakala, Arfield) CLGP Ajax 1-1 Tavernier pen. (Matondo) SPFL Highlights list https://www.youtube.com/spfl/videos

... it was all about the new "spark" that Ridvan brings into the squad (like Lowry or Tillman), not a positional thing. Kent, IMHO, has of late become a "better" version of Gregg Wylde. Too little end product for a role that is meant to provide the team with goals (the point of 4-3-3 is having 3 capable attackers in the front line.). If he was meant to be a winger, his stats are fine. Yet, up top we don't need 30odd chances if we don't score enough goals and all wingers have seriously fell short of that. One might correctly say that scoring goals is a striker's job, and thus it seems clear that the management either failed/-s to understand the lack of firepower (i.e. a setup thing), or, as I pointed out, continue to play people who can't hit the target themselves. And it is rather bemusing that Matondo, Sakala and Wright get it in the neck, whereas Kent escaped and escapes much criticism. BTW, I remember similar debates in seasons gone by, not least on our way back, when we were creating chance after chance and failed to convert them against the Scottish defenses. People - including some locals of these days - were laying into our side for not playing well enough etc.pp.. I pointed out that we created so many chances and dominated games, yet, it was brushed aside as if it didn't matter. Now the opposite seems to be the order of the day. You obviously need to create chances. Yet, at the end of the day you want to see them converted too ... and in that respect Kent falls as short as anyone else in those wide-attacking-slots ... this and last season. As I said before, I have nothing against Kent. He does his job and on his day is a real handful. Yet, these days have become too infrequent of late and against most teams in Scotland, his best attributes are blunted by the brickwall defenses. So put him on the wing and let more strikers to their job up top. As it is, we have a blunt weapon there and too little firepower where it matters.

Be that as it may, chances created doesn't win you any games. We had dozen/-s of chances even when we were in the Championship, yet for one reason or another converted less than 20 % whereas the opposition scored from 50 to 75 % of their chances per game. A record that holds true to this day, and same with possession per game. (PS If you don't play enough lethal people / strikers, you won't score that many goals. A fact that our recent manager/s simply didn't acknowledge.) Since I watch ice-hockey a lot too, I followed their habit and checked who was the player before the actual assist to the goal and dare I say it, Kent doesn't feature that often there either. I can do a quick check on that later on, but now I'm off to ... ice-hockey.

Nitpicking seems one of your favourite past-times. Ridvan ... I watched some videos about him when we signed him, and saw him in his few minutes in Scotland. Always active, always willing, always positive. If a chance arises, he'll have a pop at goal. That is the spark I saw and what our team needs if it wants to progress as a team. And yes, I think he is good enough for the Scottish league and will add enough quality in that respect. All about opinions, though. You can likewise have your opinion about Matondo, who has been thrown into the fray in a similar way as Wright, and given a few outings on the right. As I said, he will have to prove a bit still, yet, and that was my point, Kent on the other wing is a pick ahead of everyone else - no matter whether he produces or not. He hardly ever gets subbed off if he has dire games either. And that has been happening for ages. Countable impact on games? Kent - played 19 games (1,565 mins) - 1 goal, 5 assists Matondo - played 17 games (722 mins (SIC!) - 4 assists Now, you tell me, how one guy is supposedly not having it when he has just joined and having to come to terms with our game and setup, achiving 1 goal and 1 assist less in half his minutes should not be compared to "Mr. Stepover" Kent in a similar role and position? IMHO, one has every right to question Matondo for the time being, and only the future will tell how it works out for him. On the other hand, in the here and now, Kent is more often than not a passenger who delivers little for long spells, given the amount of time he is on the park. All about opinions, though.

I said that I see enough talent in there that he is good enough for a title winning team. At Scottish level he might have not yet proven himself to some, yet he showed more fresh spark than e.g. Kent has all season. His only drawback so far has been the fact that Borna has found some fine form himself. Re Matondo ... see Kent.

It is still living memory that we started our road back up the leagues in Peterhead in August 2012. Given the circumstances around the club, we handled our journey in an admirable way. We came unstuck just before getting back into the top tier and our first season(s) weren't great, for one reason or another. Eventually, we managed 55 and, truth be told, did tremendously in an European environment that was essentially on par with (if not above) our capabilities. Yet, when it comes to Champions League elite football, we are still at Peterhead-level. As in: there is a long road ahead till we can dream of challenging the teams we have faced this season. There is no doubt in my mind that we might be able to hold our own against the Kopenhagens, Glimts, Plzens, Donezks or Haifas of this planet, maybe even Benfica, Brugges, Sporting or the like on a good day. That is the stark reality and will be a reality for years to come. If that sinks in, the gloom and doom will sure ease a little.

Oh, Matondo isn't there: Davies, Ridvan, Lawrence, Colak, Lawrence, and Tillman, with Matondo the one who will have to prove himself a little more. Yet, as I wrote, I do not expect wonders of a winger. At least not any more than I expect of Kent, who went stale this season. I excluded Souttar though, since I thought that he was a pre-contracted earlier than he actually was. My cynical self just asked: Souttar, who is Souttar?

Gio had one transfer window, brought in 6 guys, all of whom good enough to win the league. Thing is, we have 4+ centre-halfs out, of which 4+ would be first picks. Morelos, for the first time in many years, has been out for a long spell (due to not rotating the squad, IMHO) and has yet to find his form. Stalwarts are not performing up to their level. And we continue to pick underperformers (in valuable data, not effort) and play wrong tactics in Scotland. SG managed that throughout his stay, you would hope Gio learns faster.

This season's CL group phase cannot be any sort of "reasonable benchmark" as to where we are right now, unless you speak of European benchmarks. SG built a team that played solidly in Europe with a certain pool of player playing usually at the best of their abilities. Last season we even engineered a way to a European final, even though rather strange tactics meant that we got beaten by one of the more mediocre teams that we faced along the way, albeit an injury record that essentially lasts to this day. We managed to get into the CL group phase and people may remember that I started to warn about the capabilities of the likes of Union Gilloise, who essentially walked through a EL group containing BL leaders Union Berlin, Braga, and Malmö. Once we got drawn against Liverpool, Napoli and Ajax, powerhouses in the modern game of football, the writing was on the wall. All three teams - apart from dealing on a different monetary planet than we do - are currently in form and play well. We, on contrast, still trying to find our stride even in Scotland and having the 5th and 6th choice centre-halfs and the rest injured or - beforehand - seriously out of form. Even those on the pitch barely reach their own highest standards in the here and now, Colak apart. It's a recipe for disaster and what happened was "just" a consequence of that. Now, people ask for leadership and Gio, who inherited SG's squad and brought in six players, of whom Colak, Tillman, Davies, Ridvan* and Lawrence are sure better than what we had or have, Matondo's jury is still out. But you do see some changes in attitude towards these new signings, since much is now put on a pair of gold-scales that was - in times of sustained wins and glory times - overlooked. Since when did we e.g. ask a winger to be the next Davie Cooper or McCann, who both had dire spells too? Yet, for years no foul word was dared to aim at Kent or Tavernier, Kamara and Co.. We need to reshuffle the pack and much like any other manager, Gio will need time and money to assemble HIS Rangers side in the way he wants to see us play. We are second in the league and still in dire straits with regards to injuries to vital players, while others simply can't get any sort of a sustained high level of performance, including our stalwarts Goldson, Tavernier, and Kent. There is so little pressure on the last two that mediocre performances become the norm and are papered over by the odd assist or penalty strike. If we need something, it is leadership on the field of play, players who take the initiative and chase anyone who does not do his job properly. Obviously, the bucket has also be handed to the manager, at least when it comes to the Scottish games. Tactics and team selections were and remain baffling, even though, in Europe, he didn't do much wrong, as a) we didn't have the players for such opposition, and b) those on the pitch were simply not giving it their all, for whatever reason. If anything riles me about our CL group phase it is this. When you step out there in our Blue, you have to give anything you've got. If that is not enough for better opposition, fair enough. But I saw far too little of that in quite a few chaps. For the time being, I just hope we get our injured folk back ASAP and the team back to a form that we know they have. If that means that some veterans and also-rans will have to leave in January and summer, so be it. The CL money will sure set us on a solid financial footing to make the next step, even though the likes of Liverpool, Napoli, Bayern and Co. are no benchmark whatsoever for us ... in the here and now. * Just remember Borna's serious dip in form at the tail end of last season.

No point watching this, I don't have a sado-masochostic streak. We have no defence worthy its name, we watch them play, no matter whom. This group is way above our weight and if anything, you would have hoped that we bow out with all guns blazing. we're just sinking fast and thankfully it's over after tonight.

On paper we are almost down an entire team of first picks xxx Souttar - Goldson - Davies - Helander - Ridvan Hagi - Jack - Lundstram - Lawrence Roofe

"Malicious arrest" earns you some 72m ... that's some return if you have a good lawyer.

What to lol about? It was't a go at Borna, just my impression from what I saw of Ridvan so far, with us and before.

Tillman and Ridvan showed some spark and intelligence that we last saw with Hagi and Lowry, and to an extent Lawrence too. Having these on the field with Colak, Roofe and Sakala might well be a sight to behold. Let's hope we have most of them back after the WC break.

However this got into the stadium is totally beyond me? Do people just walk through the turnstiles up there?

Worth every pound we'll pay 😎

Might and should have been double figures today, but that was far more like it. Sakala a stand-out for me, Tillman ran his guts out, but hat's off to all. Might have thrown on a few more subs. Hopefully Ridvan and Davies are not too worse.

Had a wee laugh with myself watching Sakala going through on the goalie with Kent to his left, yet the Prince of Zambia decided that Kent had enough failed chances today 🤪 We truly need a second striker in the middle (shame that Roofe is out) to finish our chances off. Kent had a shot from 8 yards, 2 yards and couldn't finish, and his wing-work is sure ain't better than Wright's or Matando's at the moment. We'd be better off with Ridvan and Barisic on the left flank, given how the Turk started this game. Sands in his best role, gives Lundstram more freedom, both look good, Tillman some fine passes and creative play, Colak his usual self.

Not for Kamara then ...

Kent sure gets 5k more per week if he is fit but not in the starting XI ... 😕

Kemar Roofe is IMHO the most lethal striker we have at Ibrox, even though Colak is now running him close. Alfredo seriously needs to get himself back to fitness and sharpness - yet is a totally different sort of striker. Like Colak, Roofe is primarily a true centre-forward and really mean in the box. Whatever the injuries are (the current one is seemingly not a recurrence of his previous), he sure doesn't like being sidelined. And I might be mistaken, but I would assume that insurances cover most of his costs while he's injured? Wee reminder ...

The second half was at least some consolation to what we witnessed in all the group games before. The simplest of lessons is hardly ever heeded: if you let them play, these teams will rip you appart. If your players are not up for this, these teams will rip you apart. Tillman, Ridvan, Sakala showed the right attitude and application. Lundstram gave his best, the makeshift defence held. Tavernier once again at this stage too often with that lackadaisical defending, Kent in another shocker - by his standards. It is totally beyond me what has made him a first pick this season for weeks and months rolling. At the weekend I want a line-up similar to our last 10 mins vs Livingston, so I see that Gio has learned at least a wee wee bit.

Shocking again from Tavernier ... just play the ball away ...

Only if you are a zombie. How often can you play an empty jersey in a row ...

First Kent gets himself caught off-side, then gives the ball away with McGregor to the rescue ... how ineffective can you be? Shocking defending for the goal from the corner. No-one marks the defender, no-one guards the post. Shocking after a decent 2nd half.