Rousseau

I think the Souttar link was rubbished by a fan media - I can't recall who, though.

You don't just pick a bunch of players and say, 'Lads—go out and play. Enjoy yourselves'. P*sh. It takes a certain level of coaching to get teams playing a certain way, at a certain level. An average group of players, properly coached, will outplay a team of better players without coaching. That's part of our problem: relying on individuals for moments of brilliance. No one plays like that anymore. I never really criticise players; I always blame the one directing them.

That's the point, isn't it? Better players, better team from less - or even comparable - resources? It's not great, is it?

So they're 'light years ahead and far superior to us' in how their DoF and head coach have used their resources, despite having less resources? That's ... quite damning, no?

No... But the general argument is we can't compete (to be fair, this needs to be defined) at the CL level, when we can, when we get it right. For me, 'compete' is challenging for 3rd in a CL group, even if we don't quite make it. I don't think that's far beyond us.

It does seem like that, unfortunately - not by me, I'd like to add - but it doesn't therefore follow that they want our old players back. I'd like to throw Beale on the scrapheap, though... 👀

No one wants them back.

You'll be proved correct or wrong depending on how PSV do in the CL this season.

Are you starting to see the benefits of a DoF... ?!

I agree with this, but I don't see how Danilo can be unfit: he was on fire for Feyenoord during their full pre-season.

We also beat Dortmund and Leipzig; two (I'd say top) CL teams.

It's telling that the more calm and reasoned posters are now questioning Beale's tactics, alongside the demented-cynics and the stato-VLs. We just need the overly optimistic head-buryers to join us! Join us - we have time on our side... and Tunnochs Caramel Wavers...

The lad was on fire for Feyenoord during pre-season.

'Mon the Leeds!

I am quite negative at the moment, but I do enjoy European draws. It's always quite exciting. I'd like to face Leverkusen and Brighton, to show us how teams should play football. We'll get pumped, but you'll enjoy it! 👀 Xabi Alonso has Leverkusen playing some superb stuff. De Zerbi is De Zerbi - I've been a fan since his Foggia days. I always think, surely we could have easily tempted De Zerbi from Foggia, or after his failure in Palermo? *Sigh*

In theory you're correct, but can you really see us doing well against these sides? We limped past Servette (pot 4)... 👀

Some data for my fellow VLs: Rangers vs xG xGA Goals Goals Against xG Diff. Celtic 1.99 1.17 2 2 0.82 Dundee Utd 1.56 0.46 2 0 1.10 Kilmarnock 1.49 0.79 3 2 0.70 St Johnstone 3.29 0.23 2 0 3.06 Hearts 3.05 0.86 3 0 2.19 Ross County 2.15 1.01 2 1 1.14 Livingston 2.80 0.84 3 0 1.96 Kilmarnock 3.48 0.79 3 1 2.69 Hibernian 4.02 0.48 4 1 3.54 Motherwell 3.74 0.88 4 2 2.86 Dundee Utd 2.02 0.39 2 0 1.63 Celtic 0.69 1.09 2 3 -0.40 St Mirren 3.65 0.30 5 2 3.35 Aberdeen 1.90 0.94 0 2 0.96 Aberdeen 2.00 1.30 1 0 0.70 Celtic 1.57 1.34 3 0 0.23 Hibernian 1.90 1.19 3 1 0.71 Hearts 2.70 1.17 2 2 1.53 St Mirren 1.81 0.55 3 0 1.26 Kilmarnock 1.36 0.52 0 1 0.84 Servette 3.03 0.99 2 1 2.04 Livingston 2.44 0.12 4 0 2.32 Servette 2.23 1.13 1 1 1.10 PSV 1.08 1.29 2 2 -0.21 Ross County 1.75 0.28 2 0 1.47 PSV 0.88 2.57 1 5 -1.69 12.77 6.90 12.00 10.00 The trend is not good (albeit not a big sample size).

What are your thoughts, folks?

FTFY.

A few scores, but not many. Correct Result (1 pt): Bill, BD, Mal and T-1000. Correct Number of Rangers Goals (1pt): Rousseau, Bill, Lenny, BD, Yorkie, Dado, DJ, SBG, compo, Mal, Ian, Yuddie, CammyF, T-1000 and Ted. FGS (2 pts): Stew, Ian, CammyF and FS. Correct Score (3 pts): - Three points separate the top 10. Latest Standings: