BlackSocksRedTops

WTF is happening? Nursing my cough riden daughter so only getting stecatto updates!

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

They had 1 shot on target in the 1-1 game but they had 2 shots on target for the past two games so 5 overall.

Fair doos but you get my overall point

1 hour ago, ian1964 said:

According to Liam McLeod on BBC sportscene when Ryan Jack scored against Livingston that was his ''2nd fortuitous goal this season'', so I would love to see more fortuitous goals from all our players this season.

I noticed that in the commentary. The wee scrote could not help himself could he? 

I have a feeling that we are going to turn up tonight and do them. Aberdeen have played 270 minutes against us and have had about 3 shots on target (scoring all 3). Their luck cannot continue (surely) and we are due a good performance away from home. C'mon the Rangers!!!

Still think the two teams with biggest say in the title race are Man Utd and Spurs. Both Liverpool and City have to go to Old Trafford and now Man Utd are winning, I can see them taking points of the top 2. On the other hand, Spurs have got to go to Anfield and the Ethiad. Tough games all round

Still unsure why the 4 pens are a big issue. 1,3 and 4 are pens. The only one that is doubtful is no 2 and as SG said, we didn't claim for that. It seems like the ref went quick with a decision based on the slight contact and Defoe going to ground. Move on. Nothing to see here.

Not sure if this system helps Morelos. Very scrappy performance so far

2 minutes ago, ian1964 said:

 

Really like the look of Polster. He's very dynamic 

52 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

RE: "The midfield three (outwith Kent, who had a roaming role) were not properly positioned to find each other; I felt they were all isolated. "

 

I was so annoyed I switched it over to the Man City game, and although it was a slightly weakened side, you can see every time a midfielder has the ball, there are always options on the ball. Their structure is perfect: they're always 10 yards away from each other, staggered proportionally across the pitch.

 

It means they have lots of options and easy passes to move opponents around, to work the space. 

 

When I look at us, too often there is just no options on the ball. The attacking midfielders go forward too early, meaning Jack has sideways passes to make, and the defenders start dithering. 

 

We have to build the ball up through the phases. 

Agree. I thought we started to probe better in groups in the 2nd half then Davis was subbed and we lost any momentum. 

1 hour ago, Briton said:

I don't think Defoe is good enough to change the formation for.  He got his tap in, fair enough, but he was dire for the rest of the game and should never have lasted 78 minutes.  I know he has only played a few games this season but I'm doubtful he'll be able to compete in the rough and tumble of the SPL.  Hope I'm wrong.

Harsh indeed. Defoe is an goalscorer and we created next to nothing for him. What problems we had last night don't lie at the door of a guy making his debut. The formation just didn't work IMO. Still don't understand why Davis was subbed (apart from fatigue)

3 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

The only way I can see us being able to play both of them is 3-5-2.

we need two wide men in the 5

 

So wing backs effectively? Who would you use? Borisic (if fit) could that job? Tav on the right? 

Who would be the 3 at the back?

2 minutes ago, DMAA said:

I don’t think we need to throw the baby out with the bath water. It was working very well until the game was turned on it’s head and the momentum swung away from us. We had lots of opportunities to score, unlikely almost every away game this season, and should have had more goals. 

I wouldn't say we created "lots of opportunities to score". Can't even remember a chance in 2nd half

3 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

If we're going to play Defoe and Morelos, Gerrard needs to work out a more effective way of doing it.  

 

 

Is it possible? Both ultimately do the same thing

1 minute ago, les186 said:

Defoe didn't look too pacey tonight. Hope he can be fitted in the team to better effect than tonight.

As much as I welcome Defoe and his goalscoring track record, there was always a fear at the back of my head about whether we need 2 up top and how that will effect our team overall. 

5 minutes ago, pete said:

Okay here is my tuppence. I have said from day 1 Steven Davis is not going to be the difference to us winning the league. Our midfield should be McCrorie with Jack and Arfield more advanced. Thankfully Davis only has a 6 month contract because we really need better than him to win the league. Their seems to be the misconception that he was brilliant first time round but I can remember plenty of games he was the invisible man. Unreal why people thought Worrel was a world bearer after one good game against Celtic. We should be investing our time in Katic. The only time I saw McAuly was when he got yellow and letting Jones run 30 yards at the goal. It is not fair to judge Defoe after one game but tonight I would rather have had Broughy to be honest. I do think Defoe should have had a penalty though when the defender was pulling his arm.

Got to disagree Pete. I genuinely think Davis can bring some calmness and composure to our midfield. 

We lost our way when came off IMO. Before that we were probing with intent. After that it was long balls and rushed passes.

Just now, craig said:

I don't think he is as slow as Davie Weir - but Davie Weir was always a yard quicker in the brain.

Five yards quicker to be fair to Davie

2 minutes ago, 917 said:

That performance was much more typical of our season than the Celtic game. After 22 games we’re joint 4th. Everybody has played each other home & away now. A 4th place finish is much more likely than 1st place, in reality. We have 42 Pts at this stage, albeit 3 more than the previous 2 seasons. I can’t see Gerrard keep his job if we finish outside the top 2, unless he wins the Scottish Cup. Which wouldn’t surprise me either!

It's a bit early to talk about keeping his job etc. SG has much to learn but I've seen enough to keep the faith in the bigger picture.

1 minute ago, RTB2004 said:

Katic should undoubtedly be given a chance.

 

I don't know how Worrall managed to last the full 90 minutes today. **** went and made that mistake and he never looked the same. Looked shaken to fuck.

 

Worrall is the type of player who will show up against better opposition. We've seen that when we played against Villarreal and we've seen it when we played against Celtic. Stick him against any other team in the league, your Kilmarnocks, your Dundees, etc and he looks like a totally different player.

 

Worrall is a good player when he decides to show up. I've said it for quite a while now, he's far too slow on the ball and today it cost us.

 

That being said though. Gerrard has to shoulder some of the blame for fucking about with the formation. 2 upfront has never suited us in recent years and to change it in a game that was always going to be a difficult one is just brain dead fucking stupid.

I think that could be said of a lot of our players tbh 

On the plus side...Davis showed enough composure on the ball to suggest that he could be very valuable to us (once up to speed)

Just now, craig said:

You can give up on the league this early if you choose, that is your prerogative.  I, personally, will wait a while.  How many points have we dropped due to officiating errors ?  How many poor performances have Celtic had ?  Will they continue ?

 

Too many questions, not enough answers, and too many games and points still to be won this season to be giving up on it just yet.

The only answer that looks certain is our inability to transfer our home form to our away games. That's why we won't win the league. 

3 minutes ago, craig said:

We still have them to play twice.  And still 16 games in total to play.  I wouldn't be giving up on the league quite this early.

I admire your positivity but the league is over IMO. Celtic will drop points but more depressingly so will we. Our away form is woeful and will be our downfall. Apart from the opening day at Pittodrie and our recent draw at Easter Rd, we have been truly awful in every away game. 

3 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Worrall’s blunder shot us in the foot and a freak goal like that always throws you off. Same again with Jones, goal from absolutely nowhere and from then on it’s really hard to get back into it. The way people on here are talking is as if Kilmarnock were slicing us open and creating loads of chances. They had two lucky breaks, scored 2 from 3 shots on target. 

They don't need to create loads of chances. They nullified us and always gave us something to think about. Job done

Am I only thinking it's got to be Morelos or Defoe, not both? Playing 2 similair strikers reduced our width IMO. 

1 minute ago, craig said:

Worrall more so.  Had he not gifted Killie an equalizer I'm not sure they would have got one.

 

We were horrible at the back.  Say what we like about Goldson but he was missed tonight for sure.  Our central defensive pairings, no matter which combination, are too weak.

 

We look more like we are in a fight for 2nd place with Killie than we are with Celtic to win the league.  But no worries, we are far better than these wee diddy clubs like Killie and the sheep and they are all overdue a drubbing

Are we though? Kilmarnock played us like a fiddle tonight

7 minutes ago, rbr said:

Formation was totally wrong to play against of all teams Killie away ,we beat them before with width , absolute shambles .

Agree 100%. Didn't understand Davis coming off? Arfield was doing nowt and I thought Davis and Jack were starting to put their foot on the ball. All the good work and momentum achieved by beating the tims is gone in 90 minutes. We kissed goodbye to the league tonight