BlackSocksRedTops

Unless Yilmaz is injured or suspended, I wouldn't have Barasic anywhere near my starting XI for the rest of the season. He just doesn't have the stomach for the fight IMO.

7 minutes ago, CammyF said:

You DID misquote and bow your changing the narrative. 

 

I don't think we were favourites to beat Benfica (that's 3 games at Ibrox against them in the last few years and we are yet to defeat them).

 

If we had a fully fit and firing squad, we would have had a better chance of beating them. 

 

Putting things into perspective, going into the game tonight they were 4tg or 5th favourites to win the competition, whilst we were 14th.

 

If you think we should be beating Benfica, that's your perogative. Others see it different and are entitled to. 

Even more context. They are currently above Porto in the league who looked decent V Arsenal the other night.

The players and fans gave everything so there's no shame in losing to a decent side. Not one player got above a 6 tonight IMO and to beat a team like Benfica you need at least two or three 9 out of 10's. It just wasn't our night. 

2 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

Still think we'll regret not adding a striker in January.

 

Can someone tell Michael Stewart to stop talking and is Neil Lennon drunk?  He sounds it.

IMO, Lennon is relatively balanced. Stewart is biased beyond belief.

I wish our travelling fans would change the record. OK we get it. A guy called Bobby Sands died. You probably wrent even born when that happened. This is why I don't go to away games. 

34 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Of course it's not. 

Apologies. I'm sure Joshua Barrie mentioned that Clement has never played the same XI in the two games running on a recent podcast? Probably misheard it. 

Is this the first time Clement has played the same starting XI in two consecutive games? 

Strong XI. Go win the game and then give certain players a much needed rest. 

Dessers not amazing tonight but IMO that was a hard shift. Already seeing criticism of him online. Give the guy a break FFS. We know he's ultimately not good enough but he's one of our options until the end of yhe season. That won't change so just get behind the guy. 

Clement has made this team into a team of warriors IMO. Ridvan is a wee battler and Sterling and Diamonde are getting better and better. 

Random observation but I thought Butlands distribution was poor tonight. Both throwing and kicking. 

1 minute ago, CammyF said:

And it could be argued that Benfica and Porto are CL level teams. 

 

We continue to punch above our weight in EL. A compition that we've excelled in since the arrival of Gerrard.

Agree 100%. 

Just now, CammyF said:

Given the amount of games we could have, we'll need at least half of them back at some point. PC will also continue his rotation. He really has no option as squad is decimated in the creative areas.

I think the lack of options could potentially work in our favour as he will rotate less. My big concern is Lawrence. He evidently can't play 3 games in a week so the sooner Cantwell gets back the better to bolster the no 10 options.

Our away record against Portuguese teams is quite remarkable. That's 2 draws against Porto and Benfica as well as victories v Braga and Sporting over the last 2 decades. 

1 minute ago, CammyF said:

It does at the moment, but hopefully Sima, Cantwell, Matando, Cortes and Danilo back before season ends. We'll need them IMO 

Hopefully but we will not see Cortes again IMO and Danilo will be nowhere near fit to make a significant contribution. 

1 minute ago, CammyF said:

Awe naw, Sterling with strapping around his thigh at end of game. Hope it doesn't stop him from flying the team home.

 

I saw that. I'm sure it was just precautionary as they wouldn't want him walking around the pitch with a bad injury.

Thought Lunny was very Jekyll and Hyde tonight. Good in the first half but poor in thr second.

Apart from the OG, I thought Souttar and Goldson played well considering their showing at the weekend. The team that started is the team we need to play to win silverware IMO. Maybe Roofe and Dessers can rotate but that looks like our strongest team at the moment. 

IMO this is the strongest line up we can play at the moment and one I expect to see over the next few weeks until players come back. No more experiments Phil. No more playing players to get up to speed. Just go and try to win every game. Barassie, Raskin, Roofe cang get minutes when the games are won. 

1 hour ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Brenda’s post match meltdown and targeted attack on Beaton is quite something. 

Sounds beautiful 

28 minutes ago, CammyF said:

I said to a friend pre-match that I was worried about yesterday's game, more so than Hearts and / or Killie. 

 

Motherwell are a well organised, physical and hard working team. They are 3rd top scorers in the league.

 

To lose any game is gutting, but Motherwell deserved their victory and games / performances and results like that happen. 

 

It's how we react to this that is the more concerning aspect. After we lost to Celtic we went on a great run, we'll need to do the same again but with the current injuries it's going to become increasingly difficult.

 

PS - when do I get my gold 🏅 

Let's be fair, the signs were there on Wednesday as we got bullied for most of that game to. Out with a flurry in the 2nd half we were very poor interms of our application and grit. 

1 hour ago, Rousseau said:

I'm pessimistic at the best of times. I always envisage us dropping points away from home. 

 

But to lose - not even draw, but lose - against Motherwell, at home, is gutting. 

It would seem logical regarding losing points on the road but while not being spectacular, we've been better on the road this season. ie. Have dropped less points and conceded less goals. 

3 hours ago, WorthingBear91 said:

It all comes down to the 7th of April at Ibrox imo who ever wins that will kill the other fan base optimism and turn the fans on the players right near the end of the season there will be no recovery

I genuinely think if we had got to that game unbeaten and then beat them we would be Champions.

3 hours ago, Gonzo79 said:

Another thing about Goldson, why does he bother going up for corners?  He is clearly incapable of heading the ball in the direction he wants it to go.

 

We could've had 1,000,000 crosses today and still not scored.  We should take different kinds of corners and wide players should aim for the byline and cut the ball back because crosses against that kind of defence are a total waste of time.

I'm somewhat confused as to why we've reverted back to out swinging corners. They are pointless IMO. I thought our in swinging corners were starting to cause problems.

We were poor all over today. We just looked off the pace. As we did on Wednesday to be honest.