CammyF

5 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

I don't think so. Many teams - see Leverkusen - play with two. 

 

I think it's the press: teams can break our press quite easily. 

 

It's also a specific problem in Lundstram's game; it has been for a while: Even in Beale's diamond he was quite poor in this metric. He is actually in the lowest 3% in the whole league for this metric.

 

Either he is particularly bad at it, or our press is so poor they are exposed. I lean towards it being a bit of both. 

Our press has regressed dramatically. 1st half against Celtic, only Dessers and Lundstrum were attempting any press at all. Rest of team retreated into our half when ever we were out of possession. 

Not sticking up for Lundstrum but until a few weeks ago, he was being touted as POTY.......

Just now, Rousseau said:

The stats also show that Lundstram was dribbled past twice. 

 

We've discussed this before, haven't we? 

 

It looks to be an issue with his reading of the game or positioning. 

Or with us essentially only playing 2 in midfield, we are being overran in this area? 

Meh.........  eeny meany miny mo.....

2 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Yes, this is how they will prove their value. Koppen & his team especially.

 

We need to bring in guys to beat Ross County and Dundee. Not Man City and Juventus. 

You'd hope that as part of any interview process, Koppen presented the board / interview panel with a list of players he'd identified to pursue and get on board and that were within our budget. 

23 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

Replacing Butland like for like would be almost impossible unless we’ve got millions stashed away somewhere.

 

 

Maybe so, but a player trading model that actually works would dictate we sell him. 

Let's not forget that we plucked Jack Butland from the EPL on a free and he had played 10 games in 3 years. Many thought it was a gamble (it was).

I'm sure Koppen and Clement will know of similar scenarios where similar keepers are available.

Weirdly, I'd sat earlier in the season Butland showed no signs of rustiness, but has done over the last few weeks - is this down to fitness??

5 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

Remember too we could end up losing three GK’s at the end of the season. Just think of the problems that could cause 

If we are serious about recruitment and player trading model then any offers for Butland over £7M should be accepted. 

Brought in on a free transfer, had a decent season (but like most, been shaky over last few games) and will attract interest from EPL. 

6 hours ago, weebluedevil said:

I agree, but I'm not a football recruitment expert. That's Koppen's job to figure it out. Yeah, we won't get rid of everyone, but let's start with one, two or three of your list above.  Who'd have thought we could have off-loaded Lammers on loan and now potentially be able to sell and recoup our costs. 

 

I also think, and I know you disagree, I would keep Cantwell and Ridvan from your list. But Goldson, Lawrence, Dowell, Dessers and Wright should be told they can look for new clubs and that they won't get much game time if they stay. If some Saudi club are interested in Tav, I think the club would bite their hands off. 

 

Jack, Roofe, Barisic will be off the wage bill and I expect the loans will end for Sima, Silva and Cortes. 

 

So I think we'll see an ever bigger change this summer than we did the last. Whether they are replaced with better depends on whether the board are hungry enough for the CL money or not, knowing each season of failure makes the next a bigger mountain to climb. 

 

What I do know is that the team needs a solid defence, that should be the priority. I've said before, last season and the season before, that I felt that we wouldn't win another title with Tav and Goldson and I stand by that. 

 

Keeping Cantwell would be fine with me, but he needs to be more consistent as when he is in form, he is a good player. 

We can't rely on Ridvan, that's a matter of fact, not opinion. Just look at his availability / selection since he arrived. Plus his stats show that he is no better or worse than a declining Barasic (who'll thankfully leave at the end of the season).

I'd be agreeable to extending Sima's loan (as we won't be buying him). Same with Cortes but will depend on how he recovers from his injury. Silva should be sent straight back to Wolves.

The board are at a cross-road. The squad requires major investment / surgery this summer and that will come at a cost. 

It took SG 3 seasons to assemble a team that eventually won us the league, I'd say we are in a similar position now as we were when he took over. 

Recruit is key - we simply havent replaced the likes of Aribo, Kamera, Morelos, Kent, Helander and even the likes of Arfield.

We might not win another title with Tav and / or Goldson but moving them on / dropping them wouldn't  magically transform us into title winners. 

The issue is far more deep routed that just Tav and Goldson.

21 minutes ago, weebluedevil said:

It's the same mess recycled.

 

We, as fans, will not figure out the solution. That's up to the board to fund and the manager and the head of recruitment to implement. We can't keep playing players that are past it just because they have two years left of their contract - Clement will know that surely?

 

The board 'probably' made the right appointment with Clement, now they need to back him properly and see what he can do. They can' afford to be missing out on CL money, whilst the yahoos feast at the top table on their own....or this time they may get 10 in a row...or more. 

 

What can you do with them? Their high wages will exclude most clubs for buying them? 

Goldson, Tav, Lawrence, Dowell, Cantwell, Dessers, Lammers, Hagi, Ridvan, Wright etc are not going to take a pay cut to go and play at Grimsby.

There are a significant number of players out of contract in the summer and it's safe to assume none of them will be renewed. 

Still leaves us with a chunk of players who we are stuck with. 

3 options - play them and hope that they'll improve with better players around them, pay them off or relegate them to the bench. 

What doesn't help is moving players on (Kent, Morelos, Kamera, Helander etc) and replacing them with inferior quality.

6 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

🤣

What's so funny? Do you want rid of all the serial failures, or just 3? Serious question. 

13 minutes ago, PoohBear said:

You can’t keep repeating the same thing expecting different results. Some players have more than had their chance, no matter how much I actually like them, at some point you have to admit to yourself that they have some sort of mentality problem that is stopping them from achieving.

You can't, but as least close season has shown, getting rid of players who've had their chance doesn't always make you stronger. 

5 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

We need to get rid of a few players who have failed time and time again.

 

Surely no one disagrees with this?

Why just a few, get rid of them all. Or are Tav, Goldson and Lundstrum the only players who have failed time and time again?

Anyway, you'll get your wish, plenty of the "serial failures" are out of contract in the summer and will leave. Add them to the "serial losers" who left last season, not be many of them left. 

4 minutes ago, PoohBear said:

You can’t keep repeating the same thing expecting different results. Some players have more than had their chance, no matter how much I actually like them, at some point you have to admit to yourself that they have some sort of mentality problem that is stopping them from achieving.

But surely that applies to every player, no matterthe length of time they have been here? 

2 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

I’m not so sure we’ll get rid off Tav and Goldson just so easily. They’ve both got contracts earning £30k plus pw with 2 years to run which I’d doubt they’d get elsewhere. 
We need to ship out all our forwards if possible. Roofer’s contract is up & Sulva will go back to Wolves. That leaves Dessers & Danihlo. 

It'll be unpopular but as toy say, unless someone comes in with big bids for them, they ain't going anywhere. 

The interest from Saudi for Tav is genuine but he isn't sure about uprooting his family. If I were him, I'd go, as no matter what he does at Rangers, he'll be constantly and continually slaughtered by a growing majority of the fanbase (when he is in reality, the least of our problems).

Thankfully there are a few players out of contract in the summer which will free up wages. Previously, I thought offering Lundstrum a new contract was a good idea, now I'm not so sure. His wages can be better utilised.

Top priorities for me in the summer are :

2 x left backs 

2 x Centre-halves

1 x CM

1 x CF

1 x RW 

1 x LW 

probably need to add a goalie and right back if Tav and Butland are sold to fund the rebuild. If we can somehow sell the likes of Raskin, Lawrence and Dowell then move them on. 

9 minutes ago, DMAA said:

The overriding narrative tonight is that the “old guard” are at fault. It is simplistic nonsense to pin a collapse like this on Tav, Goldson and Lundstram. Fans love a simple answer to a complex problem and that's what they've gone for. 

 

The sudden turn in our form since Hearts has been utterly mind boggling and I have no idea what has caused it, but I do know that the simplistic narrative being peddled tonight is not the answer. 

Because its easier to believe that getting rid of the mainstays of the team will magically solve all our problems.

It's simplistic - we haven't won much with them so if we get rid of them, we'll starting winning trophies. 

As you say, utter nonsense. 

Just now, RANGERRAB said:

Beale more or less did this last summer. Got shot off players. Problem is the replacements mostly weren’t as good as those he let go. 
we will no doubt spend another summer looking for Bosmans & poundshop bargain signings hoping they improve us but probably won’t 

That's the issue - people quote Beales transfer outlay, but in reality it was something like circa £6M net. 

He got rid of players we all.want rid off - Helander, Kent, Kamara, Morelos etc and they were not replaced by better players. 

We'll get rid of Tav, Barasic, Goldson and Lundstrum and their replacements may not be better.

Never ending cycle. 

We have to give Clement a chance, he's only had 1 window and apart from Silva, the players brought in have looked like they could offer something. 

However, they were all loans (with 1 obligation to buy and 1 option to buy). So £4.5M of whatever the board promised Clement is going on Diomande. 

Oh dear

3 minutes ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

Apologies for adding a stat to compound our current state of mind-fuckery. If you compare Clements first 25 league games to Beales, the latter comes out on top with 61 points to Clements 60 points. Considering Beale was up against a Celtic team that didn't drop many points under Ange, it somewhat dispels the idea that Clement has worked "miracles". Don't get me wrong, I like Clement but starting Silva, Lawrence and Goldson tonight baffles me. 

And even if we win all our remaining league games this season we'll not reach the same total us we managed last season.

We were only ever in a title race as Celtic have regressed dramatically. That's what makes our capitulation even worse. 

This romantic notion that things will magically change for the better if / when we get rid of "certain individuals" is pie in the sky or wishful thinking. Unless those certain individuals are the vast majority of our squad. 

Struggling to think of any reason to keep any of them.

4 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

There's definitely something not working with certain members of this playing squad.  

 

It's been a never ending cycle of let downs with a few of them, 55 excepted.  

 

Clement has my full backing.  

Don't think it's just a few of them. They've all let us down since domestically since 55. 

Just now, der Berliner said:

We have managed to go down to the levels of Ross County and Dundee within a week, the manager has IMHO fully lost the plot with his selections and substitutions. Goldson and Souttar "playing" the creative part, Lundstram and the aforementioned playing triangles in our half, and Silva and Cantwell getting hooked for the Dowells and Lawrences, while Tavernier is playing in the middle of the park, or wherever he likes.

 

There is every chance Hearts will send us packing at the weekend, if we play anywhere near like today. Season blown within a week. Some feet.

Within a week? We've won 2 out of 8. 

Just now, WorthingBear91 said:

Every manager since Gerrard has lost the dressing room maybe we have some insidious individuals in that dressing room who turn when shit hits the fan.

Looks like we have about 20 of them. This capitulation can't be down to some insidious individuals. 

Just now, der Berliner said:

So what do we require then? Today gang was shocking bar Butland, including Clement.

It's fairly obvious that we require better players. Doesn't take a genuis to work that out.

A proper structure and playing style, with a settled starting 11 might also help. 

That's us another £60M behind that lot. Destined to be 2nd best for a while. 

1 minute ago, RANGERRAB said:

Middle to front is were embarrassing to watch. Constantly giving the ball away under no pressure 

I blame Tav, Goldson and Lundstrum.