Frankie

Easy option: Criticise everyone at the club; boo players; ask for the manager to be sacked; moan at fellow supporters; ignore initiatives from the various fan groups. Hard option: Accept honest mistakes; support the new players; constructively criticise the tactics; stand together as one support; look for ways to improve the fan/club relationship; take part in positive ventures. This season has not begun as well as many of us had hoped. Despite some positive signs early on, we're as far behind as we've ever been and the same problems exist on and off the park. As such, we're all unhappy and I think because of that frustration are taking it out on each other instead of concentrating our energies on solving the problems. Yes, the new manager has made mistakes. Yes, the players (new and old) have been disappointing. Of course, the board of directors are still ignorant or unwilling to pacify our concerns. These are all genuine and valid complaints and should be discussed and not ignored. However, no manager in the world could expect to turn things around so quickly - not PLG, not SAF, not Capello - no-one! Especially when up against teams that have consistency in selection and organisation. Therefore, I urge us all to take a step back from over-reaction and support the team through this terrible spell. We have another hard game tonight and we might not get the result we want. But we have another hard game on Sunday and we need to win that just as much, so can't afford another 3 days of OTT criticism and squabbling. That doesn't help anyone but the enemies we should be fighting. We've all seen that over the last week. We are the people - lets' start living up to that motto!

When we're paying a guy £38K per week, they are not going to say he's winding down his career and isn't interested - that is the case unfortunately. I might be wrong but the guy told me the information is pretty reliable and going by Klos's attitude over the last 18months (and when he fell out of faour at Dortmund) I think it's believable enough.

Klos is retiring in the summer and moving to Switzerland so won't play much (if any) part in the rest of the season. He refused any contract termination so I'm led to believe.

Ricksen would not improve our team one iota.

juffrey: Bardsley should have been sent off on Saturday for a kick off the ball and with what has been rumoured RE: training then he certainly has a discipline problem. The fact remains in the few games he's played this season Hutton has been just as good, if not better than Bardsley over the piece.

Here's me thinking Ricksen had questionable loyalty, awful positioning, poor discipline, was inconsistent, contributed to a terrible domestic season and was overall a very average player - now people want him back? Same goes for Lovenkrands, Soti, Andrews or any player of recent years. I know we're doing badly at the moment and sure the existing guys have hardly been superb but let's look forward not back at players who were epitomy of inconsistency and underachievement.

He may have commitment but I think there are obvious questions aboout his temperament, discipline and form unfortunately. The very same questions most of us have about Hutton in fact. At least Hutton has tried to knuckle down and regain his place. On this season's form alone Bardsley has been no better than Hutton.

:D Going by his form and his attitude he won't be any great loss anyway.

I think a solid 4-3-3 would suit us best right now. It would enable us to play 2 strikers or 2 wingers if width was required whilst shoring up the spine of the team with 3 genuine midfield players.

gribz: Again, I think that team shows just how lightweight our team is. Centrally it's very weak and I doubt it's strong enough to play away from home effectively...

I'd go with cal's suggestion. I'd maybe play N'Diaye instead of Novo though in a 4-3-3. He's been doing well in the reserves and is tougher than Buffel and Novo so may perform well in an advanced free role.

Hmmm, I just think the timing was a bit funny that such an interesting story came out right after one of the worst defeats and performances we've had in a long time. Maybe overly suspicious of me but I do know how the devil incarnate works...

Nah the 4-3-3 preferably. I've always fancied us going to a 3-5-2 but I'm not so sure about that at the moment - we need to start attacking teams more IMO.

He says the NotW article was misinterpreted...

Hemdani did have a fine game on Saturday and has arguably been our best player so far this season.

I don't think Partisan are doing very well either. Add us as under-achieving to that list as well unfortunately...

Agree with Gribz's team there...

This was a load of nonsense from the start... Confirmed in Italy's media today that Gattuso wants to stay with Milan for life. This was a Murray spun story to deflect the attention from another unacceptable loss.

There are interested parties. However, as far as I'm aware, the price is too high for them to proceed at this stage. Any negotiations will be drawn out affairs anyway so I can't see any new owner(s) being in charge this season unless something drastic happens. It's not that people expect to make money through buying the club but at the same time they don't want to throw it away if you know what I mean.

Aye, welcome to Gersnet mate...

Your last paragraph their cal says it all... It's stretching our problems a bit to blame the fans. The players earn a lot of money and should be motivated enough without the need for some cheering. Of course a good atmosphere helps but sound tactics and hard work are the primary aspects that appears to be missing from the team.

Exactly Trailo... Yes, arguably McGregor should not have been dropped and of course Letizi made a bad mistake to concede the goal. But I'm more worried about the team performance than one position.

gribz: I see what you're saying but I'm not saying the management team (or players or board) should leave today or tomorrow. I'm just saying that they all (including Barry Ferguson) should be offering more than they currently are and if they can improve over the rest of the season then no matter who they are they should move on. We all expected improvement this year and as eldersliebear suggests early in the season there was. But for some reason we're going backwards and Saturday's performance and our current league position are unacceptable. That's not an over-reaction but a fact that must be addressed by all at the club. What I am doing is looking for a positive reaction from the club.

http://www.gersnet.info/fmrangers/newmain/151006.html After another week of mediocrity, weakness and capitulation, where do Rangers FC go from here? Season 06/07 began with excitement and predictions of grandeur. The appointment of PLG and the signing of a few new, young players along with the eventual removal of the past-it fringe guys meant that Rangers would be once again heading for the record books by capturing our 52nd title. Incredibly, only 10 games and less than 3 months into the new season, the only record we’ve broken is one to compliment the not so proud one of last season. Last year seen Eck oversee the worst run of results in our history. This season, we’ve currently ‘enjoying’ our worst ever start to an SPL campaign. So what has went wrong and who is responsible? Let’s start with the players. The personnel may have changed since last year but the same inadequacies exist. We appear unfit; are one-paced; have minimal work-rate; are physically weak and most importantly lack the mental belief and character any winning team requires. These basic principles are the least we should have to operate at professional level. Yet, despite the change of manager and tactics, they still appear prevalent. That goes for every player as none have shown the consistency and/or skill levels required to escape criticism. Every player should now be playing for their future – no matter their past record or reputation. That takes us nicely to the new management team. Paul Le Guen and Yves Colleau arrived with first-class credentials. Although still relatively young, their 3 titles in France and decent European performances meant the Rangers fans were right to be excited and expect a new era with success attached. Certainly, the Frenchmen showed no signs of pressure or nerves as they said and did all the right things pre-season. Fernando Ricksen being sent to Coventry (or the Russian equivalent!) and reports of 3 training sessions per day were an early sign of fitness improvements with new levels of discipline. At last the players would earn their inflated wages! We started the season well enough, the football was good and although there were some early dropped points, that was unlucky and understandable for a new regime. Since then though things have got gradually worse. Results have been awful; performances lacklustre; the coaching team seem stubborn; the manager dismissive of the fans’ thoughts and evidence of a hard pre-season’s fitness work impossible to find with the usual glut of injuries and unfit players. As such, PLG and his assistants must take their share of the blame – no excuses please! Now we find ourselves at the top of the tree and conversely the root of the problem – the directors and owner of the club. Criticism of Martin Bain and David Murray has been rife over the last few years of downsizing. In some ways that criticism has been unfair but in others not only is it relevant but also has still to be appreciated and addressed by the board. Like it or not our financial downsizing was necessary – we needed to reduce our debt. However, that does not mean to say our ambitions should be reduced by the same factor, nor our pride, heritage and attitudes to our support. The club is for sale and other than the impressive and innovative RST ‘Gersave’ scheme there appears to be little interest from any potential buyer towards a chairman/owner who would rather be anywhere than Glasgow and Ibrox. The pre-season hope seems such a long way away now. Rangers FC and our fans have been through a lot in the last year. We’ve just finished 3rd in the SPL, which is unprecedented for many of our fans. Not since the mid-80s have we had such a poor season domestically. The UEFA problems are still causing friction and there’s no doubt heavy-handed policing and stewarding at Ibrox has affected the general ambience of Ibrox – it’s not the same place and probably never will be again. Our club has changed forever. Therefore what does the future hold for us? Should we prepare ourselves now for a lifetime of mediocrity? On and off the field we now appear to be 2nd best or worse. Is this acceptable? Is this a blip? Have we been spoiled by success? How can we change things? Who can improve them? The answer to those crucial questions is the same as the answer as to our problems. Firstly the players must improve or leave. Secondly the management team must improve or leave. Finally, the board must improve or leave. This isn’t a question that can be answered overnight. It will take a wee bit longer before we can decide if their answers are suitable. But we won’t be cheated and we won’t be disrespected. We deserve better than that. Without the fans Rangers would be nothing. The fans currently have to look themselves in the mirror and act for the good of the club. Can the same be asked of the staff of OUR club – from the cleaners who turn a blind eye to troublemakers; to the high rollers who turn their nose up at singing sections? Will they be ‘Ready’ or not ‘Ready’ to answer the questions and challenges ahead?

I think this type of thing has improved at CP but it certainly is still prevalent during Old Firm games. Moreover, the home support might have eradicated some of it's offensive chants, but I'm not sure Celtic have done enough when it comes to their players and official singing sections choice of words, songs and banner designers... That makes the fact of Celtic and their supporters in the media and elsewhere reporting the Rangers fans to UEFA even more galling. b_m: While I appreciate your contribution and effort to be reasonably objective and candid, I'm sot sure today is the day to debate this issue when our fans are rather upset after a disappointing result.