Was it all becoming too easy?

[Super_Ally 0]

Walter Smith has been quoted from the pre-match press conferences for this weekend�s match as saying that whilst we had been winning matches, we hadn�t been at our best. We had a 9 game winning streak in the SPL allied to a couple of cup victories and an unbeaten first round of fixtures against each of our Champions League opponents.

 

Much had been made of Celtic�s unbeaten run, well unbeaten if you don�t count European matches, matches against lower division opposition and matches of any significance. Ahead of our trip to Parkhead there was a sense of an Old Firm match perhaps taking on more importance than normal. Could Celtic continue this run or could Smith reassert Rangers dominance over the SPL.

 

As is his want, Smith once more oversaw victory against our rivals and had the majority of the support believing we were nigh on unbeatable, at least within our own borders. Draws at Old Trafford and against Valencia and victory over the Champions of Turkey reaffirmed this view.

 

Since Parkhead, although we have not been derailed we have been redirected. Merely turning up is not enough to sweep past all opposition in the SPL. Smith admits that first and foremost we must start playing well if we are to expect such regularity of victories again. Inverness was a regrettable and avoidable banana skin. In spite of an impressive away record for the highlanders, further extended in defeating our next opponents Aberdeen this midweek past, we should have had too much quality for them. Indeed we created enough chances to win. And although we had chances against Hibs, the less said about a 3-0 defeat at Ibrox the better.

 

Rather than taking advantage of Celtic�s defeat at Tynecastle, a fixture highlighted as difficult, we have confirmed what ICT suggested. We are not infallible. We are not invincible. We must treat opposition with respect (though not too much Walter). We must be prepared, we must be committed and we must earn the three points each and every week.

 

The manager has highlighted a depleted squad and an excuse of fatigue and tiredness. We hear these same justifications annually now. Yet we are just 18 games into the league season. In his 3 full seasons here, Davie Weir has played 61, 47 and 51 games. If the squad elder statesman can compete in so many games it is a poor reflection on his younger team mates if they are tired only a third of the way through the league campaign. If they are tired already they, and we, are in for a very long season.

 

With matches coming thick and fast and a small pool of players it is going to take a fair amount of manipulation from the manager to keep the squad fresh and competitive. However, I would contend that it is the player�s mental states and not physical fatigue that is cause for concern.

 

The midweek defeat was a shocking result, but given we lost no ground in the title race, maintaining pole position, it may serve as a useful reminder to the team that we must be mentally prepared for all challenges. We must respect all opposition whether they are a provincial team, a capital club supposedly in turmoil or, as with this weekend, a club living on past glories and failing to accept its new position in the game. It is up to the management to re-focus the players. Remind them the opposition will not roll up and roll over accepting defeat. If the team are mentally attuned to the challenge our opponents present, more often than not our superior quality will see us triumphant and drive us towards league title no. 54.

[ian1964 10,419]

I'm convinced it's only a blip,we are not invincible,but the team has showed a lot of fight,dig,spirit and some decent football as well. I'm not buying this fatigue malarky,they are full time footballers and while I agree fatigue can and does play a part in games I think at this time of the season fatigue should not be used as an excuse,January/February maybe, but not now. We have had a terrific start to the season and we are still top of the league and still in position to qualify to the next stage of the CL,but more likely to be the Europa league,which was all we could hope for before the season kicked off. A couple of poor performances and one defeat in the league is not a disaster,IMO. We have no right to win every game,home or away,but this team has shown me this season that they are prepared to fight for the cause and I'm sure we will get back to our winning ways on Saturday.

[Gribz 743]

It is a blip but it could be a long term blip if things arent freshened up. Its still only November and the that means the busiest period is still yet to arrrive. Last December we had 7 matches alone. Players arent going to automatically gain fitness, they need to be given a rest so its all about utilising the small squad. However playing 2 sets of 90 mins matches a week shouldnt be a problem for some players, crikey kids play 4 or 5 times a week, the important thing will be recovery and training methods along with mental fitness. IMO Bougherra is suffering a bit from playing in the World Cup (shame eh...pro footballer, playing in Champions league and World cup - tough life! )

 

A lot of unnecessary pressure is being added to Saturdays game just because its Aberdeen and has to be a must win. For me we should look at it as a home game to remain top of the league against one of the league poorest sides and what ever XI put out should be more than good enough if they give it 100%.

[gisabeer 409]

i fail to see how you can be fatigued by playing two games of football a week. i work 60 hours a week and am fatigued come the end of the week.

 

bloody lame excuse if you ask me.

[Gazza_8 233]

i fail to see how you can be fatigued by playing two games of football a week. i work 60 hours a week and am fatigued come the end of the week.

 

bloody lame excuse if you ask me.

 

I mentioned something along these lines in my preview for todays game. If they didn't want to play twice a week then they shouldn't have won the league. They'e professionals though so that isn't an option. They knew the fixtures would be congested so they can't complain.

 

I think the players got into a frame of mind where they thought they just had to turn up to win matches. Hopefully the hiding we got on Wednesday night knocked that thought right out of their heads.

[ascender 352]

The warning signs have been there all season though, it was a bit strange to see some in the media and fans on the web going overboard in their praise of the team I thought and comparisons to some of those in the 9IAR squad for example.

 

Someone I know was talking to Ally McCoist last season about tiredness amongst professional athletes and he was saying that its not just physical tiredness, but that the mental pressures of playing a lot of games you're expected to win does take its toll on players, some more than others. I agree though, they're still not in the real world with real jobs and pressures that the rest of the population have, but they're also not super-human and immune from things getting to them.

 

Its disappointing to have dropped points, but I think we've done well to not drop them before now, so it was never going to be an unbeaten season. And Celtic have dropped some too which means its not as bad as it could have been. In a head to head between us and them, I'd still fancy our players to beat them and I still think that could be enough to see us winning the title.

 

I still think we should be trying to work with Davie Weir and get him in to some sort of coaching role or mentoring role to the young players as he has clearly looked after himself over the course of his career and maybe our younger lads would be more open to advice from someone like that than a foreign coach coming in and preaching about lifestyle, diet and fitness etc.

[Totti 0]

In footballers defence, 2 games a week is far more physically enduring than any 9-5 job.

 

But really I think we're just showing that we're a very ordinary side

[Gazza_8 233]

In footballers defence, 2 games a week is far more physically enduring than any 9-5 job.

 

But really I think we're just showing that we're a very ordinary side

 

Depends what you do during your 9-5 at work.

[Totti 0]

Worth a mention that some players run not far off 10 miles a match. Though I doubt many of our players cover that sort of ground.

[ian1964 10,419]

Cracking pace we are plating at today,just a blip as i said