The Current Team

[calscot 0]

Also, its worth noting that for the majority of our 9-in-a-row, Craptic were in a worse state than we are in at the moment.

Cammy F

 

That's where timing is crucial. Celtic were in disarray at a time when the biggest income was from gate receipts and so it wasn't too hard to turn them around as one big share issue to build a cheap stadium and getting 60,000 through the turnstiles is all it needed.

 

They are in reasonable shape now - better than us despite how bad a state they were in then and how good a state we were in. They've also learned a few lessons on the way and I don't think they'll throw it away like us. They have a wisdom and balance in their spending that we have yet to learn. They use prudence but also realise they sometimes need to spend a bit to get quality.

 

At the moment for the Old Firm to maximise earnings to keep up with the rest of Europe, they need to be playing in the CL every year. However you can't play in the CL if you can't compete in Scotland to get at least second place and you also need to be able to mix it with the big boys of Europe to get the results.

 

To do that you need quality on the park, which requires money, but if you don't spend it, you don't get into the CL and you have less money to spend. Every year we pass on the CL money creates a bigger finance gap between us and the Europe elite, and now also Celtic as they seem to be playing there most years.

 

They had one hiccough last year but have made up for that by getting to the last 16, and they seem to be overall moving forward over time and I can see them continuing to compete in the medium future.

 

We're so off the pace and moving backwards so quickly that it feels like turning the ship around will take a long, long time, and where will we be in relation to Celtic then?

[ian1964 10,416]

This is the worrying thing for me,not only are we in decline but nothing seems to be getting done to halt this,Celtic are growing and we are fading fast and i just fear it's not about to stop for a while yet,who knows where we are going to end up, something needs to be done now before it's too late

[Gribz 743]

I like the title of this thread - The Current Team coz it makes debate about who should be in and who should be out/

 

Bottom line is we are having the same problems as last 2 years under McLeish - We dont have a midfield. When we do, its Ferguson and thats it, and when Clement plays Ferguson takes over every role. When Ferguson doesnt play (last season when we played well at Inverness and the start of this season) we play well.

 

What Im saying is get rid of Ferguson, bring in Hemdani and Clement together and I can honestly see the team starting to play flowing football. I love Barry Ferguson's desire for Rangers but he ruins the team. Lets get to this

 

________________McGregor_____________

 

Hutton_____Svensson___Papac_____Smith

 

Sionko_____Hemdani___Clement____Buffel

 

_____________Sebo___Prso_____________

[craig 5,198]

Ferguson has been, arguably, our best performer over the last month and one of the very few that gives a shit about our team and our club.

 

Take him out and out goes the heart of the team (and I was one of the ones early in the season calling for him to be dropped) - but on current form if you dropped him you would be dropping your best in-form player.

 

The problem with your line-up Gribz is you still don't have a midfield - Buffel and Sionko on the flanks means we would have a 4-2-4 formation as they are both more attack-minded than balanced and, in both cases, they offer zero protection for their respective full-backs.

 

Lets also not forget that we started the season (4-6 weeks ?) with Hemdani and Clement and, aside from the first couple of games, it could hardly be called flowing football.

[Super_Ally 0]

Barry out? Some people never cease to amaze me. Ran that game today.

 

I think you're one of the guys who wanted Boyd dropped for Sebo as awell. Thank fuck you don't pick the team.

[gisabeer 409]

poor comment on ferguson. I have been impressed with him this season. Just a pity that we dont have better quality players around him. he was immense today against the hiv's and his goal was top drawer. led by example as did prsu and the rest followed suit.

[br1ndy 0]

Ferguson was immense today and is showing what hes like when hes fit.

 

I cannot believe anyone can critisise this man.

[townhead ranger 0]

He taught Brown a thing or two today.

[pete 2,499]

Ferguson was immense today and is showing what hes like when hes fit.

 

I cannot believe anyone can critisise this man.

 

 

I don't see why we can't he has been rank rotten since he came back from Blackburn. Yes at the moment he is playing well and maybe be above criticism although last week he had gone awol. If he keeps up the form he has been showing recently then he will be an important player for us. Three games in three years is not good enough though.

[craig 5,198]

I don't see why we can't he has been rank rotten since he came back from Blackburn. Yes at the moment he is playing well and maybe be above criticism although last week he had gone awol. If he keeps up the form he has been showing recently then he will be an important player for us. Three games in three years is not good enough though.

 

Fair points Pete - the only thing that I would say is that it IS fair to criticise his performance against Falkirk last week but there are 10 others that should also take the same criticism last week.