Rangers will be forced to live in Celtic’s shadow for generations to come

[pete 2,499]

Are we still worse off at this stage than we were under Warburton ? Was that not the argument you gave just last week ?

 

Pedro may not be the answer. But it also depends on what we are looking for. If we want someone in that can challenge Celtic for the league then it isn't a new manager we need, it is investment in the playing squad. If we want a manager to challenge under the current financial conditions at both clubs then nobody is the answer because they can spend more on one player than we can on half a team.

 

I'm still surprised at how many still believe we haven't progressed this season, or maybe both sides are looking at different things. For me, looking at the positives... we are more of a goal threat, we create more chances, better at defensive set pieces and do actually look like beating teams.

 

The negatives ? Still losing soft goals and we are still mentally weak at times, though it is interesting that we have come back from a goal down against both Thistle and Accoes to get non-negative results. Perhaps the mental toughness is starting to appear.

 

We also, IMHO, have a better standard of player - though how much of that is down to the money Pedro has been given vs Warburton is a valid question.

 

His signings have been hit and miss, like almost any other manager really. Candeias, Morelos, Jack have settled in very well. Dorrans has been a disappointment as has Pena and Herrera. Alves and Cardoso jury still out but Cardoso is young and has potential and Alves was probably expected to mentor the young lad. Alves may struggle to get back in with McCrorie's form though. Declan John has been a decent signing too, albeit on loan. Dalcio has been invisible as a loanee.

 

So very hit and miss but in Morelos and Cardoso we have sellable assets. Jack and Candeias can be excellent signings too.

 

It isn't all doom and gloom but, likewise, it isn't all positive either. Somewhere in between, which is probably why Pedro is currently a polarizing figure.

 

I am not sure if I stated we were worse under Pedro I will leave that to the post historians to dig up. I think I stated we have not improved under Pedro and that Warburton had us in 2nd placefor a long period which Pedro has failed to do for any length of time. I will answer in some parts we have improved and in others we have indeed got worse.Foderingham Tav and Wallace are the same and you could say Wallace if anything is playing worse under Pedro. John has been great but can you judge him on 2 games against lesser opposition? Cordoso is certainly better than Kiernan but that would not be difficult and Cordoso is far from being the finished article.Is Alves really an improvement on Clint Hill up to this point. One thing is for sure I don't think clint Hill would have shit himself as Alves did in a wall. While Jack has certainly improved on Haliiday the rest of the midfield has been most disappointing to say the least. Candeias is certainly an improvement on O'Halloran and Waghorn (when playing on the right), I think we have lost when it comes to Windass or McKay. The only real thing that has pulled us up a notch is Morelos and long may it continue because if we lose him then I really feel for the worse unless Hardie can make the step up. Are we really making more Chances or do we just have a player to take the made chances? I still think Waghorn had a role to play with us and could have improved with better players. The thing we all blamed Warburton for was not improving the defence and I will agree we are better in dealing with high balls but the attack to goal ratio for our opposition is still extremely high. Let's be honest if Celtic had been more clinical then that game could have ended up far worse for us.

I suppose we all see things differently but the only real improvement is Morelos and his goals.

[craig 5,199]

I am not sure if I stated we were worse under Pedro I will leave that to the post historians to dig up. I think I stated we have not improved under Pedro and that Warburton had us in 2nd placefor a long period which Pedro has failed to do for any length of time. I will answer in some parts we have improved and in others we have indeed got worse.Foderingham Tav and Wallace are the same and you could say Wallace if anything is playing worse under Pedro. John has been great but can you judge him on 2 games against lesser opposition? Cordoso is certainly better than Kiernan but that would not be difficult and Cordoso is far from being the finished article.Is Alves really an improvement on Clint Hill up to this point. One thing is for sure I don't think clint Hill would have shit himself as Alves did in a wall. While Jack has certainly improved on Haliiday the rest of the midfield has been most disappointing to say the least. Candeias is certainly an improvement on O'Halloran and Waghorn (when playing on the right), I think we have lost when it comes to Windass or McKay. The only real thing that has pulled us up a notch is Morelos and long may it continue because if we lose him then I really feel for the worse unless Hardie can make the step up. Are we really making more Chances or do we just have a player to take the made chances? I still think Waghorn had a role to play with us and could have improved with better players. The thing we all blamed Warburton for was not improving the defence and I will agree we are better in dealing with high balls but the attack to goal ratio for our opposition is still extremely high. Let's be honest if Celtic had been more clinical then that game could have ended up far worse for us.

I suppose we all see things differently but the only real improvement is Morelos and his goals.

 

Look at last year's regular line-up and this year's, in terms of players - all obviously MHO:

 

Fod - same player - if anything better because he commands his area better, coming for crosses more often

 

Tav - same player - better defensively

Cardoso - an improvement over Kiernan

Alves - certainly no worse than Clint Hill, debatable whether better

Wallace - same player - no better but injuries haven't helped consistency

 

Candeias - absolutely no doubt he is better than Waghorn in that position

Jack - considerably better than Halliday

Dorrans - should be better than Holt, not got off to a flying start though

Windass - McKay was a better player - however, rumours abound that McKay wanted to leave and, if that is the case, then nothing Pedro could have done. I think Pedro himself recognizes this position is a problem position right now.

 

Miller - same player, worse than last season. A season too far for him and, I suspect, the player Pena was brought in to replace over time. Pena may not have set the heather alight but he certainly couldn't be much worse than Miller this season.

Morelos - better than Garner by a considerable distance.

 

I am sure there are stats around chances made - but last season we were all huff and puff. We played possession to death, and in places you couldn't hurt teams. I didn't think we created that many chances whereas this season I feel we have created a lot of chances, particularly from Candeias.

 

Attack to goal ratio may still be high. However, Warburton had 18 months on which to work on that - Pedro has brought in two new centre halves and has had 3 months to work on it. The central spine of your team is critical and it DOES take players time to not only gel with new team-mates but to also play to the tactical expectations of the manager.

 

"If Celtic had been more clinical...." - but they didn't. I could just as easily say "Of the ref had given us the penalty he should then that game could have ended up far better for us". Ifs and buts change nothing. Celtic only started really creating chances in the 2nd half of that game after they went 1 up. Prior to that they didn't hurt us at all.

 

Yes, we all see things differently. I try to be balanced but you can see no good in Pedro, as is your prerogative

Edited October 2, 2017 by craig

[pete 2,499]

Look at last year's regular line-up and this year's, in terms of players - all obviously MHO:

 

Fod - same player - if anything better because he commands his area better, coming for crosses more often

 

Tav - same player - better defensively

Cardoso - an improvement over Kiernan

Alves - certainly no worse than Clint Hill, debatable whether better

Wallace - same player - no better but injuries haven't helped consistency

 

Candeias - absolutely no doubt he is better than Waghorn in that position

Jack - considerably better than Halliday

Dorrans - should be better than Holt, not got off to a flying start though

Windass - McKay was a better player - however, rumours abound that McKay wanted to leave and, if that is the case, then nothing Pedro could have done. I think Pedro himself recognizes this position is a problem position right now.

 

Miller - same player, worse than last season. A season too far for him and, I suspect, the player Pena was brought in to replace over time. Pena may not have set the heather alight but he certainly couldn't be much worse than Miller this season.

Morelos - better than Garner by a considerable distance.

 

I am sure there are stats around chances made - but last season we were all huff and puff. We played possession to death, and in places you couldn't hurt teams. I didn't think we created that many chances whereas this season I feel we have created a lot of chances, particularly from Candeias.

 

Attack to goal ratio may still be high. However, Warburton had 18 months on which to work on that - Pedro has brought in two new centre halves and has had 3 months to work on it. The central spine of your team is critical and it DOES take players time to not only gel with new team-mates but to also play to the tactical expectations of the manager.

 

"If Celtic had been more clinical...." - but they didn't. I could just as easily say "Of the ref had given us the penalty he should then that game could have ended up far better for us". Ifs and buts change nothing. Celtic only started really creating chances in the 2nd half of that game after they went 1 up. Prior to that they didn't hurt us at all.

 

Yes, we all see things differently. I try to be balanced but you can see no good in Pedro, as is your prerogative

 

No your not balanced as you turn everything to the positive for Pedro in a mock balance and with your last statement "that I see no good in Pedro" means you have not taken any of the positive things I have said into account. The Pedro mafia will be delighted with you though. Another positive!

[Oleg_Mcnoleg 50]

The issue is a whole lot bigger than Pedro. Are we in a position where, were we to exhume and reanimate Rinus Michels or Valery Lobanovsky and stick them in charge, we'd suddenly win the league?

[craig 5,199]

No your not balanced as you turn everything to the positive for Pedro in a mock balance and with your last statement "that I see no good in Pedro" means you have not taken any of the positive things I have said into account. The Pedro mafia will be delighted with you though. Another positive!

 

Is there any chance you can desist with the "Pedro mafia" nonsense pete ? Suggesting that because people disagree with you that they must be somehow be some kind of mafia is silly. Those same people could accuse those such as yourself who want rid of Pedro to be "Pedro mafia" too.

 

Even when you see "good" in Pedro you have to give it begrudgingly - lets not forget that your previous post said "the only real improvement is Morelos and his goals" - and in a post prior to that you even took any credit for the signing of Morelos away from Pedro because he was a "JJ signing". You have also complained that his signings were dross, but conveniently ignored the signings who have had a positive impact such as Morelos, Jack & Candeais.

 

Meanwhile.... I have actually compared this season's team with last season's in as objective a manner as possible, which we all know is not easy to do because we all have subjective natures towards players. I also clearly stated that not everything is positive with Pedro.

 

But I am the one who doesn't show balance ??? Yer having a laugh pete. I'm pretty sure I am being far more objective with Pedro than you are.