What's gone wrong?

[PoohBear 1,074]

12 hours ago, MacK1950 said:

As you see I have said the same regarding the cups and at no time I have berated Gerard,other than his timing of subs,the failure is totally down to player error and the lack of a strong leader on the park.

The solution is not easy and we have very little time to solve it before the next cup games.

Hi mate, it wasn't meant to be a direct response to your post.  I didn't mean for it to look like I was calling you out or anything.

Edited February 24, 2020 by PoohBear

[Rousseau 9,370]

Clearly this winter break is affecting us. We're not able to continue where we left off. 

 

Gerrard was aware of this; he mentioned it a few times and looked to rectify the issue. Did he not try to implement a more intense training regime over in Dubai? Maybe they need the break, more than a gruelling training regimen? 

 

When we returned, we were lethargic and leggy. There wasn't a lack of confidence, but just an inability to get back to our increased tempo. 

 

We got away with it at the start, but then we suffered some back results, which then hit the confidence. When it's at its worse, they look like complete strangers. We're in this vicious spiral, struggling to extricate ourselves. 

 

We turned it on for 20 minutes or so against Braga, reversing a 0-2 deficit, which is quite remarkable.

 

That almost suggests it's not the strategy or tactics: we can turn over most teams when we turn up the tempo. 

 

Saying that, I do think we need another way of playing. Which is not to say SG has not been trying: we've had a 4-2-3-1 recently, and then on Sunday there we went with a 4-4-2 (or more accurately a 4-2-2-2). I felt the attacking confidence returned, but then we were undone with poor defending; Katic and Goldson seemed to sh*te themselves over the most basic of long balls. 

 

It's not just one thing. 

[DMAA 3,603]

9 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Saying that, I do think we need another way of playing. Which is not to say SG has not been trying: we've had a 4-2-3-1 recently, and then on Sunday there we went with a 4-4-2 (or more accurately a 4-2-2-2). I felt the attacking confidence returned, but then we were undone with poor defending;

First and foremost we should be playing the players who are on form and dropping those who aren't. 

 

For me, there's no excuse for not starting Kamberi when it's clear he is hungry to impress and, more importantly, has the abliity to match the hunger. As I've said for a long time, Kent and Katic are the most overrated players at Ibrox and more fans are waking up to that now although they still have staunch fanclubs.

 

Lots of others are underperforming but have more credit in the bank. But we need to use our squad more. Edmundson shouldn't have been dropped on the basis of one dodgy game, he deserved a proper opportunity. Others like Stewart deserve a chance too.

 

Dropping Kent alone would make a big difference to our play in the final 3rd with the existing formation with Aribo and Hagi behind Kamberi. Aribo showed us how good he was in that position in December and bizarrely he's been sacrificed and dropped back to midfield or dropped altogether for Kent's benefit.

[der Berliner 3,246]

As I said for ages, we far too stubbornly play the same system no matter what. For a time, we got the results, even though the performances were not great. I don't think too much individual finger-pointing is required, especially not from the manager. The big problem for defenders is that their errors might have dire consequences, as it proved yesterday. But that happens to all defenders and teams every now and then, else there wouldn't be goals.

 

Be that as it may, we do carry a number of people for weeks now who fail to reach their own standards. Likewise, we hardly ever change personnell when required. Games like yesterday, where fighting is required alongside "guile", the scene was set for Stewart, Kamberi, Jones and even Edmundson. People raring to go and challenge for a place, as well as being able to wear and tear teams like St. Johnstone down.

 

Why do we need to give the likes of Kent (to lesser extend than the others), Tavernier and even Morelos more and more time to get out of their troubles? When it is clear to see for weeks that it just ain't happening?

 

I said a wee while ago that unless we win all games up to the OF one, the title challenge is over for another season. And mainly not down to the Scum do what they have to do, but us not fulfilling our potential and utilizing our options. Again.

 

When SG took over, people said that he needs at least a certain number of transfer windows to rebuild the team to a title challenger. IMHO, we had a solid side last season and were pecked back by the same frailities that come to the fore now (tactic- / selection-wise), as well as some heinous COing and refereeing. The refreeing remains a problem, not least when you see what the Scum gets away with. But there still is too much self-inflicted damage ... and SG should not start pointing at the players.

Regarding the transfer windows ... we collected a few gems by now, Aribo, Kent (when on top of his game) and now Hagi and probably Kamberi are a real step up in quality. Maybe we need another good summer window to get us over the title line ... and in saying that, I simple can't see any great quality over in their camp. TLB has collected a bunch capable of beating anything in the SPFL and that's essentially it. We seem to collect people for "the better of our game", but they can't show the required consistency against the brickwall and hammerthrowing brigades in Scotland. Strangely enough, as I said, I really thought that we got Polster, Jones, Kamberi, Barker and Co. for exactly that reason.

[Gaffer 1,665]

We seem to have two problems.  One is easy to fix, but the other can only be sorted in the summer.

 

Our first problem is that the management team believes in playing players out of their poor form.  This is a sensible approach if one or two are not performing but at the moment we have 3 or 4 who need to be dropped.  That's too many under performers to carry.  Katic, Davis, Kamara, Kent and Morelos are way below their best so they should be dropped.  It's harsh but it's so important that the rest of the team sees that they will get their chance if they perform well.  At the moment Stewart, Kamberi and Edmundson must be wondering how they will ever get a starting role, despite their counterparts playing so poorly for a while now.  Equally, players must know that they have to perform or they will lose their place.  That must be demoralising all round.

 

The second problem is something I said concerned me last year.  When things are not going well on the pitch, or when players are not performing, who on the pitch is dealing with that?  After we lose a goal I don't see or hear a single one of our players challenge those responsible.  All successful teams have someone who kicks backsides or puts an arm around their team mates to get the best reaction.  We don't have it and it's particularly obvious when we face tough decisions or incidents on the pitch.  Against Braga we relied on Hagi to inspire those around him but that only works sometimes.  We don't have a leader on the pitch and we badly need it.

 

Theres no doubt our team will click again and we will be back to playing great football.  However, teams don't win leagues based on their best form.  The win it based on their worst form.  At our best we are the top team in Scotland (and in my opinion by some margin), but at our worst we are mid table level and that's not good enough.

 

Gerrard needs to play the form players and drop those who don't perform.  He then needs to get someone in to that team who takes charge for him on the field.  Until then we will continue to suffer.

[DMAA 3,603]

On Morelos, I have been eating humble pie for the first half of the season because his goalscoring has far exceeded my expectations. I have often pointed out that he looks very raw at times and technically poor. But he was outstanding in Europe and for most of the first half of the season. 

 

But now that he has gone 7 league games without a goal, a closer look at his record is required. He has scored 29 goals this season, but really I think the 4 against part timers St Josephs in a round we should never be in are a bit of a gift for him. In Europe, he has been great until Braga.

 

Domestically, he has scored 15 in 28. Now you have to say that is no more than a decent record given the number of chances he gets as our only striker.

 

Scrutinising it more, you discover that 10 of those 15 were in games we won by at least 3 goals, in other words games which were pretty straight forward. And only 1 of the 15 were in games won by a single goal. In the 7 games we have drawn or lost domestically he has only scored in 1, and as we know he has been guilty of spurning big opportunities in some of those. Not least against Celtic.

 

I don't know what to make of it all. He has proved me wrong time and time again with heroics in Europe. Yet he proves me right at other times, giving the ball away so cheaply, failing to link up properly with our midfielders and missing countless easy chances over the course of the season. For now, I think his suspension is a blessing in disguise. We get to go with the on-form Kamberi without needing to "drop" Morelos. If Kamberi gets the chance to score and takes it, this potentially gives us the pretext to keep him in the team and send Morelos the message that there are consequences to his recent profiligacy in front of goal.

[ranger_syntax 3,770]

1 hour ago, Gaffer said:

We seem to have two problems.  One is easy to fix, but the other can only be sorted in the summer.

 

Our first problem is that the management team believes in playing players out of their poor form.  This is a sensible approach if one or two are not performing but at the moment we have 3 or 4 who need to be dropped.  That's too many under performers to carry.  Katic, Davis, Kamara, Kent and Morelos are way below their best so they should be dropped.  It's harsh but it's so important that the rest of the team sees that they will get their chance if they perform well.  At the moment Stewart, Kamberi and Edmundson must be wondering how they will ever get a starting role, despite their counterparts playing so poorly for a while now.  Equally, players must know that they have to perform or they will lose their place.  That must be demoralising all round.

 

The second problem is something I said concerned me last year.  When things are not going well on the pitch, or when players are not performing, who on the pitch is dealing with that?  After we lose a goal I don't see or hear a single one of our players challenge those responsible.  All successful teams have someone who kicks backsides or puts an arm around their team mates to get the best reaction.  We don't have it and it's particularly obvious when we face tough decisions or incidents on the pitch.  Against Braga we relied on Hagi to inspire those around him but that only works sometimes.  We don't have a leader on the pitch and we badly need it.

 

Theres no doubt our team will click again and we will be back to playing great football.  However, teams don't win leagues based on their best form.  The win it based on their worst form.  At our best we are the top team in Scotland (and in my opinion by some margin), but at our worst we are mid table level and that's not good enough.

 

Gerrard needs to play the form players and drop those who don't perform.  He then needs to get someone in to that team who takes charge for him on the field.  Until then we will continue to suffer.

A couple of points.

 

4 is too many to carry but it also might be too many to drop.

 

Also I did notice Ryan Jack having a go at the defence after the first goal yesterday.

[Bill 13,717]

4 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

A couple of points.

 

4 is too many to carry but it also might be too many to drop.

 

Also I did notice Ryan Jack having a go at the defence after the first goal yesterday.

If ever it was decided we needed an effective leader on the park, there would be no need to look beyond Ryan Jack.

[Bluedell 5,329]

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

But now that he has gone 7 league games without a goal, 

He has scored a couple but they were incorrectly disallowed, and not for the first time this season.

[Briton 314]

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

On Morelos, I have been eating humble pie for the first half of the season because his goalscoring has far exceeded my expectations. I have often pointed out that he looks very raw at times and technically poor. But he was outstanding in Europe and for most of the first half of the season. 

His form is poor but hopefully he'll get it back but I always say the most important attribute of any player is what's between his ears.   He seems to learn nothing.