match thread (image) [FT] Ross County 3 - 3 Rangers (Diallo 5; Tavernier 49; Goldson 72)

[ascender 352]

Heart and Hand did a good analysis of the accounts which seemed to suggest that even with the covid losses, we are returning to a decent position. If we trimmed the squad, had a run in Europe and sold one player for good money in the next year, it would be a very rosy picture (as other commercial areas have grown well).

 

Since then, we've sold Patterson and taken in money for SG and his team, having already plugged the funding gap for this year.

 

I don't think its the money that's the issue. January just isn't the transfer window where the major business is done, that's usually in the summer window, so I think our collective hands are tied a bit.

 

But there's no doubt we're paying the price for not being more ruthless after 55 and facing up to some of the positions which needed fixed. Not sure if it was a false sense of confidence, whether SG genuinely didn't see the little things needing improved or if the gamble was that we'd qualify for CL and that would make more money available?

Of course its an over-reaction to yesterday, but a lot of the criticism is valid because we're struggling in the same ways we did at the start of the season and during SG's time (other than the league last year).
 

I still think we'll beat them at Parkhead though.

[CammyF 6,782]

1 hour ago, ranger_syntax said:

 

McGregor and Goldson are regular starters.

 

Two of them.

 

Only one of which we should try to keep.

Don't kid yourself, if fit Davis, Jack and Arfield are starters. So it's 5. 

[CammyF 6,782]

1 hour ago, ranger_syntax said:

The only thing that is unsustainable is rushing out to spend money in January after four dropped points.

 

I have to laugh about the 'unwavering financial support'. The fans do a lot to support the club but lets not forget recent events.  Just the other week the club postponed a payment deadline for tickets. This happened because the usual selection of knicker wetters were sobbing about not having 45 pound prior to payday. Support was wavering and the same complaints emerge every time something can be paid for.

What an utter pile of crap. How do you know people's financial positions? £45 before payday after Christmas is a lot of money to some people. Just because it's not to you, doesn't mean it isn't to the person sitting next to you. Hardly knicker wetters, what an utter crass ridiculous comment.

 

And those that were impacted asked for a little more time to pay, sure the vast majority stumped up once they had been paid.

 

To question the financial support the fans give the club is ludicrous - it's often taken for granted but it is unwavering.  

[CammyF 6,782]

11 hours ago, ranger_syntax said:

Celtic sold players from a position of success on the pitch and Champions League experience.

 

We have very little recent success and played in the Europa League.

 

Accept that we still have some way to go before anyone can say we have failed with player trading.

They did but continue to do so not being in CL and after losing the league by 25 points. If they can, why can't we?

[CammyF 6,782]

1 hour ago, Rousseau said:

The reaction is embarrassing. 

Is it? What signs of positivity do you see from this season's form that should make us confident that we can win the league? 

 

We have been consistently poor all season. We've seen our lead disappear to a single point. 

 

We started the season under SG and weren't the same as last season. We've then changed managers but the performances remain largely unconvincing. 

 

In a two horse race, a draw is as bad as a loss and we've now handed all the momentum to our opponents. Whilst they are hardly blowing teams away, they are finding ways to win, even with 10 men. That is a concern. 

[Gonzo79 13,621]

5 minutes ago, CammyF said:

What signs of positivity do you see from this season's form that should make us confident that we can win the league? 

 

We have been consistently poor all season. We've seen our lead disappear to a single point. 

We're two points clear at the top of the league. 

[CammyF 6,782]

19 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

We're two points clear at the top of the league. 

We are, and we've been top of the league for the majority of the season. However the gap has been closed and we're one result away from not being top of the league. Where in reality, we should have been out of sight.

 

We are kidding ourselves on if we don't believe the momentum has swung in their direction. They are at home and will rightly fancy their chances (I know I would if the positions were reversed). 

 

We have a decent recent record against them and I think we have better players than them but that doesn't always mean the better team. 

 

We don't seem to be playing as a team and our performances this season have been littered by individual mistakes. 

 

Wednesday is huge and will go a long way in showing the character (or lack off) of this group and players and management team. 

Edited January 30, 2022 by CammyF

[Rousseau 9,372]

41 minutes ago, CammyF said:

Is it? What signs of positivity do you see from this season's form that should make us confident that we can win the league? 

 

We have been consistently poor all season. We've seen our lead disappear to a single point. 

 

We started the season under SG and weren't the same as last season. We've then changed managers but the performances remain largely unconvincing. 

 

In a two horse race, a draw is as bad as a loss and we've now handed all the momentum to our opponents. Whilst they are hardly blowing teams away, they are finding ways to win, even with 10 men. That is a concern. 

I'm quite a pessimistic person. I tend to get the fear going into most games.  

 

But, even I think the comments recently have been embarrassing; a complete over reaction.

 

Because we dropped a couple of points - through individual error - to then see criticisms for every facet of our club is mental; McGregor had a howler, so now the DoF is not good enough, recruitment policy is not working, tactics are wrong, the manager's lost it, the dressing room is split, all personnel are sh*t, this is rubbish, that's p*sh...

 

 

 

[CammyF 6,782]

36 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

I'm quite a pessimistic person. I tend to get the fear going into most games.  

 

But, even I think the comments recently have been embarrassing; a complete over reaction.

 

Because we dropped a couple of points - through individual error - to then see criticisms for every facet of our club is mental; McGregor had a howler, so now the DoF is not good enough, recruitment policy is not working, tactics are wrong, the manager's lost it, the dressing room is split, all personnel are sh*t, this is rubbish, that's p*sh...

 

 

 

But there has to be a concern as I think most of us believed 55 was going to be a platform to build on. In football it's often say you build from a position of strength.

 

We didn't invest in the squad correctly in the summer and doesn't look like we'll invest this month (A couple of loan deals aside). 

 

Given the potential prize at the end of the season it was reasonable to think we'd take a sensible punt in the transfer market. 

 

We all knew they would (and they have), they have also continued to sell players and replace them successfully. 

 

I might be 100% wrong and on my own when I sense that there is something not right at the club. From SGs departure, Kings fall out with Park Jnr and his "partnership" with Club 1872..... hope I'm wrong, but it doesn't add up. 

 

Now I know and understand that 99% of the fans ain't interested in all that, they just want a winning team on the pitch. 

 

However I'm interested in medium to long term plans, how these are going to be properly managed and funded. 

 

Covid mag have thrown a spanner into the works, but it's something we the fans deserve. 

 

After all we are the "single" biggest investor the club has....

 

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by CammyF

[der Berliner 3,247]

A bit of a selection nightmare for Gio ahead of Wednesday.

 

Goalie:

McGregor is usually solid, but how he messed the game up yesterday. Giving McLaughlin a new contract will have that guy buzzing ... and he ain`t no bad goalie either.

 

Defence:

Goldson`s been a rock last season, but even out of my head I can count about a handful of games where he handed goal to the opposition this season. And yesterday was no different. If anything, the Scum knows how to attack and if our centre-halfs are not up for this, the game may become a "who-scores-more-goals contest", as their defence ain`t great. I actually do wonder whether we`ll go to three at the back with Balogun - Goldson - Bassey, with at least one DM in front of them. 

 

Defensive midfield:

Kamara can be a fine footballer, but yesterday it was another sub-standard performance. For all his ball-winning and retaining possession stats, he passes sideways and back far too often when there actually is the opportunity to either go on the attack himself or play a pass up front. 

We sure missed Davis these last few games, not least as Goldson`s  accurate passes from the back have become a rarety. Likewise, the old fox`s cool head eases some pressure off the defence. He won`t make it till Wendesday though. If I had the choice and he`s fit, I`d place Jack in front of the defence. He`s the destroyer in midfield with a calm mind as well as the willingness to go on the attack and even has a good shot in him. No Kamara, as I would play with 3-at-the-back.

 

Midfield:

Dunno how to describe it, but even after all his years here, I do not know what position Aribo is playing in. Maybe he should simply be given the free-roving role. Thing is, yesterday he popped up here and there and I don`t know whether other people filled the spaces appropriately, it all looked somewhat makeshift time and again. Every now and then, you also beg Aribo to (finally)  pass the ball, instead of jousting along with two or three defenders (which eh did well to attract to him ... and thus creating space for others to run into).

Given his combative streak and willingness to attack, Arfield should also be in the starting line up. Not as effective yesterday, but the service to and from other players to him  and Itten weren`t that great either. He`s an Old Firm veteran too and knows the score.

That would leave us with the "wingers". IMHO, Diallo will be given another starting slot and did well enough. We`ll have to wait and see how he copes with the howling hordes. Then there is the left wing. Neither Wright nor Kent have set the heather on fire of late, I`d play Sakala there ahead of either, but since I use 2 strikers, that slot goes to Kent. Its games like these that he usually performs, so I`ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

Strikers:

I`d play two, whether as nominal strikers or not. Since they are the most lethal pair, I`d go for Sakala and Roofe. Quick, bags of tricks and the most direct we have.

 

McLaughlin

 

Balogun/Tavernier  - Goldson - Bassey

 

Jack

 

Diallo - Aribo - Arfield - Kent

 

Sakala - Roofe

 

What we will get though is most likely a hard-copy of yesterday, with the odd change. If I had to make a prediction, I`d say ...

 

McGregor

 

Tavernier - Goldson - Bassey - Barisic

 

Kamara - Jack

 

Diallo - Aribo - Kent

 

Sakala

 

... and they will come at us in waves while we hope for counter attacks. In the here and now, the outcome looks ominous. Then again, in OF games, the form book goes out of the window ...

Edited January 30, 2022 by der Berliner