match thread (image) [FT] Celtic 3 - 0 Rangers

[DMAA 3,603]

4 minutes ago, weebluedevil said:

In fairness, that's based on me watching alone and already completely pissed off. If I was with some mates, I guess I could have mustered a fist pump. 

I was just angry that with total control of the second half we still couldn't score. It added to the humiliation that the score remained 3-0.

[der Berliner 3,245]

15 minutes ago, weebluedevil said:

I'm glad Jack's excellent strike didn't go in. At 3-0 down I would not have celebrated it, nor would many bears that were still watching, so it would have been a waste a perhaps papered over some cracks. The fact is the 2nd half didn't provide ANY positives, Jack said that himself in his post-match. I am mighty glad he's back. 

 

There may also be some optimism, in that Barisic looks to have played his last game and that it seems we will therefore have Bassey playing LB and Balogun LCH. That would improve us greatly. 

 

I will keep harping on about it, but I'm done with Tav, ( he has my thanks for the loyalty and great contributions. but that's in the distant past). He's now more of a bomb scare more often than not (again, his mistake almost cost us a goal last night), and his corners and crosses are and have been atrocious. Can't rely on him to take penalties either. I sincerely hope this is his last season. The sooner we blood in Zukowski the better. If Gio is not using Tav as a wing back and allow him the freedom to get up often, then I don't see what value he brings. 

 

Then we have the excitement and hope of seeing Ramsey alongside Jack and Aribo in midfield, all with creative qualities but steeliness too. Up top, the biggest impact I think GVB and Makaay ahve made is forcing Alfie to stay high and command the box, which has worked out well. We just need to figure out how Kent, Sakala and Roofe fit into the team. I'd prefer to see us play both Morelos and Roofe up front, but I've no idea how that fits together with the wingers etc. 

 

Aside from the players and formation, a big question mark hangs over the ability of GVB and his team to turn things around - it's a two horse race now and games against them will be vital. The test is to pick up max points and til we play them again and beat them at Ibrox.  Anything less, more dropped points and this season will end in disaster and us looking for a new manager. 

 

 

 

To be honest, SG hardly changed much bar some players. Some of them clicked, others less so. That worked once in 3 seasons. I`d give Gio and his team at least a season or two before starting to question his abilities. We had a few good seasons in Europe, mainly the opposition played their own stuff and hardly knew our players and style of play. Then came the likes of Leverkusen and taught us a lesson or two. After half a season, the Scottish sides were clued up though, dug in and we started to toil ... not least when our players failed to keep their own possible standards.

 

Much of the above is correct IMHO. I would go as far as again suggesting a 3-at-the-back for games like yesterday, Balogun - Helander - Bassey (if all are fit), maybe a wingback on each side of a midfield 4 or 5. Tav has run its course now and in the aforementioned setup, throw in Zukowksi, who played both as RB as well as RM. Likewise, put Jack and Ramsey in the engine room, let Aribo have a free role behind the front line of at least two real strikers.

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by der Berliner

[ranger_syntax 3,766]

20 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

To be honest, SG hardly changed much bar some players.

...

Jesus wept.

[ranger_syntax 3,766]

24 minutes ago, DMAA said:

I've no idea what his plan is. Ramsey has provided even more competition where we already had strong competition whilst we still don't have enough competition on the wings.

 

Roofe has to start when he is fit but he's not a winger so will the system be changed to accommodate him? A 3-5-2 based system would do that, and also get more out of our full backs. A 4-4-2 based system would too but we have way too many centre mids to play it.

 

[ranger_syntax 3,766]

25 minutes ago, DMAA said:

I've no idea what his plan is. Ramsey has provided even more competition where we already had strong competition whilst we still don't have enough competition on the wings.

 

...

Forgive me but where is that exactly?

[26th of foot 5,829]

Viewing the game on Sky last evening let us know ra Sellik sensitivity. Andy Walker was relentless and ruthless in continually stating, "Celtic are relentless and ruthless". It was his preferred comfort blanket, saying it one more time than his three appeals for ra Sellik, "to go on and get a fourth and fifth". Maybe, the Rangers management team and players should listen to a clearly excited, garrulous Andy and take inspiration?

 

As a Rangers supporter, I was seated well back on my sofa after 20 minutes. I thought we were insipid, spiritless, vapid, abject, ................. etc.

 

We start again at 4 O'Clock on Sunday against Hearts at Ibrox, by which time we could be 4 points behind? We must regain our competitive spirit.

[DMAA 3,603]

2 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

 

It’s a day for opening cans of worms 

[Rousseau 9,370]

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

I've no idea what his plan is. Ramsey has provided even more competition where we already had strong competition whilst we still don't have enough competition on the wings.

 

Roofe has to start when he is fit but he's not a winger so will the system be changed to accommodate him? A 3-5-2 based system would do that, and also get more out of our full backs. A 4-4-2 based system would too but we have way too many centre mids to play it.

Sands could come into a back-three, too, which is/was a preferred position of his. 

[DMAA 3,603]

I was just watching the game back there and there was a move which absolutely summed up what I said pre-match about GVB's system. Under Gerrard, Kent would tuck in and block the passing channels and Celtic really struggled to build attacks.

 

In this move, the ball is with Carter-Vickers, Kent is wide (in no man's land), Carter Vickers passes through to a centre mid who then plays it out to Juranovic who is now miles away from Kent (who is still in no man's land watching the ball), Barisic is also ball watching and is drawn to Juranovic and leaves Abada to run off him and he then receives the ball in acres of space and gets the by-line and they nearly score from the cut-back. Individuals do need to take responsibility but tactically, you have to wonder what they talk about before games and how GVB didn't see that coming.

Edited February 3, 2022 by DMAA

[DMAA 3,603]

1 minute ago, Rousseau said:

Sands could come into a back-three, too, which is/was a preferred position of his. 

Yeh I'd thought of that. Sands and Bassey are both fairly well suited to playing either side of the 3.