Your expectations

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,483]

Rangers should always prioritise the league therefore that must be our primary goal this season. A league win followed by some stability, foundations and foresight to learn from 55 would also be preferable.  

 

With regards to Europe, it has to be the Europa League for me. The CL is out of our reach at the moment and I fear regular goings over are more detrimental in the grand scheme of things. Going toe to toe with teams that we can beat will help build more confidence and momentum. 

 

Cups...I genuinely couldn't care less about the cups unless they are welded onto a league win. I get the overall trophy haul thing with the Tims but FFS St. Johnstone won two cups in a year. 

[ranger_syntax 3,779]

Two targets for the season: win the league and qualify for the Champions League group stage.

 

We need things to fall into place very quickly for that to happen.

 

As ever the domestic cups are of no importance. Playing in the Europa League group stage should be considered a failure.

Edited July 30, 2023 by ranger_syntax

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,483]

1 hour ago, ranger_syntax said:

Two targets for the season: win the league and qualify for the Champions League group stage.

 

We need things to fall into place very quickly for that to happen.

 

As ever the domestic cups are of no importance. Playing in the Europa League group stage should be considered a failure.

I don't agree regarding Europe. Simply qualifying for the CL with the prospect of getting 6 doings (22/23) does nothing for me. Give me the Europa League and potential winnable games any day (21/22). Call me defeatist if you may but I'd rather be realistic about where we are. 

[Gonzo79 13,699]

Ideally, we qualify for the CL, finish third and go into the EL knockout rounds.

 

We got a really tough CL group draw last year - there are teams in the CL we can compete with and we won't have GvB's dismal attitude this time (admitting we can't compete at that level after one match was utterly pathetic).

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,483]

2 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

Ideally, we qualify for the CL, finish third and go into the EL knockout rounds.

 

We got a really tough CL group draw last year - there are teams in the CL we can compete with and we won't have GvB's dismal attitude this time (admitting we can't compete at that level after one match was utterly pathetic).

That would be a good option. We genuinely need the luck of the draw when it comes to the CL.  

[Uilleam 5,444]

I expect that every man will do his duty. 

 

(And that, it goes without saying, to the best of his ability.)

[Rousseau 9,399]

I said it at the time: Gerrard or Beale don't get pumped in the CL the way GvB did.

 

That doesn't mean we would have won any games - it was a tough group - but I don't see 0-7 drubbings under SG or MB. 

[Tannochsidebear 2,316]

3 hours ago, Rousseau said:

I said it at the time: Gerrard or Beale don't get pumped in the CL the way GvB did.

 

That doesn't mean we would have won any games - it was a tough group - but I don't see 0-7 drubbings under SG or MB. 

If MB was only left with an inexperienced teenager and another 4th choice centre back, and others that stood and watched in awe as their favourite team ran riot, I don’t see him getting a better outcome. Are you saying MB is that much better a manager than Gio who took a fairly average squad to two cup finals past the likes of Dortmund & Leipzig and only lost on pens and won the other? MB has done nothing in big games to give the impression he could do any better in those conditions. He has achieved better consistency in the league but failed all the big tests and his football last season was mainly boring.

[Rousseau 9,399]

18 minutes ago, Tannochsidebear said:

If MB was only left with an inexperienced teenager and another 4th choice centre back, and others that stood and watched in awe as their favourite team ran riot, I don’t see him getting a better outcome. Are you saying MB is that much better a manager than Gio who took a fairly average squad to two cup finals past the likes of Dortmund & Leipzig and only lost on pens and won the other? MB has done nothing in big games to give the impression he could do any better in those conditions. He has achieved better consistency in the league but failed all the big tests and his football last season was mainly boring.

No spankings, though.

 

It's not about being better or worse. 

 

I think that SG and MB can set up a team to defend and frustrate better opponents. I don't think GvB had that knack - even his great victories saw us concede goals.

 

I believe it's fairly well-known that the players criticised GvB for not giving them instructions on the opponents. I can't remember where, though; it came out after GvB left. That criticism wouldn't be levelled at MB.

 

I maintain that if MB was in charge for our CL run, we wouldn't have shipped 5, 6 or 7 goals. We still would have lost, though: it was a tough group. 

[Rousseau 9,399]

I also believe that GvB's run was built upon the fitness work done by Gerrard's team. Once GvB implemented his own the following season, we were awful in that regard.