Herald Shocker!!

[chilledbear 16]

An accurate and honest assesment of the Rangers v United game on Tuesday.

At least one that deals with the football rather than the peripheries.

 

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2465985.0.Ibrox_dead_heat_rouses_wellworn_preconceptions.php

[Frankie 8,183]

Thanks for that mate - it is an excellent article.

 

It is often too easy to be down in the dumps after such a poor result but it was a good game, we did play well in patches and we were unlucky at times.

 

But (sorry there had to be one), the defending was dreadful (Thomson, McGregor and Davis in particular) and the fact remains we can ill-afford to drop many more points if we're to regain the title.

[alexscottislegend 2,090]

As Frankie says we can't afford to drop any more points. What makes it the more galling is that I can't see THEM dropping any; thought they may have thrown away a couple v. Hearts but the Jamtarts were terrible. Ask yourself: can you see THEM dropping points against St. Mirren? Hopefully they will have a reaction to their ManU exertions.

[maineflyer 0]

The only way the SPL trophy will cross the city is if we impose sustained pressure on celtic with consistent results. Sadly, there is absolutely no sign to date that this can or will be achieved.

 

Poor buying decisions pre-season and baffling team selection and substitution strategies continue to undermine our title challenge. It's only my opinion of course but actual results do tend to bear this out. We remain as erratic and unsettled as we were last season, with an entrenched Walter Smith still showing no sign that he actually knows what his best team is.

 

I really don't enjoy being so critical and when more than the veneer at Ibrox changes, I will be delighted to stop. The January window will decide the league title - unless we shift some deadwood and finally sort out this team so that we can both defend and score goals, it will undoubtedly become four in a row. Which will be an unmitigated disgrace.

 

I fear we are looking at 2 titles in nine years, with the rebuilding process stalled and all the money gone again. One hell of a mess if it does turn out that way. No doubt it will be those nasty internet wallahs who are to blame.

[Frankie 8,183]

Negative but unfortunately also extremely realistic appraisal mate...

 

Slight good news is that we have played a settled team for the last couple of games and the football has been pretty good at times. Only terrible defending has let us down really.

 

However, the under-performance of a few players in midweek means, that settled nature may not last longer than last Tuesday night.

[Guest hellsbells]

I really don't see them going right through the whole season not dropping points.Hopefully we have went through that period now and can continue scoring goals and picking up points

[chilledbear 16]

Everybody could see we needed defenders, yet we spent money on forwards, over �£4m on two who are not regulars.

 

It's all very well buying young and looking to make a profit, but Lafferty at that money is a big gamble. Especially when we needed money spent on other areas of the team.

 

We need to offload a lot of deadwood in January, and hope Bain does something unusual, get some money from the sales.

[Frankie 8,183]

I really don't see them going right through the whole season not dropping points.Hopefully we have went through that period now and can continue scoring goals and picking up points

 

We did go on a good run last season around this time so we'll need to do the same - including a win at Ibrox against Celtic in late December - if we're to really contest this title.

 

When we play well we are more than capable of doing so but we just seem to lose concentration and confidence inexplicably as well.

 

Welcome to the forums btw!

[Frankie 8,183]

Everybody could see we needed defenders, yet we spent money on forwards, over �£4m on two who are not regulars.

 

It's all very well buying young and looking to make a profit, but Lafferty at that money is a big gamble. Especially when we needed money spent on other areas of the team.

 

We need to offload a lot of deadwood in January, and hope Bain does something unusual, get some money from the sales.

 

Indeed.

 

Expect frees for Hemdani, JCD and Burke then...

[craig 5,199]

The Tims still have to come to Ibrox. A win and identical results between times sees us sit atop the league.

 

We have had some of the trickier away games thus far and I think that they have had a slightly easier start plus they have had more home games than us (Ok only 1 but still...).

 

Factor in that but for some very poor refereeing decisions early doors they could have been looking at about 2 points from 9 or 12.

 

They are not invincible by any stretch. I don't even think they are that good a team. When they score early they seem to know how to hold that lead - they aren't really being put under great pressure.

 

It is a long season and points WILL be dropped by both teams. I am still quietly confident that we will drop fewer points than them but consistency does remain a concern.

 

Till the Utd game we had conceded 7 goals in 10 games which is actually reasonably impressive.