Leaderboard

Dear BBC Scotland, As a BBC License fee payer and Rangers season ticket holder, I approved of your actions in the immediate wake of Kilmarnock's manager, Steve Clarke being the subject of sectarian chanting at Ibrox during the Scottish Cup replay. The incident was highlighted on your Sports programmes on both radio and TV. Much needed discussion developed and the incident moved on to the News. The next afternoon's and evening's news was particularly helpful, you showed the section of the Ibrox crowd singing and provided the lyrics at the bottom of the screen highlighted by a bouncing ball. The BBC Scotland conclusion of strict liability to solve this matter has stimulated further debate. Last evening, I sat at Ibrox for the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against Aberdeen. During the 63rd and 89th minute of the game, the entire Aberdeen section of supporters chorused the very same song aimed at the aforementioned Steve Clarke. This time the subject of the ditty was Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard. The lyric had been changed to inform Mr Gerrard that, "he was a sad orange bastard". Further, there were also choruses of, 'No H-u-ns at Hampden' and, 'Go home you H-u-ns'. I know BBC Scotland is Editorially Fair because you told me so in correspondence. Thus, I was surprised when these incidents were NOT mentioned last evening. Hopefully, this afternoon's and evening's news will once again deploy the bouncing ball? This is most important because during the Steve Clarke sectarian speech discussion, long term contributor to your sports shows, Wullie Miller penned a piece emphasising with the Killie boss. He was grateful that Aberdeen removed him from the East end of Glasgow, like Clarke's move from Paisley to Chelsea. Further, Mr Miller gratitude was based on, "there is no bile in Aberdeen". I know you treat people(s) without favour or discrimination and can rely on both accurate and objective reporting of this matter. Yours Aye, 26th of foot.

Those 40,000 fans aren't in a self proclaimed singing section, didn't urge other fans not to sing and didn't organise a disruption at the start of the second half, which was off-putting to the players. They're obviously entitled not to sing but to urge others also not to do so and to disrupt the team then they deserve a heap of criticism.

Massive own goal by the UBs tonight. Put themselves before the team by refusing to sing in the first half and then disrupting the start of the second half when the team came out,pumped up and ready to start the game, they ended up having to clear away that mess created. Poor show and one that will do them no favours.

It's painful to watch. It's painful because there's nothing wrong with the formation, or even the players we have. It's painful because we have clearly told the wide men to cross the ball at every opportunity, and as early as possible. It's not working, and I don't even think even the quality of Ronaldo, Quaresma, or Mbappe would make a difference to that. The runs are just not there to break down teams, and yet they were earlier in the season. They were there against Celtic too, in fact we scored from cutting back rather than crossing. We score most of our goals from cutting back rather than crossing. We spend a fortune on stats tracking and analysis, so why don't we understand that???? I can tell just from watching the games that there are some simple things to fix so I'm fed up watching the same tactics over and over again. I understand those that want better attacking options, and a more 'creative' midfielder, but what will he be asked to do differently? Unless someone makes those inside forward runs, it will have no impact on our effectiveness in the final 30 yards. The next time you are watching us play, watch when our wide men have the ball. There is a gaping space on the right/left hand side of the 18 yard box, just crying out for a run to be made. Surely a pro would spot that run and make it. That's why I believe it's tactical instructions that cause them not to make those runs. As I've said on many occasions, I know nothing compared to the management team, so what is it that they are trying to achieve that I can't understand?!?

Think this will only open a massive can of worms

One game alone would have resulted in us being 3 points closer to Celtic. The game at Parkhead, when Jack was fouled but play carried on, was screaming out for someone to take the booking long before they scored.

It wasn’t that good.

Yogi Hughes and Willie Thorne look happy enough with that set up.

Gerrard seems to have a similar tactical mindset to Warburton. 4-3-3 is the be all and end all. Unsurprisingly, the success rate is also very similar.

I’d be 100 times more worried about what happened to Tavernier & Jack Grealish at the weekend. Possible misreporting here though, I don’t see the word ‘must’ in the club statement, yet it appears in the Sun headline. Also, their chants about the Ibrox disaster were far more offensive in my opinion.

This had to be done to break the contract. All about minimising the payments to SDI so we can get back to making some retail monies.

Still feeling cold and miserable.

Of course, having excellent passers helps -- a lot -- but it's not the main reason Man City get in behind. Guardiola's positional play is all about ball retention, and having one more player spare, to overload areas in order to isolate the wingers 1-on-1. How many times do you see Man City go through simple passing triangles on one side, sucking teams over, then switching the play -- not always with one raking pass -- to isolate Stirling or play him in behind. It's not always deft passes. I don't think Stirling is the greatest of players, but his pace is unbelievable. If you combine that with Guardiola's tactics, of setting him up on 1-on-1's -- which he does at every club, and it doesn't always need blistering pace -- it's a potent combination. And, when they get in behind on the near side (not switching play), it's the third-man runs from the 8s that are crucial to getting in-behind. Of course, here a good passer would help, but I don't believe it's necessary if the players are well-drilled. I know you're not saying this per se, but, I don't believe that the 4-3-3 is some mysterious formation that only the best players in the world can play. Moreover, that we can't play it because teams are just defending against us. Teams defend against Man City. It's all about the right execution. You could put Stirling in for Candeias and it would still be sh*te.

I agree with what you and @Rousseau say on tactics, but I just can't agree that it's nothing to do with our players. I've been saying for most of the season that we don't have the players to pull off 4-3-3 in the type of game we had last night. That was the 10th domestic game we've lost or dropped points huffing and puffing in a 4-3-3 against a low lying defence. We just need better than Kent and Candeias in the forward 3, they're rabbits in the headlights time every time they get to the 18 yard line. In 36 games Kent has 5 goals, 4 of which have been against the bottom 4 in games we've cruised to 3+ goal margin win. The other was the open goal against Hearts when they totally messed up playing the offside trap. The other 31 games he hasn't scored, and has barely assisted. Candeias has slightly better stats but it's largely the same story, quality badly lacking when we're not counter attacking. Watching Man City last night what is interesting is that they play their wing forwards on the "right" wing, Sane and Sterling's searing pace gets them in behind and on their strong foot already so they can shoot or cross/cut-back on their strong foot. Kent on the left is just not getting behind the full back and putting in low crosses or cutbacks often enough, he normally just vacates the position altogether and moves towards Arfield in front of the opposition defence. I think this is why his stats are so low, unless you are very gifted shooter or passer that position is no use for you.

9 of the 13 outfield players who played tonight were Gerrard signings. He states that we were bullied all over the park, he must take some responsibility for that.

It is these games that we need guys like Shinnie for. Guys who take the game by the scruff of the neck and won't get bullied about. But in saying that, what we praised before simply did not appear today, like pressing people high up the park, controling the game in midfield and at least have someone in there as the creative force. I would hazard a guess but 9 out of 10 games this season we rely on our CHs to play the killer pass up field instead of passing it through the opposition. The latter we try far too often in the "final third" though and are usually out-crowded. End result is predictable and has been for week if not months. Obviously, it is easy enough to whip up formations that you think is best ... for we are not paid for the job and don't put our neck in line. But really, we have competitors like Kamara and Jack now, so why not go with 3 (Goldson, Katic/Worrall/Halliday/McAuley) at the back, have Kamara and Jack mopping up the midfield, Davis to provide inspiration and Kent/Middleton plus Candeias on the wings. Lafferty, Defoe and/or Morelos up top. Keep them in their half, dominate the midfield and thus keep them away from our area.

SG needs to realise playing one up front is fine in Europe or against the yahoos. In all other domestic games we should have two up front which would mean 4-4-2 or 3-5-2

Hibs' fans were violent scum in the 1970s. Not much has changed.

I thought they were singing about Durrant, not that it matters much. I wish there were more offensive songs in British football stadiums.

If King's advisory/legal team had done thing properly this would not have been ongoing unless he did not use them .

The yahoos will beat them comfortably, with or without Shinnie.

Pacific Quay CSC are a disgrace.

They only asked BF1 not to sing. The players didn't look interested from the kick off - let's not blame the UBs for the pitiful performance.

I wish DK would stop fighting battles he can’t win.

We saw about a week ago Aberdeen drew with Celtic by sitting deep and going man to mani in the midfield. We knew it was likely they would do the same against us. Equally predictable was the team and shape we played; this would not have been a surprise to McInnes. Aberdeen were in their comfort zone playing the game they wanted to play. I think SG should have have started with one or two surprises, such as two up front, a backline of 3 or at least something that would be different from our norm. Aberdeen would then have to react and possibly we would have more joy as they adapted. Another issue apparent from last night is how bereft we are off game changers on the subs bench. Davis and Coulibaly have both been mediocre of late and so far Lafferty and Defoe have been ok but not much more than that. I think there is plenty for SG to ponder over.

I'll be happy to see the back of this season. Another collection of disappointments to add to the unending list.

We keep saying we cannot blame the referee for the results but when he allows our best player to be manhandled for 90 minutes and even scythed down as against Hibs without any retribution then it becomes difficult. If Morelos even sneezes he is given a yellow or red card which means he is at least treading dangerously for the rest of the game. The BBC made a point that the angle the referee had yesterday made it impossible to see Considine's arm but surely then the linesman had a perfect view. How Hibs and Aberdeen ended the game with 11 players on the park is a disgrace.

Excellent post! Yes, in a 4-3-3, one of the 8s should be occupying that half-space -- watch Man City or any Guardiola side; that space is occupied. In our 4-2-3-1, I think one of the 6s should be occupying it. Jack drops to be a lone 6, with Kamara sliding into that channel. Arfield could, but I think he should be in the other half-space threatening runs into the box, to get on the end of a cross -- it would also pull the defense inside leaving space for the other winger. But, yes, in neither of those formations are those half-spaces occupied. I do hope that SG is learning and developing this side. There have been improvements.

I think someone needs to read up on what a Director of Football's role is.

If it’s not then he should not be there. Any manager with self respect would not work in these circumstances. It’s not as if he’s been given the Man City job with the squad they have, we are rebuilding and he should have final say on recruits.

Much as I hate to say it I think Ronaldo is the greatest forward player of all time. Historically I can think of nothing to match him. He has everything. Height, strength, pace, superb ball skills and an ability to put the ball in the net in almost any circumstance. He's the difference between the Real of last year and the Real of this year and the difference between Juventus of last year and this year.

What a team. No players like that nowadays. Going back a bit further there was a choice of three top class goal scoring centre forwards, Laurie Reilly, Willie Bauld and Willie Thornton plus, if needed, a pretty decent tradesman Paddy Buckley, all playing in Scottish football. What did the selectors do? They picked Billy Houliston a rummle them upper but no great finisher. Yet he might be a better choice than any of the current squad. Hope Bates plays a starring role. Should never have sold him.

The only plus side from last night is that Gerrard will now know he has a lot of work to do in terms of recruitment and motivation. We have been crap since we beat Separate Entity FC. Our results against the sheep (and Hibs) have been nothing short of a total embarrassment this season.

McInnes has completely worked out Gerrard’s game plan. Sideways passing with no goal threat from midfield. No character or leadership in the team, continually fall apart after conceding a goal. Waiting for Conor Goldson to make a pass is like watching Cliff Thorburn lining up a shot at the snooker. Ironically what we are crying out for is a player like Steven Gerrard, an on pitch leader who never gives up & scores 20 goals a season from midfield..

Just got back home. Ond word - abysmal.

Poor Gers. Not only did it let my accumulator down tonight for 400 quid but thats 3 wins Aberdeen have had after not winning in around 28 years. The last thing we want is to have hoodoos over Aberdeen and Hibs. I still cant work out why Katic isnt first pick. He must be thinking this also considering Worrall is a loan. That leaves a potential hole next season.

McGregors timing was obviously well thought and a bit of a middle finger to the SFA. As Scott says with his names (his generation before mine) - did the names in the past probably underachieve?? Even in Euro 96 Broon used to get a bit of grief for his selections (Gough and Robertson should have been starters) yet he got us to tournaments but we was always a bit of magic short. Goram Hendry Gough Weir McNamara Ferguson Lambert Collins Robertson Durie McCoist

From mental calculation sheep 21 fouls one every 4.3 minutes,8 bookings one every 11.2 minutes caused so much disruption to game and time wasting allowed by Mr incompetent added to frustration.

Funny you should say that Frankie as Aberdeen played with 5 in midfield and were particularly effective in breaking up play and condensing the space in the first half. So not really conceding the midfield at all is it? My opinion is that going with the two defensive type midfielders Jack, Kamara and one attacking midfielder in Scott Arfield at the head of the triangle is never going to return the type of play we require to break teams like Aberdeen down when they come to Ibrox as their game plan is to stack midfield and defence defend deep and hit on the counter. If SG is going to persist with the 4-3-3 in its many guises then he needs another quality attacking midfielder in there along with Arfield. Our two wide players were particularly poor tonight. Candeias final ball was astonishing for most of the game and Kent did as he has done most of the season, other than the odd game here and there, which is run across the field from left to right and vice versa and lose control of the ball eventually. All it takes for that to happen as a defender/ midfielder is a little nudge on him or get a little nick on the ball. Its not new stuff I'm saying here as you guys have heard me say it often when we're recording pods. We're far too predictable with a single game plan that more often than not doesn't succeed against these types of teams because we simply dont have the quality.

If Kent isn't on his game then we have nothing as Tav has been poor for a while now.

Mediocrity. No Baxters, Laws, Johnstones. OK they won nothing but they were good to watch.

No it isn't. Celtic supporters raising a fair bit of money for Palestinian charities deserves praise. To say their people get a raw deal on various levels is putting it very mildly. It was the Palesinian representative who visited Parkhead, not a terrorist.

'What if's' are worth nothing but there are solid reasons as to why we drop points and more importantly, why they continue to happen too many times for it to be down to X or Y excuse. Bigger picture Things aren't that bad, if you employ realism regards timescales/budgets/starting points, etc.