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There is no point in thinking about any of this. One game at a time and it is the one we are playing.

I seem to have caused some confusion and debate. Let me try and clarify. I think there's a high likelihood the Championship, Leagues 1 and 2 and the steps in the pyramid below that won't finish the season and so the SPFL need to speak with clubs to try and agree what happens should that take place. I class part-time sides playing in the professional leagues as professional. I also think there's a chance the top league in Scotland will be disrupted and also might struggle to finish. As such again the SPFL need to consult with clubs on what to do in that event too. My reading of things is everything will be done to keep the top league going and the other leagues might be sacrificed to ensure that happens. But if we've learned anything this year its stuff doesn't always go to plan and as full, country wide lockdown can't be ruled out. Craig is correct, I think the SPFL's focus is currently the 'lower' leagues and what to do if half the sides can't play matches due to quarantine and testing issues. And of course it should go without saying that this is my opinion based on fuck all inside knowledge simply a spare 20 minutes to while away on Gersnet. That'll teach me.

Maybe I'm over-cautious, but I feel we may be getting a bit ahead of ourselves. I don't doubt that Celtic are under pressure and not playing well. They have turned it around before although this time they don't have a break to re-organise and they are straight into a run of tricky games. I'll leave it until after, say, the 1st Benfica game. If we're doing well in Europe and have won our domestic games while Celtic are still struggling and have dropped points, I'll begin to believe that the tide could be turning.

as Rangers boss provides contract update. Steven Gerrard has 'made his feelings known' to the Ibrox board as he looks to tie midfielder Glen Kamara down to a new long term deal. The Finnish internationalist earned rave reviews for his performance in the Old Firm win over Celtic on Saturday as Rangers maintained their unbeaten start to the Premiership campaign. Gerrard has stressed his desire to keep Kamara as part of his squad for as long as possible and the situation is now in the hands of Sporting Director Ross Wilson. The former Dundee star is in line to start against Standard Liege on Thursday night and Gerrard is delighted with the form of one of his most impressive operators. “I don't know is the answer to your question," Gerrard said when asked if talks over a new deal would be sped up in the aftermath of Kamara's Old Firm showing. "If it was my decision the answer would be yes. “I've made my feelings known to Ross and the board on that situation. “Glen has been fantastic for me since day one. He's grown and he's evolved. He's improved and he's listened. “There were different areas of his game that we felt we could shape and help him become a better player. “But he is the one who has really gone out and worked on his game both in and out of possession. “He's in a fantastic place and is playing with confidence. “He was superb at the weekend but for me he has been really consistent for much longer than that. “We want Glen around us for as long as possible and everyone knows my feelings on that situation.” https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/18812283.steven-gerrard-wants-glen-kamara-around-as-long-possible-rangers-boss-provides-contract-update/?ref=twtrec

Really not sure how you can say this thread suggests our support is bipolar. Reasoned I would call it.

We both have 10 games in 42 days coming up. They have 3 league games, all away. 1 cup game at Hampden. 5 European games, 3 away. The Scottish Cup draw hasn't been done yet, but if they are drawn away that will be only 2 home games in their next 10 fixtures. We have 4 league games, 3 at home. We have 5 European games, 2 away. If we are drawing at home in the cup, we will have only 7 home games in our next 10 games. After Saturday, the timing of this couldn't be worse for them and couldn't be better for us. This a big test for them and it's an opportunity for us to press home our advantage. Their Fixtures Our Fixtures Thu AC Milan Home Standard L Away Sun Aberdeen Away Livingston Home Thu Lille Away Lech Poznan Home Sun Aberdeen Neutral Kilmarnock Away Thu Sparta Prague Home Benfica Away Sun Motherwell Away Hamilton Home Sat Hibernian Away Aberdeen Home Thu Sparta Prague Away Benfica Home Sun Scottish Cup 2nd Round - Draw not yet done Thu Milan Away Standard L Home

I admit I was blasé in that regard, craig. I am aware you have a far greater understanding of junior football than I do and this conversation has very much demonstrated that.

They are all tough games in Europe, better teams than we face in the league, but it brings the best out of our team when a team tries to play football and win a match. Our European record under SG is fantastic so far, tough games but good good games.

False dawns (I've lost count), jumping the gun etc.

Will be a very tough game IMO. Didnt they just draw with Brugges at the weekend? I saw that Brugges beat Zenit away from home last night so they must be decent

It makes a massive difference to them because they are not playing well and they know it , just think back to our previous few seasons when we were chasing , the pressure gets worse every bad performance never mind when you start losing . If they get a doing if AC , Aberdeen will not be so appealing . And Aberdeen are playing a lot better this year , their midfield is decent .

You could almost hear them saying thank f**k

Gonzo, you highlighted the words "part time" and "professional" and then said that it was a contradiction of terms. Can you tell me where JohnMc said "top flight" in his response ?

Even with our resources, transforming a lower league team into Premier League champions is a hell of a task. Sometimes to achieve a winning mentality you first have to experience failure. I agree with you, things seem to have moved on from last season - partly it’s new players settling but I suspect it’s also about old players realising how much they themselves needed to change their ways. Tavernier, Goldson, Kamara, Arfield, Davis all seem to have pulled themselves together and the confidence they take from that is clearly being reflected in performances and results.

There is absolutely ZERO contradiction in those two comments. Scotland already has many part time clubs who are professional. Indeed, the majority of professional clubs in Scotland are part time. You may want to go back and see what the definition of professional football is in Scotland, because it most certainly isnt that in order to be considered professional you must be full-time.

Agreed but I think Balikwisha is now injured. EDIT: That is the other one (William).

Just posted this in the Liege thread Frankie , in 1 instance it’s great news , however there must be a high degree of risk of our players getting this from a match such as this , the rest of the squad of liege could very well still be carriers .

3 players plus the keeper coach have tested positive for coved and will miss the game , Balikwisha , Raskin and Sissako plus goalkeeper coach .

Obviously I can't prove it but something does seem different to me this season (and as it progresses) when it comes to our mentality. We seem to be focussed and hopefully aware of the task at hand. In saying that, despite our very good start, we have still dropped four silly points at Livi and Hibs so those that doubt our ability to go on a long winning run to really throw down a gauntlet have every right to remain concerned.

Take it game by game or it will be like the bullseye man saying , let's look at what you could have won .

I base my comment on the wider Rangers support, rather than this forum. The OP worries me. We totally f*cked up after our last victory at the Noncedome. I'm a pessimist...can't help it.

Win a big game - we will win everything. Lose a big game or draw a diddy game - Gerrard must go.

It was interesting to me to hear Goldson talk about the complete drop off when we returned from Dubai last season - I would like to think that they now understand that anything less than everything simply wont be enough. We do now have much better depth in the event that players go off the boil. We are definitely in pole position - but we just HAVE to keep winning because as bad as Celtic are, they still dont drop that many points against the lesser lights....

We played well on Saturday. They were awful though - no ideas, no creativity, no nothing. Yes, we were partly responsible for that due to good tactics and some exemplary performances but let's not get ahead of ourselves. A lot of work to be done. More so against the likes of Killie and Aberdeen than against a Celtc side who are on the way down but not out of fuel yet.

I was hopeful this victory over that lot would result in a mentality change throughout the club and support. The support has remained the same - bipolar. It remains to be seen if the mentality of the playing squad has improved but threads like this leave me expecting a 0-0 draw with Livingston while that lot win 6-0 at Pittodrie.

It's like an ant and a flea arguing under a stone at the far end of the garden - hard to give a shit about.

Michael rowed the boat ....... into uproar. Go back a fortnight, and Michael had a firm hand on the tiller of the good ship, ‘SS Corporate Sellik’. The out of Puffer was crewed by fellow jolly jacks, Neil Doncaster and Mike Mulraney. The boiling briney had delivered the craft into the safe harbour, PQ. Michael presented the Lawwell case for significant numbers of fans returning to Scottish football, particularly Sellik Park. A ninety minute Vital Spark special. Cosgrove was not happy, Jum was mutinous, Jason Leitch dismissive, and Nicola took the huff. The international week did not help, Michael didn’t get what the National Coach was trying to achieve, “the system is all wrong”. Again, Michael’s usual supporters took issue; Pat Nevin went as far to say, “Steve Clarke has Scotland playing with sophistication”. Michael is a vain Skipper, and a self-appointed tactical genius. Last weekend, on BBC Radio Scotland with Jane Lewis and Neil McCann, he took a bleaching. Discussing the upcoming old firm game, Michael raised ra Sellik colours and called, ‘full steam ahead’. Rangers were bottlers, in fact serial botltlers, their performances after each new year proved it. Of course, there had been a marginal improvement under Gerrard, “we can see that in Europe”. He weighed anchor with, “when will they be able to handle the pressure”? Pirate Neil lowered the black patch over his eye and bellowed, “arrrrghhh”. Swinging on the end of a line, buckling his swash, he boarded with swagger. He told Michael he knew little of pressure, explained he did know, because he had played five years at Rangers, and every day was a pressure day. Further, he cut Michael about the head with the trusty truth, “you cannot know the pressure, you have never played for the old firm”. I swear, there was a snigger rolling around the studio at the delivery of the line. Since Saturday, Michael has been severely critical of Lennon, his team selection, and tactics. He has praised both Rangers and Gerrard in acknowledging we can only beat what is put in front of us. Again, on Sportsound on Sunday, he teamed up with Jane Lewis and first team coach at Motherwell, Maurice Ross. The former Ranger was brutal in his assessment of Lennon and the tactics deployed, “Rangers did not get out of second gear because they didn’t have to”. Further, Ross is of the opinion, “Rangers are the best coached team in the country”. Captain Mikey was in full reverse, he agreed with everything Ross said. The biggest betrayal of Neil and all who sail in him, was Sportscene. Michael sat there minus the big whites Sannies, he was uniformed with McFadden and Thomson, black trainers with white soles. This Fletcher Christian act, is just that, an act. Today, that other blowhard, Cap’t Phil of the Pedalo, ‘McFournames’ has revealed from his usual, “very well placed source”, Dermot Desmond has called both Lawwell and Lennon to heel, and told Neil he has a month to sort out the mess. Apparently, Michael applying pressure is all part of the Dermot plan? Whatever, give Michael the job, he is a tactical genius. Give him an outboard motor, rowing is beneath Mikey.

we could argue the benchmark is 10 games to go with two teams having that many left when the leagues were called last year. or 72 percent which would allow the top league to be called with 11 games to go.

There is a chance that professional football in Scotland could be stopped before Christmas and a very real chance that the league won't finish before next summer, so while I understand the suspicion the SPFL need to at least begin communicating with clubs on what might happen if that turns out to be the case. If we were to get a bad winter weather wise leading to weather related postponements, on top of Covid postponements we could have some farcical looking league tables in a few months, that's assuming the government doesn't implement a full lockdown before that. I suspect everything will be done to keep the top league going, but I could see the Championship and Leagues 1 and 2 shutting down, so they need to have something agreed that prevents member clubs suing each other again. Ireland has just gone into lockdown again but have agreed to allow professional and top level sport to continue as long as bubbles and isolation continues. I expect other countries will implement similar in the coming weeks, ours included. For me the big question is at what point can a league be 'called'. Clearly with 9 games to go is the current benchmark, but what if there were 12 to go, or half the fixtures still to play? What do they do if suddenly Motherwell find they've played 5 games less than most other sides through no fault of their own, do they get relegated if they're bottom? Motherwell and Aberdeen have already played 2 less than us and the weather has been good so far. So I think the SPFL do need to try and agree some sort of framework for all eventualities. Do I trust them though? Not much is probably my answer. I can't see Mulraney, Doncaster, Lawwell and co doing anything but helping Celtic, it's whether they can still garner enough support from other clubs. Surely Dundee won't be duped by the lure of glamour friendlies again, or anyone else for that matter. So it's more important than ever that we keep winning, that whatever happens we're at the top of the league. I'd be willing to sacrifice the League and Scottish Cups to our reserve side to make sure the first team are fit, healthy and available for the league, because this season we'll see skullduggery like none before it.

Really pleased for him. I think he gets more criticism than he deserves. Hopefully a few folk will ease off on that now.

Uh, play tends to break down when it reaches the forward line. Last season's Morelos is gone and people need to deal with it. This season's Morelos might have some worthwhile medals to take home.

No thanks. Save him for Hamilton Academical et cetera.