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It’s facile to keep spouting about 4-3-3. We could have played any formation last night but if players can’t control the ball, pass accurately or put in a decent cross then the formation is the least of our worries. We lost to Malmö because too many in the team let themselves and the club down. Fullbacks were dreadful, central defenders were a bombscare, etc etc. It’s about players, not formations.

I said at 75 minutes last night that we could play for hours and not score again. I have said similar and been proved wrong before though. Switch it wide, cross it, lose the ball, get it back, switch it wide, cross it, lose the ball, get it back...yadda, yadda, yadda...

Eh? Was the Braga outcome clear when they were 2-0 just before the 70th minute?

You’re being a bit snide as usual but yes if Helander was available it’s a baffling decision and it cost us last night with two moments of very poor defending.

We’ve been moving the ball far too slowly and rarely is it vertical. Last night we played far, far too many square balls in defense and midfield. Shifting the play from one side to the other is fine, but once you do so, you have to make vertical passes to get beyond their low block. We didn’t do it. we also moved the ball too slowly for playing against 10 men. Last week they were out on their feet after 70 minutes get last night, for the most part, they were fine….. because we didn’t have them chasing anything. So disappointing - such an opportunity to make the CL proper. As said already, the formation wasn’t the issue. We dominated them for the first 40 minutes and, in fairness, we could have been out of sight by half time. I’m not even sure the personnel was the issue given that first 40 minutes. But after the break we collapsed, mentally. I do think we badly missed Kamara and even Roofe last night - so the fall out from Slavia has hurt us badly. We also aren’t having any luck. At various points last season we carried that wee bit of luck but so far this year we haven’t. There were a number of efforts last night that were last ditch blocks that on another night would have went in. But up 1-0 against 10 men we shouldn’t have to rely on luck.

We hit the same road of 4-3-3 with Warburton and how much was "make Plan A better" line laughed at. Once the opposition suss out the players in their positions, they adapt. We didn`t learn that in SG`s first season, when we fell away after the turn of the year. It was the same in the year of the vote, when we managed to go 13 points behind within 8 eight weeks or the like. Last season worked as Morelos and Roofe brought a new dimension with their interplay, plus Hagi, Kent and Co. all performing on a consistently good level. Primarily though, we didn`t shed too many goals, especially in those close affairs when we failed to break down the trench-diggers. And we had either Jack or Kamara to do the hard yards and they cleared much before it became a danger. While our midfield-to-front crew did their usual stuff, to an extent at least, our defence was jittery ever since Livingston and Real. That`s three games on the trott that we have lost, 2 for farcical defending ... by the "usual suspects". Tonight Malmö were as clinical as we were in Europe these last few seasons, making the best of the opportunities that presented themselves. Kudos to them. What I expect for Ross County is Roofe, Sakala and Morelos up front, Wright and Hagi in behind. And maybe a start for Patterson, Helander and Simpson. Chuck that 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 for a while - not least against the lesser lights of the Premiership - and go back to basics. EDIT: We actually play Dunfermline this Friday, an even greater opportunity for freshen things up ... and learn from that. EDIT 2: Whoever thought up the third kit and whoever made us wearing it tonight should be gelded. What a pain ...

When they went down to ten men we should have made tactical changes to benefit us. We did nothing at all

Man Utd, 1999 CL final. Game was done…. That’s the perfect example right there

Hopefully, we will be Marching Through Armenia, in the Europa League. Or, at worst, Kazakhstan, which doesn't scan. (Either)

From my memory it was obvious. We were well beaten in all departments until we scored the first against Braga. Please define "obvious". If Salaka's shot goes in we could have rallied and got another. There are no certainties in football when there are 1 or 2 goals in it.

I didn't get in until the 8th minute of the second half. Smartcard didn't work and had to go to the ticket office to get a paper one but the queue was the whole length of the Govan Stand and past the Copland, 3 or 4 deep. There were thousands in the same situation. The whole thing was incredibly badly handled. There were people in the queue who whose tickets had been sold to them and someone else. The Albion carpark was closed at 7.15 and permit holders didn't get in. It was dreadful treatment of the supporters.

There will always be justified and unjustified criticisms at Rangers games. That's just our way. However, the ticket situation is something that the club should be looking to fix ASAP. Quite simply, the system isn't good enough (season ticket holders having to log onto a poorly designed site for over 30 minutes in order to purchase their tickets and smart cards not working properly).

Wholly unfair. Just because he wasn’t there doesn’t mean he isn’t entitled to an opinion. Bailing on the team when they need you most is frustrating. Those leaving at 75 minutes who stay 10 minutes away are worse than someone living 350 miles away who isn’t there and, quite possibly, couldn’t be there anyway. Guy behind me last night left at 70 because, and I quote, “I’d rather have a beer”. Each to their own but trying to say someone shouldn’t have an opinion because they weren’t there rather than showing annoyance at those who left after 70 minutes is missing the target IMO.

I agree with his point, but, "old enough to remember 94/95"? Well, yes; it was only a couple of years ago-- wait. Oh. F*ck...

We actually went with a 4-4-2 diamond with Kent in the hole and Morelos and Sakala up front, as the latter came on. Didn't change much. The players were still p*sh. I get your point, though; we should have made changes, to go for it more. To be fair, though, I'm not sure if it was so wrong to still be conservative after half-time; we were level and in a dominant position. But, when we went behind, certainly.

Should have played Balogun against Dundee Utd and Helander against Malmo then IMO.

You are forgetting the record breaking sponsorship deal with cinch.

Just home and that is a sore one to take. Started well, got into a lead, they had a man sent off and we were in the box seat. 2nd half started the same way as 2nd half did last week and we lose 2 terrible goals. Goldson and Balogun all over the place for the goals. The SPFL title was and is our No1 priority given it means automatic entry into the CL group stages and secured us circa £30M. However we are 1 OF defeat away from a crisis and serious questions being asked of the managers and players. I have utter confidence that they can turn it around, but they are running out of time. Roll on Friday ?

Explain the shortcomings of 433. Then explain what problems your preferred alternative would solve.

I’m actually in a state of stunned shock at that 2nd half display , I thought we were excellent for the vast majority of the first half and absolutely abysmal 2 nd half , I have a feeling this just might be a rough old season . We really need the midfield sorted out pronto .

Back in the day, before the CL, we bowed out of Europe often enough early doors too. Or were handed our backsides by the teams of the day in the group stages. The last three seasons in Europe with SG were probably the most satisfying in many a long year, despite 2008 or some ventures under Advocaat.

Thought the warning signs were there at the end of the 1st half tbh.

11 goals and 15 assists in 70 games for candeias. certainly decent when added to his work rate.

You're wrong, but is that not enough?

Cheap seats mate ?

I doubt anyone want Candeias to return.

Add the too slow tempo of our game & you’ve nailed it…

It only that but first “full house” in 18 months…. I knew it was done but no way was I leaving before the end last night

Fair point mate. We did huff and puff a bit but I felt Malmo had already showed signs of cracking. We had them on the ropes and, for the second time against them, went to sleep for 5 minutes and it’s put us out.

Doubt it. He’ll be livid at a fantastic opportunity lost

That point may be closer to the truth than some of us think. Complacency is not easily shrugged off - it can be absorbed into your very fibres. The late Bobby Robson used to say that you cannot switch form on like turning on a tap.

Agreed. Some instinctive moans and groans are inevitable but a lot of the criticism really undermines what a support should be all about. I have a feeling the atmosphere on Friday night will be reminiscent of sitting in a cemetery (the UBs will be like birds chirping in the trees).

Didn't exactly go well last night. I missed the first six minutes and thousands were still queueing when I got in. Smart cards weren't working and the stewards couldn't help and were advising people to go to the 'Police gates'. On top of that, I've been informed that Bar72 is a bit of a shambles. Seems punters in there are paying twice the price for a worse set-up. The club really need to make sure supporters are treated better.

Helander WAS available as he was on the bench. Said to my kid that I was surprised he wasn’t starting as he is the one defender who stabilizes the whole back 4. As much as I like Balogun he doesn’t instill defensive confidence the same way Helander does. He also doesn’t read the game as well as Helander. Goldson has much more confidence when Helander is beside him. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess.

I'd have played Helander.

I wouldn't say that one physical deficiency means he should be dropped. We had Weir playing for us for seasons and if he broke into a sprint his knees would turn to dust and his ankles would disintegrate. Managers never dropped Cannavaro because the opposition was too big either. Surely if you're a defender that can read the game then that is what matters?

The romantic in me had visions of Messi returning to Argentina to play for a boyhood club. Or maybe a club in Europe that has a lower profile? Seeing multi millionaires like Ramos and Messi simply opt for Paris money is horrible. My desire to see PSG not win anything has only increased ten fold.

I get your point, but FFP only uses 3 years data, so PSG are within that; it was 4 years ago that they signed Neymar for 220M euros. Something like that...

I can't believe people are still pining for Candeias (or Windass). I was glad to see the back of them.

The first half was good. The team were up for the challenge and competed throughout. The second half was pathetic. To capitulate to 10 men like that is hard to believe. Kent, Barišić and Tavernier were all particularly poor tonight. If these players think that they can coast after winning a single trophy then they are sorely mistaken.

Malmö and Ludogorets and we’d have made the CL group stage. It’s a massive failure and a painful one.

SG just said that he "can't think of too many things that we got wrong." How about tactics? Malmo's were brilliant you have to say.

Too many players not doing it at the moment. I hate to single players out but what's happened to Barasic. Looks very unsure at the moment. And please can we get beyond lobbing endless crosses into a packed box? That's 3 games in a row we've persisted with this tactic. Ok we scored from a cross tonight but 1 goal out of about 50 crosses over 3 games is not a good hit rate.

We simply need to put this behind us and focus on getting into the europa league and domestically too wee lesson tonight on the benefits of playing 2 strikers

They are glory hunters, not fans. They want to be there for all the celebrations but don't want the rest of the baggage that goes with supporting a team.

Like watching 2 different teams. Funnily enough I think we would have done better if they had had eleven men on whole game.

Even more important to win the league this season now, and that's not going to be easy!