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perfect storm noun [ C, usually singular ] UK /ˌpɜː.fekt ˈstɔːm/ US /ˌpɝː.fekt ˈstɔːrm/ "an extremely bad situation in which many bad things happen at the same time" If we go back a fortnight, then things looked fairly good for Rangers supporters. Despite an unfortunate ref-affected draw away at Easter Road, we'd just beaten PSV in the Netherlands to qualify for the Champions League group stages for the first time in 12 years. It seemed the associated monies would allow us to strengthen our squad further to allow us to not only maintain a domestic title challenge but to compete - at least to an honest, hard-working degree - in Europe. After ten year in the doldrums and a slow, slow return to the pinnacle of Scottish football, including our 55th title two seasons ago and an incredible run to the final of the Europa League last term, was the fabled 'journey' back to being Scotland's best finally complete? Just two weeks later the answer appears to be a resounding no. Of course that response is rather flippant. Yes, we've come back over a decade, under various very difficult circumstances, to the top division and have been successful again. Yes, the club is going to post the kind of impressive financial results we've not seen for the better part of 20 years. And, yes, all concerned deserve more than huff-taking when the going may get tough once more. In that respect, surely we've learned by now that patience can be a virtue? With that in mind, I think the current Rangers board - or at least elements of it - deserve our composure. These people have put in vast amounts of their own personal fortunes to allow the club a platform to compete again. Under some impossible to predict situations (a global pandemic and war in Europe), they've provided steady leadership and investment needed to keep the club on an even keel. They can't guarantee success and we should all know by now we cannot afford to take risks with our finances. However, that should also not mean no criticism. In that sense, mistakes are being made and there are issues which they seem to struggle with. MyGers, ticketing portals, commercial partnerships, stadium facilities, PR, scouting, football operations and more all have valid concerns from supporters with few clear answers. Customer engagement is constantly highlighted but not visibly improved whilst fans are asked for more and more money - themselves affected by worsening fiscal pressures. No matter, if things are going well on the park, oftentimes such issues can be masked or at least endured as a necessary part of maximising investment into the team itself. Winning our 55th title in 2020/21 did that. And, despite not enough improvement in the squad, reaching Seville last season did the same. Moreover, early transfer activity this summer allowed further optimism for a new campaign. The signings of Colak, Tillman, Lawrence and Matondo in particular seemed to pacify most supporters - even if there were some doubts about the composition of our midfield and depth in attacking areas. No matter, the season started fairly well - not overly impressive - but results good enough to, well, mask any issues that did seem to be developing. The fitness and attitude of Alfredo Morelos was a major indicator of problems in the dressing room with a not altogether convincing explanation from the manager around squad support for the Colombian's effective suspension. Only an awful away performance in Belgium pointed to a deeper malaise but surely that was a one-off? Unfortunately the last fortnight has seen problems escalate. No further additions to the squad despite CL qualification surprised most fans and subsequent humiliations at Parkhead and in Amsterdam have made that decision look questionable at best. Meanwhile supporter frustration with services from the club has worsened - increased ticket prices, poor payment structures, travel concerns and a club apparently unwilling to engage on any of the above has seen fractures develop. Perhaps understandably (but nonetheless wrongly) fan media with Men's team press access are blamed by some whilst the players, coaches and directors seem to shrug their shoulders to any sort of accountability. On the park has seen our last two matches lost by four goals which could easily have been double. Players look lost in a tactical sense but, worse, many are clearly disinterested and unwilling to do the hard yards - evidenced by Ajax running a combined 6km more than our players in Wednesday's rout. Previously reliable players can't do the basics right and others are shirking responsibility at every opportunity. Few, if any, can say they're doing what's asked of them. Meanwhile, player after player, is suddenly now injured and rarely do we hear why or when they will return. If we're entirely honest with ourselves, all this points to a manager struggling to cope. Even so, I've followed Rangers for the better part of 40 years and rarely is that path a smooth one. Back in the glory years of 9IAR, doubts were still abound. Our European efforts were usually poor, our investment into the team inconsistent and often wasteful, and future planning not to be found under the now discredited David Murray. There were good times and bad, and everything in between so trying to predict what happened next was usually a fool's errand. As such, it could be argued there's some over-reaction now. A win on Saturday at Aberdeen and a positive result against Napoli next Tuesday would help. The return from injury of various players will also make the squad look that bit stronger and allow for under-performing players to be dropped. The end is not necessarily nigh. Yet... that takes us back to the point above about issues being masked. There are clearly problems at the club and we cannot allow results - bad or good - stop us from examining them more closely. Yes, the board should expect our support through good times and the bad but if there are complications then let's work together to address them - don't keep us at arm's length. Involve us, be open and perhaps we can help further. Don't do what David Murray and subsequent spivs did by patronising us and pitting bear against bear through misinformation. In closing, we're in somewhat of a perfect negative storm right now with Rangers. It might well pass but it's fair to say we've not prepared well for it and seem to have no idea what to do. Such moments require clear, decisive leadership and not only does the manager take responsibility for that, so does the chairman and his appointments. The fans have backed you to the hilt in recent years. Do not take that for granted or the storm could easily get much, much worse.

It also means moving the zone. There's no point in defending one area with six of our players whilst the ball is played to five of theirs on the edge of the box.

Never been a fan of it, the best tactic at corners is to stop the opposition be that by blocking their run or man marking and out jumping them. Scrap this zonal pish now!

A lot of column inches about spending more money but this is currently about application, effort, determination, basic defending and desire.

I've been hacked! 🤥

I know the day after our second heavy loss in a row isn't the day for considered analysis, we're angry and we need someone to blame. That said the season is long and we're not far into it yet, Real Madrid lost at home to a side from a country that doesn't exist last season and still won the tournament. We're not Real Madrid, I accept, but we've not become a bad side over night, as quickly as things have turned sour they can improve again. I can't help but feel the exertions of last season are still taking their toll. We played 65 competitive matches last season, from July to mid-May. Only one of those matches could be described as meaningless, away at Hearts at the end of the season, almost every other one was a 'must win'. As a comparison Ajax played 47 competitive matches last season. Tav, Goldson and Kamara played over 50 games each last season (excluding Kamara's international appearances), Kent, Lundstrum, Barasic and Arfield played only a handful less. That's the core of our side. That Tav has a niggly injury and Goldson, Kent and Lundstrum are a yard off the pace can't be coincidence I feel. What this will mean for the rest of the season I can't say, but it seems clear we'll need the 'squad' a lot more in the coming weeks at least. Hopefully Davies has returned to fitness and Lawerence is only a week or two away. Likewise a fit and focused Morelos returning would be timely too. I'm not sure we have adequate replacements for Tav, Kamara, Kent and Lundstrum, so some younger players might need to be given time, something we're not good at. I get we all want to blame someone; Gio, Goldson, Ross Wilson, the board, anyone. It might get worse before it gets better, but I feel we have the right manager in place for this transitional period, I'm not sure a change of direction now would actually help.

A combination of both I'd suggest but we look worse than at any time over the last few years so the coaching staff have to take the bulk of the blame.

Zonal defence is an abhorrance. Anytime we have come up against an opponent with zonal marking over the last few years I feel we can score from set plays. The same is true when we defend, its like a penalty to the opponent. It seems to have been dreamed up by the Playstation generation, (or even Subbuteo for older bears!) where we just plop defenders into zones and ask them to win the ball if it comes into their zone. The issue is that we only have one proper tall defensive player in Goldson, who hides when a cross comes in and couldn't outjump a midget from a standing start. Go back and watch our defending at corners this season and see how many come into Goldsons "zone" and he is caught under the ball. He clearly doesnt feel comfortable in that system, and it should have been binned after one or two games when it is blatantly obvious that we dont have the players to play it. Mark your man, win your battle, with players on the posts just in case. Simple.

One thing is for sure, the players we have can't do it. Time to go man to man marking before all is lost.

Patter? Realism.

Borna hasn't deserved to be dropped as of late though, probably been best of a bad bunch

Why did we spend such a huge outlay on a LB that isn't playing? Such a weird signing, imagine where that money could have been spent. Was that Gio asking for the player?

If you can't see the problems our squad has, you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near tactics. 😄

Consider the following : Can the team defend? Can the team attack? Can the team retain possession of the ball in the middle of the pitch (or, indeed, anywhere else)? Do the manager and his coaches appear to know what they are doing? If you answered 'Yes' to these questions, you are an idiot, and may return to bed. If you answered 'No' to these questions, ask: a. What, then, is the purpose of the team? b. Where does it go from here? Answers to: The Manager, The Famous Glasgow Rangers, Ibrox Stadium, Edmiston Drive, Ibrox, Glasgow. Try to get your responses in before the weekend, as there is a tricky away fixture to play.

On top of money, we lack leadership. Much of the squad is stale. Changing manager might give bounce (as Gio end of 2021) but that wouldn't last. This squad has too many players who have proven themselves to be capable of occasional motivation and a blowout is never far away. The manager seems unable to get basic instructions across and seems to lack inspiration and to a degree, respect. We are becoming a different version of Celtic in Lennon's last season but there are some similarities. The league is gone and we will be out of Europe prior to Xmas. So with that in mind you have to look forward and start planning. The question the board have to ask themselves is How do we win our next league title? Just as it was when they appointed SG. The only viable way forward is to put more faith in our best youths and aim to have a squad made up with around 40 to 50% of our own or others youngsters (eg.Lovelace/Millwall). A suitable manager for this remit is required. The old buy our way out of trouble isn't a realistic option. Good communication with the support is needed. We'd need more patience than usual.

I was unable to watch the match but I've just watched the goals. Why do Ajax get a free header for the first? The problem there is not a lack of investment.

It's a bit concerning that we've played Morelos and Tav when they're injured. I know plenty of players play with painkillers but surely that's why we have a big squad. Which brings us back to our transfer policy...

If you don't drop a guy when he plays poorly, why drop him when he does nothing wrong?

I've never been totally sold on gio but I was prepared to give him a chance. The europa run should have bought him more time but Not now though. Continually doing the same thing time after time expecting different results and shitting it in big games has become the norm. Backing players who don't bring anything to the party too. Kent kamara and Davis's stats are appalling when it comes to goals and assists and it's no surprise that we struggle given the game time they get. Resigning the likes of goldson is beyond belief. We're in a bloody mess and we'll have to strip that team bare and start again. It certainly looks like gio has lost the players and after tonight he's lost the fans. We're an embarrassment. As for the board they need to take a good look at them selves. The signing policy given the money coming in has been a joke. Poor governance all round. I won't be surprised if Kevin Thompson is the interim manager in a few weeks.

We could actually compete in and lose the next 5 games. Competing and winning don't go hand in hand. Competing is the least we should expect - anything else is a bonus.

The players aren't good enough.

Agreed. It isnt about spending money. I think we ALL could accept getting beat 4-0 by a more than decent Ajax team..... but to do so when they out-worked us should be a no-no. Effort, desire and application have nothing to do with finance and everything to do with mentality and determination.

The one thing for sure is that your manager shouldn't be announcing that it's impossible to compete. He is prioritizing trying to make excuses for himself, over what remains of CL campaign.

No, we aren't going to beat the really big teams unless all the stars align in our favour BUT we are entitled to see our team give it their best shot. Apparently Lewandowski has scored 32 goals in his last 20 CL group games. Rangers have scored 15 in our last 20.

Compo has a point (perhaps for a change): they defend like the White Heather Club.

Its basic defending and the number of goals we lose like that, and then dont even attempt to rectify it, is ridiculous

My managerial wish list would include: De Zerbi, Marco Rose, Sampaoli, Bielsa, and Adi Hutter. All free agents.

It's OK our budget far outweighs Aberdeen so they can be expected to compete with us...

It doesn't really matter how our season looks when compared to 25 years ago, the reality is that we are 5 points behind Celtic and only 6 matches into the season. It's already a mammoth task to overcome.

I tend to agree and it looks like the players don't buy into it either and/ or not good enough to implement it or need more time to get used to it.

I suppose Big Sam is out of the question

Having slept on it and calmed down I'm thinking a bit more rationally about things now... I'd be doing everything possible to get Sean Dyche in. We have 5 CL games left, I think that's quite a carrot. I feel bad for Gio but he just comes across as passionless.

What does the Captain actually do, in this day and age of highly paid, highly skilled, and highly trained, professionals, who do not need to be whipped to pursue a win bonus?

There will be quite a few missing... Thanks. Now amended.

I don't think we're brilliant at defensive (or offensive) set-pieces and the change to zonal marking just seems to have made things worse. Goldson is supposedly the spare man so he can attack the ball but as long as opposition put in enough bodies then it becomes difficult, especially when Sands seems to have no idea what he's supposed to be doing. He got lucky against PSV but was to blame last night for the opening goal. Then there were the examples of where we were marking empty zones in the six yard area whilst all he PSV men were more towards the penalty spot leaving them all wide open. It was farcical.

Many clubs do it. The problem is that for whatever reason, we are useless at it and for whatever reason, don't seem to learn and improve.

I don't think he can be captain now ... but he should have been 3 years ago. In my opinion he was true captain material. Of the rest, only Tom Lawrence looks a serious option. Btw, where was our captain for the post-match interviews? Why was Ryan Jack put forward to speak to the media?

Tav is great when he's playing well he's feckin' useless when he isn't. So he represents our whole squad as much as anyone.

Pipe dream? What was in the pipe...?

We should be lumping a few balls on top of him with big Colak contesting.

GvB will still be our manager at the end of next season. You can take that to the bank.

Tuchel given his jotters! Does he fancy a job at Ibrox... ?