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Unless there’s serious improvement from Saturday I don’t think we should be too concerned about facing PSV Eindhoven or Tillman

@BlackSocksRedTops @Graeme Ro55 The graph is a passing network. The bigger circles mean those players have more of the ball. Basically, we're passing it about the defence (big circles) and not getting the ball to our forwards (small circles). It's just showing what we've seen with our eyes.

Predicted line-up (not what I would go for) Butland Tav Goldson Souttar Barasic (anyone saying anything different hasnt been watching Bealeball!) Raskin Jack Lammers Cantwell Danilo Dessers I absolutely hate the 4-2-2-2 formation, well at least the way we play it anyway under Bealeball, and would much prefer something that allows us to have more of an attacking style. The slow side to side play 50 yards from goal which was so chastised under Gio, is alive and well under Bealeball, and accounts for several hundred passes a game which does absolutely nothing creative whatsoever. The football is so boring to watch, and was the case for all but maybe 2 or 3 games last season even though we at least were managing to win most games. Given the massive change in players over the summer, it was enlightening to see the exact same boring slow tactics in operation on Saturday. So it tells me its nothing to do with the players, and everything to do with the megamouth snakeoil salesman manager. He has had a full uninterrupted pre-season to get his style and tactics across to the existing and new players, and nobody (players or fans) seems to have a clue what that style or tactics is. The clock is ticking, he is running out of time and needs to win well on Wednesday (in the short term) and then also win the OF game or the fans will completely lose faith in him. Lose both and he is dead man walking.

After Saturday's performance, I don't think we have to worry about Tillman. Servette are a counter attacking team. They were reduced to ten men after the fifth minute of the game in Belgium and, did NOT change their game plan. Our ponderous build up play while in possession will suit the Swiss. Out of possession, our narrow structure will equally suit them, their favourite switch ball is the long diagonal into the opposition's left back position. Well Fcuking Depressed Loyal RSC.

If we get past Servette it’s pretty much written that Tillman will come back to haunt us isn’t it 😅

What you state is correct Idisi, but we are Rangers and it is up to us to break them down using our much better funded squad. You cannot really blame McInnes for playing "anti football" if he succeeds against a team including single players who are worth more than his entire team. He is only using his nous as a football manager to allow his team to achieve a result. And keeping himself in a job.

I agree but the midfield has been hung out to dry with these tactics and he is not the only one who has played poorly. The biggest failure so far is the manager.

I don't think Tillman wanted to remain at Ibrox. It really boils down to that. Anyway, will MB figure out what his best side/formation is before Halloween?

Apparently PSV have an option to buy Tillman for £15M at the end of his loan. No wonder Bayern didn't want to take our £5M...

city played a 21 year old yesterday scored a beauty of a goal now if that lad had been at rangers people would be saying he's to young good enough your old enough

Absolutely. I said that at the time: '£5M for a geriatric forward that doesn't do much'.

We are undercooked and the manager doesn't know what his best starting XI is as yet. Poor preperation and planning in my book. Add that to the more understandable fact that it will take time for so many new players to settle and gel. However we should have had enough to take 3 points against Kilmarnock. Beale made a positive difference last season wrt to consistently winning league games but he arrived when we were aleady snookered. Starting this campaign with a defeat to a provincial team is a hugely negative own goal and one that feels like the script to Groundhog day (season). When the going gets challenging, Beale himself is unconvincing and I don't think he has the necessary qualities to be a Rangers manager. I appreciate that it is a very difficult gig at this juncture in our history but Gerrard as manager, Beale as a coach was the right mix in my book. Beale in charge won't work.

I think Chris Sutton is the biggest c**t going but you can't argue with him calling him a serial loser. It's harsh but I agree. It makes me laugh people wanting Sakala punted for the two misses against Celtic when Tavernier has done far worse for far longer, even under and post Gerrard he's had some absolute shockers. Not even just v Celtic, the 2 Cup defeats in the 55 season still make my cheeks clench and he was half arsed in the UEL final as well. Maybe it's hyperbole but still, the only player I'd keep from the Gerrard/Gio era is Goldson, but here we are with Tav and Barisic as fullbacks and re-signing a crocked Balogun as 3rd choice cb. If you don't laugh you'll cry like.

I've created another Fantasy League for us. I think it adds a bit of fun to the PL season. Join here: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/tg4esa

Sakala Morelos Colak Tillman. Add up the goals they scored between them last season, and excluding Tav it’s our top 4 scorers I believe. It’s a lot of goals to leave and of those brought in are any of them likely to score more than what has left? Im fairly sure the best striker at the club is now Roofe.

It's on the SPFL group chat... 👀

Did Derek McInnes send you that? 🤣

I received this from a mate of mine via Whatsapp. I don't think he wrote it, just got it and hit the forward button. MB STRATEGY Width from the full-backs pushing on and two number 10's starting in the central areas, one for creativity and one for pace, whilst a mobile striker to offer overloads on the opposition across the front line. One defensive midfielder steps back to split the defence into a 3 to cover for the rampaging full backs. Other defensive midfielder stays central to mop up counter attacks and act as a reset. Everyone else pushes forwards and goes for overloads on the opposition. Seen it five years ago. Didn't work five years ago. Attacking teams will press our full-backs high up the pitch and pin them back. Midfield will then be 1-to-1 against the opposition with no wide passing options so it'll break down here and we pass backwards to go forwards. The "Number 10's" will be covered and out balls to them will be mopped up by simple zones of marking because the defence and midfield cannot break through the press so go direct and the striker will be completely isolated with no support. Defensive teams will keep the central areas compact with a back 5 and a line of 3 shuttling in front of it allowing no space in the central areas, they will cede the wide areas but double up on any full-backs going forward to nullify them. They will then sit deep when we resort to crossed balls and act as a spring if we lose the ball in a central area. One outball, one striker, one chance, one goal, work hard and see out the result.

Butland Stirling Raskin Cantwell - Hagi Lammers - Danilo - Dessers - Roofe - Sima - Tamundo

I hope I am proved wrong but I don't think we will go through and I am usually glass half full when it comes to Rangers. I am not sure the manager can put this right. He was very cagey in his postmatch press conference and avoided answering a question along those lines. He looked worried.

It all spends. I think Rangers, though a big club with a big history are a bit hampered by a persona of extreme tribalism. Now, there may be a silent partner that could come in and inject large amounts of caishola but your celeb types...nah. They are highly image conscious, and thus even more risk averse. Unless they are, of course, from the tribe, or have deep connections to it...a Gordon Ramsey for instance. However, your average non-affiliated, American Hollyweird, or sport star would be steered clear away from such an endeavor. "Brad Pitt invests in far right football...racist...sectarian" blah blah. At the end of the day, most of these people are shallow attention whores who enjoy a good photo op and a firm 'gladhand'. Thus investments in BCFC, Wrexham, MANU...safe...milktoast...'friendly' FC. It is what it is.

They were only out to destroy any sort of football and you can defend much easier with 8 or more players and make the opposition look stupid. It was a not-loosing formation, a formation we call anti-football. I have seen this often last season in Scottish games and der Berliner told me it has become standard. But where can you rank this "standard"?

Names in a hat for Servette. Let's hope it's a Magic Hat. Maybe should have signed James Milliner.

I have been saying for ages that we'd double our money on Tillman within 6 months. Most were saying £5M is too much for him. Alas! It didn't matter. Bayern cancelled it. That's why we got the £1M.

Dear god that would be good. The last 20 year olds we had make debut seasons like that were Ferguson, Gattouso and Durrant. Kent was a bit older i think. that's the levels we are talking here. Rangers fans slating him for being lazy are simply wrong. Rangers fans who don't think he would have been value at 5 million aren't half a tough crowd.

They really struggled with the low block. They better get used to it fast. Our pre season was more about money and being ready for europe than scotland and perhaps that was a mistake. a couple of games v motherwell and ross county might have helped. Perhaps we played practice games with one team doing low block. I sure hope so.

kent was better than anything we have wide now. We had no one to travel with the ball at all. Anyone would miss kents work rate as well. Tillman was way better than lammers. (i have a special distain for the people who lauded lammers for 3.5 and though tillman at 5 was a bad deal. it was exceptionally good.) Buttland looked promising. No wonder he gets injuries mind you. looks like it's 4 2 2 2 which is probably fine it's worked before but needs time to become cohesive and fluid. Huge game on Wednesday obviously. Still miss Candeias who was a victim of the 4 2 2 2.

Your last 2 posts have been 100% about my opinion or my posting style but have made 0 points about any positives on the park other than wait and see, it’s too soon, you’re simplifying it, it’s adolescent, it’s crazy etc. You and others seem to be fixated on this ‘one game’ but truth is there have been much more than that, albeit with a few different players. Not the team shape looks good, the forward line looks sharp, there is a definite game plan here we can see what they are trying to do. The defence looks solid, our injury issues look over with, we have cut out the stupid defensive errors, we play with an urgency and temp that teams will struggle with.

A good win on Wednesday can change thing’s get the spirits up get the fans cheering a bad defeat is unthinkable.

I'm pretty calm about it. Absolutely nothing to be getting excited about that's for sure. Yes I keep it simple. You can call it a knee jerk reaction. I suppose it comes down to interpretation. I've had 8/9 months to watch plenty of games and come to a conclusion. It seems that is not enough time to judge in your opinion and that's fine. This is a forum for airing opinons.

Just hope Mr Beale knows what he’s doing let Sakala, Morelos & Colak leave & replacing them with players who have been totally unconvincing so far

That's kind of heart breaking tbh. Good luck to the guy. Seems like one of the good guys.

Snatched from BBC Zambia forward Fashion Sakala has revealed that he is leaving Rangers "with a heavy heart, yet a spirit of gratitude". The 26-year-old, who joined Rangers from Oostende in 2021, has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. And he was left out of Michael Beale's Champions League qualifying squad. Now the forward, who is under contract until summer 2025, has penned an emotional goodbye to Rangers fans on Instagram. Rangers could face PSV or Sturm Graz The Ibrox club have yet to confirm the departure, but Sakala said: "Today marks the end of an unforgettable chapter in my life. I bid farewell to this esteemed club. "When I first joined Rangers, I could have never imagined the profound impact this club and its community would have on my life." Sakala, who made 91 appearances for Rangers and scored 24 goals, said the "sense of belonging" he derived from being welcomed at Ibrox was "the driving force behind my performances on the pitch". He goes on to thank the "entire management and staff" and the club's fans, adding that he will "always be a Ranger at heart". 👍

No. But I feel sure that he read, and inwardly digested, it. Last week.

Maybe you're right. Could you forgive a couple of changes Butland Sterling Souttar Balogun Ridvan Hagi Raskin Cifu Jack Lammers Danilo

So he is finally learning then.

I can't see Tav being dropped either but I'm convinced he should be. Perhaps someone else in that team can be coached to take throw ins? Or even (whisper it) penalties.

I can't see Tav being dropped at all but this is definitely getting close to the team we should be looking to aim towards. Is it too early in the season? Who knows. European nights at a noisy Ibrox under the lights can do wonders. Here's hoping...

and another 1.2 by the sound of it. What i don't get is he is out of contract next summer. how can they be made to buy him

We could have exercised it, then. BM seemingly paid us not to do so.

Away at moment and have only seen snippets of our friendly games and the Killie goal. What I don’t get is why we don’t start with or best players e.g. Cantwell and Jack in our first meaningful game.

I see the Tav (ma baw) video is doing the rounds. The one when he runs 60 yards to take a potential quick shy away from Lundstram only for the ball to end up back at Butland!!

Just back from watching Toulouse beat Roma 2-1 in a friendly. I just wish we could show even 50% of their speed and desire. And that the women who attended our matches looked 50% as good as the burds in the Toulouse end...ooh la la!

Not allowed. You must ignore all evidence and blindly look forward to him turning it around based on nothing but the month of the year and that the other mob don’t like him or something.

I see the council have also refused the Easdales permission to build a boutique hotel in the derelict site of the Watt Bros store 🙄

Encore une Fois. It is the summer hols and the priority has been maintaining one's fluid levels with lashings of ginger beer. This thread has been in abeyance for three-four weeks; however, I have kept my ear close to the ground, the rumbles from the bowels of PQ have sent ripples the length of the Clyde. Here, in darkest, deepest Lanarkshire we are hearing the current dispute between BBC Scotland and their beloved Sellik is continuing. The broadcasting signs have been pretty obvious, the ever garrulous RAB Cosgrove has spent the last three weekends doubling down on the Rangers. When speculation began as to ra Sellik's managerial replacement for Ange, a name that began as a whisper, Brendan Rodgers emerged loud from the cacophony. BBC Scotland's Chief Sports Writer, Tom English penned an article pointing out the alacrity of Rodger's last departure from Paradise and highlighted the ensuing fractious relationship left between Rodgers and ra Sellik faithful. Peter took exception and when Sellik held their stage managed press conference to reveal Brendan, BBC Scotland were banned from attending. You can imagine the ensuing collective spluttering? Of course, PQ apologised profusely and assured listeners and viewers they were doing everything to resolve the situation. This last month, PQ has not sent a reporter to any of Sellik's pre-season friendlies because the club has made it clear they are not welcome. Yesterday, they were banned from Brendan's pre-match presser and, today who knows? Liam might not get to squeal his regular approval for his Father's team. Apparently, BBC Scotland has apologised again and again but to no avail. Peter demands Tom English retract, revise and apologise for his correct jottings. RAB Cosgrove took umbrage with PQ Gaffers sending Jane Lewis to Ibrox for our Saturday friendly against Hamburg. His favoured phrase of late has been, "in the interests of balance", if you provide a service for one half of the Old Firm, the other side must receive similar, "in the interests of balance". Funny that, in Steven Gerrard's three years plus tenure at Ibrox, BBC Scotland does NOT possess one single second of recorded video or audio tape of the Liverpudlian's time. Anyways, RAB has been shouting these last weeks about PQ's coverage. It began with St Johnstone had defeated Hamburg 3-0 when it mattered in the Fairs Cup(1971) and the Germans were in the top Division of the Bundesliga in those days, then he told of Saints under 18s defeating Rangers 3-zip at Auchenhowie in a pre-season opener and, finished with a fulminating, "is the ban over then"? A wee reminder Rangers withdrew the press credentials from Chris McLaughlin, he could continue to attend but not in the press box. BBC Scotland being banned by Rangers is an oft repeated lie by BBC Scotland, a truly manufactured grievance. BBC Scotland being banned by ra Sellik, not mentioned today by BBC Scotland. I will further remind you what the then BBC Scotland's Chief Football Writer said about Chris McLaughlin, "Chris is a shill for Celtic football club". Big Dick, Liam McLeod, Martin Dowden, RAB, ....... et al decided to back their colleague and were most comfortable providing no coverage for license fee paying Rangers supporters over a period of nearly five years. BBC Scotland are providing live radio commentary from ra Stade de Gadd today and, Liam is back squealing as the Championship flag is unfurled. He is accompanied by Pat Bonner(only covers Sellik games), Martin Dowden(revealed by Annie McGuire as, "a good Celtic man") and, Michael Stewart(former Sellik TV co-commentator). As you can see, a cowed PQ are more than happy to give ra Sellik what they demand. Tom English will be kept well away until he is prepared to get on his knees in front of Peter.