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It's worth noting that in 6 of the last 7 OF games we've had the superior XG over Celtic. That not only confirms that there is not much between the sides but sadly highlights our lack of clinical front players.

The players have to pick themselves up and forget Saturday's game there's a league out there were capable of winning.

By not releasing the audio, the SFA are admitting what we all know. I don't know what more the club can do. Maybe worth releasing a statement claiming we've been cheated, await a summons for brining the game into disrepute then ask the SFA to prove that we're lying? Either way, we know, they know and now everyone knows we've been shafted / cheated.

Stonewall penalty not given and player booked for diving

Here's how it was: we were abject for half an hour or so; thereafter, we came into the game, and had several periods of domination; during these interludes we failed to convert our superiority into goals. The end.

Of course it will. We have to realise most of us know the current sides shortcomings, and yet PC is reeling the enemy in, without even adding a player or having a preseason with the players. Rodgers bailed out once he realised Gerard had the measure of him, PC is a far better manager than SG was. Yesterday has done nothing to dent my belief that our current manager is set for huge success.

Not for me, we've had our fair share of washed up EPL wage munchers.

OK. The dust has settled and it's perspective time. When Clement came in just over 2 months ago and you provided the following terms and conditions, I would have bitten your hands off: 1. We get back in the league race, potentially cutting down an 8pt lead to 2pts if we win 2 games in hand. 2. We win our Europa League group, (netting 3 million) allowing us to enter the last 16 starting in March. 3. We win the League Cup. All this in the face of dreadful injuries and misfiring players inherited from another manager. We look more functional as a unit than we ever did under Beale. Clement is an astute guy and he would be seeing what we all saw yesterday. We need to be more clinical in front of goal. If we have better striking options yesterday we do not lose the game. Its as simple as that. Let's do Killie and move onwards.

You are absolutely right. This is worth fighting for. They are tying themselves in knots with their cheating, lying and attempts at covering up. We have them over a barrel and should go for the jugular.

That's unbelievable.

The Sima offside call came 35 minutes after the incident, it was deliberate interference. The unanimous half time claim by all pundits that Rangers were denied a clear penalty meant a lifeline was necessary. The Sima offside call was the lifeline and, across the broadcast and print media they have grasped it for dear life. The penalty to Rangers must survive and the frame above showing Sima not being offside will be ignored because it is not helpful. Going forward, Clement will be ridiculed because he has spoken out.

I know this player was recently championed by a now banned poster but I did notice that Langstaff scored a first half hat trick for Notts County yesterday. That's now 38 league goals in a calender year for this guy. Looking at what happened yesterday, we just need a player with a natural strikers instincts. Any striker with an ounce of ability would pounce on that Dessers chance. He wouldn't cost the earth IMO and I reckon teams in the championship will pick him up soon. If you've got it, you've got it. Look at Jamie Vardys meteoric rise.

Sorry should have added more context to my initial post, thanks to others for highlighting the incident. It’s quite something that there can be two massive errors on the same weekend. The standard is shocking and the accountability is posted missing.

I said on many occasions before VAR was implemented in Scotland that, far from assuring more accurate decision making, it would simply become another tool in the corruption of Scottish football to ensure an unfair advantage to Celtic. So it has turned out.

Yes but I’m not talking about Scottish fitba’, I’m talking about a Dingwall village team. I could play them on my own and win so long as I didn’t get sent off. Well, really I’m saying Shankland scoring against them is no big deal. He’s better than Dessers or any other pretended finisher on Rangers’ books though.

I fear you are right but let’s not be Presbyterian about this. Let’s make a God-awful fuss. It’s so blatant it can’t be let go.

Agreed. The number of bears saying it's not a penalty because it goes against their agenda of hating Dessers is unbelievable.

Aye maybe if we get match officials who aren’t corrupt

Not for me. He's no Defoe and I hate the loan system; when Warburton was in charge I lost count of the number of loanees we had and I can't remember most of them - that's the trouble, I don't consider them our own. Silva - ok, he seems good quality, but spare me any more Ramseys etc.

We should sign your granny tbh

It's probably fair I add some context to today's banning. Over the years we will never punish alternative views - even if they may go against the grain. For example, there's plenty to take heart from since Clement came in but it's fairly obvious to me we're still well short in key areas. Dessers, for all his good work, just isn't good enough and we're too reliant on Sima who we ask far too much from. That kind of comment is constructive, fair and and difficult to object too. By way of comparison, cheap insults of players, coaches and anyone else just won't be tolerated despite polite private requests to refrain. Today was a horrible result but we're still well in this title race if we can make the required chances on personnel. That's the ultimate take away.

This is my last chance to post this evening so I'd like to take the opportunity to wish everyone on Gersnet a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. All the best to all of you in 2024.

A Happy Blue Year to you all (and a Red one for me )!

No wonder Scottish referees don't get big games to officiate

The gunners firing blanks today

Good luck with that. "It was Lawwell's influence that helped put Ian Maxwell in his role as as chief executive of the Scottish FA" When the CEO is little more than Blofeld's cat...

SFA and "nothing to hide". This will be fun.

I fear that the procedure in Scotland may differ from that in England. England responded very quickly to the Liverpool request. The only quick response I think may happen in Scotland is to say no transcript will be released.

I don't like the loans either, it just papers over the cracks. It's up to Koppen to find The Gaffer a striker worthy of our great club.

and not terrified to give us a decision for fear of repercussions against their families or themselves.

The tide is bound to turn at some point.

Although I'm disappointed in the result, I do think there is a long way to go. And we could pull something out the bag. We already have 1 trophy and we're no where near out of contention for the others. So all in all, we're in good shape. We just have too many players giving that lot across the road way too much undue respect. Maybe before 2012 I could have been convinced of some unspoken line that was to never be crossed out of respect to an old rivalry but since then, they've shown time and time again they don't deserve respect. We should be actively looking to kick that club into the dirt every game we play. We've too many nice lads in the team.

Is Danny Ings worth a shout? He's in and out of the West Ham team and despite not scoring of late, he's previously had a decent record. He's 31 with good experience.

Think yourself lucky we even got a free kick

I keep writing and deleting. I don't know what to say about today. It's all been said. I'm still gutted, livid, disappointed....but hardly surprised, if I'm being honest. Clement has us on the right track, we just need better recruitment and patience for now. That's all I can say from a diplomatic perspective. Have a good hogmanay everyone.

As I see it the incidents today which went against us were:- 1) penalty for handball against johnston not given. Clear & obvious error. Offside only used for goal instances. rangers request VAR audio to see if offside gets mentioned 2) Both Alistair johnston & Paolo Bernardo should have been red carded for two yellows 3) I also believe that at the Dessers miss in the first half he is brought down in the penalty box. Johnston doesn’t get a touch on the ball 4) some suggestions at their first goal the ball went out of play when the corner was taken

I've been over for a game a few years ago. Nice city with dodgy parts. Lovely beers 🍻 Really hope they can get promoted. Next game is away to Schalke on the 20th Jan

OK. I have been trying to understand the nuances of the cheating today, particularly wrt the 'penalty' against the fellow with the facial challenge. (Did Cher not do a film about this guy?) It is quite clear that -the fizzog handled the ball, and put it out of play -the fizzog prevented Sima from scoring or creating a goal scoring opportunity -the referee did not award a pen -the Var man (Colum) reviewed the decision and confirmed that there was no pen -the game re-started with a goal kick -subsequently (after 20/30 mins) it was revealed that Sima/AN Other was offside, and, thus, no pen could have been awarded Now, and this will sound like Timothology, but roolz is roolz, it is clear that -a goal was not scored -this constrained the involvement of VAR, excluding everything, bar its involvement in the pen/no pen decision -VAR confrimed the referee's verdict of no pen -this decision was based on nothing, given that the hand ball was as clear as you would ever wish to see -the referee awarded a goal kick, so the putative, and at that time, unremarked, off-side was irrelevant, as it was anyway, given that a goal was not scored Cheated? Rules abused? Surprised?

Shankland scores a redeemer against Ross County. No big deal, though. My granny would have got a hat-trick against them.

Yes in your household Bill but that's just bodyswearving the issue and that is a serious one.

Of course it's disappointing, how could it be anything else? But let's not get too despondent. This is the same team that Beale build and had effectively surrendered until Philippe Clement listed them and worked a few minor miracles, despite losing key players to injury. There was always going to come a point when we saw the limitations of what these players can deliver, even with proper management. The real improvements surely lie ahead of us as new players join the squad and lesser lights are cycled out. This is a season's work and I believe there are reasons to be cheerful, even in defeat. What I did like today was the way we refused to be subjected to a 5-0 defeat, which looked on the cards at one point. We definitely showed some of the spirit I want in a Rangers team, even if we lack the quality to make it count. It is what it is but I'm convinced we are in the fight for the first time in years.

We created enough chances in that 1st half to win the match. Poor finishing and horrendous refereeing has cost us today. Thought Sterling and Yilmaz had really good games. McCausland was decent going forward but between him and Tav in 1st half we struggled defensively down our right. Lundstram didn't look fit to me and would have been more inclined to start Dowell. League is far from over, we're still bang in this race.

His physicality is hugely important. Wins lots of free kicks and is generally difficult for opposition players.

I thought Tavernier (and the whole right side, to be fair) struggled defensively early on; all their chances were coming from that area. I thought Clement then switched it, tasking Sterling with covering more, which, I thought, dried up their threat. Our press was off for the most part, too - or, again, only after they scored did it pick up. I'm not sure why we can't start how we mean to go on? We restricted them quite well, I thought, but they've taken good strikes from average-to-poor positions. I thought we were able to get our wingers into the game quite a lot, but decision-making let them down. I don't know what Dessers was thinking when he was through - after good pressing - at least cut across the defender so he can't get the ball! Frustrating game. It just came down to moments, I thought.

Mate, you gave him enough time, the guy was just a troll, every match win, draw, or lose!.

Barry Ferguson might.

About time! 👍