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Right, purely on the numbers the manager will be pretty content with today's game (result pending!). And I'd understand why. We've created enough chances to be 3 or 4 up bar poor finishing and we've limited STJ to crumbs defensively apart from a crack from distance that hit the post. The eye test would tell you that we're ropey defensively and sloppy in attack though. We've done enough today to win 90% of games in any league. We need to stop stopping when we score though and bury teams. We just aren't good enough in defence to settle for a 1-0 win.

It was St Johnston we were playing!. I didn't enjoy the match again! aye we were better than them and could/should have scored more! but we didn't!. The manager has a huge task to get this team challenging for the title! I just can't see it happening! unless we sign more quality players, and we all know we can't afford to! but if we can't then we are in for another dour/depressing season!. Jefte my MOTM.

Frame this - celebrate good times........

They made their bed...

A frustrating first half. Some really good moments of play but our finishing really has been woeful. One positive is that we didn't fall behind win Saints hit the post on the counter attack as we failed to cover effectively. Another injury to Propper for our trouble as well. This is the issue when you're lacking confidence. Your first touch is often just off, passes just lack that bit of pace and you lack confidence when shooting. Oftentimes, bad luck defensively doesn't help either. We just need to press through it and work as hard as we can. Biggest highlight is the performance of Jefte who does look a real find on the left hand side so far this season. Yes, Saints haven't offered much in attack but the Brazilian's work-rate and use of the ball has been very good; especially after such an unlucky moment in midweek.

I think there's a lot of conjecture about various aspects of squad goings on but unless you know the full story, that's all it is - conjecture. We have to put some trust in Clement.

I don't have a problem with Tavernier's wages, simply because he has been here so long and has been a consistent top performer. Davies and Matondo, though...

Here is a list of wage savings from players who have left so far this season (take the actual numbers with a pinch of salt, this is supposed to be more illustrative than accurate) If we say we have roughly saved 9 million a year so far (not counting the likes of Silva who was on a good wage for his loan) thats a good start, but then if we look at the names that have been told to leave or linked with leaving: There is still a massive work effort to be done to make some real savings on the wage side. But when you see it like this it really illustrates how badly we have managed the wage bill for a long, long time. (source: Rangers 2024 Wages | Player & Team totals (salarysport.com))

Tanking in baseball is when a team, usually realising they're not going to make the playoffs, decides to intentionally lose games. Sounds weird, right? Why would anyone want to lose? Well, the idea is to secure a higher draft pick or develop young players for the future instead of putting in a half-hearted attempt to win now. Think of it as a long-term strategy, even though it might be painful for fans in the short term. A classic example of tanking is the Houston Astros in the early 2010s. They were absolutely dreadful for a few seasons, but it was all part of a plan. By losing games and focusing on acquiring top talent through the draft, they eventually built a powerhouse team that went on to win the World Series in 2017. Football and baseball are very different sports. But there's an interesting parallel when you look at how some football clubs are managed. In baseball, teams have farm systems—basically a network of minor league teams where they develop young players until they're ready for the big leagues. In football, the likes of the Red Bull group (which owns RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg, and New York Red Bulls, among others) and the City Football Group (which owns Manchester City, New York City FC, and several others) are creating something similar. They move players between clubs within their network, developing talent and building squads that can compete at the highest levels. It's not a farm system in the traditional baseball sense, but it's pretty close. Although we don't have a farm system or any way to develop younger players in a competitive environment Rangers seem to be taking a page out of the tanking playbook this season—though it's more of a wage dump than a full-on tank. They're not expected to be all that competitive this year by most supporters. We wont be intentionally losing games by any means, but the early signs are we have no way of being competitive either. Drawing with a poor Hearts side who had a nightmare pre-season in terms of results and were soundly beaten 3-1 by Dundee last week, and being knocked out of the early Champions League qualifiers by a very ordinary looking Dynamo Kiev side. There is a few weeks left in the transfer window and the manager has been clear we need to get high earners out before we can bring players in (who will probably be on less wages). The club's focus is on cutting costs instead of recruiting quality and I hope the plan is to save up a transfer kitty for next summer. So while this season will be a tough one to watch, is there hope that better days are ahead, with some new signings to look forward to once the club's finances are in better shape? While tanking in baseball is all about playing the long game, it looks like Rangers are doing something similar and although they would never admit it publicly its pretty clear we are not being proactive. Instead of losing games and getting top end draft picks, we are recruiting young cheap talent, developing them while not spending anywhere near what we have in the past in wages with the hope that these players will develop into quality players and guide is into a comfortable 2nd place league finish who, when the time is right will be supplemented by 'ready to go' more experienced pros who will demand a higher wage. Patience is key, but do we as a fan base have patience? Can we take a 'tanking' season and what would the fallout be?

Probably want to wait until 5/8 domestic games are played though for a better avg.

Oh no I'm not.....

Heard that about you 🤭

An okay performance and a good result. Cracking finish from McCausland and Dessers did well when he came on, although he and Matondo both have a tendency to give the ball away in dangerous areas. Well done to all the Bears in attendance - great to hear Fields Of Ulster.

We've not had that spelling yet!

Looking forward to Leveins presser...🤣🤣🤣🤣

What a finish that is. Been brilliant since he's come on the wee man.

Injuries 🤝 shite refs Goal all day long never a foul. No idea what the ref seen in real time.

In Danilo's defence, the ball bobbled just before he hit that shot. BTW, why on Earth didn't we get a free kick for that early challenge on Butland? Surely the linesman saw that?

I genuinely think we're cursed with injuries. Have that lot been doing their voodoo hokey cokey nonsense?

Propper off injured - 4-6 weeks anyone?

Spartans beat Ross County, the Bairns put Hearts to the sword ... and St. Johnstone won 3-0 at Rugby Park last weekend. This will be fun ...

Jesus Danilo’s gnashers!

Danilo has some set of teeth! 🤣

At the moment, yes he's better than Danilo.and Igamane that for sure. There is no argument there. Going forward, no he isn't but given our financial state how are we replacing 20+ goals a season and a player who plays the majority of games?

Hopefully a shrewd piece of business when we sell him for 30million with add ons... Joking aside, I think we will see this lad in bounce games and the B team before he gets pitched into the first XI.

The most 4-3-3 looking lineup I've seen from us. Not saying it will be that, it'll probably be Dio pushed forward into the 10 but I wouldn't be surprised if we do see a 3 man midfield at some point with that lineup. Give Danilo 45 and a goal and it's job done.

I’m also a Rays fan since going to a game in 2007 and have been a few times but not for a few years now. They operate in a really tough league with the 2 biggest teams in baseball and have still managed to be competitive in recent years. interesting theory re the tanking but it is probably more accurate to say we are trying to correct the errors of the last 2 years and just get the budget back on track.

Yes, been following the Tampa Bay Rays since my first trip to Tropicana stadium around 15 years ago. Been to about 7 games since then and still follow them. Interesting team who manage to be competitive despite one of the smallest payrolls in baseball because they have an extremely effective player trading model. And when baseball operations staff leave they are quickly replaced internally with seemingly no real drop in operating quality. Caught a foul ball behind home plate v Oakland about 6 years ago. Every baseball fan’s ambition!

Late back to pre-season (due to Euros and his wedding). He posted a pic on his socials last week with "2nd week of pre-season complete" (or something similar).

Absolutely. We shouldn't be giving them these wages in the first place and, also, they should sold before they reach them in the general increase they get for the length of their stay.

No one else would pay these players those sort of wages. That is where the problem lies

Hagi isn't match fit. If Cantwell did behave unprofessionally during pre-season and has asked to leave, what kind of message do you think it would send to other players if Clement picked him to start? Clement isn't an idiot or a novice, there must be valid reasons for his decisions.

I don't think having Cantwell on the pitch magically makes the referee competent.

On a more general note, it's fairly evident how messed up football is when we're scrapping around for loan deals and players in the £1-2m bracket whilst Bournemouth are spending £40m on a Brazilian Porto player.

This is true, he works his arse off every match, that can't be denied! and he does score goals.

Come on chaps, we can't be having light heartedness - it's supposed to be all doom and gloom.

Kinnell, walked into that one. Or reversed ha.

Don't think many fans would want rid of Fields Of Ulster. Even in a half full stadium, Ibroxonia was amazing.

I know, but do the same rules apply for cup games? Isn't there a minimum requirement for away fans (larger than league games)?

Glad the gaffer has got to the bottom of the injuries 👍👍👍👍

the best one's injured and Young is like Tav over the hill and far away

I watched the Mets-Phillies game in London (on TV - I wasn't there) a few months (?) ago which was quite enjoyable. Ever since I've been looking out for the Mets' results and watch bits of games on TNT. I watched Ken Burns' Baseball documentary which was really good. I like the history of the game, the stories and the characters you get, like Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Robinson, Mays, etc.

Absolutely, he's been a superb buy over the piece. However, he's another one that we should have sold - I don't believe we never had offers. This will be even more evident when we come up against the reptiles and he once more shites it against a below average, workmanlike baldy winger. We need to learn when to move people on, not just to make money, but also when we've seen the best of them.

This here is exactly why I think getting the right no.10 completely changes this side

Referee - Matthew MacDermid Assistants - Ross Macleod and Craig Ferguson Video Assistant Referee - Greg Aitken Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Alan Mulvanny Missing - Zak Lovelace, Nicolas Raskin, Hamza Igamane, Todd Cantwell (not in squad), Ianis Hagi (not in squad), Óscar Cortés, Ridvan Yilmaz, Scott Wright Doubtful - Leon Balogun (back) Injuries: Scott Wright (muscle - early September) Zak Lovelace (lack of training - early September) Nicolas Raskin (ankle- end of September)) Óscar Cortés (knee - end of September) Ridvan Yilmaz (knee - end of September) Live on Rangers TV