der Berliner

Three more points, won by bitter toil. After the much better games, we're back to brutal SPFL fare. Granted, we struck woodwork 4 times, but the final third was a medicocre show again. Hagi tried his best, but is sure no winger. We didn't need Diomande today in the role he played (for 90 mins), hardly anything going forward from him, hardly anything he was needed to get involved in. Not his fault, though. Barron might at least have brought in some drive and passion. Solid defence, almost untested as it was.

Like some must raise them immediately, and others must not raise them immediately?

That's a couple of times that this joke of a linesman lets play go on, people running and playing, before raising the flag. Abysmal behaviour.

Take off a striker, bring on an attacking midfielder? While having two DMs on of which one contributes next to nothing.

... and there are people who moaned that Hagi's too slow.

Former Manchester United director Sean Jefferson is set to be appointed as Rangers' new chief commercial officer in January on an interim basis. (Daily Record) Rangers have sourced an interim replacement for outgoing chief commercial officer Karim Varani. Varani, who joined the Ibrox board in summer 2023, is the latest high-profile departure at Rangers with the former West Ham United man expected to officially leave his role in January to "pursue new opportunities". Sean Jefferson will now take up the position on an interim basis. Jefferson has a strong track record working for Manchester United as well as international drinks giant Diageo and global media agency Mindshare. He will begin working for the Scottish Premiership giants in the New Year until a permanent acquisition can be named.

The dark-blue (today white) wall holds. Diomande's without a job today and truth be told, does not much either. Put Cortes on for him and Hagi more central, please. Too many attempts passing our way through that packed defence, rather than whipping more crosses in from the flanks. Let's hope Dundee will tire later on.

Possession: 84-16 ...

So it is Kelly in goals, as Butland injured himself during the warm-up ...

Rumour regarding another South African in-form striker ... IN - Iqraam Rayners (29) - ST, South Africa - Sundowns - contract till 20XX - TM - TM stats - LINK

In the here and now, one can quickly establish the "pedigree" of a referee in terms of football loyalties. It is a small country, so the pool is indeed limited. But if it is clear that referees are either incompetent, not up to the pressure of such a game, or have certain leanings, they should not put on the black shirt in such games or sit behind the monitor. If they lack referees, go and hire some "foreigner" in advance. Maybe they'll have smarting home-bred people, but it is up to the latter to officiate a game according to the rules. In any case, they could hire people for VAR roles, put women referees in there, whatever. The status quo is not acceptable.

There's a circle since we've been back ... Refereeing, Compliance Officer, Songs. I'd wager that, given that our support belts out the "sectarian" songs for months now, someone of the you-know-who brigade will pick up on this if things go too well for us.

"It was the honestest mistake ever, we can assure you!"

In games against the sides mentioned, and most others of the low-defence teams too, we play essentially two centre-halfs at the back, two DMs who cover the territory ahead of them or the space vacated by the "wingbacks", and said wingbacks. De facto, we play with 6 defensive-minded players. People may argue that our fullbacks shall act like wingers/wingbacks, and our DMs should venture forward too. These players actually do exactly that, but in essence, in such games, we still have 2 defenders "attacking" on the wings (with a varying degree of success), and two defensive-minded midfielders trying to be positive. Barron and Diomande are more positive than most we had before, but how often do they still pass rather than shoot. Be that as it may, the opposition in such games rarely threatens our backline. So why should we keep essentially 6 defence-minded players? When we effectively need just 3, maybe 4? Hence, 3-4-3, or 3-5-2. And if I ask a fullback to play wingback (and some can do that better than others), why shouldn't I ask a winger to do some fullback work? Wright did that, McCausland does that, Cerny to a degree ... I wouldn't be so sure with Matondo and Cortes. Hence, IMHO, against Dundee and Co. play a centre-half through the middle (Souttar), and Sterling (who can play right-back) and Balogun (left- or right-back) and that's that for defensive work. Put Barron/Raskin in front of them with the task of a cleaner/destroyer, who can cover flanks too. Do we need any more "defenders" in the Premiership? Ask the two wingers on either side to do a bit of defensive work in case of need (and IMHO Jefte and Ridvan can both play winger instead of fullback too), but let them lose at the opposition in their half. We'd have 6 instead of 3 or 4 really attack-minded players. In this day and age, players are asked to be versatile and most of our chaps can do that. Sterling can play centre-half, right-defender up to right-winger. So he might even decide to go on the attack as well, if space opens up. It's no rocket science, but we try to play this wedge style that simply turns blunt in the Premiership time and again. You see that, I see that. People don't even try to think around/about the system, but rather have a go at players shoehorned into it.

I know ... but: - hardly anyone who does that plays in the Scottish league against the brick-wall brigade - most who do this play people capable of playing in this role and can perform adequately - I would only agree if we'd play Igamane on the left-attack role, Dessers through the middile and Danilo on the right ... and see how it goes. And to complete such a line up against e.g. Dundee or St. Johnstone ... Butlland Sterling - Souttar - Pröpper Cerny/Matondo - Raskin/Barron - Hagi - Jefte/Ridvan/Cortes The way we play is suitable for Europe, and in some games where the opposition is bold enough to play more open. Our plight is - and has been for years - that those meant to come up with goals from the wings are simply not up for that cause. Hence, you play with those you have in their best roles. I fear that we will start tinkering with Matondo and Cortes again on either wing, instead of unleashing our full attack potential at the opposition.