der Berliner

Whatever rode Danilo to pass the ball again ... Well done VAR ...

These freakish attempted short-passes in the area ... just take responsibility!!!!

No-one will be sent to the meat-grinder. BTW, typical Armed Forces Day - game at Ibrox, same trash on the pitch for years.

You may try as you might, if the defence is as bad as ours right now, you are always up against it. Ridvan's touch is worse than mine, Hagi's nearly as bad. The midfield is utterly disfunctional once more, just a little pressure on them and the defence, and we look desperate. The truly bad thing is: a Davis would have seen this, dropped back and took control. Raskin and Diomande don't, we lose the most of the midfield and our frail defence does the rest. The script can easily be read, all opposition managers read it, we don't. Add to this that Diomande and Cerny hold to the ball too long ... and lose it eventually. All rather dire.

Kick and hack for fun, now play-acting like chickens ... dreary me. The Ironmen just execute their few attacks (not least thanks to our inept defending), we don't.

Now the captains turn to bring us in trouble and Jefte loosing his man entirely ... some feat.

That was as clear a back-pass as you will ever see ...

Double-blunder by Butland ... third goal on the trot down to bad decisions ...

Sterling, Barron and Balogun all on the bench, some good news before the KO. And we're going 4-4-2 again ...

Cammy has his next best friend, it seems. Just for clarity, I am not Ready1314 in disguise ...

Before the start of the game I looked at the bench an thought: no King? Nothing against Fernandes, but he's even less tried than Nsiala, who looked good so far. King might be old school, but has seen lots of football at this level and against this opposition. A more solid choice. Wednesday was all about composure and calmness at the back. If you had asked me, I wouldn't exactly see that in Tavernier, but he did admirably and steadied the ship. Ridvan also slotted in well enough. Regarding the topical question, I'd have no problem with Tav on the right of a back 3, not least in games like these. Would free up a DM slot and allow the wing-players to operate further forward without having to think about defending. 3-4-3 or 3-5-2. We can switch to our defensive approach of 4-2-3-1 in European or games against them, but it is rarely required against Scottish teams ... which 10 out of 10 of our managers of the last decade didn't grasp.

... they were probably told some stern words at HT and feared what would happen at FT, so they turned it on. Truth be told, after the first goal, we never really looked back. Tav steadied the ship in the heart of the defence (credit where it is due), Ridvan did well enough in his usual slot. I might have changed things a little earlier with Igamane and Cerny looked quite tired and had some wayward play, but all ran out well. Onwards!

Time to replace Igamane, he's ran his race today.

These linesmen need an appointment with specsavers ...

That Wright is some fellow ... kicking like an ox (pre our goal), handling the ball shortly before that, then falling over at the slightest touch by Dessers.

Well, it took us 35 mins to get going ... up until that, a typical Rugby Park kickabout. Still think Pröpper was fouled before their first, thus Wright had a free header. After Cerny's goal, the second time he ran through he was challenged from behind and the guy was lucky to hit the ball, feet with a straight leg into Cerny's ankles might have been the end of his season.

Brutal hit'n hope by Killie, counting on their plastic pitch and strength. And with themtwo at the back and no support, this might get worse.

Comical defending. What about kicking the ball away?

Don Robertson the ref ... well, expect some funny things. ... oops, Pröpper wasn't fouled. See, didn't take long.

From our homepage ... That means that Jack Butland will start in goal once again, behind a backline of captain James Tavernier, Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala and Jefte. Nico Raskin partners Mohamed Diomande in midfield and they will be flanked either side by Vaclav Cerny and Ianis Hagi. At the top of the pitch the Light Blues begin with a pair in the frontline, with Cyriel Dessers partnering Hamza Igamane. ... and yes, it is exactly the same disfunctional line-up which we didn't enjoy on Saturday. Maybe they'll click today, maybe not.

Brutal team, even more brutal pitch ... hope no-one gets injured.

... Ferguson's immature behaviour was when? 15 years ago? He's 47 now. Can't say I have heard him much since, nor read much of him since. Likewise, I never heard anything about Warburton's, Beale's, Caixinha's or Clement's bad boy stuff of days gone by ... if there was any. At the end of the day, he'll have to show his worth as a Rangers head coach now, and in that respect, he's a clean sheet. Let's judge him and his fellow coaches for their work at Ibrox ... as with any new manager / head coach / you name it.

The schedule in the coming weeks is dreadful, so I expect the doom-brigade in full hysteria mood soon. No matter the fact that they have little to work with, given the size and status of the squad.

Like I said above, different clubs & players, different demands, different backing, and opposition. I don't advocate for him, but it is not as easy as it seems. As it happens, today's Sir Walter's birthday.

... too bad he didn't do the same as a manager. Then again, the support from the board was sort of lacking, IIRC.