buster.

Since qualifying for CL, we haven't laid a glove on any decent opposition. Cumulative 0-13 in 4 games. The players believe they can beat provincial clubs in Scotland but don't seem to carry that belief into bigger challenges. You could argue Napoli at Ibrox was better than the rest, so maybe it is in part down to the negative approach to difficult away games. Negative rather than pragmatic. For example, under WS there was an organised and pragmatic approach that players bought into.

You quietly accept it but you are raging if that is awarded against you.

Just as well the target market of the Triple01s isn't The Dads Army of Messageboards ? 😀

Playing Sands at CH when we had Leon King on the bench was a mistake IMO.

Colak makes the difference. Last three league games has saw Colak score in the opening minutes (8th, 6th and yesterday 4th) and that makes a game so much easier.

A Rangers manager is nearly always under pressure and needs to rise above it. This season with Gio, it's been more his players that have been the problem, rather than the support.

Draw for the Qualification group stage has just been made. Spain Scotland Norway Georgia Cyprus If what is a young team continues to improve, second place should be a reasonable ask. I am sure we'll manage to complicate things and tbf, Norway and Georgia have game winning individuals to call upon who are better than anything we have.

I am presuming there must be money in it for the club. Sad reality for a football club in our position, trying to squeeze in every penny when the clubs we play in the CL are relatively awash with the stuff. Once again, Wednesday will see us take a plastic knife to a gun fight.

Early goal made all the difference and it helps to have a centre forward whose expertise lys in finishing. Second league game in a row where Colak has fed the ball to the left and then run into a goalscoring position. Yesterday both touches were slightly fortuitous but if you don't buy a ticket, you don't win a prize. Three consecutive league wins now. Another would make it the first time we have reached four in 2022. We need to start doing 7,8,9. Sixth 4-0 result this season, 4 of them in our favour. Very few draws. Two for us, Hibs & PSV. Only 6 in the Scottish top tier, WBA have drawn more games. Colak has made a big difference. He deserves to be given a start against Liverpool. We need to show more ambition to win the game. It is effectively a free hit. Another damage limitation exercise with the inevitable result won't be acceptable.

*Prediction always subject to starting line-ups As well as our line-up, St.Mirren have a couple of important doubts. If and it is a big if, both Morelos and Colak start then how many will change FGS ?

Since St.Mirren were promoted to the top tier in 2018/19 they have visited Ibrox on League business on six occasions. They haven't left with anything. No points, not even a goal. Morelos tends to score against St.Mirren at Ibrox and even Kent has a couple. In 5 competitive away games this season, St.Mirren have won 2 against teams of a similar level, Cowdenbeath and Dundee United. In 12 competitive games 7 wins 5 Defeats 0 Draws

My team above, won't actually happen. A win today would see us reach three consectutive league wins. For context, in 2022 we have never reached four. We have reached three on 3 occasions. At the very end of last season and at the very start of this season plus one in March. Problems 2022 1. Too many draws against dross 2. We lose OF games (3)

The lower profile the better, we just need someone who is very good at their job and is allowed to do it properly rather than be happy or hamstrung in our now customary no-mans land. No-mans land is a place where you say or have said the right things to keep the fans onside, but don't always mean them.......and that it often isn't enough for fans, anyway. ie. nothing works, nobody is happy. Regarding the type of profile you refer to, it corresponds more with a CEO type role. The mix of Robertson as MD and Graham as Head of Communications didn't work IMO. Nor does a policy of trying to appease the fans but only going half way. Burning bridges was all the rage on messageboards back in 2015, still is. I said seven years ago on FF that it wasn't the way to go. You have to pick your 'fights/conflicts' carefully, ones that you can win and not get bogged down. You also have to build some bridges, where it might be advantagous in the medium to long term. IMO, we need a competent and confident CEO who knows when and how to approach the external environment, alligned with and supported by a head of communications who knows what he is doing.

double post

Finance and UEFA regulations on academy players/squads are I think, the two main drivers with this contract extension. A Porteous Bosman was rumoured last week, McCrorie signed an extension today. The rumour may well be unfounded but with the other UEFA regulation on FFP approaching rapidly and our need to become a sustainably run club, I think it inevitable that we are going to have to spread less money over our transfer and salary outgoings. The days of signing the likes of Chris Woods or Stefan Klos have been gone for a while. In terms of approach to the transfer market, relatively, it is going to be like going backwards from the Souness time to the early 80's. Next summer will surely see a squad rebuild and to get the right players in for the money we have avaialable will be very difficult. We are going to have to incorporate more academy players to the first team squad and McCrorie has signed up today. It actually fits in with what the club having been putting in place. Although it will be a bumpy road, it is the only way that gives us a chance to move forward IMO.

Happy to hear Lowry is back in full training. Circumstances look like presenting the lad a chance. Lawrence and Hagi injuries Tillman isn't doing enough to start games

Sorry to hear of the personal circumstances but it is a timely opportunity for the club to appoint a better PR man/women.

He has been reading Gersnet match threads apparently !!

Interesting and refreshing to see that Gio has changed his mind on Morelos/Colak both starting.

Will be interesting to see who is played in goal for the Dundee League Cup tie.

Half way through the group campaign, the Scottish Co-efficent hasn't moved much and the automatic CL spot for Scottish title winners won't be a thing for much longer (It already is secured for CL 23/24). 3 Teams 9 Games 1 Win 1 Draw 7 Defeats 4 Goals Scored 23 Conceded If you take our co-efficient points for games only (no bonus for group qualification) then for this season, we would be in 44th place within a list of 55 countries. 43 North Macedonia 44. Scotland 45. Northern Ireland 46. Wales 47. Estonia Our actual place including bonus points is 31st 29. Iceland 30. Azerbaijan 31. Scotland 32. Kosovo 33. Latvia 34. Moldova 35. Malta 36. Finland 37. Armenia 38. Faroe Islands

Get the feeling that for Gio, it is about self preservation. The CL is now about damage limitation. First priority is to avoid heavy defeats. The way he setup against Dundee United showed how the three consecutive heavy defeats had got to him and despite a successful trial of a more adventrous setup against Ross County, it was back to type for the Arabs. Hearts game was an outlier in the sense that Hearts set-up in a way that suited us. Tomorrow it is back to the low block.

All about getting the first goal and as early as possible. An early goal could see this being another routine home win. No goal by HT and it becomes one of those tricky and nervous games. To get that goal we have to show real attacking intent from the word go, rather than repeated Horseshoe passing movements I agree with Frankie that we need to freshen up the side with Sakala and Matondo but I would start Arfield instead of Tillman. I don't think the Bayern youngster is up for a fight against a physical opponent at a moment of low level/ confidence. Can't afford passengers for this one. At least Arfield gives you a real goal threat from midfield. Less said about the midfield the better, it is a bit of a disaster area at the moment Defence, King or Davies ? Ridvan has a case but if you drop Kent, that would give you a experimental left side of pitch for opposition to target. So unless the Turk has been doing exceptional things in training, no reason to drop Barisic. That said, we have to look to start giving Yilmaz minutes as a sub. Last week against the 3rd placed team. Hearts tactis suited us, we started well and it was relatively easy. St.Mirren, the latest 3rd placed team will probably be more difficult to play against #LowBlock

- Very young lad at Easter Road in 1975: Hibs 1 Rangers 1 (title clincher) - Still young lad at Hampden SCF replay in 1981: Rangers 4 Dundee Utd 1 Had been at Saturday game 0-0 (we missed a last minute penalty) - Long way away but huge celebration : Fiorentina 0 Rangers 0 Sometimes a draw can go a long way