Rousseau

Bugger off, Stevie!

It's bad Juju...

10 minutes ago, ian1964 said:

It is a bit of a doom & gloom thread tbh, nobody is saying we have won anything yet, but it really is ok to enjoy any victory over that mob, we have so far had an excellent season.

I honestly think some Rangers fans start the season dreading it and continue that worry all season, that is not healthy or enjoyable, it must make it a long season for those fans.

How dare you unveil the inner workings of my mind!  

It's because it means so much...

I've been saying this for months. 

14 hours ago, DMAA said:

Barjonas, Stewart, Jones and Middleton all look very unlikely to feature much. If they could be moved on that would free up some cash for one quality signing in that position maybe. There is Barker too but the management rate him. 

I agree with this.  

I think SG rates Barjonas, but trying to get game-time with the fully fit midfield we have, is impossible. 

Now is the time if he ever will. 

Just now, DMAA said:

Yeh that’s the one. His contract is out in the summer and he has decided not to renew it. Could just be paper talk, who knows. 

I knew about him refusing a new contract, but I just assumed another PL team would snap him up.

5 minutes ago, DMAA said:

There has been talk of John Lundstrom. I haven’t seen Kelly much but see him as more of a Barry Ferguson type player. 

Quote

Despite progressing in the Everton youth set-up, Lundstram supports Liverpool.^[83]

From Wikipedia, so it's Gospel.  

What about... Ferguson from Aberdeen... ?

1 minute ago, DMAA said:

There has been talk of John Lundstrom. I haven’t seen Kelly much but see him as more of a Barry Ferguson type player. 

From Sheffield Utd?!

I was quite content with our squad going into the transfer window, and was quite prepared to not see any incomings. 

Now, I do think we need an additional midfielder. 

A box-to-box, grafter, maybe? I think the creativity is fine, it's more of the defensive, destroyer type we need. 

Could Kelly do that job? I must confess, I don't know much about him, but I've seen some good reviews. 

1 hour ago, ian1964 said:

?

He did come on...

1 hour ago, ian1964 said:

 

I was surprised there wasn't more made of that.

It's a stonewaller! Roofe's ball, then that muppet takes him out?!

Look at Lexalt's reaction!

1 hour ago, Tannochsidebear said:

Spot on. Tactics mean nothing if the players don’t turn up, make mistakes, don’t pass well, dont move well, don’t close down and sit off their opponents. There was no obvious change of tactics at HT just one sub for an injury and more of our players doing their jobs properly, combining with their errors and drop in intensity. 

I disagree that there wasn't any tactical shift (which I've outlined above), but I agree it counts for nothing if the players don't turn up. 

It could be the best tactics in the world, but if players "don’t turn up, make mistakes, don’t pass well, don't move well" etc then it counts for nothing. 

And, I agree we were better in that second half in general. 

1 hour ago, Bluedell said:

I didn't think our tactics had anything to do with our first half performance. It was just very poor play from most of our team. 

 

I also didn't see much of a tactical shift in the second half. We just played better and their level of intensity dropped. 

There was a definite increase in tempo, or willingness to compete in that second half, I agree. 

However, there was also a definite shift in tactics. 

We couldn't get near them in the first half, and they were pretty much camped out on our 18 yard line. We stood off them, a la Europe, in a 4-3-3 but they outnumbered us so we couldn't maintain a compact block. 

Second half it was more of a 4-4-2 (Kent up front, Hagi in the 4, but it wasn't fixed) in defence, so we could maintain a more compact block, because we had the numbers to match them. They had fewer forays forward as a result. 

With Kent playing almost up front alongside Morelos, we had more of a presence with which to 'attack' and counter -- although, admittedly, we didn't do much. 

I would certainly agree they eased off in their tempo, maybe being unable to maintain it? 

Obviously the red card changes it too. 

But, that's what I saw. There was a definite tactical shift, for me, but I don't disagree with your comments about our poor play and tempo initially, and their drop in intensity.

1 minute ago, Frankie said:

I don't think the manager makes that sub unless Roofe was injured but I hope I'm wrong.

Or, he takes off Morelos instead?

18 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Primarily the latter imo. They set up to play their game, and it worked. They just didn’t have the quality to make anything of it. Hagi wouldn’t have had as much impact in the first half because Celtic were better then but the problem was our forward players gave us no relief whatsoever, they totally failed to keep the ball up the park, win free kicks or just do something with it (bar one counter attack run from Kent). That was made it so relentless. Hagi would have done those things a lot better because he has more technical ability and is better at winning free kicks. 

That was a big issue, I agree, which was excerbated by them outnumbering us, drawing us back and isolating our front three.

Hagi may have done better - he's certainly got the ability, but so has Roofe and he struggled. 

I think we had an effective tactical shift, with Hagi being the perfect player to fit into that. 

Just now, alexscottislegend said:

Why didn't you watch the game? Were you feart? Surely not.

I was "feart" and I watched it!

My nerves are still recovering!

The tactical shift changed the game, for me. 

Hagi was a big part of that, but I don't think he has the same influence if he's playing in that first half.

He may have created something out of nothing, but I think the tactics from the outset were wrong - or, we didn't get to grips with their tactics.

SKY obviously are enjoying replaying the stramash after the Duffy lunge -- are they suggesting Morelos is lucky to be on the pitch? Meh... -- but I like how most of our players were around, backing up their teammates. Even Aribo who is usually quite a calm and reserved individual.  

My pessimism won out!

Correct Result (1 pt): Everyone who entered, except Bill, GS and T-1000. 

Correct Number of Rangers Goals (1pt): Rousseau, Yorkie, BD and GS.

FGS (2 pts): -

Correct Score (3 pts): Rousseau, Yorkie and BD.

Latest Standings:

Mental toughness and heart. 

That's it, Rangers!

Absolutely out-played that first half, but clever changes, tactical and personell-wise, and we've turned it around. 

Phenomenal. 

I'm so proud. 

F*cking get in there!!!!!!

I'm not sure I like Zungu coming on at this late stage. 

He always seems off the pace. 

How many subs have we got left?

Well played Barisic, Aribo and Itten, there. 

4 mins?! Eh!?