Rousseau

2 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

I agree he could play the number ten role, but I'm reluctant to agree to your "quality over potential" preference.  I understand we have to feel some progress is being made, but this is just a sticking plaster approach to our rebuild.  We need to build our squad and club back up again and we can't be shelling out funds each year for players overnight the age of 30+.  We can't afford to do it and it takes valuable game time away from our younger players.  That doesn't make sense to me.  I'd rather we have a small number of older role models and really focus on developing our young players.  That means we have to be tolerant though, and I doubt that many of our fans are happy to accept that losing games due to individual mistakes is part of our journey back.

Yes, I wasn't suggesting we abandon that approach; far from it.

I was merely stating that we do need to improve the general quality now. But, we still need to acquire young potential.

4 minutes ago, stewarty said:

Don't get me wrong, I agree.   If he is prepared to come to us, then I assume he will give his all and be professional. 

 

But as we have seen many times, these are the sorts of things that are used as a stick to beat players, usually by those who are determined to make up their minds and refuse to budge despite any contrary evidence.

 

 

Yes, it's mental; to me anyway. Revealing any Celtic link seems to be the first port of call.

'So-and-so's available on a free in the summer.'

'Aye? Sounds good, but where does he stand with regards to the 17th Century battle of Royal succession?'

'...'  

There's a rumour that Bale is ready to leave Real Madrid on a free in the summer, but his teammate's brother's Bird's friend once liked a Celtic Tweet, so... FORGET IT!

We really can't be picky when it comes to new signings. They're professionals; any potential Celtic link is irrelevant.

11 minutes ago, buster. said:

A good manager, a good pre-season, fit players played in the right position and Dorrans would be one of several players already at the club that would be like 'new signings'.

I agree with this: we actually have a decent group. If only they were used properly. 

And yet, some seem to think we need a complete clear-out?

When's @der Berliner starting the Summer Transfer thread!!  

He's a known quantity, of good quality and played at a good level. He could play #10, and give Windass some competition.

But, he's getting on a bit.

A bit like Dorrans, actually.

I think we need quality at the moment over potential. We're slating Morelos, McCrorie, Docherty and (too a lesser extent) Windass at the moment, who're all players with potential.

1 hour ago, ian1964 said:

Manager Craig Levein emphasised the need for good possession prior to kick off and was frustrated by the number of times the ball was given away.

"I thought we could have won the game today," he said.

"I didn't feel Rangers were at their best. We assisted them on many occasions by coughing up possession of the ball too easily."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43858305

Their one attempt on goal was offside...

6 minutes ago, Frankie said:

I'm confident we'll get some nice kits from hummel and am pretty happy with the deal - ultimately money talks and we'll see what happens over the course of the deal.

 

I see Celtic have been launching their kit overnight with some light shows across Glasgow.

 

What ideas would you have for hummel to outdo them?

6 minutes ago, Big Jaws said:

There was roughly 25-35k at Ibrox today. With the silent protest the atmosphere was deathly quiet. I felt we were poor first half although we kept the ball for the most of it but did nothing to very little with it. Our passing and build up play was very, very slow! In fact the game was crying out for someone to shift it quickly or play around them with the one touch stuff we do when we can be bothered but no it wasn't to be.

 

Second half I missed the first goal for the sake of two pies.  Candeias came onto a game and to be honest for my money that wee man won us the game today. Windass got hooked and rightly so most of the game, in spite of being Rousseau's boi, he did nothing of any value instead he marked space all day. He was very rarely where the ball was going to be. The only time he did a thing I never seen it with the first goal as I said two pies cost me 5 seconds of Windass wizardry.

 

My overall take on the game was that we need to sharpen up, move the ball quicker and stop panicking about stuff that hasn't happened yet. Also when we're 2-1 up with 3 minutes added time to play the ball should be held near either of the oppositions corner flags. Game management needs addressed pronto!

How were the pies?  

1 minute ago, Big Jaws said:

There was roughly 25-35k at Ibrox today. With the silent protest the atmosphere was deathly quiet. I felt we were poor first half although we kept the ball for the most of it but did nothing to very little with it. Our passing and build up play was very, very slow! In fact the game was crying out for someone to shift it quickly or play around them with the one touch stuff we do when we can be bothered but no it wasn't to be.

 

Second half I missed the first goal for the sake of two pies.  Candeias came onto a game and to be honest for my money that wee man won us the game today. Windass got hooked and rightly so most of the game, in spite of being Rousseau's boi, he did nothing of any value instead he marked space all day. He was very rarely where the ball was going to be. The only time he did a thing I never seen it with the first goal as I said two pies cost me 5 seconds of Windass wizardry.

 

My overall take on the game was that we need to sharpen up, move the ball quicker and stop panicking about stuff that hasn't happened yet. Also when we're 2-1 up with 3 minutes added time to play the ball should be held near either of the oppositions corner flags. Game management needs addressed pronto!

But my bae set up the Murphy assist! If that's not Ballon d'Or form I don't know what is?!  

Seriously, he was quiet, but despite that he had a couple of half-chances, set up Murphy for a on-on-one and was involved in the goal set-up. Deservedly hooked? I don't think so. 

I thought we only looked good -- at times; too often it was pedestrian -- because Hearts sat off us and let us play. We did very little with the ball. 

Why is it an issue that our striker is greedy? Any striker worth his salt is greedy.

We'll need to beat Killie, and at least one of Hibs and Aberdeen to get second -- preferably all of them. 

His critics are just seeing what they want to see. What are the rest of the players doing behind? Just as much. 

His expression is a permanent sulk; that's just his expression.

He takes a temper tantrum after every miss, whether it's an impossible 30-yarder from an acute angle or a tap-in from 2 yards. 

IMO, of course. 

18 minutes ago, buster. said:

So up until today you were the Brechin City of the GPL ?

More like Chelsea a few years ago: imperious, consistent with a top-5 and a runners-up spot, then a disastrous run which saw me languish in the bottom half. 

5 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

We've passed up a few good chances here... could it be I'll get my first Correct Score in the GPL?!?!

2 minutes ago, craig said:

Holt has had an excellent game in there.  Just behind Candeais for my MOTM

Individually we have good midfielders, but we've not really had the right mix to make the most of them. Any one of Goss, Dorrans, Holt, Docherty, Jack, McCrorie have been excellent at times, but together we're still missing something.

We've passed up a few good chances here... could it be I'll get my first Correct Score in the GPL?!?!

3 minutes ago, craig said:

I’m not anti-Windass mate

 

But after 30 minutes I checked our line up and saw his name there and thought “FotMob must have made a mistake with their line-up”, that’s how little I’d seen of him

Yes, I know; you're probably the most objective when it comes to Windass.

Yes, he's not directly influencing things, but involved in the build-up. Our first saw him play a ball over for Murphy to assist; he didn't score, didn't assist, but he was involved.

Anyway, yes, he's not been great but I still feel he's had a good/decent game.  

I'm on course for my first Correct Score in the GPL, so we're probably due a goal.

Just now, craig said:

He’s done well 2nd half.  Anonymous first though.  And his decision-making has been poor

I don't disagree too much, but I counted a good 4-5 instances in that first half where he could've got on the end of something, was involved in an opening, or created something. He wasn't great, but few were. I still get the impression the majority see what they want to see -- that probably includes me, but in the opposite way. 

My bae's been good.

I don't like agreeing with Andy Walker -- who does? -- but he said Ranges have no fear against Hearts. As poor as we've been, I still expect us to win; it seems comfortable.

Aaaaand then they score...  

Just now, craig said:

Hopefully for Murray, not Candeais

 

Candeais is has been our best player by a mile today.  Probably our best player this season.

 

whilst Holt isn’t the strongest he is very tenacious and reads the game well.  He’s had a number of good interceptions in there today, particularly in advanced areas.

You mean Murty? That's what I meant.

Just now, Gonzo79 said:

He ran to Halliday, not the manager.

1 minute ago, Oleg_Mcnoleg said:

He didn’t. Went straight past him to Halliday

My mistake -- I just saw the 'huddle'. 

Probably still a kiss of death, though...  

Candeias going to the manager is probably the kiss of death -- he went to Pedro too...