BlackSocksRedTops

Match report on the Linfield website:

 

 

 

Read more here -> http://www.linfieldfc.com/matchreport.aspx?id=1000

 

Jamie Mulgrew : Rangers' class was there for everyone to see:

http://www.linfieldfc.com/interview.aspx?id=2346

I hate to be pedantic Linfield FC but it's Rangers not Glasgow Rangers

C'mon people. 4 games in and we are still finding our feet. Let's not get too critical. I have faith in MW and genuinely feel he will get this right. I am as disappointed as any other fan about our stuttering form but people need to seriously have realistic expectations. Considering where we have come from, I'd be more than happy with a healthy top 4 showing this year so we can use that as a foundation for the real challenge next year.

We've had lots of mediocre players who've hidden it with work rate. It's usually the work rate that endears them to fans.

Seeebooo!!!

I watched their match last night and assume they were at full strength.

They were pitiful. They have the look of eleven guys all playing for themselves with no plan at work. That's hardly surprising Brenda always struck me as one of those guys who just happened to get lucky. He'll stagger around from club to club leaving wreckage in his wake for as long as he's a manager.

Celtic were garbage last night there is no other word for it.

My expectations have risen after seeing that defence.

I rate Rodgers to a point. He got lucky at Liverpool with Saurez and a fully fit Sturiddge for a one off wonder season but as soon as Saurez left and Sturridge got injured, Liverpool dropped from potential Champions to the 7th/8th in the table

Sorry to go off message, but my immediate reaction to seeing and reading this was, "F**k me, the sooner we get a serious kit the better". Puma's little trip down memory lane to plunder the old UMBRO, NIKE, ADIDAS strips is horribly unimaginative IMO. Apart from the odd wacky away strip, I really like the simplicity of the new ADIDAS strips.

Back on message. Could Crooks fill the CB role?

Thanks for that dB. It has long been a bugbear of mine when we get called 'Glasgow.' My contention is that we were famous enough not to need the geographical soubriquet. I could accept it if Arsenal were known as London Arsenal or even Woolwich Arsenal but anglo commentators never see the need.

 

Surely no one could confuse us with Berwick Rangers or Stafford Rangers?

 

Pub quiz question: which English club contains the name of 2 Scottish clubs in its own name? (Queens Park Rangers).

Here's another Pub quiz cracker...What is unique about Rangers, Celtic, Arsenal, St.Mirren and Albion Rovers that sets them apart from all the other clubs in Scotland and England (playing in all 8 leagues)

Does anyone know what the deal is with Windass?

Whatever happens at Parkhead, I hope the outcome does not get overblown and derail what we are trying to acheive long term. It's one game in a long, long season. The priority for me is not the OF game but for us to find our playing pattern with the new additions and IMO that could take 8-10 games. If we can gather as many points as possible during that transition period and in turn be close enough to them in the league come the next OF game I'll be happy.

Good to see McKay getting a call up. Slightly surprised Wallace is not there but Roberston and Teirney there, I suppose they are younger. Not really sure what we learn from adding Steven Fletcher again? Must have naked pics of wee Gordon or something?

Non Catholics are not allowed into Catholic schools in Scotland I believe, you can only be Catholic if one of the child's parents attend Mass for a minimum of 6 weeks. That deems the kid an 'official' Catholic and therefore qualifies for Catholic education. Crazy here in Scotland. Non Catholic schools have Rangers and C*ltic supporters in the same classrooms, nothing wrong with that of course.

Not sure about the above tbh. My wee boy goes to a Catholic school (long story...) and in his class there are Pakistani and Chinese kids so I'm not sure how that works? I take a back seat with all the "protocol" as my wife is a Catholic therefore we didn't have to do anything. Not sure what happens with the Asian kids?

Arthur Numan always looked liked he was the 4th member of A-Ha. Still looks in great nick

I agree, Vardy didn't really score many more goals in a season with Halifax town as an example than he has in the EPL this season. During the 2010/2011 season with Halifax he netted 26 times which is probaly similar to his tally for this season with Leicester. It's difficult to judge how effective Crooks and Windass will be when surrounded by a better standard of team mates but as you say if Mr Warburton thinks they can do it I will trust his judgement.

Call me mental but I'm getting far more excited about the prospect of buying these guys from the lower leagues with potential than the dubious transfer policies we have used in the past. ie. Nearly 4million for Lafferty...I really like the idea of a manger that can spot a player and can build something

It might also be something to do with getting old and cranky but football has changed for me. For example, I no longer watch the Champions League as it leaves me cold and bored. Every year it's the same teams and the same games.

If he's that good you do wonder why no English club came for him. Anyway in Warbs we trust.

I think Jamie Vardy has made an ass of that type of statement. Agree 100% I trust MW so that's good enough for me

It's not really about religion in Scotland as such is it? Chances are the majority of people in Scotland are basically atheist as I am so why would anyone care about any religious doctrine that has no relevance for them? I don't care any more about religious mythology than I do about Santa mythology.

 

It's a form of tribalism that's rampant in Scotland with granted the tribes tending to form around a nominally religious stance even though they aren't religious. Might be more accurate to describe it as British v Irish. Whether some may like it or not we are British and no one seems to be acknwledging that the core root of this is an Irish element abusing the British flag and head of state all while voluntarily living under that flag and head of state.

 

I don't know if people outside the bizarre situation actually grasp that and think it's a religious divide when at core it isn't really. I don't know if even the English grasp that.

Christ. I'm Scottish and I don't begin to understand it

Not really I can see where people get that opinion from. Britain and especially the Union Jack is synonymous with the prodestant religion in Scotland. Anything like this should be thought of in majorities. Guessing but I would say the majority of Scotland's Catholics voted to leave the union while the majority of prodestants voted to stay. Obviously it's all subjective but think most people see Union Jack and think prodestant. The SNP in my opinion last week have shown without a doubt in my mind that they do not care for or look out for those they regard as pro British whether they consider those people by affiliation to be prodestant is pretty much impossible to tell.Rangers fans are regarded as being pro British and Prodestant for most that seems to go hand in hand even though if you took a consensus I would bet most of our support would lean toward atheists.

 

Don't know if anyone has ever done a split of the vote by religion would be interested in seeing it personally. I would strongly suggest based on nothing more than my circle of friends work colleagues etc that the vast majority of the 17% of the population who are classed as Catholic would have mostly voted for independence and the opposite for the percentage of Prodestants.

It’s an interesting debate indeed. Was there not a poll among Old Firm fans prior to the Referendum that showed more Gers fans were in favour of a Yes vote? From my own circles of family and friends, the overwhelming majority of No voters were all Celtic fans and I’m married into an Irish catholic family. From the 8 close mates of mine that are Rangers fans, 7 of them were all Yes voters and all 8 of them were Atheists. (I literally don’t know an actual Protestant to be honest) I think there is a large number of people who would use their vote in a referendum/election based on the perceived prejudice and bias against/for their team and fair doos to them but I’ll be honest I’ve never once entered the ballot box with Rangers in mind. I also think it’s easy for the press and other people to generalise about the Rangers fans but I’m sure if there was a survey showing the political, social and cultural breakdown the wider fan base, many people would be very surprised.

A lot of people view the independence as catholic v proddy. Rightly or wrongly it's a wide held view

That is utterly ridiculous tbh

Rule Brittania and God save the Queen gets booed and seems to generate a lot of hatred from opposition fans. So if we sing them is that inciting violence?

 

Scotland has as far as I can remember always been divided by religion. The independence movement added gasoline to that already burning fire. Until those in charge face up to the problem and the causes it's only going to get worse

What did religion have to do with the Indy debate?

was talking to a mate the other day who was going on about this. He took his son to a tour of the new walkway. The tour guide explained that the weird position and angle of the statue is on purpose so the European cup faces Ibrox. My mate said he was disgusted and lost for words . I'm always on at him saying its all about the Rangers so it hit a nerve!

Is that right? The clubs greatest achievement and they still have to somehow mention Rangers. Sad does not even cover it

How does this protect the integrity of the league. Instead of a hard trip to dens celtc get a neutral venue.

 

No no way. If they do I want one of our trips to Pittodrie moved to a neutral venue.

This. Have we agreed to this as a club or did we even get a say?

he's wrong about everything

 

also in the week celtc appoint brogers he's talking about Rangers?

That sadly has become the default topic for a lot of Celtic fans. I actually have mates who are season ticket holders at Parkhead who have distanced themselves from several other Celtic fans based on the fact that they are so concerned, nay obsessed about Rangers and all they talk about is what is happening at Ibrox. Weird

Maybe I missed something but can Hartson please provide evidence of Rangers "celebrating" the arrival of Barton? I think most people I've spoken to seem to be quite realistic and measured about the signing and have faith in our manager unlike 10,000 people turning up to see a new manager whose recent CV was far from glowing. Just ask Liverpool fans about Stoke's 6 goals. I also don't get the Barton is a massive Celtic fan guff. One or two tweets here and there and he is a massive fan. Stop mischief making Hartson.

As the Record is Celtic's official media partner it is hardly surprising that they continually write negative stories about our club. The sooner we strip them (and the other press too) of all access the better.

I agree 100%. Why do we need to have anything to do with the Record? It is an irrelevant pamphlet of lies. They need us to sell papers therefore they need us far more than we need them. Honestly speaking, who the feek buys The Record anymore?

Breaking news...thanks to advances in forensic software, the FBI have stated that the two suspicious characters spotted on the grassy knoll in Dallas in November 1963 were wearing Rangers tops. My god, you could not make this up. Did plod ever stop to think why so many people were angry? Instead of knecking another chicken pastie from Greggs, get into the Stadium and do your job. Take ownership of your mistakes and stop looking to blame someone else

Whatever the formation next season, we need to find a way to turn greater ball retention into more clean cut chances. We seem comfortable on the ball and that has to be encouraged but if you look the possession stats compared to shots, shots on target etc. it's poor IMO. I'd also like to see more shooting from outside the box. We seem keen to try walk the ball into the net sometimes

Interesting debate. As far as I'm concerned "morality" and football don't mix. Good luck to the club that rides such a high horse. Ultimately if the player can do a job for you on the pitch, that's where it's starts and stops for a manager IMO. Ok, Barton has his fair share of scraps on the pitch. He maybe opens his gob too much but I feel we need to show faith in the manager. He's obviously sanctioned this signing and believes that he can get the best from Barton as a footballer and as experienced pro.

On a side note about high horses and morality in football. Over the last few years I've taken some stick from some mates who are Celtic fans. Some of this stick has come the way of morality, Rangers and football. For example, when Rangers signed with Puma and SD, they were forever telling me about the terrible business practices of SD (indeed true) and how it suited a club like Rangers. I was quick to mention that they were currently sponsored by Nike, a company with a horrible track record in cheap labour and exploitation. Cue silence... Next it was when Rangers got a Betting co. to sponsor them. The moralising started all over about the ills of gambling and how it is wrecking so many lives. Fast forward 1 year or so later and the high and mighty Hoops have a betting firm sponsoring them. Like I said above, high horses and football don't work