BlackSocksRedTops

It's incredulous to think that if we score 3 or more goals today we surpass our goal tally from title win 55 and even surpass Ange Ball's wonder team from last season. In a season littered with misses chances and lack of cutting edge, that is hard to fathom.

15 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

Goldson's injury had more impact than the beatings.

A combination of both

3 hours ago, Gonzo79 said:

It's simple, if that lot keep qualifying for the CL and we keep qualifying for the EL, they'll be winning the league until the cows come home.  

 

I'll take an occasional spanking in Europe if it means we can start winning the league regularly again.

Not sure it's that simple. IMO the spanking we took in Europe this season hugely impacted our domestic season. We went from a team that were competing in a UEFA final to a team that looked miles off the pace in the space of 3/4 months.

9 hours ago, Bill said:

Agreed.

We are going to start the season with a dressing room full of players who understand nothing about the club.

 

How important is that? Our rivals have just won 2 league titles on the bounce with a squad comprising of Japanese, Greek, American, Israeli and Swedish players who probably didn't understand much about the club. If they are good enough, they'll win things. It's that simple IMO. 

5 hours ago, BEARGER said:

Seems the club are having a trial at McGregors benefit game, singing section in Copland. Also whole Broomie has been given to Newcastle fans, what a coincidence.

Will there be auditions...?

1 minute ago, CammyF said:

Another game we should have won by 3 or 4 goals. Anyway, just 1 more game to enjoy / endure.......

We knew this much before the game. This point was only reinforced once again tonight. Oh for a Negri or a Mols...

Biggest takeaway from tonight and the last few weeks is that we have done some good business in the transfer market with Cantwell and Raskin. For me, they are the first signings that have had an impact on the first XI in ages. 

58 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

If MB continues with the 4-3-1-2, I don't see a place for Lawrence.

 

He won't play as the #10 over Cantwell or Dowell. 

 

Maybe if we play with two #10s, which MB has switched to in certain games (e.g. Hibs).

We need a strong squad not just a desired optimum starting XI. Lawrence may not always start in that set up but he has shown he can make a huge contribution.

2 minutes ago, Bill said:

Injured during preps for the game

👍

On the goalie front, I noticed Hennessey was on the bench for Forest yesterday. What age is he? 34ish? Always thought ge was half decent (for Wales at least..). 

5 minutes ago, Bill said:

That explains why Scott Wright didn't feature today. I thought that was a strange omission from the squad.

What's happened Bill? Have been dipping in and out today.

Another weekend and another bag of positives. With the right additions in the summer, I feel we are going to progress under Beale. Imagine we had a Kyiogo in our team? We would genuinely destroy teams.

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Jack Butland agrees terms is latest rumour. 

Not sure about this. Would rather keep McCrorie as No.1, buy a cheaper option for no.2 and then the funds went to other areas of the pitch. Just hope we don't end up with a Barkas situation. 

6 minutes ago, Devil's advocaat said:

Mainly as US sports are so protracted affairs, they have to make up numbers to keep folks interested.

 

Stats work for certain parts of football, but they ain't the be all, not at all. Ryan Kent gets it tight for his stats, but I'd bet my last shillin that Neil McCann or Davie Cooper wouldn't have had any better.

 

First leg of the City v Real semi final was a perfect case in point, Jack Grealish never beat his man once*, but according to the stats was the most creative player on the park. This is basically as he rolled the ball back to someone to have a shot, as he couldn't make any progress.

 

*FWIW he was very good in last nights game.

He beat many players last night. It was his final ball that let him down.

Bit off topic but I've seen some misleading headlines but this takes the biscuit...

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/23524238.giovanni-van-bronckhorst-lifts-dutch-title-first-job-rangers/

20 minutes ago, CammyF said:

But he did always seem to score goals that mattered. 

I know but if we had a striker playing today that was effectively 1 goal in 3.5 games, we would be asking questions. 

11 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Powell? 

 

Edit: Did you mean Dowell?

Probably...🙄

So what are the updates.. ? 

According to Heart and Hand and Rangers Review journalists, Powell and Stirling are done deals. Anything else to report/speculate over...?

7 hours ago, der Berliner said:

He might not become a cult figure like Nacho Novo, but essentially plays in a similar role with similar effect:

 

Nacho Novo - Games: 228 - Goals: 62 - Assists: 21

 

Fashion Sakala - Games: 88 - Goals: 21 - Assists: 15

 

... and IIRC, Novo hardly faced the brickwall attitude that we see nowadays with Scottish teams. He sure is one of these "attackers" that are not a typical centre-forward type, but has been rather effective on the right side of our attack than most players out there for the best part of three seasons. Only Cantwell has outshone his contributions in terms of goals, assists, and goal involvements this year. I'd even go as far as saying that without these two players, the year 2023 would have been a far more dire affair indeed.

 

He's got a contract till 2025 and I for one hope that he stays for at least this long. 

 

God, that's a poor return for Novo tbh. 

Only as a squad player. Not first pick. 

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Palma on the bench today. Possibly protecting their asset?

I also noticed Andre Grey plays up top for Aris.

A few confirmed signings and maybe a preview of next seasons strip to take us into the summer...

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Because they have improved their squad every window since 55, they have automatic access to CL money and will sell a player or two for an over inflated price and purchase replacements. Its what they do and have done for years with one exception and they have learned from that mistake. 

 

I get that but they had to improve their squad after 55 so there was no great surprise they have moved forward. There is still no no guarantee that any new players coming in will suddenly improve them from the positionthey are in now. The same applies to us obviously. 

15 minutes ago, CammyF said:

It might not be as strong as they think, but it's stronger than ours, way stronger. 

 

I did enjoy yesterday but one swallow doesn't a summer make, especially when it's a "meaningless" game. 

 

We need quality signings in the summer as they will improve their squad and will not have CL qualifiers to negotiate early in the season. 

 

Typically at Rangers, at the start of next season MB will be one defeat away from a crisis and calls for his head. Heck some want him gone now. 

How do we know they will improve? Most of their fringe players looked bang average yesterday and most were Ange signings. Its not a given that they will improve on what they have got.