BlackSocksRedTops

Thank God I can't see this...

3 hours ago, the gunslinger said:

Napoli are top of Seria A

And are unbeaten st home in the CL over the last few years if I'm not mistaken? They dismantled Liverpool last season in Naples and IMO, this will be a very difficult game. 

I think the best we could hope for tomorrow is scrappy draw or a low scoring defeat. 

We need Kent to show up. He's had a very poor start to the season IMO.

After watching Real dismantle the Dhims tonight, you do wonder about the step up in class. Real looked like they were playing a different sport at times. 

3 hours ago, Gonzo79 said:

I expect we'll lose by a couple in Amsterdam and then draw at Pittodrie.  

 

I hope I'm wrong.  

Who knows with this team? Sneak a win/draw at Ajax, then draw/lose at Aberdeen.  I would not be surprised.

18 minutes ago, MacK1950 said:

Going back to throw-ins the last time I can remember was when Candeias took one to Windass(I think) and a goal was scored.Now we have ONLY the full backs taking them and taking an eternity to do so.

When I took primary school football,many moons ago,I taught the kids how to keep the game flowing with quick throw-ins/free kicks.

That cannot be a task beyond Gio and his coaches.

Exactly. And don't get me started on our one dimensional corners...

John McLaughlin. He was the only player that found someone with a pass...

Oh wait...

The league is over. This is not based on yesterday but the fact that our overall away record is piss poor. We've backed ourselves into a corner which means we simply cannot afford to drop points. Can anyone see this team going on a 15 20 match winning streak? Last season and our form this season suggest otherwise.

6 minutes ago, Bill said:

Them taking quick throw ins was specifically mentioned by GvB in his post-match comments as something the team had failed to take on board, so it sounds like that’s down to the players.

If that's the case, then it's even more concerning.

2 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

Losing to much more expensively assembled teams isn't really being 'found out'.  

 

The domestic situation is the real concern, particularly our away form.  We knew how Celtc would play yesterday but the team didn't look prepared at all.  Why was that!?

We have about 30 coaches on the sidelines and yet no-one made the players aware that Celtic were tactically using quick throws and free kicks. To be honest everyone should be have been aware after the first time but when it happened again and again, that was criminal. 

7 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Yeh that’s very possible. I don’t have much confidence in Gio domestically at all, and yet his European success guarantees his safety for the foreseeable. I’ve resorted to pinning my domestic hopes on Roofe somehow staying fit for a longer period and getting a start in the right forward position, as he did in the 55 season. Emphasis on the word resorted. 

Where is the Roofe on the road to recovery? Not heard much 

Might be too early but it may be best to look ahead...

Ok. Who starts in goal? Is McLaughlin finished? I'm torn tbh

Mods feel free to retitle etc.

11 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

I don't disagree with you, but it's not personnel, for me. (Of course, that plays its part: they do have good players.)

 

It's the manager's philosophy. GvB's approach is stale. 

 

Switch the managers around, and we win.  

GVB seems to have merely adopted the same 4-3-3 system that was aleady showing staleness under Gerrard. Watching us grinding through the gears using much of the same methods yesterday was excruciating to say the least. Celtic were excellent yesterday in all departments but I would also state they were aided and abetted with our slow, sometimes suicidal and one dimensional play.

4 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

I’m trying to remain optimistic, but I agree it’s not realistic. 

I admire your optimism but our recruitment over the summer has only compounded my fears. We shall see. 

21 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Due to the World Cup break we don’t actually have long until the January Window is open. We also have a lot of games over the next few months and if these guys aren’t fit they won’t be able to play much.
 

Id suggest the guys that don’t want to be here like Kamara Kent and Morelos get better agents and GTFO. If Kent and Morelos don’t want to be here then they don’t play for me post January when the likes or Lowry and Matondo are fit. We will know by then if we are in a title race or not. If not throw these guys in and give them games. McCann too.

 

 

Title race? Is there one? They are already 5 points ahead with a healthy GD. We have to to go to Pittodrie and Tynecastle in 2 of our next 3 league games. I would be gobsmacked if we get 6 pts from those 2 games, especially given the fact they are sandwiched between a glut of demanding CL fixtures. 

The league is over IMO. It was put out of its misery yesterday but was fatally wounded at Easter Road. They are simply not going to drop points against anyone else. We had to go into this game on level terms but we entered the game knowing that they were ahead already.

To be honest, the fixtures have not been kind. If we were to pick our 5 toughest away fixtures in this league I would gather that the majority of fans would say Parkhead, Pittodrie, Easter Rd. Tynecastle and Livvies plastic monstrosity. Its curious how they have all popped up in 5 of our 9 opening fixtures. Does Peter Liewell have shares in the technology that decides the fixtures? 

5 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

We have talented and capable players.

 

Do any of them have any passion though?

Exactly why Arfield would have started for me. 

8 minutes ago, the gunslinger said:

you can't win spending 12 million to 40. 

Yes you can. If you have the right players who fit in to a coherent system. At this stage, I'm not sure what our system or playing identity is under Gio.

10 minutes ago, DMAA said:

We’ve lost the recruitment battle badly in recent windows and that’s the crux of the matter for me. The fact we are still reliant on Davis and Jack says a lot. They picked up O’Riley for peanuts, why aren’t we finding these players?

I think it's more telling that basically everyone that their manager has brought in has made an immediate and consistent impact. Jeso, Hatate was basically off the taxi from Glasgow airport and destroyed us in an OF game. Even the the guy they signed this week came in the cup and fitted in seamlessly. 

1 minute ago, MacK1950 said:

Think that Gio will have to scrutinise the video of the game and hopefully realise that free kicks/throw-ins  will have to be taken more quickly especially throw-ins as we seem to take an eternity with them.

At least our throw ins and corner kicks are hugely effective...🙄

8 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Trophy count is all that matters.

What trophy? I couldn't give a flying f**k about the cups. Jesus Christ, St. Johnstone won 2 cups recently. The league is all that matters. Domestic cups are nice days out but meaningless baubles in the end. 

9 minutes ago, Bill said:

What does it matter how good or bad they are in the CL? What difference will that make to what we witnessed today or our chances the next time we meet them? It's exactly this kind of point-scoring pissing contest that hides the truth.

This. With huge f**king bells on it. Well said sir. 

19 minutes ago, Bill said:

The solution to this mess obviously lies with the management and players but I think there's also a need for some realism among the support. Since witnessing a humiliating defeat, where our rivals gave us the proverbial runaround for 90 minutes, I repeatedly read about how Celtic are "shit", "ordinary", "nothing special" and that if we had only turned up today we would surely have beaten them. This, of course, is pure delusion. From what I've seen, Celtic are better than us in every department. They pass better, they're direct, they're faster, hungrier, more aggressive,. They're better organised, more coordinated and appear to be far better prepared and motivated.

 

Postecoglou isn't a fat useless Aussie, he's a serious manager who has a considerable track record of success and clearly understand what it takes to be the number one team in this parish. In a single season he's transformed a sinking ship, won the league, reached the CL group stages and created a team that is miles ahead of Rangers. So perhaps we need to give the Devil his due and admit the magnitude of the task facing Rangers.

 

How is it possible there could be such a gulf in class between the teams we watched today? I didn't expect it to be so glaring and admit to being taken aback by how good they were. One thing is for sure, the distance between the two sides won't be closed by failing to admit it exists.

I have to agree Bill but regardless of the quality of our opponents the commitment and lethargy of some of our players was shocking. I would say all of the goals were somewhat self inflicted and were preventable if we are on it today. That's not to say that Celtic would not have won but if you insist on handing gifts to a talented team you will get punished. 

I had my reservations about our transfer business prior to the window closing and I think I will be proven right. I'm sure we've signed some players that will come good but to enter a season that will include CL football with Colak as our only focused and fit striker was criminal IMO. Even more so when we have a £5 million pound back up player on the bench (not a criticism of Ridvan BTW). 

3 minutes ago, PoohBear said:

I'm still astonished at how the team could not adapt to the quickly taken free kicks and throw ins that Celtic were doing. It was such a simple thing to see and it seems no one in the team caught on.

Gio even mentioned this in his post match interview but somehow this wasn't communicated onto the players on the pitch. Baffling. 

5 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

He slows every attack down imo. We need more direct players. Not someone stopping the ball, spinning and doing a couple of stopovers then trying the beat the 5 guys that tracked by while he was checking himself out in the mirror 

Coming round to this way of thinking to be honest. 

10 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

He’s an upgrade on Itten. 

Hardly a massive improvement to the team then.