BlackSocksRedTops

VAR wont change a thing about your basic Tims rational approach to decision making. If you start from a position that is riddled with paranoia and perceived injustice, you'll always find a way to bend the facts to suit your warped view. I deal with a range of Tims on a daily basis and they all have one thing in common...no matter what the situation is, they will never take a balanced view on any action that effects Celtic. It's impossible. It's akin to a cult IMO.

I feel that we've not brought a player in for a while that has made an impact on our first XI. We've bought a lot squad players IMO but nobody that has become an instant starter.

Can we just not have MOTM after a defeat? Simples

Just a wee post script from yesterdays disappointing game. I've paid very little attention to MSM thrrefore has much been made of this incident? At the time I thought it looked like a stonewall penalty but I think the commentator dismissed it as jersey wrestling between the 2 players. I can't recall Goldson grabbing the Celtic players top? Looked like one way traffic to me.

In his defence, did the shot from Hatate not arrive via a couple of players blocking his view? I might be wrong. I haven't watched it again and have no plans to tbh

Goes without saying that today was hugely disappointing. We should have built on our quick fire start but for some reason retreated and let them control the game. The 2nd half was so predictable and we could have played until midnight and got the same outcomes from the same pass/cross. Their CBs were getting to everything so I'm still bewildered that we persevered with the same one dimensional tactic. Oh well. The league was not lost today. It was lost in the countless draws against piss poor teams.

Numbskull loyal out in force. The mind boggles. Well done you fu**ing idiots.

McGregor should have claimed that IMO.

It comes with obvious risks but we need to play higher up the pitch. All our good moments have been when we have pressed high. There is too much space between holding midfielder/defence and attacking options which means when the ball breaks down they generally win it and start an attack.

I see Kyogo doesn't even feature in their squad. I also see Taylor starts. That has to be exploited IMO. I don't rate him at all.

Glad Balogun is in instead of Helander

Ramsey starts! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb4mp8WKBjn/?utm_medium=copy_link Lundstrum in a back 3 to allow Tav and Bassey to bomb forward?

Definitely! I've got a feeling Gio might play this like a Euro game.

How does anyone feel about the impact of the international break? I would have been more nervous 2 weeks ago but I'm hoping the break has stunted their momentum and means the game will be down to who reacts best post international break? Thoughts?

Feel like this has a draw written all over it. Morelos is a massive miss. Roofe is a big game player but he hasn't started many games of late. Feeling nervous. Hate these game with a passion.

As much as I can see us raising our game and beating the Tims, I can also see us going away and struggling to win against diddy teams. Hmphhhh...

If we dont win today, the so-called important matches will become irrelevant.

Agreed. We've basically thrown it away with this run of inept away day Sunday performances.

Not being wise after the event but why is Jack not starting? If he is on the bench he's fit IMO. Start the game with your strongest XI.

Interesting team. Just go at them from the first whistle and get this done Rangers. Drop any points today and you can kiss goodbye to the league title.

Just watched the highlights. Excuse my ignorance of the offside law but how is their first goal not offside? Their player is a yard in front of every player when the guy strikes the ball. I know he doesn't touch the ball but he within eye shot of McGregor and sure interfering with play?

Couldnt watch game due to work commitments and parent duties so I had the misfortune of relying on Radio Scotland in the car for the final score and the odd update in between car drop offs. Jesus...you would think they be happy that Scottish team went through. On no. Richard Gordon was keen to emphasise that Rangers were beaten and it was disappointing that they lost (despite getting into the last 8).

More Ukranian memories... My first experience of Dynamo Kiev was when the played the Tims in 85/86? Their performance at Darkhead was something I had never witnessed before. The Kiev players(Belanov, Blochin, Baltacha eta all) were amazing with their free flowing brand of quick passing football was a joy to behold. Think it ended 1-1 but it the Ukranians should have destroyed them tbh. My 2nd memory is when we played a year or so later. For the away game it kicked off in the afternoon (UK time) so we skipped school early to watch the live beam back at Ibrox. Archie was doing the commentary and my abiding memory was the amount of soldiers in the stadium of 90,000 and the huge floodlights providing light on a gloomy Kiev evening. And of course the return leg is the stuff of legends. Amazing.

Great post as ever John. With regards to the 1990 friendly, did big Oleg Kutsnetsov not score a beauty in the opening stages and we subsequently signed him shortly after? (Only to be injured in one of his first games)

Was Tavs performance directly related to the formation we used? We need him further up the pitch as that is where he does his best work and playing Lundstrum as a "sweeper" enables this IMO. Same with Bassey. Is almost like we are playing 3-4-3 at times.