CammyF

But Gerrard and Gio had options as to who played number 9 and they all brought something different to the team. Morelos - strong and could score. DeFoe - most natural finisher we've had since McCoist. Roofe - best finisher we've had since McCoist. During 55 season we had those 3 plus Kent, Aribo, Tav, Arfield all chipping in with goals and assists. You could even add in Barisic assists as well. We've gone from that to a situation where if Dessers (taking away any discussions of his ability) doesn't score, we don't score. And we're wondering why we can't win games? It's being marketed as a "rebuild" but in reality is cost-cutting and points to our financial situation being worse than we all think.

Just had a wee catch up with a mate and inevitably the conversation quickly veered onto our beloved Rangers. When discussing Clement's time my mate mentioned that Clement's best result and performance was away to Betis which is hard to disagree. The team that night included Davies, Barisic, Cifuentes, Dessers, Lammers and Roofe. In fact, his best spell and run as Rangers manager featured those mentioned above. So what happened? How did we go from beating Betis away and sitting top of the league (and being favourites to win it) to where we are now?

I really haven't - we were never in a position to squander £1M+ on a project in the summer (no matter who he was or position he plays). What we needed were starters who were going to contribute from game one. If Igamane was a free (or a development fee) I could have understood it. The extent of Danilos initial injuries were known and we knew he'd struggle to make the start of the season so by using £1M on Igamane Clement chose to go into season with 1 fit striker no matter how you paint it. That 1 fit striker was also coming back from injury picked up in SCF.

So who's fault is it? Clement and Clement alone decided to start this season with 1 fit striker and spent over £1M on a player who he told us wasn't ready to start. That £1M+ would have been better spent on a striker (or a number 6) who could have contributed before October (Igamane still isn't contributing and Danilo is still injured). We are basically trying to win cups, leagues and progress in Europe with 1 striker. Why can't Clement be held fully to blame / responsible for that?

That's been the story for most of the season along with no other player chipping in goals with any regulatory. Like it (or him) or not, over the last 5 years Tav has been our main source of assists and has also scored an incredible amount of goals. These have dried up and its (mainly) because the way Clement plays. We haven't replaced those assists and goals. Tav shouldn't be playing especially if he is curtailed from attacking, that's his strength and it benefits the team. I just can't see what Clement is trying to do style / formation wise.

Has had two windows and has chosen not to sign one (outwith a "prospect') and then decided to start this season with one fit #9.

We wouldn't know until we tried it but I don't know of any of our CBs have played in a 3 (maybe Souttar for Scotland)? But we all know Clement is going to change his formation. Also, I'd be playing Balogun in defence as think he's the best natural defender we have.

He is - still doesn't mean we'll see him starting constantly ahead of Dessers this season. He has suffered 2 serious injuries and hasn't played for months.

I think we'll be lucky if we see Danilo back this season.

Very good analysis from CJ Novo

I was thinking more of Aribo, Bassey and Kamara. Combined cost less than £1M and sold for in excess of £30M. The players you listed cost in excess of £10M and will be lucky (under current form) to break even on them.

Yet to see their quality. Cortes constantly injured Diomande hot and cold Iganane (never heard of him) can't dislodge Dessers Jefte about the best out the bunch but not as good as prime Barasic Diomande and Cortes cost us £4.5M each - hardly seems value for money at the moment. So I don't get your point at all

Again, good coaching of average players will also only get us so far. It's a difficult task but we need to find quality players who are young, ambitious and willing to use Rangers as a stepping stone to top leagues. The hard part is identifying these players and signing them before any other club discovers them.

As well as statistically, it's also obvious the performance levels have dropped dramatically and are about as bad / worse than what we witnessed under Beale.

Jefte as he was the less rubbish than the rest.

Or realistic?

Clement is to blame of our inability to win games, not Aberdeen. This is now his team, his signings, his tactics, his training, his fitness regime etc. 1 solitary goal away from home says it all, that's nothing to do with Aberdeen and all to do with Clement/players.

Or the current board take a hands-off approach and hire the correct people to run the club. Either way, we need change and we need it now.

The attendance on Thursday will be interesting. We couldn't sell out against Lyon so I'm expecting less than 35,000 on Thursday. £50 for a single match ticket (£30 for concessions) is hardly making it attractive for fans to turn up in numbers. Issue for fans is most have paid for tickets so not going is only going to "hurt" fans not the club (other than optically).

But this is the rule rather than the exception. 1 title in 13 years shows we are serial runners up, we are miles behind Celtic and regressing at an alarming rate. The board are not fit for purpose and killing the club with their mistakes, indecision etc. The fans are used to losing, to poor performances other than 55 and run to EL Final. Rangers are no longer the club / institution we once were. Previously leaders now drifting closer to Abderdeen, Hibs and Hearts than being Champions. It'll not change as long as the current board are in charge.

Was the type of player you didn't really notice until he wasn't playing (if that makes sense). Must have been a dream to play alongside - did the dirty work then gave the ball to the football players!

Actually, naw.... Decided to stop off in Blackpool.on way home from Manchester airport and currently being acquainting myself with storm Ashley. Thought I'd seen the last of storms after Hurricahone Milton. Maybe it's the wind of doctrine (there's this weeks Sunday School homework).

I always thought that Nigel Spackman didn't receive the credit he deserved.

Says the fan who said he'd think about jacking it if Kent resigned #staunch

We did get an initial "bounce" when Clement took over and were in pole position to win last seasons title. Clement then, for some reason, decided to tweak the way we played, made some very questionable team selections / subs which saw our form fall off the cliff. We ended the season way behind Celtic. This season started the way last finished and almost mirrors Beales time as manager (signs of trouble in pre-season and early league games). We sacked Beale but have, for some reason, backed Clement with a new contract. It took SG 3 seasons to eventually win the league but what we did witness was a genuine progress season on season. It's also worth remembering the mess SG inherited. What he did manage to do was to find a way to beat Celtic on a continual basis to a point when we actually approached the OF games with a sense of knowing we'd win. Now we enter them (and other games) with a sense of trepidation. There are genuine question marks over all off Clements signings. None have illuminated the team. There are also genuine questions around Clements tactics and playing style. There are also questions around his inability to change the injury situation and getting the best out of players. Both were mentioned specifically by Clement when he took over. It's hard to see / point to any reason as to why we should continue to back / trust him as the manager we need to turn us around (other than we can't afford to sack him and his team). We are now the (joint) lowest away scorers in the league, utterly embarrassing.