JFK-1

Hopefully we can consider Ross County rock bottom and find a bit of consistency starting with Dundee at Ibrox because the next 4 games could put us right back on track despite all the recent disappointments. We're unbeaten at Ibrox in over a year and tend to play better there so if they turn up and put in a similar performance to that against Kilmarnock call that stage 1 of the recovery. Following Dundee at Ibrox will be Partick away which again if they can just get some consistency going should really be another win. After that are two crucial matches which are they key to putting us back into the minimum second spot we require from this season. Away to Hearts then the sheep at Ibrox just 3 days later. Take full points from all 4 of these matches and we're back on track. Now obviously given the recent inconsistency that may amount to a wish list on my part rather than a likelihood but I still believe this team are indeed capable of it if they just get the sleeves rolled up and their arses into gear. Ideally we want to be in a good position for the winter break and January window when we have been promised some team strengthening.

Don't know anything about his qualities but would guess if he were signed he may come to us unfit to play.

Might escape notice that Totenham are the only team in the entire league still unbeaten and the only one of the top 4 who have played Liverpool and come out with a point. Liverpool have defeated both Arsenal and Chelsea away from home and drew with Totenham away from home and that's an impressive return by any standards. How many others will take 7 points from 9 away from home against top 4 opposition? The only current top 4 side Liverpool haven't played is City and that's going to happen at Anfield on hogmanay no less. If Liverpool continue winning between now and then and beat City they will begin to look like Champions. Might be in their favour that they have no Euro distractions though neither do Chelsea.

Pity Brendan couldn't reap the rewards of Brendan's genius

I think there was obviously a problem even before the season kicked when he declined to sigh a new contract.

Well that's certainly useful to know. I suppose I shouldn't expect PNE fans to know that considering I didn't.

I don't know anything about it. Saw it on a PNE forum talking about Barton leaving Rangers.

If it's true that the manager never wanted him which he may have made apparent to Barton then there is every chance this was always on the cards with such a volatile character. http://www.scotzine.com/2016/11/stress-barton-has-stress-rangers-fans-react-to-new-development/

Some sources now saying he is leaving with 8 weeks wages. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/joey-barton-rangers-mutually-agree-9221743#rlabs=3%20rt$category%20p$3

Seems the pundits may be converging on the view that Liverpool may be on track this season. And I would say if they do win the league the reputation of Klopp will go stratospheric given the massive financial advantages others have. BBC article pointing out some interesting statistics.

I would estimate Joey Barton is probably worth a minimum £12 million and probably comfortably more. He was at Man City for 5 years earning a reported £4 million a year and that's aside from his Newcastle, QPR, Marseille and Burnley earnings. He doesn't need money and in fact if he were money orientated he wouldn't have come to us at all. As things stand he will be as keen as the club is to end this and move on. I really think he would go for free or for a fraction of his contract value. Maybe paid up till January when the window opens.

Last I heard Burnley were up for taking him back.

He's not about money, I think he would agree a contract termination for nothing or at worst a lot less than the value of the remainder of his contract. Chances are he already has alternative offers worth at least as much or even more than his Rangers contract.

And arguably may be even more unstoppable if Klopp conducts a bit of shrewd January window business and you would imagine if he told the board a player or two might bring the title they would be right behind him. Even if just to guarantee a champions league spot which at this stage looks highly likely anyway. The bookies currently have City favourites for the title with Liverpool just behind them as second favourites.

So far it looks like form may be erratic but I still think they could find some consistency and comfortably take second spot. We all agree we have been playing crap, can only get better and yet while playing crap we're ahead of Hearts and only 1 point behind the sheep. How crap are they? What will it all look like if we just find some consistency?

Well that's not entirely what it's about though. Looking at it Chelsea have been beating teams anybody in the top 4 would expect to beat including Hull, Leicester and Southampton who have a total of 8 wins between them from a total of 30 matches between them. When playing top 4 they have lost each time while Liverpool have won each time. I'm detecting that you have some emotional involvement with Chelsea? I have no such attachment to either of them and i'm simply looking at it from a perspective of Liverpool looking awesome while beating the contenders away from home which also adds up to an easier run in. Liverpool are also the highest scoring team in the league and it might just be their time with what has to be one of the best managers in the world right now who has achieved wonders at Dortmund who have nothing like the resources and history of Liverpool. Any of the top 4 can win this league I simply get the feeling as I said that Liverpool look totally awesome and can beat anyone in the top 4 either home or away and like I said it might just be their time.

Liverpool win 6-1 and go top. Interesting to watch the reaction of Klopp when Watford got one. Despite being 5-0 up at the time and the points well in the bag he was livid.

So if Chelsea are 'on form' what are Liverpool? I'm watching them right now, 5-0 up on Watford with 30 minutes remaining. And consider this. Watford are just 3 points behind Everton and have a far superior recent record. Everton have won just 1 and lost 3 of their last 6 while until today Watford had won 3 and lost just 1of their last 6. And Liverpool have also already beaten both Arsenal and Chelsea away from home so their only remaining league games against that pair are at Anfield.

County 0 - Rangers 4 FGS Garner

There can be no doubting the defence has improved with him in it. I couldn't say if that's down to the fact that he happens to be in it dealing with situations that weren't dealt with before or if his vast experience is improving his central partners. Maybe a bit of both. I liked this part of what he said. Here's hoping, we're going to find out in less than 11 hours.

[tweet]795048496957161472[/tweet]

Yeah I hope so too. They play entertaining football and I like Klopp.

East Kilbride surpassed Ajax's run of 26 successive wins and matched the record of 27 set by Hereford FC - watched by representatives of the Amsterdam giants. Declan Hughes scored either side of a Ross McNeil goal for the Lowland League leaders in a 3-1 win over BSC Glasgow. Ajax's 1971-72 run was at the highest level of competition in the Netherlands so remains the official world record. Hereford's run came to an end in January of this year. The Bulls - formerly Hereford United, who were wound up in December 2014 - were playing in the ninth tier of English football, while the Lowland League is the fifth level of senior football in Scotland. Ajax, the Amsterdam club who have won the European Cup four times, sent two members of their club TV department to cover East Kilbride's match. The visitors from the Dutch capital delivered cases of beer to the winning side and a video message of congratulations from Edwin van der Sar, the former Netherlands and Manchester United goalkeeper, who is now a marketing director at Ajax. East Kilbride manager Martin Lauchlan: "It was relief because I don't think we played particularly well - I'll need to have a word with the boys about that. "But we're absolutely ecstatic to get 27 wins; I would say it's the biggest day of my career. It's the biggest achievement I've had but I don't want to take credit away from the players." On the presentation from Ajax and message from Edwin van der Sar: "It was a special moment and a touch of class. Ajax have been very respectful of us. They have tweeted a few times, but to send over 27 crates of beer and two bottles of champagne just makes it special and I would like to say a great thanks to them. "I'll be expecting a couple of flights over to Amsterdam to thank Edwin! But absolute quality for a world superstar to recognise East Kilbride. "It's a special day. I don't really know what to say because I'm overwhelmed with that." http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37885956

Around 7 weeks ago. A long season liable to many adjustments.

So tomorrow if we win there will be another sub-headline from this rag? Sheep ousted. If they were any side at all they would have been leaving us trailing in their wake given our admittedly poor start. It baffles me that there has been no press screaming about how crap they are when we will again be ahead of them with a win tomorrow yet we have been crap and admittedly so but they're not?