DMAA

Tavernier isn’t being dropped. He’s being criticised for his defensive play and that’s where Zukowski is weak. I’ve only seen highlights but trust me, he’s got a lot to work on defensively going by the goals he cost his team. Better at dribbling than Tavernier and faster but he’s a backup. 

7 minutes ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

Bassey at LB and Balogun at CB for the foreseeable. Too soon for the Polish guy at RB?

Definitely, he’s not Tavernier’s standard. 

1 out of ten for GVB. The 1 is for making 3 subs at half time. 

Even though we’ve controlled the second half we’ve done nothing with it because we’re toothless up front. It would have at least been some sort of consolation to deny them a clean sheet and reduce the deficit. 

Aribo is passing the buck here

Kent every time, get someone else on

Certainly helps to have Ryan Jack back on the pitch. 

5 minutes ago, PoohBear said:

Kent beaten himself too many times tonight.

Gets in so many good positions and it comes to nothing every time. 

49 minutes ago, Bill said:

The only thing that makes me think a Rangers win is possible is the lift the dressing room will have had from the signing of Aaron Ramsey.

The signing of Diallo is more significant for me tonight. I’ve long thought our supporting forwards/wide forwards just aren’t good enough. It’s only been one game but I think Diallo brings far more creative quality to our front line and much more of a goal threat. 

Have to disagree about crowds, they do affect games and our players have been affected by it often enough. 

56 minutes ago, compo said:

not having 60 000 of them annoying me and the wife ,

Their songbook must be the most repetitive and mindless in football. Ceeeeltic ceeeeltic followed by oh oh oh oh ceeeeltic and then repeat. It’s mind numbing stuff. 

I do have a slight concern in terms of our change in system for this game. Gerrard’s system really worked against Celtic, the two supporting forwards played narrow and blocked the usual passing channels to McGregor and Brown and Celtic couldn’t figure out how to build attacks and we’d eventually get the ball back. Gio’s style is less compact and difficult to break down in bigger games I think. 

27 minutes ago, Frankie said:

McGregor may yet feature for them as he trained today.

Potegcoglou might just be trying to throw us off by saying that. Could just be non-contact training he is doing.

12 minutes ago, Frankie said:

McGregor may yet feature for them as he trained today. Maeda also on his way back from Japan as we speak.

 

My team would be:

 

McGregor

Tavernier | Goldson | Bassey | Barisic

Arfield | Kamara | Aribo

Amad | Roofe | Kent

 

However, there's something telling me there may be a curve-ball in our team tomorrow. Not Ramsey FWIW but possibly Helander or even Lundstram. Sakala may also start instead of Amad.

 

Presser is imminent so we may know more soon...

That looks like the obvious team to me. You could make the case for having a more defensive midfielder like sands in there instead of Arfield if it’s a 4-2-3-1 type formation. 

On 30/01/2022 at 22:10, Bill said:

Remembering that a draw suits us more than them I'm not sure I would persist with three up front, at least not for the first 45 to 60 minutes. This feels set up for one of Walter Smith's classic "soak it up, hit on the break" games. The key is going to be denying space in defence and still competing in midfield. All being well we could revert to a more usual structure with Diallo or Sakala adding pace. 

 

McLaughlin

Tavernier   Goldson   Balogun   Barisic

Jack   Sands

Aribo Kamara Kent

Itten 

That team shows them far too much respect. We should going out to dominate a Celtic team without McGregor, Bitton, Turnbull, Rogic and Kyogo. I don’t think we will, but we shouldn’t be setting up to counter attack. 

1 hour ago, Rousseau said:

I believe Ramsey is not fit (match fitness) enough for Wednesday. 

 

I think I read that he's targeting the game at the weekend. 

Yeh he said in his interview it was probably too soon. Maybe an appearance off the bench but who knows. 

I would love to know the twists and turns that went on through that window. Diallo said talks with Rangers only begun last Monday. RW himself said Ramsey happened very fast. So you have to wonder what the plan was if those players hadn't come up, or worked out. This could be a very different discussion!

At the end of the day, he has done exceptionally well to bring both players to the club. And there's every chance he came close to other signings that would have been very good but they didn't work out. There's just no way for us to know, the main thing is we have come out of the window looking very good. 

1 hour ago, Rousseau said:

I, for one, was always confident we'd get Ramsey. 

 

I just didn't want to jinx it with bad juju... 

 

I never doubted it for a second. 

 

NOT A SECOND!!

I was wondering where you'd disappeared to yesterday after trying to get us back onto more realistic targets 😀

16 minutes ago, craig said:

Won't be making another bid after Hearts refused the latest.  Now depends on Hearts

I don't expect anything to happen. They don't seem to want to lose him at all and we aren't going to be bullied into giving away money. 

7 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

 

Would have been an excellent signing 

My expectations were pretty high after we sold Patterson, but had been falling every day since and this time last week I was expecting a couple of loans. I was expecting Ejaria/Ojo type academy players.

Diallo, Ramsay and a permanent back up right back has far exceeded my expectations. It's an incredible surprise on the final day. Apparently there is more to come too.  

Announcement from Rangers can't be that far away, 5ish maybe.

Just now, craig said:

It is less injuries and more selection that Ramsey has missed games, though he has had some niggles.

 

Paul Merson reckons he would be a remarkable signing for us.  I am inclined to agree so long as he stays fit and healthy.  Still "only" 31 and one would have to think would ultimately replace Davis in the squad.

According to Transfermarket he had a muscle injury through December.

3 minutes ago, Bill said:

Glorious

He's not worried at all though