[FT] Kilmarnock 0 - 0 Rangers

[Davie P 4]

This year the team has stagnated. There has been no discernible, sustainable progress on the playing front. A stagnant pool. That is the best description of current circumstances.

 

Therefore, and any way you look at it, PC needs to redd out his playing staff at the end of the season.

That much is obvious; what is, but, perhaps, has not been so clear, is the extent of change required to make an acceptable impact; it needs to be significant. Ideally it would be.

 

Realistically, however, constraints on finance, and on available time (Europa Qualifiers will arrive precipitately), will militate against a quick turn around. The process of change will be, perforce, incremental, over this summer, and that of 2018. Unfortunately, it looks like we will have to settle for some moderate change, and consequently modest progress next season.

I do hope that I am wrong here.

 

Nail-on-head. I was hoping that we may get a bit of a dead cat bounce from the current team following the appointment of Pedro, but the players just look like they have been told that they are finished with the club come the summer and are counting the days. It is hard to believe that they are genuinely playing for their place and if this is the best that they can offer, then unfortunately, there will have to be a major clear out. Wes, perhaps Wilson, perhaps Wallace (horrible defensively, but decent going forward), Holt (I thought he was one of the better players last night), McKay (needs to up his game or change position), perhaps Windass (potential) perhaps Kranjcar (depending on fitness) - other than that I am struggling to find any redeeming reasons for continuing with the remainder of the current squad. Obviously finances and Europa qualifiers dictate that we are unable to do so, but it would seem that the current team are just unable to adapt to the higher league.

[scotjo 19]

I tend to agree with the sentiments. We suck offensively: too many players are isolated, make wrong decisions and/or just fail to hit the bloody target. We peppered their box with crosses but outwith a few Garner headers we didn't do enough; there was no quality. Hyndman was anonymous for me; I wasn't really surprised when he came off (partly because of the surface too I suspect). Too many players dawdle on the ball, wanting too much time; and there was no tempo. Second half was better, but still not good enough.

 

The only positive for me was the performances of the youngsters -- Bates had a shaky start but grew into the game, using his strength and height, and Beerman was decent going forward and did ok against a brute in Sammon -- and the fact that we did well defensively -- we weren't really troubled outwith the odd corner and Tavernier getting caught upfield leaving the Killie winger loads of space. I think the double pivot is helping; Holt was quite good for me, bringing lots of energy and breaking up play etc. Halliday can't control a ball and on the rare occasion he does he passes it back; Toral is significantly better.

 

Holt has much improved over the past month. More like the player of last season.

Edited April 6, 2017 by scotjo

[Oleg_Mcnoleg 50]

This year the team has stagnated. There has been no discernible, sustainable progress on the playing front. A stagnant pool. That is the best description of current circumstances.

 

Therefore, and any way you look at it, PC needs to redd out his playing staff at the end of the season.

That much is obvious; what is, but, perhaps, has not been so clear, is the extent of change required to make an acceptable impact; it needs to be significant. Ideally it would be.

 

Realistically, however, constraints on finance, and on available time (Europa Qualifiers will arrive precipitately), will militate against a quick turn around. The process of change will be, perforce, incremental, over this summer, and that of 2018. Unfortunately, it looks like we will have to settle for some moderate change, and consequently modest progress next season.

I do hope that I am wrong here.

 

We don't have the funds to punt eight or ten players and replace them, at least not with players of a suitable quality. I still maintain that a reliable goalscorer (or more than one) would have made us far better off points-wise as our conversion rate is an absolute fucking disaster. Certainly we've given away daft goals but the strike rate is what's killed us. That said, it might have been papering over the cracks a bit. But if you add to that some real drive and dynamism in midfield--a player who can dominate space, win the ball and move it forward swiftly and well--and I think we'd look a totally different side.

So, if we've got the funds for three or four new faces of a step up in quality, we've got the basis for the rest of the team to coalesce around, IMHO.

[compo 7,050]

What was needed was a coach/manager who could talk the talk and walk the walk not someone from the gulf states football leagues you know I cant see the present man being at the helm next season and if he is a flop the persons who appointed him should also go .

[Bluedell 5,627]

FS. Souness brought in English internationalists and lost 2 out of his first 3 league games. Pedro had inherited an under performing squad and hasn't lost in his first 3 games. Let's give the guy a chance.

[Craigy1881 79]

harsh audience, guy has barely had time to get his feet in the door and is being slated. Can only really be judged once he gets him own team put together.

[chilledbear 16]

FS. Souness brought in English internationalists and lost 2 out of his first 3 league games. Pedro had inherited an under performing squad and hasn't lost in his first 3 games. Let's give the guy a chance.

 

I agree, some of the criticism of the Manager is just silly. The players are just not good enough, and now he has the injuries to contend with.

 

It was a gamble bringing a new Manager in just now, especially as Murty was doing ok, but it may be best in the long run.

[Oleg_Mcnoleg 50]

What was needed was a coach/manager who could talk the talk and walk the walk not someone from the gulf states football leagues you know I cant see the present man being at the helm next season and if he is a flop the persons who appointed him should also go .

That's just mental "That prick hasn't transformed the bunch of mediocre players with no heart that he inherited into a bunch of world beaters inside two games. He's a dud".

[Darthter 542]

I get the impression from PC's post match comments, that he's wanting to play a lot more technically, or certainly trying to explain things more technically. It would appear that some players are struggling to understand this part of the game - ie. they have the physical skills, but lack that technical "vision".

 

If that is the case, there will be some players who rise to it immediately, some who take time to learn and some who will never grasp it.

That will most likely form part of PC's recruitment policy, maybe more-so that a players physical ability.

 

I think he will look to players who can see spaces opening up & exploit them with basic/simple passes or movement.

[Blinkyman 0]

Holt has much improved over the past month. More like the player of last season.

 

Love his energy & drive ......

 

Hate his finishing qualities .......

 

Think he is 'light-weight' ...........

 

Would I keep him ..........