der Berliner 3,744 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 38 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said: Too many forget we couldn’t even finish second under MW and Pedro. Gerard has improved us. His problem at the moment is he didn’t have a good recruitment last summer and we’re now paying the price for that. Too many jersey-fillers arrived. IMHO, the big problem is that he plays just one formation and while that was good when all were fit and firing on all cylinders, it comes off the rails when that's no longer the case. As soon as Morelos starts firing blanks or is suspended, we lack our most potent goal-threat by a long, a very long distance. Defoe ain't bad but he's injured right now ... as it happens. Kent for all his running, workrate and trickery, delivers too little from that flank. Yes, he scores the odd important goal, but of late the end product is simply not there. At least in a way that would help us as a team. Not sure he is best used as left winger or attacker. Tavernier lives of a lot of credit from his first season and the last one. But much like Kent of late, for all his workrate and running, he hardly puts in a decent cross, not to mention free-kicks or corners. His shooting from distance would be much lauded in rugby. He sure lacks a decent partner and here we have that tacictal problem. Before we come to that, Polster offered something that Tav didn't, some invention and trickery ... plus the fact that Premiership defenders do not know him well enough. For some reason, Tav seems to be undroppable though. The barren right flank. Ojo was okay there early doors, usually against open teams. His lackadaisical style which far too often slips back into EPL u23 - mode is not good enough though. Hand him the odd 20 mins to weave his magic, but not a straight starter. Aribo as well as Arfield are more central players, both with strengths and weaknesses. The former would be better used as a ball-winner or someone playing as a shadow striker, laying off passes or looking for scraps. The latter is better when workrate is required, as well as shooting from distance. Why we do not use Stewart, who had a good spell as a right winger at Killie and has trickery and shooting ability too is beyond me. Creative MF area ... for some reason, we again have our centre-halfs getting much of the burden of sending balls up the park, which usually does not come off. Why Davis wasn't used yesterday, at least later on, is anyone's guess. We did have a few runners in Kent, Aribo, Arfield and Hagi, but for some reason they did not pick up the right spaces or doubled up in the same area. But what do I know. We've seen that since the turn of the year ... with hardly any reaction whatsoever in terms of tactical and player changes. I have that bad feeling that we will still try to make Plan A better rather than e.g. have a go at Livingston with ... McGregor Polster - Goldson - Katic Jack - Davis Stewart - Hagi - Jones Kent Morelos Stewart and Jones will track back as they always do, Jack the destroyer in MF and Davis and Hagi the creative bit. If we have the ball, we'd effectively have 5 attackers plus Jack, if he pushes up a litte. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M609 100 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 It is understandable the reaction considering how close we were before Christmas (two points behind, level on GD with a game in hand) to where we are now after 4 weeks (10 points behind, game in hand and 18 goals behind). But this is not the time to be ripping it up and starting again, the board and the fans have invested a lot in Gerrard and this team. He has without doubt made our players better, he has us playing an attractive brand of pressing football (except for the last 4 weeks). If the warm weather training camp has a part to play in this it needs to be reviewed, I think the problem lies out with the first 11, we really lack quality outside our first 11 and even if everyone stays in the summer I think we need to invest heavily in 4 or 5 positions, particularly midfield and the striker position. I’m sure Ross Wilson is on it already Michael Beale was on twitter the other week about the way we play, we play the Christmas Tree formation of 4-3-2-1, with the 2 behind the striker playing as number 10’s in free roles, I have no issue with this system, more the personnel in it. Kent and Hagi I would consider suitable for this system, both are two footed, both can go outside or inside comfortably, and both can pick a pass, on Kent, his form is terrible just now and his head is down, but they need to start contributing goals as well as assists. I have no idea if they are to wide and need to be closer to Morelos or if they are making the wrong decisions. As I said I think the problem lies behind that, Jones, Barker, Hastie, Ojo, all look like traditional wingers and im not sure if any of them are good enough, Stewart is more of a striker and Aribo is a CM or an AM, I like Aribo but I think it would suit him more if he was central behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess though it’s difficult to pinpoint where things are going wrong, is it bottle, mentality are we burned out, is it quality. How we can go from absolutely destroying them on the 29th to where we are now is unbelievable. They need to sort it out quick otherwise this could get embarrassing, we really need to skud someone 5 or 6 nil 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,624 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 20 minutes ago, der Berliner said: But what do I know. We've seen that since the turn of the year ... with hardly any reaction whatsoever in terms of tactical and player changes. I have that bad feeling that we will still try to make Plan A better rather than e.g. have a go at Livingston with ... McGregor Polster - Goldson - Katic Jack - Davis Stewart - Hagi - Jones Kent Morelos Polster instead of Tav? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranger_syntax 4,321 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 3 hours ago, BEARGER said: As usual politics comes into the discussion, pathetic. I might be persuaded to start voting for your beloved S.N.P. if you would only stop making barking mad suggestions about sacking the manager. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M609 100 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Provided everyone is fit, the team should be McGregor Tavernier Goldson Helander Barasic Davis Jack Kamara Hagi Kent Morelos 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,744 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 49 minutes ago, Bluedell said: Polster instead of Tav? Yep. Reasons as listed above. If Tav was anywhere near the quality of Barasic in terms of defending and crossing, there could be a debate. But he is not. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMAA 3,658 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 3 hours ago, JohnMc said: however since the Celtic match we've been abject and the management team need scrutinised for that I take your broader point but you can't legislate for the bad luck we had with injury. Our starting 11 has been torn apart since the 29th. In the 8 games we've played, Helander has missed 8 Tavernier has missed 5 Jack has missed 4.5 Defoe has missed 4 Morelos has missed 3 Barisic has missed 2 Defoe aside, those are all key members of our starting 11 and the backbone of our team. In the loss to Hearts we were without Helander, Tavernier, Morelos and Jack for 50 mins. That is huge. For the draw to Aberdeen we were without Tavernier and Jack and last night we had less excuse but badly missed Barisic. What can be forgotten is that even when you get players back they are not going to be 100% fit and there has been disruption to the line up which will have an impact too. It might sound like I'm making excuses and I'm not but I think we should cut Gerrard some slack because he has had his starting 11 dismantled by injury and suspensions. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacK1950 2,376 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 Big problem with winter IMO players get a sun break train(how hard open to question) play a nonentity team,win by barrowload so everything rosy.They come back to good old Scottish weather with minds still on lovely heat and great result. Don't take them to sun next year take them somewhere within UK have no practice games leaving them hungry for first competitive game. By the way get a more solid midfield in as we are too lightweight. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,624 Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 15 minutes ago, der Berliner said: Yep. Reasons as listed above. If Tav was anywhere near the quality of Barasic in terms of defending and crossing, there could be a debate. But he is not. I'm not sure why that makes Polster better than Tav. Which he is not. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEARGER 1,830 Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 52 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said: I might be persuaded to start voting for your beloved S.N.P. if you would only stop making barking mad suggestions about sacking the manager. No you would not, not my party, never said sack him said he should go. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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