match thread (image) [FT] Celtic 3 - 0 Rangers

[Rousseau 10,825]

2 minutes ago, DMAA said:

I was just watching the game back there and there was a move which absolutely summed up what I said pre-match about GVB's system. Under Gerrard, Kent would tuck in and block the passing channels and Celtic really struggled to build attacks.

 

In this move, the ball is with Carter-Vickers, Kent is wide (in no man's land)), Carter Vickers passes through to a centre mid who then plays it out to Juranovic who is now miles away from Kent (who is still in no man's land watching the ball), Barisic is also ball watching and is drawn to Juranovic and leaves Abada to run off him and he then receives the ball in acres of space and gets the by-line and they nearly score from the cut-back. Individuals do need to take responsibility but tactically, you have to wonder what they talk about before games and how GVB hasn't seen this coming.

SG liked the 4-4-2 diamond in those games, with Kent in that hole as you said. 

[DMAA 3,658]

22 hours ago, ranger_syntax said:

Forgive me but where is that exactly?

We have 3 centre mid positions. If you go with say Ramsey, Aribo and Jack you have Kamara, Arfield, Davis, Lowry, Lundstram and Sands on the bench. Compare that to only Scott Wright and Sakala (a centre forward to trade) covering the wing positions. One position clearly has stronger competition than the other.

Edited February 4, 2022 by DMAA

[DMAA 3,658]

2 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

SG liked the 4-4-2 diamond in those games, with Kent in that hole as you said. 

He mixed it up, he played the christmas tree formation too with Kent and Roofe tucked in. Same in Europe, it made us difficult to break down.

[ascender 352]

2 hours ago, Graham said:

it is Gio's tactics though. The fact that it is the same personnel doesnt mean we are playing the same way. He is keeping the fullbacks back and not pressing teams the way we did under Gerrard. Under Gerrard we had a great defensive record by pressing high up the pitch and keeping opponents away from our goal. Also the fullbacks overlapping with the wingers caused opposition defenders problems.

So we now have the same set of players underperforming with two different managers and tactics.

 

As much as we've conceded a lot of ground to Celtic in the last few weeks, we've massively ridden our luck this season at times and have really scraped through with some results we didn't deserve.

 

I really hope Jack is back properly now and Gio makes changes at the weekend based on last night's performance and some others recently. Last night wasn't the time to do it, but I think he needs to do it now.
 

[Bill 13,717]

Amid the carnage of last night I think a small recognition is due for the way Calvin Bassey responded to being removed from his makeshift role in central defence, where he has struggled a bit, and showed good spirit and some skill in his true position at left back. In future, if injuries again plague our central defenders, we need a different stopgap solution. Sands presumably.

[der Berliner 3,828]

2 hours ago, ranger_syntax said:

Jesus wept.

Jesus' dead man, Jesus'  dead.

Edited February 3, 2022 by der Berliner

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,819]

8 hours ago, Gonzo79 said:

GvB's tactics look like he wants to draw away games.

 

Given the capabilities in our squad, that's just nuts.  

Not to mention the fact that draws are essentially defeats in a tight 2 horse race. 

[CammyF 8,423]

5 hours ago, Bill said:

Amid the carnage of last night I think a small recognition is due for the way Calvin Bassey responded to being removed from his makeshift role in central defence, where he has struggled a bit, and showed good spirit and some skill in his true position at left back. In future, if injuries again plague our central defenders, we need a different stopgap solution. Sands presumably.

We could do with a few more players with the spirit and attitude of young Mr Bassey. 

[Graham 24]

16 hours ago, ascender said:

So we now have the same set of players underperforming with two different managers and tactics.

 

I really hope Jack is back properly now and Gio makes changes at the weekend based on last night's performance and some others recently. Last night wasn't the time to do it, but I think he needs to do it now.
 

To be fair we were 6 points clear at the top of the league and thats with a manager whose heart was not in it for a few months while the Aston Villa job was on his mind. I've heard that was on the cards for a long time before it happened, you only need to look at the speed with which it did happen once the rumours were made public. 

 

Gio played the wrong midfield if we were going to adopt the sitting in approach. We surely needed Davis and maybe Lundstram if we planned to defend (assuming Jack wasnt fit enough to play the 90 mins) playing defensive football with a midfield of Aribo, Arfield and Kamara was just plain wrong. 

 

I still feel there is enough in that squad to win the title. Celtic arent as good as we made them look by sitting off them. They struggled past Dundee Utd at home only a w eek ago.

 

I also really hope Jack is back for the season, he and Ramsay could be the heart of a terrific midfield for us. We'll soon have Morelos back and with Balogun back at Centre back instead of Bassey and Helander on the way we are good enough to win this league provided Gio learns from his mistakes. 

 

I wonder if part of the problem with Gio is that he never brought in a Scottish assistant. Somebody like McCann or KT could have given him more up to date knowledge of Scottish football and the Rangers squads strenghts and weaknesses for that matter.

[compo 7,239]

Will be interesting to see who the coach picks for the  next game