Is there a change in the Old Firm games?

[Thermopylae 15,286]

Someone said on the radio at the weekend that in the past form went out of the window in these games but now that's just not the case with it being easy to predict a winner. The one I really remember was my first ever OF match back in October 85 when we neat them 3-0 at the Brox and bearing in mind we finished 5th that season it does show that on the day there were always surprises. Sad to say the closest we have came to any sort of decent result recently has been with the caretaker Murty in charge which I thimk speaks volumes  

[STRUTH82 813]

It has changed for us in a big way, even when out of form under Walter or big Eck I felt like they would rally the troops into a win, I always felt confident. Now if Im being honest, I would be shocked if we won a comfortable 2-0 in the current situation.

[NornIronBear 450]

Felt like that for a long time now.

If they score first the game's as good as over.

[Alves70 393]

Things have changed dramatically since pre 2012, for us we've gone from one shambles to another while they have had a free run at CL income and have used what happened to us to weaken every other team so only they benefit from income from Europe.

They also have intimated Refs/SFA now to the point were Brown stamping on players heads and elbowing players is a common occurrence.

Would honestly try and find a way out of Scottish football at any cost now.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

I realise that their turn over at the moment is 4 times ours and that obviously makes it difficult to win the league against the sort of strength in depth that brings but I still think there is a way of playing that always gives you a chance in one off games and we just don't seem to be able to do that any more 

[Deanzmeanzheinz 4,312]

In this day and age finances play a more significant part. In Scotland (and this is never mentioned) our league championship is a £50m play off. The winner gets the chance of 25+m from the Champions League - anyone else, peanuts. 

The dhims are benefitting from both this and the shirts sales we havent had and it has brought about an unprecedented gulf in scottish football. That said, qualifying for the Champions League next year and beyond will be much more difficult in this country. 

Thus they are shopping in a different market, higher wage structure and bigger squad. For me, the only solution is to get the best coach we can and build from there 

[.Williamson. 82,118]

They're shit now. 

They're shit in every kind of way. We have players that love taigs, fans that love taigs, fans that would rather grass their own in than offend taigs, fans that take taig money. 

They also have absolutely no atmosphere worth a fuck now either.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,540]

18 minutes ago, STRUTH82 said:

It has changed for us in a big way, even when out of form under Walter or big Eck I felt like they would rally the troops into a win, I always felt confident. Now if Im being honest, I would be shocked if we won a comfortable 2-0 in the current situation.

Eck went over a season without beating them, maybe nearly 2, and walter never once had a Rangers team costing 16mill a year less in wages 

[McEwan's Lager 30,519]

39 minutes ago, Jimbeamjunior said:

Eck went over a season without beating them, maybe nearly 2, and walter never once had a Rangers team costing 16mill a year less in wages 

I think it was the last OF of 02/03, through the whole of 03/04 and we didnt win until either the second OF of 04/05 or the LC QF. I'm not sure which one came first.

6 or 7 games lost on the trot.

[Loyaleastend 3,260]

it's not a game you'd want to take your kids to anymore thanks to the behaviour of the child bottling bastards

[eejay the dj 31,964]

1 hour ago, Thermopylae said:

Someone said on the radio at the weekend that in the past form went out of the window in these games but now that's just not the case with it being easy to predict a winner. The one I really remember was my first ever OF match back in October 85 when we neat them 3-0 at the Brox and bearing in mind we finished 5th that season it does show that on the day there were always surprises. Sad to say the closest we have came to any sort of decent result recently has been with the caretaker Murty in charge which I thimk speaks volumes  

Bottom line is . We have losers right the way through the club from top to bottom

Even the beggars at their very very worst had players that would fight for the cause against our superior players

 Few examples  91 back to back wins at piggery for them . Players like Grant and Rogan ffs

95  demolition of us at Hampden in league match . Never meant much but they hammered us that day .

Big list to be honest .

They knew the cause they were fighting for . It was drummed into them.

At every time in their history . They have guys that know what this fixture is about . They may have their share of losers at times , they are normally shipped out . At most points , they have always had some diehards that would see them through .

Even when we beat them in 99 to win the league there .

They were all giving it 100% . On that occasion , they just took it too far .

We do not have any winners or certainly not enough . Certainly not winners in the last 6 years

Our captain isn't a winner . Never will be .List goes on and on

 

[DW1872 1,207]

I think more and more that money is the deciding factor these days in football worldwide. The champions league proves that. You can pretty much guess the teams that'll make the final stages every season now.

Their money is buying them league titles. Pity money can't buy class.

[baltic_blue 108]

It changed years ago. Used to be you would have players on both sides who would genuinely play for the jersey and had a bit of respect not only for themselves but for their club and fans. Now it's just over paid dross who think they are better than they are and are only interested in money. You will get the very odd one or two players that still care but the majority couldn't give a fuck and treat it as just a job.

[hammer93 15,056]

Their definitely seems to be an air of inevitability about the games these days, like it or lump it they have better players in key areas, we are a good bit away from competing over 90minutes with them let alone a full season?

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,137]

Old firm games were never predictable, pundits would give their opinion of a winner but always qualified it by saying, it's an OF game form goes out the window.

Not now, it seems to be a forgone conclusion.

[BlueboyG 5,237]

What fuckin really annoys me is that these tramp bastards come to our home and act as if they own it, do you honestly think Souness or Jock Wallace or Smith for that matter would put up wi cunts like Broon strutting about as if he's god, the thumb tying a scarve to our goal posts, snotting on our corner flag, Souness would have put the cunt on crutches, the  problem now is that we have a team players who don't get it, willing to be abused and pushed around, what happened to " Pena will rag doll wee Broon "  when he comes, fuck sake he was like a wee kitten, Dorrans looked lost, the young lad McCrorie was more up for it than some of these pussies.

[loyalfollower 1,543]

We lost our identity abit whilst in the lower leagues- the mentality, most importantly.   Imo if we go another 2 years without a title then we're completely fucked.  

The scum learned how to win whilst we were away while we might have done the same but it never created the winning mentality that should come with it.  Of course it's not helped by massive turn over in players in all but one preseason.  Whereas the scum just gradually changed their squad each year enough to keep winning the league and thus breeding a mentality which has been reinforced by the appointment of fake tan 

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,714]

It seems to mean more to the bheasts. That's the huge difference for me.

In the past, abilities within squads may have differed to various degrees, but that hatred, drive, overwhelming will to win (or not get beat) was often a leveller. For either lesser side.

We've lost that. Until we get that as a minimum, if not better players, its unlikely to change much.

[Prso's headband 35,426]

I remember a time where I'd be sick with nerves before these games. My heart would sink to the floor if they scored and I'd be on a downer for days after a defeat. 

After the first OF game at parkhead last season I felt none of that. Ever since them every game against them feels like another game. It doesn't mean anything. The first one of the season usually lay down a marker and let one or the other go ahead in the league for the first time of the season. Even if we won we'd still be behind them anyway. The last one of the season almost always decided who was going to take the title riding on the crest of a wave in the split. 

When they scored on Saturday I felt fuck all. I didn't even feel gutted because it's become a foregone conclusion. They mean fuck all to me at the moment. 

[eejay the dj 31,964]

32 minutes ago, DW1872 said:

I think more and more that money is the deciding factor these days in football worldwide. The champions league proves that. You can pretty much guess the teams that'll make the final stages every season now.

Their money is buying them league titles. Pity money can't buy class.

Yeah mate . I agree but we can't have it both ways

We used to all get the money notes out of our pockets and bait the beggars, by waving this at them .When we were flying high in Champions league games .

Money will always help win leagues

On one off matches . It has never always mattered .

We have shown in the last few years . We are not buying the right players and we don not have the men that can instil what it takes in these one of battles

I seen some signs in Morelos , he could have the winning mentality .

The rest ..... Not so sure they will ever play in Rangers victory over the mutants

[DW1872 1,207]

2 minutes ago, eejay the dj said:

Yeah mate . I agree but we can't have it both ways

We used to all get the money notes out of our pockets and bait the beggars, by waving this at them .When we were flying high in Champions league games .

Money will always help win leagues

On one off matches . It has never always mattered .

We have shown in the last few years . We are not buying the right players and we don not have the men that can instil what it takes in these one of battles

I seen some signs in Morelos , he could have the winning mentality .

The rest ..... Not so sure they will ever play in Rangers victory over the mutants

I think the money gulf is more telling than ever but I totally agree about one off games. The frustrating thing is that we're not making up for the lack of talent/skill in our team with fight. 

I grew up (luckily) watching 9 in a row and those boys could play alright but by christ they could fight when required. 

[Ivybank 4,580]

14 minutes ago, loyalfollower said:

We lost our identity abit whilst in the lower leagues- the mentality, most importantly.   Imo if we go another 2 years without a title then we're completely fucked.  

The scum learned how to win whilst we were away while we might have done the same but it never created the winning mentality that should come with it.  Of course it's not helped by massive turn over in players in all but one preseason.  Whereas the scum just gradually changed their squad each year enough to keep winning the league and thus breeding a mentality which has been reinforced by the appointment of fake tan 

The first sentence sums it all up really

[ritchieshearercaldow 22,137]

12 minutes ago, Prso's headband said:

I remember a time where I'd be sick with nerves before these games. My heart would sink to the floor if they scored and I'd be on a downer for days after a defeat. 

After the first OF game at parkhead last season I felt none of that. Ever since them every game against them feels like another game. It doesn't mean anything. The first one of the season usually lay down a marker and let one or the other go ahead in the league for the first time of the season. Even if we won we'd still be behind them anyway. The last one of the season almost always decided who was going to take the title riding on the crest of a wave in the split. 

When they scored on Saturday I felt fuck all. I didn't even feel gutted because it's become a foregone conclusion. They mean fuck all to me at the moment. 

Ditto on almost every point m8.

[gmcf 34,124]

Years in the lower divisions , together with their free run into CL money , has allowed such a financial disparity than we've ever had before . 

I don't think it insurmountable though . We need investment  , or at the very least , them to have a few years where they fail to qualify into the group stages . 

 

[Tenerife Bear 1,748]

The most horrifying thing about them is we genuinely can't see when we will score in one never mind take anything from celtic.