NixonRFC

There's been a lot of negativity within the squad and the fanbase because of recent results, that's part n parcel of it, but I think today is a sharp reminder of how rotten that mob are, I'm not saying we're better than them because we can be murder at times too, but they're relying on us gift wrapping them a double more than they are of beliving they can go out and take it. I hope we can park the negativity and go out tomorrow and blitz Hearts.

If we were playing anyone else on Sunday I'd be nervous, but it doesn't matter how well Hearts are playing or how badly we are, we always turn them over, just one of those teams we have the hex over.

I'm no sure how Koppen can be expected to entice clubs to spunk so much money at a player they wouldn't have wanted two years ago when he was at his peak, if that's the expectation, then it feels like we're setting him up for failure, just another stick to beat someone with.

How do you get rid of him other than pay him off? He's got two years left on £37.5k a week, that's the guts of £3.5m. Two years ago his stock would've been at an all time high, he was out of contract, just off the back of a run to the Europa Final and he still couldn't find a club that would pay him at least what we did, which is an average basic salary in the EPL. After two years of getting progressively worse, it's hard to imagine clubs suddenly willing to take him, and either match or better the terms what he's on with us.

I get some fans being deflated after the drop off in the League but cups matter, we're in a dog fight with the tims. We've won 118 major honours, they've won 116 major honours, if we win at least one of the last two trophies then we maintain a two honour lead, if we chuck it completely then it levels off at 118/118 Rangers should be all about winning trophies, that's what we've been about for 150 years, I know the last 12 has been dire but as an institution, that's what we've been all about and in 100 years time, when we're all dead and gone, that'll still be what we're all about, so it's our responsibility to keep pushing for better days, to respect the boys who kept us going in the 60s and 70s when the tims done 9IAR or the 80s when Aberdeen ruled the roost, Rangers fans still inspired the team to overcome the odds and win trophies in those eras, that's our job now, so boys in the future continue to have something to be proud of. So aye, cups absolutely matter.

Biggest Rangers man on the park in the last Old Firm was playing left back for the tims, we need winners, if they're Rangere men then great but it isn't a deal breaker, we just need winners.

They've scored eight more goals than us this season, thats with us playing an extra home game atm too.

The captain will always get singled out when there's a lack of on field leadership, it is what it is. As for against the Tims, we were 1 down after about 20 seconds because Tav can't read a game, a game that if we won would've made it very difficult for them to catch us, and he shot his bolt before the referee took his whistle out his mouth from kick off, from that moment on our whole advantage in this league was fucked.

I commend Tav for scoring big game penalties, that shows he does have some bottle, but it's every other part of his game that lets him down, I don't want to single anyone out but he is the captain and unfortunately for him that means when discussing lack of on field leadership, the buck will always start and stop at him, if your captain doesn't lead then you've got a problem. I'm loathe to highlight positives in that mob but look at their last two captains, they almost became characatures of what they used to be, just to inspire their teammates and fans, two years ago the night they knocked us off the top of the League, Callum McGregor, who up until then was always considered to be a quiet type of charcter, was chasing Borna abour screaming shitebag at him, he intimidated him that night and he's no been the same since, all of a sudden he started being this overly vocal character, we need someone that can do that and can back it up on the ball. I was embarrassed that a tim not only spoke to a Rangers player like that, but got away with it and never even regretted it, 2 years on and we've still not got anyone who would stand up to that while they seem to have more.

Can't believe what I saw tonight, that was absolutely abysmal, we showed nothing at all from the start, in fact that's the third match in a row we either lost or nearly lost a goal inside the first minute, even by our own recent standards, this was terrible, we looked like a team that was on it's knees, and chucked it completely. I tend to be positive and optimistic but I'm no naive, I know we're not a good team but we do have better players than every other club in Scotland other than them, going for a title and to put in a performance like that, so insipid, uninspired, scared and just down right lazy is unforgivable, there's zero leadership in that dressing room, Clement does exude leadership but when the players go onto that pitch, there's no one you can hang your hat on to deliver when it really matters, who have we got that can inspire their teammates or fire them up, just get a song out of them? Nobody. I'm not surprised we dropped more points, I can handle that, these things can happen, it's the manner we dropped them without a fight or a fuss that kicks you in the balls, a club filled with perennial losers.

Still gutted about yesterday but I think this might suit us for the run in, I think it's clear that we really struggle under pressure, so maybe leading the league at this stage isn't for the best, we might be better off going top as late in the day as possible, that way we have less time to fuck it up.

We have the laziest media in the world, and guys who talk about it on the radio just regurgitate what they've read from that lazy media.

Yup, they did it in 2002-03, 2007-08, 2009-10 & 2016-17

Tims have done it four times, thankfully, two of the times they did it, they went on to lose the Title - 2002-03 & 2009-10

We've never won at the Piggery after the split, and we've never won the last five games of the season after the split, both of those things need to happen, and need to happen with one of the most bi polar squads I've ever watched.

Used to do my nut in when Albertz played LB or LWB, he could do it well enough but he was just too good at CM to move for me.

Said this before but if his mentality matched his ability then he wouldn't be up here. His ability will be the reason we will keep persevering with him though and hopefully Clement (if he had enough patience) can get the best out of him.

😄

In a 2 team country it's impossible to expect anyone to be 100% unbiased, it's just the way it goes, we should have foreign refs for Old Firm games, that might put guys off from becoming officials if they know there's zero chance of officiating the biggest game but it is what it is. I don't even blame folk for being biased, Scotland is just far too parochial, even guys who support other teams, they'll have a hatred for their rivals and one of us or them, an Aberdeen/Hibs/Dundee Utd fan will have an unconscious bias against us and the same goes for a Hearts/Kilmarnock/Airdrie fan, they'll have an unconcious bias against them. The only way to take that element out of it is by giving the job to foreign refs.

The tims are rotten, they obviously have some good players for this level but they struggle big time against that low block, they'll drop more points, probably tomorrow, St Mirren is a struggle for them when they're flying never mind when they've got a team in bits. Clement seems to have us playing on the front foot and that's how you batter the teams up here, and that'll be what keeps us going right to the end.

I know this isn't the official lyric but *Fuck yer Rosery beads* is what I've always sung No, no Pope of Rome No chapels to sadden my eyes No nuns and no priests Fuck yer Rosary beads Every day is the 12th of July

Cantwell has bags of ability and it's been a long time since I've seen someone with his balance in a Rangers shirt but his attitude is honking at times, he seemed to relish it last season when Beale made him the main man after we had bottled everything else, it's alright being a hero in a loser team but we need a hero in a winning team and I don't know if he's got the mentality to be that guy, sink or swim with Clement, he'll be the making or the breaking of the boy, I hope it's the making because if he can channel his head to match his ability we'll have some player.

Really poor start, no getting away from it but I thought our reaction to their goal was really good, before today we've dropped points in three games, and every single time I've been negative about it but not today, we still have problems with players who just aren't good enough but so do they and I truly believe their problems are a lot bigger than ours, they're on the brink of civil war, I genuinely think our feel good factor will see us catch them, they'll drop points again next week.

I know what you're saying mate but I don't think they're anywhere near good enough either, they've regressed massively from last season, I genuinely think we'll catch them, sometimes you can just sense it, two year ago when they started gathering momentum while we were Champions you could see it slowly getting away from us, they had a feel good factor and everyone was positive and united, I think we're getting to this stage now, they are absolutely hopeless against a low block and thats what they face 90% of games up here, I'll not be surprised if we get another chance to make up points again next weekend.

Just back from Pittodrie, I'm annoyed we didn't pull points back on the tims today but I'm not as annoyed with the team as I have been recently after dropping points, we gave away a really snide goal and after getting away with one just before it, that should've really been the warning sign we needed, however I thought we played some decent stuff, definitely in midfield anyway, our movement and interplay is a helluva lot better, we hit the woodwork 3 times and their keeper made a few good saves, we more than deserved that point and will play a lot worse and win games this season. Not going to gaslight folk and convinve them we were brilliant but I thought we looked like a Rangers team who can win a title again and the more time Clement gets with these players the more of a tune he'll get out of them. We'll catch celtic, they're falling to bits, big injuries, new signings nowhere near the quality of those they've replaced, in fighting with fans/club, their style of play reminds me more of us under Gio, everyone who hurt us last season is either gone, injured or simply not fitting into their new system, we seem to be united and building momentum whilst they're the complete opposite, disappointed we didn't win but I'm very encouraged with our direction.