It's like history repeating itself all over again.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Just back from the game and one thing is abundantly clear, Walter refusal to change his favourites on the pitch. Lee McCulloch was woeful tonight, this hide and seek act he does is not on.

Yes, Edu got injured who wasn't much better and that forced Walter hand. But when we went 3-0 down and the game was dead and buried he should have made a statement by using his final sub by hooking McCulloch off for John Fleck.

The 10 in a row season has so many similarities to this team, when a young Barry Ferguson was sitting on the bench and Walter stuck with the old guard for far too long. I just hope we ain't heading down the same road yet again.

[the brown brogue 1,788]

Its just so frustrating to see the same old faces playing week in week out regardless of form or fitness. I can only imagine how disillusioned the youngsters at Ibrox must feel, sitting on the bench (if they're lucky) knowing full well that Smith would rather make no changes at all than give them a chance.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Exactly, Fleck must have been like what the fuck do I need to do to get a game.

[minstral 5,375]

Please not another 10 in a row season.

[SirWalterSmithLegend 206]

Davis getting away with it again, Davis and McCulloch have been rotten all season. Dragging Edu down with them. Naismith has said, no, im not going to let you drag me down too. Credit to the wee man.

Our midfield is a shambles, still, has been for well over a year. Dare i say it, since we lost Hemdani, Ferguson and Mendes. I wonder how many millions we got for those 3 ball players?

[Amac9 2,060]

Edu and Davis have just been as bad as McCulloch this season.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Please not another 10 in a row season.

Minstral I hate using the term, but the lessons of that season haven't been learned by Walter. His Stubbornness will haunt us, if he doesn't start trusting the younger players when chances present them self.

[GOAT 30,449]

I want to know if Smith told Edu to play up front for the entire first half, or is Edu just a lazy bastard and not tracking back?

[minstral 5,375]

Minstral I hate using the term, but the lessons of that season haven't been learned by Walter. His Stubbornness will haunt us, if he doesn't start trusting the younger players when chances present them self.

Disgruntled bear, you and i know that he is set in his ways.

[MayboleLoyal_atb 3,448]

Edu, McCulloch, Davis simple areny produceing. Fling into that mix Bougherra who has been piss poor as of late.

[WaltersGotStyle 159]

Just back from the game and one thing is abundantly clear, Walter refusal to change his favourites on the pitch. Lee McCulloch was woeful tonight, this hide and seek act he does is not on.

Yes, Edu got injured who wasn't much better and that forced Walter hand. But when we went 3-0 down and the game was dead and buried he should have made a statement by using his final sub by hooking McCulloch off for John Fleck.

The 10 in a row season has so many similarities to this team, when a young Barry Ferguson was sitting on the bench and Walter stuck with the old guard for far too long. I just hope we ain't heading down the same road yet again.

People were comparing last years team to the the 10 in a row side... look what happened

Lets take this result as a warning (a kick up the arse everyone needed)

[Ozblue 4,331]

I don't even want to contemplate another scenario like the lost 10 in a row season.

Why the fuck a manager with the experience of Walter has been playing an obviously unfit Edu in the middle of the park when he has other options is totally mystifying to me.

Edu is the kind of player I love to have in my midfield, but only when he is 100% fit.

At the moment, Edu is a liability as he is clearly struggling and playing him in the middle with McCulloch doesn't help matters. I hope Walter and the medical team rest Maurice Edu until he is back to full fitness and that Walter starts to utilise ALL our players, because if he doesn't, we may just be re-visiting History.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

With the thread title I thought you were going to go back to 1972 regarding history, the last time both sides of the old firm lost to the teams from Edinburgh and we won a European Cup.

I won't mention our position in the league as that won't be repeated.

[docspiderman 1,122]

I want to know if Smith told Edu to play up front for the entire first half, or is Edu just a lazy bastard and not tracking back?

Another bizarre tactical manouvre; Davis was moved to central midfield(fair enough) and Edu moved to supporting striker while the main problem Lee(I'll usher you to a shooting chance) McCulloch is left to do his usual acting role.

[caseyjones 3,009]

No need to go back that far, his refusal to utilise his squad cost us the league, from an almost unassailable position, in 2007/2008.

[Sherminator 0]

If we cant play 1 or 2 youngster against a Hibs team then sell Murray Park and pay of the debts. Hutton could easily do what McCulloch is suppose to do and much more. Macmillan I would say is an allround better defender than Whittaker. What was the point in bringing in Foster to play one game. Surely to go he must be wondering to himself why he cam when he sees Whittakers "performences" over the last month or more. If we don't start rotating we will lose the league. It is that simple. Not talking about 4/5 changes. 1 or 2 would be enough.

[Muff 245]

No-one is producing the goods and althopugh we have had a good start to the season, our football for a lot of the games has not been good enough.

The defenced is a shambles, we are losing far too many soft goals due to a lack of understanding, organisation and discipline. David Weir is on his last legs, Madjid Bougherra needs a rocket up his arse, Steven Whittaker is a disaster waiting to happen and Sasa Papac has been very solid.

The midfield is non-existant. Edu and McCulloch are not good enough and the ridiculous central pairing does not work. Off the ball, Edu is a decent player, on it, he is a waste of a jersey. Lee McCulloch has not kicked a ball in months, yet he is a first team regular, why? Last night once again showed that he is not a holding midfielder, just like for many games this season: Hibs, Killie, Inverness, Valencia, bheggars, St Mirren, Aberdeen... midfield enforcer, destroyer, hardman... he is anything but that. He cannot tackle, his passing is terrible, he is hopeless in the air, he get's caught out of position too often, he does not track his runner, he doesn't have the ability to put his foot on the ball, he doesn't offer anything in a defensive or offensive side of the game, he runs about pointing and shouting whilst watching the game fly by. Shunting players over the park to include this guy is absolutely ridiculous, it's time Walter Smith dropped him. I don't know what's up with Davis, he has been far too inconsistant at times and to me it looks like he has run out of steam as there is only so long you can carry that midfield (when Naismith isn't in there). Lafferty is an impact player, he will give you workrate and energy, but that is about it, he doesn't have the quality to be a 1st team regular. Miller and Naismith look knackered, and when Miller is not playing well, he is terrible.

We lack a midfielder who can tackle, stick his foot in, break up play, hold a position, has a bit of awareness and the ability to put his foot on the ball, slow down play and create. Far too often this midfield fails to turn up, is over-run, out-fought and out-classed, and it is simply not good enough.

Walter Smith knew we had a busy schedule and changes should have been made. Even when we are 2-0 up, he fails to bring fresh legs on. The small squad excuse does not wash as there are plenty options and some of the lads on the bench cannot be anywhere near as bad as some of the guys playing every week.

[docspiderman 1,122]

No-one is producing the goods and althopugh we have had a good start to the season, our football for a lot of the games has not been good enough.

The defenced is a shambles, we are losing far too many soft goals due to a lack of understanding, organisation and discipline. David Weir is on his last legs, Madjid Bougherra needs a rocket up his arse, Steven Whittaker is a disaster waiting to happen and Sasa Papac has been very solid.

The midfield is non-existant. Edu and McCulloch are not good enough and the ridiculous central pairing does not work. Off the ball, Edu is a decent player, on it, he is a waste of a jersey. Lee McCulloch has not kicked a ball in months, yet he is a first team regular, why? Last night once again showed that he is not a holding midfielder, just like for many games this season: Hibs, Killie, Inverness, Valencia, bheggars, St Mirren, Aberdeen... midfield enforcer, destroyer, hardman... he is anything but that. He cannot tackle, his passing is terrible, he is hopeless in the air, he get's caught out of position too often, he does not track his runner, he doesn't have the ability to put his foot on the ball, he doesn't offer anything in a defensive or offensive side of the game, he runs about pointing and shouting whilst watching the game fly by. Shunting players over the park to include this guy is absolutely ridiculous, it's time Walter Smith dropped him. I don't know what's up with Davis, he has been far too inconsistant at times and to me it looks like he has run out of steam as there is only so long you can carry that midfield (when Naismith isn't in there). Lafferty is an impact player, he will give you workrate and energy, but that is about it, he doesn't have the quality to be a 1st team regular. Miller and Naismith look knackered, and when Miller is not playing well, he is terrible.

We lack a midfielder who can tackle, stick his foot in, break up play, hold a position, has a bit of awareness and the ability to put his foot on the ball, slow down play and create. Far too often this midfield fails to turn up, is over-run, out-fought and out-classed, and it is simply not good enough.

Walter Smith knew we had a busy schedule and changes should have been made. Even when we are 2-0 up, he fails to bring fresh legs on. The small squad excuse does not wash as there are plenty options and some of the lads on the bench cannot be anywhere near as bad as some of the guys playing every week.

Couldn't have put it better!

[Orangeclement 556]

one question as i havent seen the game , Did it take Edu 30 minutes to actually start the game ? i have noticed it takes him ages to get going in games baffles me why people constantly praise this lad , he is decent enough but nowhere near the standard some posters would have you think .

Lafferty scored important goals dont you know thats enough for some fans ..... never mind he has no technique and cant finish his dinner for someone whos best position is a striker but then again that'll be watties fault for playing him on the left all the time ...

Davis has been awful for good knows how long but he's a good ulster lad better not give him too much stick ......

i could go on but whats the point ...

[minstral 5,375]

I cant believe how weak a tackler Edu is. He pulls out of all the 50 50 tackles which stuck out last night.

[Adoniram 1,919]

Aberdeen will tell me if the players have the talent and the bottle to bounce back from last nights humiliation.

The problem is though that Papac and Edu got bad injuries and he is playing Weiss who is suffering from a heel injury.

On top of that we have looked sluggish in midfield and impotent up front since Jelavic got injured (Scum game aside).

Personally these games tell me more about attitude than talent.

We can go to Parkhead and thump the scum but we cannot beat a Hibs team who are joint bottom of the table with virtually the same team.

That is simply down to a poor attitude and complacency thinking all they had to do was turn up and 3 points would be handed to them on a plate.

Smith needs a reaction from his players against Aberdeen and so do the fans.

I think he will make changes but they will be enforced rather than through choice.

And yes it's all very well demanding we play youth but in years gone by the squad was big enough to bring in experienced replacements when the pressure was on.

I want the youth to play but not when our performances are poor and we are going through a crisis of confidence.That is not fair on the kids as inevitably they will be the ones that will get the brunt of the criticisms by the know alls in the stands.

Midfield isn't working and neither is the defence.

Changes have to be made in key areas and 3 or 4 players must be looking back after last night with a degree of apprehension.

If they are not then that is why we are not winning.Fear of losing your place should drive you on every time you pull on that jersey.

[DietofWorms 2,044]

I cant believe how weak a tackler Edu is. He pulls out of all the 50 50 tackles which stuck out last night.

The way he was going in to tackles last night, he was always likely to get injured. No commitment.