What is wrong with this team?

[BlueKnight87 17,267]

1 minute ago, bassettger said:

The midfield is the major issue. Getting Kamara back in for Lundstrum will help defensively as will a returning Jack but we are still short of a clever attacking midfield player to supply Roofe and Morelos. Even last year we had games where this was missed. They can score a lot more this season if we can add this to the team.

Possibly this is the role being ear marked for bacuna

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,450]

4 hours ago, saintbob1969 said:

We maybe got carried away with our friendly wins and looking and laughing at how woeful Cellic looked. Most Bears have seen it all before and didn't get sidetracked. Its always going to be a rough ride and the league can turn in the blink of an eye. 

Every team will have good runs and bad runs. I'd rather be out against Malmo and win games in the league. We are not ready for a long long run at that level yet and risking injuries to key players. The focus has to be taking the games that matter week in, week out. Win the league. Anything else is a bonus.

How are we not ready for a long run at that level yet, financially we fucking should be given what we have spent wage wise on assembling this squad 

4 hours ago, MacBoyd said:

Reminds me a wee bit of start of season/summer after helicopter Sunday. We looked in a good place and they looked shambolic then the opposite happened. Hopefully we just haven't got going yet and are just about to.

Nah reminds me of allys spl season, we had the league "won" in october mind, lennon 45mins from the sack blah blah

 

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,450]

1 hour ago, BlueKnight87 said:

Possibly this is the role being ear marked for bacuna

And here is us thinking that hagi and aribo are actual central number tens, capable of doing that role

[bassettger 363]

1 hour ago, Jimbeamjunior said:

And here is us thinking that hagi and aribo are actual central number tens, capable of doing that role

How many assists have Hagi and Aribo for Morelos or Roofe ? 

Neither good enough for that role full time. Both are talented in their own way. Aribo has great close control and can chip in with goals now and again. Hagi is closer to what we need in that he can supply key passes and score occasionally but not often enough. I think that is why Gerrard moves them around the team. It is a hard ask but we are looking for a really top class 10.

[OrangeRab 2,684]

Our problem isn’t the quality of Morelos, Kent etc or our full backs.

the problem is a midfield of Arfield, Davis and Lundstrum is mid table SPL quality. I think I’d take St Johnstone’s midfield over those 3.

 

slow, telegraphed passing out wide.

None have the ability to shoot, play through the channels, collect the ball and turn in the pocket, beat a man, or play fast passes to release our wingers at the bye line.

If you compare our team to celtic, I’d probably take every member of our best starting XI over theirs. Except their midfield trio is light years ahead of ours at the moment.

Fingers crossed for  Kamara and Jack with Bacuna in front of them being the attacking threat we need.

[BigBearButt 3,606]

We didnt freshen things up at all. Our first 11 is stagnant. Ive said it before but the older players should have been allowed to leave and we should have spent some decent money on replacements. 

[OrangeRab 2,684]

2 minutes ago, BigBearButt said:

We didnt freshen things up at all. Our first 11 is stagnant. Ive said it before but the older players should have been allowed to leave and we should have spent some decent money on replacements. 

I love Davis but there is no way he should still be starting at his age.

Arfield should have been moved on.

Defoe is taking up valuable wages. 

[BigBearButt 3,606]

Just now, OrangeRab said:

I love Davis but there is no way he should still be starting at his age.

Arfield should have been moved on.

Defoe is taking up valuable wages. 

I get a lot of hate but I have said many times before that Davis is well past his best.

People can go on about poty last year etc (he wasnt mine) but he slows down our play far too much and as an experienced player and ex captain he is guilty of going hiding and not taking responsibility. He should have been thanked for his contribution and we should have secured a younger player of similar or better qualities. 

Defoe i dont mind as he is actually in a dual role with coaching the other striker's being his main job. 

[MacBoyd 5,418]

4 minutes ago, BigBearButt said:

I get a lot of hate but I have said many times before that Davis is well past his best.

People can go on about poty last year etc (he wasnt mine) but he slows down our play far too much and as an experienced player and ex captain he is guilty of going hiding and not taking responsibility. He should have been thanked for his contribution and we should have secured a younger player of similar or better qualities. 

Defoe i dont mind as he is actually in a dual role with coaching the other striker's being his main job. 

I'm the opposite. Davis is our most reliable mid. Defoe is pointless at this stage.

[writingranger 1,412]

There are still good players who have still to show their mettle and need to take opportunities. 

[BigBearButt 3,606]

3 hours ago, MacBoyd said:

I'm the opposite. Davis is our most reliable mid. Defoe is pointless at this stage.

Kamara is a much better player than Davis. Its not even close. 

Defoe as i said is being kept around for coaching with minimal gametime i would expect. Really depends what wage he is on whether or not its a decent deal or not

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,450]

7 hours ago, bassettger said:

How many assists have Hagi and Aribo for Morelos or Roofe ? 

Neither good enough for that role full time. Both are talented in their own way. Aribo has great close control and can chip in with goals now and again. Hagi is closer to what we need in that he can supply key passes and score occasionally but not often enough. I think that is why Gerrard moves them around the team. It is a hard ask but we are looking for a really top class 10.

Aribo is constantly played sitting mid, hagi had the most assists last season in our team i believe, doesnt matter if its for the striker or whoever, assist is an assist, 

Were signing bacuna to link midfield and striker, yet we dont play a system that accurately allows a player like that to work for us 

[MacBoyd 5,418]

15 hours ago, BigBearButt said:

Kamara is a much better player than Davis. Its not even close. 

Defoe as i said is being kept around for coaching with minimal gametime i would expect. Really depends what wage he is on whether or not its a decent deal or not

Kamara is bit he has some rotten spells. Davis is more reliable imo.

[IanScott 16]

Imo some of the players feel they have nothing to prove after last season and are resting on their laurels.  Quite obvious I suppose.

 

[RockwellGers 14,674]

Listened to the Alashkert away preview podcast on Heart and Hand. They are talking to a couple of Armenian football fans, one of them reckoned there was a clear superiority complex visible in the Rangers team, then a bit of panic when it started to go tits up. (I'm paraphrasing)

Just an opinion obviously, but it's a dangerous mindset if true. I wonder how that mentality could have been allowed to reside in the squad in any way. Thought Gerrard would have zero tolerance for that. 

[gronaldo 38]

5 hours ago, RockwellGers said:

Listened to the Alashkert away preview podcast on Heart and Hand. They are talking to a couple of Armenian football fans, one of them reckoned there was a clear superiority complex visible in the Rangers team, then a bit of panic when it started to go tits up. (I'm paraphrasing)

Just an opinion obviously, but it's a dangerous mindset if true. I wonder how that mentality could have been allowed to reside in the squad in any way. Thought Gerrard would have zero tolerance for that. 

I'm not really concerned at the panic bit. Lost of teams panic when going down to ten men, no matter how much they train to deal with it and we still won the game. The way we played in the first half though was completely unacceptable - whether that's not showing the opposition enough respect as this quote suggests or not I don't know, but we can't afford to take that attitude into the second leg.