Comparing this season to last

[East Enclosure Row N 2,714]

We've a new manager and are grinding out results, which looks good on paper at the end of the game, but some of it has been kinda torture to watch at times.

Champions league - on reflection, I think it was a bit of a distraction for us. We got gubbed left right and centre and also dropped daft domestic points inbetween. Hard to motivate players at the weekend after a midweek thrashing. With the Europa league we went into every game with a fighting chance.

Players - can't judge the new signings yet as it's far too soon. One thing's for sure - we really miss Bassey and Aribo. Our injury list this year must be up there as one of our worst ever? If we have "dead wood" in the squad, we have to he ruthless and move them on. Something must be really wrong if Arfield can't even get a bench spot now - only a couple of weeks since Beale was going on about how great he was. Really hope we can get Kent to agree a new contract. His new roving role's taking a bit of time to get used to, but loving the increase in long ball passes.

Goalkeeper - I think everyone's agreed that we need to address this very quickly? I've been impressed by Remi Matthews at St Johnstone over the last few weeks.

League fixtures - finding it really difficult to get excited about playing anyone else other than celtic and Hearts. Every other team is fighting for something within their grasp (Europe, a top 6 spot or avoiding the drop) and it kinda feels like we don't have very much to aim for just now?

VAR - left this until last. The delays have sucked the life blood out of being at a live game. We score - hurray - 3 mins .......... later naw we didnae! South America is trialling a new system similar to Rugby where there is 80mins of actual "ball in play" time and an independent timekeeper. Be interesting to see how this works?

Summing up - wee bit of a sparkle missing this year and I hope it returns (in whatever form?) really soon 😀🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[The Specky Forum Organiser 61,352]

Only skimmed through that but don't think we have missed Aribo at all.

 

[graeme_4 31,588]

Missed the Bassey of the last few months on the season, not really missed Aribo I don’t think.

This season has been an utter disaster, shambolic at times. Injuries haven’t helped, but we’ve still the bulk of the squad that aren’t real winners IMO. 

Might still come out of it with a trophy or two, so will finish on that positive note. 

[Assegai 5,633]

19 minutes ago, East Enclosure Row N said:

We've a new manager and are grinding out results, which looks good on paper at the end of the game, but some of it has been kinda torture to watch at times.

Champions league - on reflection, I think it was a bit of a distraction for us. We got gubbed left right and centre and also dropped daft domestic points inbetween. Hard to motivate players at the weekend after a midweek thrashing. With the Europa league we went into every game with a fighting chance.

Players - can't judge the new signings yet as it's far too soon. One thing's for sure - we really miss Bassey and Aribo. Our injury list this year must be up there as one of our worst ever? If we have "dead wood" in the squad, we have to he ruthless and move them on. Something must be really wrong if Arfield can't even get a bench spot now - only a couple of weeks since Beale was going on about how great he was. Really hope we can get Kent to agree a new contract. His new roving role's taking a bit of time to get used to, but loving the increase in long ball passes.

Goalkeeper - I think everyone's agreed that we need to address this very quickly? I've been impressed by Remi Matthews at St Johnstone over the last few weeks.

League fixtures - finding it really difficult to get excited about playing anyone else other than celtic and Hearts. Every other team is fighting for something within their grasp (Europe, a top 6 spot or avoiding the drop) and it kinda feels like we don't have very much to aim for just now?

VAR - left this until last. The delays have sucked the life blood out of being at a live game. We score - hurray - 3 mins .......... later naw we didnae! South America is trialling a new system similar to Rugby where there is 80mins of actual "ball in play" time and an independent timekeeper. Be interesting to see how this works?

Summing up - wee bit of a sparkle missing this year and I hope it returns (in whatever form?) really soon 😀🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

Hard to disagree with a lot of that but to pick one I'd say that there has to be an expectation that every league fixture is treated as vital until it is mathematically not. We expect the players to pull their socks up and get motivated and my personal opinion is that we as fans have a responsibility to aswell. I thought the atmosphere on Saturday was unusually depressed.

The other point to pick up on is VAR. I agree it's choking the game. It's approaching unforgivable that this issue has not been resolved in leagues which have had it longer like the Premiership. There is a rising chorus of dissatisfaction with it down there though and I think that the best course is to let the issue between VAR and games flowing be resolved there - where there is money and resource - and import it back up here when it's ready. So treat it like gravity, we can't change it so just get on with things.

[LewisWATP 295]

Agree on VAR. an absolute abysmal system which is clearly ran by shitebags that can’t make their mind up most of the time. 

[JackAlex93 9,377]

27 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

Only skimmed through that but don't think we have missed Aribo at all.

 

On his day he was a good player but large parts of his Rangers career he went missing 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 61,352]

Just now, JackAlex93 said:

On his day he was a good player but large parts of his Rangers career he went missing 

1 good game every 4 and replaced him with better.

[NorthernLights 2,526]

I was (and still am) a big Aribo fan but we’re fine in attacking midfield. I’d argue we’ve missed Lawrence more than him. 

[cr3_bear 14,304]

From the week of the Celtic and Ajax game to Gios eventual last game in Paisley was like watching a slow car crash unfold 
 

If the board had intervened at any time between those two moments then we might still have been in with a realistic shot of the title

they didn’t though but the two cups are still in sight along with the chance of as strong a finish as possible and just hoping for a slip up from them somewhere 

[cr3_bear 14,304]

58 minutes ago, LewisWATP said:

Agree on VAR. an absolute abysmal system which is clearly ran by shitebags that can’t make their mind up most of the time. 

Has any other governing body ever brought in VAR a quite sizeable way through a campaign like Scotland has this season ? Genuine question as I don’t know the answer 

it’s bizzare that in the same season you can have something as game changing in place for certain fixtures when it wasn’t available in others. If it’s in place at Easter road lundstrum stays on the pitch 

[Moody Blue 8,855]

 

[Somemightsay7 1,946]

Performances aside, we're actually doing better in the league this season than last, despite the bad start.

Last season we took 2.34 points per game, this season is 2.44 which is the same as celtic had last season.

celtic are doing far better this year though, taking 2.8 points per game, which is on track to be the best ever for a SPFL club.

To me our biggest issue is we've stagnated. For the last 2 summers we really needed to invest in those 2-3 top players who were going to bring the team up a level, but instead we've invested in a large number of similar (or worse) quality players. I don't know if the board assumed celtic weren't going to improve to the extent they did or if they just got it totally wrong. Add on our injuries, the CL hammerings and the goalkeeping mess then we were always going to struggle.

If you don't add better quality players than you already have then you'll go backwards as players get older, hit periods of poor form, struggle to maintain levels of motivation etc.

When is the last time we signed a player that was truly an increase in quality of what we already had? Probably a couple seasons ago at least.

[Hamie 4,464]

We have been desperately unlucky this year with injury. Playing a large  portion of the season without a central defender was brutal to any title or european hopes (however; some of the damage was avoidable and the fault of Gio and Wilsons recruitment) 

Think the new recruits under Beale look decent and with players returning from injury we should be in a pretty good place soon. 

 

 

 

 

[BlueAvenger 9,517]

I think we are weaker without Bassey and Aribo.  Hopefully the new signings are good. 

[BlueSuedeSambas 52,683]

53 minutes ago, Hamie said:

We have been desperately unlucky this year with injury. Playing a large  portion of the season without a central defender was brutal to any title or european hopes (however; some of the damage was avoidable and the fault of Gio and Wilsons recruitment) 

Think the new recruits under Beale look decent and with players returning from injury we should be in a pretty good place soon. 

 

 

 

 

I don’t even think our recruitment was that bad on paper. We’ve just never been able to get them all fit and in the team at the same time.

[Madina 3,400]

The Europa league run and then the SC win paperer over cracks. This season grinding out results in most games under Beale is papering over cracks. Win the 2 cup competitions and then overhaul in the summer. Definitely need a new GK and I hope we dont offer Alfie a new deal (probably an unpopular opinion)

[RFC55 104,152]

3 minutes ago, Madina said:

The Europa league run and then the SC win paperer over cracks. This season grinding out results in most games under Beale is papering over cracks. Win the 2 cup competitions and then overhaul in the summer. Definitely need a new GK and I hope we dont offer Alfie a new deal (probably an unpopular opinion)

By that logic winning the 2 cups papers over the cracks as well 

[Somemightsay7 1,946]

2 minutes ago, RFC55 said:

By that logic winning the 2 cups papers over the cracks as well 

That's what he said, hence the overhaul needed in the summer.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 61,352]

5 minutes ago, Madina said:

The Europa league run and then the SC win paperer over cracks. This season grinding out results in most games under Beale is papering over cracks. Win the 2 cup competitions and then overhaul in the summer. Definitely need a new GK and I hope we dont offer Alfie a new deal (probably an unpopular opinion)

The general consensus amongst the vast majority of the support is that we need to get rid of the vast majority of the squad so I'm curious as to what cracks have been papered over?

[bluenoz 29,299]

Early days, but our January window looks much better this year compared to the desperate signing to appease fans with Ramsey.

I think adding Raskin, Cantwell & Tillman this year is the catalyst for Rangers to become a very strong team 

[RFC55 104,152]

21 minutes ago, Somemightsay7 said:

That's what he said, hence the overhaul needed in the summer.

Heeds bamboozled reading absolute nonsense on here 

[Somemightsay7 1,946]

2 minutes ago, RFC55 said:

Heeds bamboozled reading absolute nonsense on here 

So if we win 2 cups this year you think the teams in a good place?

[RFC55 104,152]

9 minutes ago, Somemightsay7 said:

So if we win 2 cups this year you think the teams in a good place?

I’d say so aye, needs additions but I’d say beating the fenians twice (I’d imagine it would need to be us) would have us on a sound footing.

 

that’s not to say we don’t need additions but I don’t see the crazy overhaul that some think we need and will be disappointed we don’t replace 11 and 12 players 

[BlueSuedeSambas 52,683]

Just now, RFC55 said:

I’d say so aye, needs additions but I’d say beating the fenians twice (I’d imagine it would need to be us) would have us on a sound footing.

 

that’s not to say we don’t need additions but I don’t see the crazy overhaul that some think we need and will be disappointed we don’t replace 11 and 12 players 

I think the two we added in January make a massive difference. It’s freshened up the team in the areas that it needed it the most. 

[SPWF 7,792]

4 hours ago, The Specky Liar said:

Only skimmed through that but don't think we have missed Aribo at all.

 

Already getting more from Tillman than we ever got from Aribo IMO.