Pace, tempo, attitude, etc.

[nvager 498]

I think most of us agree that this team plays at a pedestrian pace until the other team scores or until we are desperately needing a goal to go in front before the final whistle.

What is the cause of this?

Is it Walter telling them to play it tight and keep control and possession?

Is it Ferguson's control of the team?

Is it a lack of spirit or aggression in the team?

Sheer laziness?

Lack of pace in the team? What regular starters/players have pace? Not too many?

Combination of all of the above?

[Thermopylae 15,287]

All of those things although I don't feel we have a winners attitude anymore. I also feel not wearing our blue shirts is a big mistake ... it's hard wired into human psychology to identify with a colour and we disadvantage ourselves by not using ours whenever possible

[likeacare 9]

I think most of us agree that this team plays at a pedestrian pace until the other team scores or until we are desperately needing a goal to go in front before the final whistle.

What is the cause of this?

Is it Walter telling them to play it tight and keep control and possession?

Is it Ferguson's control of the team?

Is it a lack of spirit or aggression in the team?

Sheer laziness?

Lack of pace in the team? What regular starters/players have pace? Not too many?

Combination of all of the above?

I suspect walter tells them to play that way nvager.

I don't like it.

But if he wins the tiltle I will forgive him.

[jonoger1984 4]

I just had the feeling we were watching a team today who were content to bag a draw and finish 2nd. It seems like the winning menatality that we developed during last season (before it all went a bit wrong towards the end) has gone, and it's up to the management to bring it back.

There seems to be a severe lack of confidence as well, another thing that walter and ally must re-introduce; we have the players to win the league - I have no doubt that a fully fit Rangers team would beat any team celtic could put out, but only if they have the right mindset it seems.

I just can't remember seeing a Rangers team move the ball around so slowly

[simplythebestest 2,145]

I think that most of the players we kept from last season still have a League/European hangover - McGregor, Broadfoot, Weir, Papac all seem markedly worse than they were last season. Even Adam & Lee McC had their moments (at least - more than this season). And, since losing Hutton and Cuellar, what made us good last season has diminished greatly.

The team seemed hungrier - starting their first season under Smith (the man, the legend) and the only real expectation was to bring back stability in the post-Le Guen era. They were average players free to express themselves - and they ended up outdoing themselves. Now that we are back in the drudgery of a season we expect to win back the title that was robbed of us, they have returned to being average players - exposed by the scrutiny of expectation.

And Kenny Mhisser was a pish signing!!

[jbm26896 995]

I think most of us agree that this team plays at a pedestrian pace until the other team scores or until we are desperately needing a goal to go in front before the final whistle.

What is the cause of this?

Is it Walter telling them to play it tight and keep control and possession?

Is it Ferguson's control of the team?

Is it a lack of spirit or aggression in the team?

Sheer laziness?

Lack of pace in the team? What regular starters/players have pace? Not too many?

Combination of all of the above?

Fergie slows down the game all the time

when he did not play we played at a higher tempo and created a lot more chances

we need to come out at the start of the game and attack , but i thing smith has them sitting tight at the start

[outlaw69uk 123]

I think most of us agree that this team plays at a pedestrian pace until the other team scores or until we are desperately needing a goal to go in front before the final whistle.

What is the cause of this?

Is it Walter telling them to play it tight and keep control and possession?

Is it Ferguson's control of the team?

Is it a lack of spirit or aggression in the team?

Sheer laziness?

Lack of pace in the team? What regular starters/players have pace? Not too many?

Combination of all of the above?

I think the answer is quite simple, I seriously do, and, it was in the post directly under this at the time of writing

2 words

Kevin Thomson

We seem to be a shadow of ourselves without him in the side. Mendes, Davis, Ferguson are all the same type of player. Kevin can always be relied on to be 101% energy, crunching opponents, winning the ball and giving it to the others to create. Our midfield at the moment are creative (varying degrees) but have no ball winner, and, you cant do much without the ball.

never mind Edu or anyone else, we need Thomson back, as soon as we can

[papaguy51 912]

The one major thing we're lacking, with the exception of 3/4 players, is ability.

[nvager 498]

I think Thommo is a big loss as Outlaw says, and when Ferguson replaced him the midfield took a nosedive. Hangover - we were doing fine when Thommo was there. Ability - it is certainly limited, but that should not exclude effort and attitude.

I think it is Thommo missing, Ferguson's influence and lack of match fitness, Walter's team selections and tactics, plus a mix of the other things mentioned above.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,967]

One of the problems is that in our current squad only Mendes, Papac, Beasley, Novo, Miller & Ferguson have won league titles in their careers.

And then take guys like Bougherra, Weir, Davis & even Boyd for example.

They have all come from clubs where winning two games out of six, with two draws and two defeats would be seen as relatively good form.

At Rangers it isn't and one of our many problems is that too many off them are struggling with the expectations of playing for a club of this size and meeting the demands which it sets.

[delparlane 5,692]

All of those things although I don't feel we have a winners attitude anymore. I also feel not wearing our blue shirts is a big mistake ... it's hard wired into human psychology to identify with a colour and we disadvantage ourselves by not using ours whenever possible

Agree thoroughly. Yes the main points outlined in the original post are obviously the most crucial, but (imo) the wearing of our colours does play a part as well, even if it is small in scale compared to the others. I was very disappointed to see us come out in our white strips yesterday - it didn't seem at all right for a Gers v. Dons clash, let alone one of that importance.

[Muff 245]

What is lacking?

Quality

Ability

The basics

Never say die attitude

A Captain/leader

Passion

Heart

Desire

Committment

Agression

Winners

Courage

Belief

Width

Motivation

Hunger

A RB, CB, LB, RM, LM and a ST

A good management team

[lancedeangers1 287]

The biggest problems lie with Walter smith, absolutely no doubts about that. He needs to put things into perspective and have some balls and belief in his players.

By perspective i mean - We are playing in the scottish premier league here not the Bundesliga or English premiership. So basically we are one of the only 2 big fish in this league and on every occasion we play spl opposition we should be fielding OUR strongest offensive line up whilst applying offensive tactics.

If we approach every game like that then our superior quality would shine through on most occasions. Im not saying be naive or irresponsible im simply stating that we should let the opposition worry about us more than we worry about them.

Walter mitty must spend the whole week wanking over the oppositions qualities instead of working on ours. I still am seriously pissed with this defeatist approach he has instilled in the side. We as fans and i am sure the players as well could accept not winning the league if we all knew we had a right go at every opportunity. I would'nt be happy but at least i could satisfy myself that the boys gave their all and you cant ask more than that.

Instead we all feel frustrated and annoyed that this geriatric prick is scuppering our chances with his chickenshit attitude. Its as well he was'nt on Derry's walls when the rebels were approaching or our theme tune would be missing a word..