Crucial period ahead

Ek_blue said:
With regards to the next game against Ross County, no worries from me. Lets be honest, it should be a stroll in the park and at some points i expect to see cigars and slippers on.
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This is just daft and asking for trouble . I’d never say anything like that given how crucial each SPL game is . Crazy . Each game has to be treated as a cup final because make to mistake people are watching and willing us to slip .
 
Stuart_WATP said:
This upcoming away fixture v Ross County will tell us a lot IMO

In recent times we'd potentially drop points and lower our performance for a fixture like this.

County just off the back of an historic win v the tims, we've just had a very draining European match.

If we can fly out the traps and show hunger and desire in this game, it will set us up perfectly for the battles ahead IMO
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They have an injury crisis and we are flying, 3 0
 
Roles have almost been reversed.

Celtic previously had freedom to play as they knew it didn’t matter if they lost as we would drop points anyway.

That has now reversed to a degree. We have a points gap, we are playing the better football and we are full of confidence. Celtic on the other hand know they HAVE to win just to stay in touch.

both teams will drop points in the run in, it’s our ability to bounce back and go again that is different this season, plus that fact that Celtic are more likely to ship goals and drop points that we are to this point. This affords a freedom to a degree that we haven’t had before.
 
Every game needs to be approached with 100% attitude and will to win to end of season

If we get through till then equaling or bettering their results till the end of Jan then we will be in great position

This period is where the league could be won or lost cold weather tiredness Xmas illness etc.

Good squad management and getting the hands won early will help us rotate players.
 
On the Heart & Hand podcast after the 2-0 win at Parkhead Martin (I think) spoke about the importance of 'scoreboard pressure' in cricket.

The idea being chasing down a big points gap brings its own pressure because any mistake could be fatal to your chances.

Just now they can console themselves with the fact it could only be 5 points, we've struggled from Jan before & they have 3 games against us.

We need to make sure they drop points before we do.
 
I suspect we will drop points in the next few league games. We simply can't just keep winning every single week.

Good thing is The Tims are playing that bad that they are capable of dropping some points as well.
 
ICA_86 said:
I’m looking at the domestic games and having absolutely zero fear.

Nobody in Scotland can live with us, and it’s the first time I’ve felt like that in years.

Last night actually made me think that the slow start was down to resting so many for Falkirk - two games a week is nothing to a squad this fit.
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This.

It is foot on the throats for the rest of the SPFL dross before we give the scum a hiding in the New Year that will finish them off.
 
Drumchapel-Bear said:
I suspect we will drop points in the next few league games. We simply can't just keep winning every single week.

Good thing is The Tims are playing that bad that they are capable of dropping some points as well.
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I think we absolutely can*.

Games of chance throw up winning streaks that you know will come to an end through simple mathematics and probability.

Games of skill do not.

If I sat with Magnus Carlsen and played chess 38 times, he would not get 15 games deep and start to worry about a random loss 'just because'.



If this side carry on doing what they are doing and we maintain the levels of fitness across the squad, it is hard to see what side in Scotland has the ability to take anything from us.




*Can. Not will.
 
Stuart_WATP said:
This upcoming away fixture v Ross County will tell us a lot IMO

In recent times we'd potentially drop points and lower our performance for a fixture like this.

County just off the back of an historic win v the tims, we've just had a very draining European match.

If we can fly out the traps and show hunger and desire in this game, it will set us up perfectly for the battles ahead IMO
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The difference now is we'll have defoe up top, fresh as a daisy and as hungry as ever to score. We dont need to play Morelos, though he will probably be on the bench as will Roofe.

We have Aribo just back so he'll play as well. We have a good squad that can be rotated.
 
Just noticed we have 4 straight away fixtures. Confidence is high and we now have depth in the squad, so I am confident we will be ok.
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
I think we absolutely can*.

Games of chance throw up winning streaks that you know will come to an end through simple mathematics and probability.

Games of skill do not.

If I sat with Magnus Carlsen and played chess 38 times, he would not get 15 games deep and start to worry about a random loss 'just because'.



If this side carry on doing what they are doing and we maintain the levels of fitness across the squad, it is hard to see what side in Scotland has the ability to take anything from us.




*Can. Not will.
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Unfortunately football simply isn't about who has the best players. Best team will win the league over the course of a season 9/10 but football has many variables that can effect games on an individual basis at any given moment.

We could concede a penalty after 5 mins on Sunday and Goldson gets sent off. We are right up against it from that point, doesn't matter how much better we are than the opposition.

Of course, if we keep playing to the best of our ability every single week and we don't have any adverse variables going against us then we can keep winning. I'm just basing my post on the law of averages though and how these things tend to play out over the course of a season.
 
Drumchapel-Bear said:
I suspect we will drop points in the next few league games. We simply can't just keep winning every single week.

Good thing is The Tims are playing that bad that they are capable of dropping some points as well.
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Why can't we? County, DU, St Mirren (x2 one in cup), Motherwell and St Johnstone before we play the beggars. If we play as we can, who do you think can take points off us?

We are becoming 'workman like' in our attitude. Play the game, get it done and move on to the next game, no over excitement or despair, just do the job. I agree this probably can;t last the full season, but we will be starting to beat teams in the tunnel, they wont expect much from the game, where as before they new they could frustrate us for 70 mins and maybe nick a goal.
 
ICA_86 said:
I’m looking at the domestic games and having absolutely zero fear.

Nobody in Scotland can live with us, and it’s the first time I’ve felt like that in years.

Last night actually made me think that the slow start was down to resting so many for Falkirk - two games a week is nothing to a squad this fit.
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I agree, and I thought the same about our slow start last night, and as far as the OPs fears, I think the management team and the players are made of stronger stuff than us fans and will be focused for county.
 
insanicdrunk said:
Why can't we? County, DU, St Mirren (x2 one in cup), Motherwell and St Johnstone before we play the beggars. If we play as we can, who do you think can take points off us?

We are becoming 'workman like' in our attitude. Play the game, get it done and move on to the next game, no over excitement or despair, just do the job. I agree this probably can;t last the full season, but we will be starting to beat teams in the tunnel, they wont expect much from the game, where as before they new they could frustrate us for 70 mins and maybe nick a goal.
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See post above.
 
There's only 1 team in Scotland that can de-rail us, and that's Rangers.

We are the best footballing team in the league, and only our mentality is up for debate. We should last season that we're our own worst enemy. We have done fantastic so far this season. The challenge is continuing this into the New Year and beyond.

All this great run means absolutely nothing if we don't keep the levels the same all the way through to May.
 
Massive 8 weeks of league games. Especially the month of January. If we can get through to the end of January in a similar points position I think it’s coming home!
 
Drumchapel-Bear said:
See post above.
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I posted at same time. What you say can happen of course, however, with the way we have played and the cards we have had before, whats the chance it happens? (I know its just an example you have used).

With all the 'evidence' we have there is more chance that we go through without dropping points than we drop points.
 
On the pitch I think the team will carry on regardless. A win is not guaranteed against them on 2nd January but I’m confident about this one.
What is niggling away at me though is the thought that the filth are up to something and that once again, we will be cheated off the park by whatever spurious charge or previously unknown rule the SPFL decide to level against us.
 
Drumchapel-Bear said:
Unfortunately football simply isn't about who has the best players. Best team will win the league over the course of a season 9/10 but football has many variables that can effect games on an individual basis at any given moment.

We could concede a penalty after 5 mins on Sunday and Goldson gets sent off. We are right up against it from that point, doesn't matter how much better we are than the opposition.

Of course, if we keep playing to the best of our ability every single week and we don't have any adverse variables going against us then we can keep winning. I'm just basing my post on the law of averages though and how these things tend to play out over the course of a season.
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Football absolutely is about who has the best players, in terms of skill and mindset.

If we conceded a pen and Goldson was sent off after 5 minutes on Sunday, I would still feel reasonably confident that a team that has a fantastic record of picking up results when down men would get the job done just now.


The bottom line is simple, though, beyond that, in that opposition teams of far better quality that Ross County manage to get into our box so rarely that the chances of a pen and a red are slim to begin with. We are getting more pens because we are spending more time in the opposition box. We are conceding no pens because the opposition are rarely in our box.



There are a large number of teams in far more competitive leagues, with FAR more able opponents that have gone on domestic league runs that far outstrip our current one.


If this team maintain their form and commitment levels, they will not ship points to anyone in Scotland. The only time we drop points is where we drop our own levels. Make sure that does not happen and we keep marching on!
 
insanicdrunk said:
I posted at same time. What you say can happen of course, however, with the way we have played and the cards we have had before, whats the chance it happens? (I know its just an example you have used).

With all the 'evidence' we have there is more chance that we go through without dropping points than we drop points.
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If we get to the Old Firm without dropping any more points, then we would be doing something we have never done in our history (in terms of the amount of points amassed after that amount of games).

Based on how our season has went up to this point, of course we could do it. I'm just simply saying I don't think it will happen. Not because we aren't playing well enough to do it, simply because history tells you we simply won't just keep winning every single game we play every week.

If I am wrong, then I would be over the moon of course. If we don't drop any points prior to the Old Firm and then beat Celtic I would go as far as to say the league was over.
 
Drumchapel-Bear said:
If we get to the Old Firm without dropping any more points, then we would be doing something we have never done in our history (in terms of the amount of points amassed after that amount of games).

Based on how our season has went up to this point, of course we could do it. I'm just simply saying I don't think it will happen. Not because we aren't playing well enough to do it, simply because history tells you we simply won't just keep winning every single game we play every week.

If I am wrong, then I would be over the moon of course. If we don't drop any points prior to the Old Firm and then beat Celtic I would go as far as to say the league was over.
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No worries, if you're wrong we'll all be happy, about the points not you being wrong!! :D

I just think there is something different about our team at the moment. I dont think I've seen a squad that is actually team.
 
Drumchapel-Bear said:
If we get to the Old Firm without dropping any more points, then we would be doing something we have never done in our history (in terms of the amount of points amassed after that amount of games).

Based on how our season has went up to this point, of course we could do it. I'm just simply saying I don't think it will happen. Not because we aren't playing well enough to do it, simply because history tells you we simply won't just keep winning every single game we play every week.

If I am wrong, then I would be over the moon of course. If we don't drop any points prior to the Old Firm and then beat Celtic I would go as far as to say the league was over.
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I think you are bang on the money!
 
Stuart_WATP said:
This upcoming away fixture v Ross County will tell us a lot IMO

In recent times we'd potentially drop points and lower our performance for a fixture like this.

County just off the back of an historic win v the tims, we've just had a very draining European match.

If we can fly out the traps and show hunger and desire in this game, it will set us up perfectly for the battles ahead IMO
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Feel this kind of chat represented the Killie game, but not this one. County are pish. We should stroll it. If we don’t it’s because we didn’t turn up on the day. But it wouldnt be reflective of anything deeper for me.
 
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Ubik said:
there should be a one game at a time thread, it's a mind numbing reply.
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Aye, give those guys a mega thread of their own. 10,000 pages of one game at a time posted one after the other.

This Rangers team could play most the teams in the SPL 2 at a time and still take max points. “A” team winning at St Mirren or someone while the “B” team are winning at Ibrox
 
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WinkieWATP said:
Let’s not forget before they beat Celtic Ross County lost to Killie who played more or less the whole match with 10 men.

Kelly looks to be one of it not their best players also not able to play.

We will stick at least three past them imo.
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And if we don’t, we’re still winning this league
 
BlueFlagHigh said:
This game on Sunday is really our biggest game for years . Make no mistake the yahoo are watching us praying with all their might that we drop something . What we have managed to do so far apart from at Hibs and Livingston is we haven’t given them that chink of light they need to see . The reason Sunday is so crucial is it’s absolutely the type of game they will almost expect us to trip up . We struggled to beat county at Ibrox so it’s a massive , massive game on Sunday . Our game kicks off first so it’s once again so crucial we don’t give them the chink they crave . We win and say “ over to you” and the pressure all goes back on them . Getting nervy already but we CAN do it . Come on!!!
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They “expect us to trip up” versus Ross County?

No they don’t. We might. No one expects it. And it won’t be a catastrophe.

The “one game at a time, “this is our Everest”, “(insert appallingly bad team ‘X’) are a potential banana skin” are even more deluded than the League is won crew. Just in the opposite direction.
 
It was always said that Rangers teams really start to motor during the winter months, let's hope history repeats this year.
 
Moe Szyslak said:
One game at a time mantra has to be followed. Small blocks of 4 games at a time to focus on as a mini league. If we can stay professional and treat each game with equal importance we should be in a good place to play the rotten mob. Every game is a potential banana skin , Ross county, hibs, Dundee Utd are all tricky if we dont treat them right. The game against that lot Is a must win for them but not for us, if we avoid defeat they will be in trouble
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So is it one game at a time, or 4? Why blocks of 4? Why not 3, 5 or 7?
 
RoxburghGer said:
Am as nervous before every league game as I would be for a knockout game/Cup final.
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You and me both. I don't remember it being like this before. Fragile confidence due to it being battered for the best part of a decade.

Home games V Hamilton and at 14:57 absolutely shitting yourself.
 
BlueFlagHigh said:
This is just daft and asking for trouble . I’d never say anything like that given how crucial each SPL game is . Crazy . Each game has to be treated as a cup final because make to mistake people are watching and willing us to slip .
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The last line doesn’t even make any logical sense
 
Parma said:
On the Heart & Hand podcast after the 2-0 win at Parkhead Martin (I think) spoke about the importance of 'scoreboard pressure' in cricket.

The idea being chasing down a big points gap brings its own pressure because any mistake could be fatal to your chances.

Just now they can console themselves with the fact it could only be 5 points, we've struggled from Jan before & they have 3 games against us.

We need to make sure they drop points before we do.
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We don’t “need”. We hope. It would strengthen our grip. They “need”. We don’t “need”. That is the scoreboard pressure.
 
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