How far behind are they?

The key will be how good a goalkeeper they get and how good the defenders are they sign.

I think they see that as a solution to their problems but I doubt they're going to get players good enough in those positions to transform them.

Their real problem is that they have no evident structure. They don't defend as a unit and are entirely unorganised. That was a problem from last season that they wanted to ignore.

They've then hired a manager who seems even more kamikaze and to think running about is the solution.

As much as Edouard seems to have chucked it, if they sell him, I'd be pretty confident that causes problems for them in an attacking sense. On recent form, you wouldn't back their recruitment team to bring in a better player than him when he's on form.
 
I think they see that as a solution to their problems but I doubt they're going to get players good enough in those positions to transform them.

Their real problem is that they have no evident structure. They don't defend as a unit and are entirely unorganised. That was a problem from last season that they wanted to ignore.

They've then hired a manager who seems even more kamikaze and to think running about is the solution.

As much as Edouard seems to have chucked it, if they sell him, I'd be pretty confident that causes problems for them in an attacking sense. On recent form, you wouldn't back their recruitment team to bring in a better player than him when he's on form.

Agree on Edouard.

I can see what the manager is trying to do. He just doesn't have the players to do it yet, particularly defensively. Taylor and Ralston as inverted fullbacks is never going to work. If they get a couple of decent and technically sound fullbacks in though then that will make them better. I've no idea how good this guy Starfelt is, if he's good then him alongside a decent keeper and fullbacks will take them up a level imo.

Their recruitment in the coming weeks and how they settle in will be key.

Their gung ho attacking football plays right into our hands and the first Old Firm could get really messy for them. I would expect them to blow away most teams in the SPL most weeks though if they click and can sign the players I have mentioned.
 
I think this criticism of posters who are cautious is silly and actually the reverse of what you say. Of course there were Bears so tight last season that they couldn't recognise the league was over but they were not normal circumstances.

I tend to think people who get carried away do it both ways and we also have a rump (understandable ) who think every thing they do is shite and all their players are shite...very similar to their idiot ex-player last season-we saw it under Rodgers who was dismissed as was their team when he clearly had gelled them-read on here they were pish when they were bossing us.

They look to be a shambles but I repeat they looked to be a shambles 2nd Souness season and us heading for 10 we looked to have a strong advantage. It only takes a dip from us and confidence to start kicking in with them and the balance can shift noticeably.

Only an idiot would not be delighted at where we are sitting but football teaches us nothing is decided early on and a season can be a very long haul. We will have our setbacks for certain. Yes they look to be in a real mess but I want to see that in tangible terms after games and the results verify and prove just how bad they are. I got stick for saying their European tie would be a nervy affair and that they would get pumped...in the end it was a dire result for them but they weren't outclassed the way many claimed.
I'm not criticising those posters per se, I just don't understand the logic of being able to call one situation (us under Pedro for example) so clearly and accurately when it's us yet still have them on a pedestal and oooh aaaah, what if, this happened 30 years ago it could happen again, so we can't write them off, we just can't, fudging of calling it as they see it in the same way with them.

Is it the constant negative conditioning over the past ten years? Only happy having something to moan about? Not wanting to look like a twat on the Internet for calling it wrong? I just don't understand how people can be so negative about their own team in numerous situations, (transfers, if heaven forbid we draw a game etc) yet be so defensive of what is essentially the enemy. I just don't get it. :)
 
Apples and oranges.

Celtic spent big money that summer to bring in Sutton, Lennon, Valgaeren and Thompson. They can't afford to pay big fees and big wages to solve their problems this time.

This Celtic team doesn't have a Larsson in the squad returning from injury. Let alone players to the level of Lambert and Petrov. One of their highest rated players has forced a move already, another is blatantly trying to jump ship.

O'Neil had managed and won multiple cups in a major European league. Their current manager has never managed out-with a minor league or a minor international team.
the other point is that in those times these players would come to Scotland and to Celtic. In the current situation for an unknown and untried manager very doubtful they would attract that calibre of player.

They also have to have a system for recruitment. they need a DOF or someone in charge of that side of the business. No word of that now. The longer they leave that the better for us because they will make more mistakes in the recruitment process.

Added to that they cant afford such players. I really think they are three years away for success if they get everything right which they aren't doing at the moment.
 
They honestly look like they need a whole new first 11. Turnbull(their new messiah?) is pretty shite, he’s like another rogic. Whole back line and gk, they have one competent midfielder in McGregor. Eduoard looks like he’s leaving and I wouldn’t trust their recruitment team to replace him well. They are a shambles right now, we should be looking to win the league by a similar margin this year cause I can see them being challenged by Aberdeen/hibs for 2nd place, that’s how bad their team and depth looks the now.
 
Same stuff said about us hence can you see them yet jokes about how far we were behind, football has a knack of the unexpected so i'm not taking anything for granted, its a boring one game at a time from me.
 
Same stuff said about us hence can you see them yet jokes about how far we were behind, football has a knack of the unexpected so i'm not taking anything for granted, its a boring one game at a time from me.
I agree. They are clearly far behind but if they start getting a few signings right, start winning domestic games (easily achievable in Scotland), and build some confidence they might not be too far behind us points wise.

It’s also possible the expectation we have on our team might apply some pressure if we don’t create the points gap we all expect by Christmas.

Lots of ifs there mind!
 
Not interested in them or who they sign. Concentrate on us and if we keep winning and play well then they can do what they want and why care where they are as long as we are top of the league. We can not always go without loosing but at present we are Scotlands top team. It was good they are out of the CL but all that matters is that we stay in and get to the group stages.
Let them talk about us and we can forget them.
Beat LIvi and Malmo and off we go.
 
I'm not criticising those posters per se, I just don't understand the logic of being able to call one situation (us under Pedro for example) so clearly and accurately when it's us yet still have them on a pedestal and oooh aaaah, what if, this happened 30 years ago it could happen again, so we can't write them off, we just can't, fudging of calling it as they see it in the same way with them.

Is it the constant negative conditioning over the past ten years? Only happy having something to moan about? Not wanting to look like a twat on the Internet for calling it wrong? I just don't understand how people can be so negative about their own team in numerous situations, (transfers, if heaven forbid we draw a game etc) yet be so defensive of what is essentially the enemy. I just don't get it. :)

Our support are notoriously demanding-we have a section arguably sizeable who do not contemplate anything other than victories and success. SG would not have survived not winning the title -the absolute negativity that comes from the stands at times is mind numbing especially towards younger players. Of course a near decade of rebuild has taken it's toll but we are over that now. I don't consider things to be anything other than extremely positive but I remain cautious on getting carried away.

The nature of a support also wants to believe the best-the Pedro debate lasted a while he had his backers in reality it takes time to fully assess how good or bad a manager is. If we take their guy I would have said his press dealings have been nothing short of a disaster-he misunderstands how it works here but last night I would have said he actually got to grips with the BBC guy and showed a bit of intelligence and spirit-maybe it's a one off but he didn't look as far out of his depth in the worst circumstances he's been in.

Some Bears look at the game a bit more logically based on previous experience-they look to be in trouble history teaches us it they either unravel quickly or hit peaks and troughs that are invariably not good enough and on occasion a bad start is recovered from.
I think the time to really judge short of a total false start from them is when the window shuts and there are a number of league games completed.
 
I can't help thinking it shouldn't be too difficult for them to at least slightly improve - considering just how poor they are at present

You'd think they could get a defender or two worthy of the term 'defender'

If flange doesn't even recognise that area of the pitch & they choose people like Duffer to 'strengthen' them - then they'll be in trouble if they stick with what they've got

Even if flange's game philosophy was capable of success- they don't have the players to pull it off - & getting them is beyond their budget IMO

But relatively small improvements are still easily achieved & I can still see them being successful against the majority of the 'also-rans' in the SPL

But that means they'll need to build a much better team spirit, cohesion, organisation, determination & become much more motivated - than they were against the Danes

I just don't see flangey being able to provide that motivation - in fact he's liable to be a hindrance on that front IMO
 
They don't need to be massively better than us, they need to take maximum points from the other 10 teams then it's down to 4 old firms for the title, if they win one and draw one it'll be neck and neck.

Why do people persist in this lie

When was the title last won only on the old firms

I know we have ridiculous panic merchants here, but look at their club, look at the way they play.

This post is no better than the lunatic from their forum predicting a treble and Europe after Xmas. There is no tangible evidence to support what you have said.

Again its

Collect underpants
?
Win the league

There needs to be some actual evidence for Celtic being only the old firm result away from us than "just because".

You honestly think they only need a keeper and a striker or 2 and they'll match our points haul in the other 34 games? Have you watched any football in the past 2 decades?
 
Best not to be complacent- and I don't think we are. Right now, Celtic have a hill to climb but they have done it before as have we.

So best to focus on Rangers; winning the league (56) and doing well in the Champions League.
 
However their coach is no mug, he is not a Pedro or a Ronnie, at very least he will get them organised, motivated and disciplined this season and very fit by the start of next season. With three well funded transfer windows under his belt there is every chance he will put together a very strong squad by the start of next season. So in my opinion, we are one season ahead of them,
This is far from proven yet...
 
Agree on Edouard.

I can see what the manager is trying to do. He just doesn't have the players to do it yet, particularly defensively. Taylor and Ralston as inverted fullbacks is never going to work. If they get a couple of decent and technically sound fullbacks in though then that will make them better. I've no idea how good this guy Starfelt is, if he's good then him alongside a decent keeper and fullbacks will take them up a level imo.

Their recruitment in the coming weeks and how they settle in will be key.

Their gung ho attacking football plays right into our hands and the first Old Firm could get really messy for them. I would expect them to blow away most teams in the SPL most weeks though if they click and can sign the players I have mentioned.


Trying to play Ralston and Taylor as inverted fullbacks shows a lack of realism and pragmatism from him to me. I also think a more savvy coach would have played at least one central midfielder in the roles as that suits the profile more for what you're asking the players to do. It's often what Guardiola does as doing it is about trying to dominate the ball. That's who all his ideas are coming second hand from.

I'm not sure they'll recruit players tactically and technically adept enough to play the roles well. I also think inverted fullbacks in Scotland will struggle as most teams want to counter in those areas more so than anywhere else. I have my doubts if he's tactically adept enough to pull off what he's trying to do. He just seems happy if they've worked hard rather than having a defensive structure in mind.

I'm not sure the gung ho attacking and demand you run yourself into the ground tactics will work across a season in Scotland. In Gerrard's first season we were a bit more high pressing and going out to batter teams but still more tactically and defensively structured than they look. By October, November, December we started to drop points with more regularity.

As shite as Scottish teams are, I don't think you can win a title without a semi-solid defence. Rodger's teams were no iron curtain but limited goals conceded to circa 25 goals a season. Even if they recruit, I struggle to see them doing that with the approach on display so far. I'm sensing more Warburton and Mowbray stuff than anything else.
 
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What's up ? A lot of realistic sensible posters on this morning, expected the league is won for the considerable future, we will beat them every game comfortably, and they are crap and will stay crap forever no matter who they sign, posts :)
Being deluded about where they are at is not realistic

Saying if they sign a striker and a goalie they will match our points total is not realistic

Saying the Old Firm games will be the only difference between the teams in the league is no realistic

I don't see this overt pessimism as being realistic. Quite the opposite actually.

Tell me the last year the OF games alone decided the title?
 
Over 20 years ago but that one still hurts with how quickly it turned. I would say though there were strong rumours at that time of a number of players not getting on with Advocaat which probably accelerated our fall.

This time around there are no such stories and hopefully we continue to go from strength to strength.
Yes, its a lazy comparison
 
They will improve within the next month or two. We need to keep our focus and concentrate on our form.
But they regressed from last season to now.

So depending on the size of said improvement they might not even be back to last years low level. Then you need a monumental collapse from us
 
Also remember, between 1st Dec and 2nd Jan our 4 away games are Hibs, Hearts. Aberdeen and Celtic.

Anything can happen and we can't afford to think about what they do.
And we had people catastrophising about our fixtures last Nov, last Dec and this past Jan. And each time we extended our points difference.

I think on FF "realism" means yellow bellied caution
 
Middle to front they aren’t that bad
If they sort their defence and goalkeeping position then they will challenge for sure
We don’t want to be complacent in any way
Take care of our own business and look after ourselves only and we will be fine
They will not challenge this year
 
We have to learn from the utter disaster they have got themselves into. It was based on pure arrogance and the view that we were done. Our club is being run in the best manner that is has done for years. The football structure is tremendous and everyone is pulling in the right direction.

We have to keep pushing on but have to remain humble. Keep our foot on their throat whilst planning to be a Champions League level outfit for ourselves. The financial gain from that will be so significant for us, 2 consecutive years in the Champions League will see us in a very strong financial position which can underpin years of forward planning.
 
They are not as far back, as we where. We need to keep pushing. We should enjoy the moment, but don't make the assumptions they did about the ability to bridge the gap. Keep pushing and developing.
We’re obsessed with self-improvement of the club and it’s staff and players, they’re obsessed with Rangers.

That’s the massive difference between the clubs and it’s why complacency will never be a concern to me.
 
My take is that this season is it is in our own hands if we mess up and give them an opportunity to compete, its on us. However their coach is no mug, he is not a Pedro or a Ronnie, at very least he will get them organised, motivated and disciplined this season and very fit by the start of next season. With three well funded transfer windows under his belt there is every chance he will put together a very strong squad by the start of next season. So in my opinion, we are one season ahead of them, but if we want to stay ahead we will have to work hard to raise our standards.

I think they might be in a somewhat deeper hole than that. We already have a very strong squad and will continue strengthening it and even more so if we qualify for CL groups. Which they now can't.

I believe we will win the league again next season and automatically qualify for CL groups. And if they fail again they're in a dire position.

They're in something like the position we were in pre Gerrard. We just brought in a new manager and were miles behind them. But there is a big difference between what Gerrard had to do and what they have to do.

It took Gerrard two seasons to build a title winning side and I see it taking them at least as long and very possibly longer. Look at our squad. We have quality picks all through every position in the first 11. And quality back ups for every position.

Hell we have about 5 CB'S and all of them would walk into any other side in the league while Ange struggles to make a patchwork defence.

They're miles behind us all across the pitch and that's before even considering their back ups. There has to be a similar depth of quality for them to challenge us. They don't have all that and they're not going to have it in 3 windows.

When Gerrard came in and we were pursuing them we got lucky as it turns out. Instead of strengthening further they stood still. Obviously decided they would make the 10 with what they had. While Gerrard was continually strengthening.

Gerrard not only closed the gap as they stood still he overtook them and they didn't even notice they had been passed at first. But this Ange guy isn't in a situation like that.

We're not going to be standing still waiting for him to catch up. We're going to be striving to at a minimum maintain the gap and hopefully even widen it. And if we have a run of CL group stage money and they don't they will be in a very difficult spot.
 
A country mile behind and Tom English, of all people, last night put it into perspective. If the league started right now, we could field 2 teams, and no more signings were allowed, then our second string team would take the current Celtic one to the cleaners. He isn't wrong either.

They need another 6 or 7 top quality, not average squad filler, players that hit the ground running on top of the CB and Japanese striker they've signed just to be semi competitive. They are then fully dependent on not getting any serious injuries, no covid outbreaks and having a pristine disciplinary record as they would still have zero depth to their squad if they lost any for a prolonged period of time. They need to keep Christie, which I can't see, and the Japanese needs to be as effective or better than Edouard whom he will replace. That's a lot of if's and but's and finger crossing.

The same people in here defending them by saying you can't write them off, they'll still hammer the dross and won't be worse than last year are very likely the same posters under Warburton and Pedro who were vociferous in highlighting why we were miles behind Celtic in terms of winning mentality (they only have McGregor, Thumb, Rogic and the 2 wantaways left who have that experience), individual quality and depth of squad, whilst also arguing we were light years behind them, would win nothing and struggle to get second from Aberdeen.

I called the league in September last year when I saw the mess they were in, and was shot down repeatedly by the one game a time, they know how to win a league, we don't, let's see if we can play after Xmas when it counts crew. I'm calling it now this season. They have far, far, far too much to do and zero time to do it. It's not happy clapping, it's using my eyes and applying common sense.
This is a realistic post.

This season Rangers are miles ahead of Celtic.

Yes, one day in the ensuing years they will be closer again, but those saying that is the situation now are the deluded ones. They are taking a patently false view of events and presenting it as the only sensible conclusion. It's bizarre. Being overly cautious to the point of stupidity for fear that one day the gap will not be what it is, is not synonymous with realism.
 
The difference is in terms of resources they have available to throw at it. Whether they are willing is another matter, but their wage bill should be a fraction of what it was and they have pulled in some hefty transfer fees to fund spending.
That's complete horse shit, no offence to you.

They had a 90 million wage bill during Brendans time.
What is it? 4 years expecting CL money and they haven't got any?

They have lost £120 million the last 4 years.
Transfer fees haven't covered that.
They owed about 50 million to banks before that.

They are skint.
They are in a worse nick than we were, we were rock bottom without a squad, they have a squad full of expensive flops and need to downside while increasing quality in the squad. they need a benefactor AND to downside further.

Fritzel has decided he has no intention to fund them any more.
They are in a bad place.
 
They are a lot further behind (on and (in the not to distant future) off the pitch as well) than their entitled fans are willing to accept.
 
Scotland is a weird footballing country, Aberdeen regularly beat the the rest of the dross under McInnes for a good while, that's all they still need to do

Talk of them being behind doesn't help anyone
Talk of them being far closer than they really are doesn't help anyway.

Not sure of the value of the analogy of an Aberdeen team who have never been anywhere in the league.

Bizarre post
 
Why do people persist in this lie

When was the title last won only on the old firms

I know we have ridiculous panic merchants here, but look at their club, look at the way they play.

This post is no better than the lunatic from their forum predicting a treble and Europe after Xmas. There is no tangible evidence to support what you have said.

Again its

Collect underpants
?
Win the league

There needs to be some actual evidence for Celtic being only the old firm result away from us than "just because".

You honestly think they only need a keeper and a striker or 2 and they'll match our points haul in the other 34 games? Have you watched any football in the past 2 decades?

We could have lost every league game against them and still been ahead of them last season.

They dropped points in 16 of their league games.
 
Best not to be complacent- and I don't think we are. Right now, Celtic have a hill to climb but they have done it before as have we.

So best to focus on Rangers; winning the league (56) and doing well in the Champions League.


I was going to go gung ho and full on bluster, but read your post Old Bean

Makes more sense than speculating
 
I'm not criticising those posters per se, I just don't understand the logic of being able to call one situation (us under Pedro for example) so clearly and accurately when it's us yet still have them on a pedestal and oooh aaaah, what if, this happened 30 years ago it could happen again, so we can't write them off, we just can't, fudging of calling it as they see it in the same way with them.

Is it the constant negative conditioning over the past ten years? Only happy having something to moan about? Not wanting to look like a twat on the Internet for calling it wrong? I just don't understand how people can be so negative about their own team in numerous situations, (transfers, if heaven forbid we draw a game etc) yet be so defensive of what is essentially the enemy. I just don't get it. :)
If you try to take emotion out of the equation and just look at things logically it is very difficult to support these arguments of them being so close to us. Only a goalie and a striker away. The only difference will be the OF games. There is no good evidence to support this. Those making those arguments are the ones being unrealistic, no matter how they try and paint it.

Tried to argue similar points all last season. They debate from a perspective of fear and emotion so they can't see what is staring them in the face.

Yes, one day roles will reverse again. But there is no good evidence that will be this season and you are not living in the real world if you are living in fear of that.
 
Not interested in them or who they sign. Concentrate on us and if we keep winning and play well then they can do what they want and why care where they are as long as we are top of the league. We can not always go without loosing but at present we are Scotlands top team. It was good they are out of the CL but all that matters is that we stay in and get to the group stages.
Let them talk about us and we can forget them.
Beat LIvi and Malmo and off we go.
Absolutely correct. There can be no complacency (I'm confident that would never happen anyway under Gerrard). As usual every team will be playing against us as if it was a cup final.

Anyway we shouldn't be measuring ourselves against the Tims. We should be looking towards Europe and competing in that arena.
 
They were convinced that their midfield was still the best in Scotland. Be interesting to see what they think after last night's showing.
 
Just thinking there, how far behind do you think they are? I reckon they’re where we were about 2 years ago, NOW!
So where will they be at the end of the season when they need 13 players? Where we were 3/4 years ago?
it’s Gona take more than 1 or 2 transfer windows to even get up to a par IMHO!
1. tgey can’t afford it.
2. Loads of new personnel behind the scenes.
3. New manager.
4. Time for players to settle and gel
5. They’re only looking at doing it half arsed because they’ll probably keep the back room staff.
There are more reasons but I think they’re in for a massive shock.
Hopefully we keep going and kick on again next season.

They are not behind us at all. The final league position last season is over, it's a new season.
 
They are in need of a complete rebuild and have a manager that failed in the Greek 3rd division

It will be a couple of years before they are a serious challenge
 
Just thinking there, how far behind do you think they are? I reckon they’re where we were about 2 years ago, NOW!
So where will they be at the end of the season when they need 13 players? Where we were 3/4 years ago?
it’s Gona take more than 1 or 2 transfer windows to even get up to a par IMHO!
1. tgey can’t afford it.
2. Loads of new personnel behind the scenes.
3. New manager.
4. Time for players to settle and gel
5. They’re only looking at doing it half arsed because they’ll probably keep the back room staff.
There are more reasons but I think they’re in for a massive shock.
Hopefully we keep going and kick on again next season.

canny see them
 
No offence op but not a question we should be asking or care about, if we look after our business then the rest will take care of itself, they got complacent because they took their eyes off the ball thinking we were miles behind, I think our management team are to professional to worry about what the mendicants are doing
 
No offence op but not a question we should be asking or care about, if we look after our business then the rest will take care of itself, they got complacent because they took their eyes off the ball thinking we were miles behind, I think our management team are to professional to worry about what the mendicants are doing
We shouldn’t be measuring ourselves against them it’ll only hold us back.
 
No offence op but not a question we should be asking or care about, if we look after our business then the rest will take care of itself, they got complacent because they took their eyes off the ball thinking we were miles behind, I think our management team are to professional to worry about what the mendicants are doing
Again though you are confusing Gerrard and his staff with FFers which is a common issue on here.

We fans can take our eyes off the ball and look and laugh at whatever we want, because Gerrard is too driven and professional to do the same.
 
To answer the original question they probably aren’t as far behind as we all think but there is clearly daylight between us and them - I think a good comparison might be Gerrards first season.

One thing that has been overlooked though is once Edouard goes they are pretty much out of sellable assets.. they have cashed in every player worth any money to try and find this rebuild so if it fails and their notoriously fickle fans start to depart in droves again then who knows how much they regress.
 
We don’t want any complacency or take anything for granted,They should be considered very serious challengers just like the rest.
 
2 major aspects this season this season:

1 - Us making the champions league this year and making £25,000,000 + with them not in in
2 - Us winning this league this year and guaranteeing £25,000,000 + for next season
The same game plan they had in taking us out the equation in 2012. Operation nail us to the floor.
 
Timmy has a few good players, but that argument could be levelled against any SPL Team. It doesn't mean things will magically turnaround. Good teams stem from a solid club infrastructure and they all over the place in every area.

They'll be in the car park by October demanding someone like O'Squeel to 'galvanise the club and support'.
 
I know you posted this month's ago but the back 5 for them last night was right up there with Pedro's starting teams.

Who could've predicted the mess they've got themselves into? Compare Howe stringing then along and only getting bodies in now, to Gerrard confirmed and with McGregor and likely Arfield already on the way with sorting the defence priority no 1 ie Goldson, Katic, Flanagan very early signings.
It's fantastic to see, but their failure has to be compounded by us getting to, at the very least, the CL play off round. I'm sure we will.
 
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