2 points behind, game in hand, how are we feeling?

IF we win the rest of our games in December, it won't be a case of "will we win the league?", but "by how many points?"

If we fail to win at the Piggery, we'll still win the league IMO, but might be more of a nervy title race
 
We are back in the game but we need to be realistic given the injuries etc. I have my doubts we take max points from the next 3 games ( if we do we are in a really great place)
 
Quietly confident. Maybe two or three good players brought in next month and we can do it. Clement has made a huge difference to this team.
 
Feeling good this morning, lets see how the scum handle pressure now, Sunday is going to be difficult like last nights game , playing against those kind of tactics is going to be the norm from now on in, apart from maybe against them ,Hibs or Hearts ..Still a lot of work to do, we also need another striker in January
 
HandsomeHead said:
Three points last night was huge in terms of reducing the gap and technically putting us in charge of our own fate where the title race is concerned.

I didn’t care how it was achieved and it caps off what has been a superb week for the club.

The injuries are a huge concern though.

Any news on Jack? I read there was an outside chance he could have made the cup final last Sunday.
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Surely Jack has been out so long now that we wouldn't start him now anyway?
 
We are right back in the race. Injuries mounting up but if we can get through the next 4 games with minimum10 points we will be in a great place.
 
Papasmurf said:
What do I think?

We’ve had a slump. Beale in charge of that one.

They are going through one.

We are right back in it.

But our players are going down one at a time.

I know we are on the crest of a wave right now. But I’m concerned that unless we start getting players back and keeping them fit, our squad simply can’t keep this up.

A negative view of course. But I think realistic.

They wont continue to lose and drop points to the shite in this league. Come out of the game against them ahead, we will be in a great position though
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I agree, its the injuries that are concerning me being able to take advantage of this.
 
I know this thread is about what people feel, not what they think, but there are some hot takes nonetheless.

Beale created a squad with just 4 players for the two crucial defensive midfield roles, one perpetually injured, and one new and untested. So there was vulnerability there. Clement has been forced to play whoever was fit in these roles, and ended last night with an attacking midfielder and a full back there. Lundstram has been the glue holding that part together, and now it looks like he too could be out - meaning all 4 first choices for those 2 roles missing.

In the face of that, multiple posters conclude “what we need more than anything is a goal scorer”. WTF?
 
academical said:
I know this thread is about what people feel, not what they think, but there are some hot takes nonetheless.

Beale created a squad with just 4 players for the two crucial defensive midfield roles, one perpetually injured, and one new and untested. So there was vulnerability there. Clement has been forced to play whoever was fit in these roles, and ended last night with an attacking midfielder and a full back there. Lundstram has been the glue holding that part together, and now it looks like he too could be out - meaning all 4 first choices for those 2 roles missing.

In the face of that, multiple posters conclude “what we need more than anything is a goal scorer”. WTF?
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We have jack back at some point soon, sterling can sit in there etc. Neither as good as lunny but functional. We have 1 fit striker and he has been the whipping boy almost all season as well as (i dont think) yet to play a full 90 mins. We also miss an unbelievable number of chances. Its no wonder people want a goal scorer is it?
 
Let’s Gio said:
Yep thats my thoughts, livi and dundee, anything would be a bonus but st mirren at paisley could see a draw hopefully.

We need to avoid losing there & win the other 3
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If they drop more points outside of the OF then even a loss at their place leaves us top if we win our game in hand. I would grudgingly accept the loss in those circumstances.
 
Let’s Gio said:
Yep thats my thoughts, livi and dundee, anything would be a bonus but st mirren at paisley could see a draw hopefully.

We need to avoid losing there & win the other 3
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Of course we owe them one and dearly want to win there.

Given:

- We were 8 points behind when the gaffer came in
- Our injury situation
- We won our Europa League group and have Europe post Christmas
- We have closed the gap to the point if we win our games in hand we go top.

I would absolutely take 10 points from our next 12 before the break. Sign me up right now.
 
Felling positive 6 weeks ago going to their place we had to win now (and as much as I always want to beat them) a draw would be a positive result it isn't a must win, we have done really well these past few weeks considering all the injuries we have had, get to the winter break hopefully undefeated, get bodies back and hopefully a couple of signings and we will be in a really good place
 
Taverneeeeer said:
We have jack back at some point soon, sterling can sit in there etc. Neither as good as lunny but functional. We have 1 fit striker and he has been the whipping boy almost all season as well as (i dont think) yet to play a full 90 mins. We also miss an unbelievable number of chances. Its no wonder people want a goal scorer is it?
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If it’s about feelings, fair enough. It’s certainly not rational.

Rangers have played 11 domestic games under Clement and scored in every one of them. And in 3 out of 4 European games (the exception being the 0-0 draw in Prague). Goal scoring isn’t this team’s biggest problem.

The risk of losing at Parkhead isn’t about a striker, it’s about the gaping hole in central midfield. Priorities.
 
We have conceded 8 goals in 17 games. Strikers win you matches but defence wins you titles.

Having said that we still need at least 1 forward which I’m sure we will get. How good he is will determine a lot

In the meantime we have 2 tough matches before the OF. With the injuries we just need to find a way to get over the line
 
academical said:
If it’s about feelings, fair enough. It’s certainly not rational.

Rangers have played 11 domestic games under Clement and scored in every one of them. And in 3 out of 4 European games (the exception being the 0-0 draw in Prague). Goal scoring isn’t this team’s biggest problem.

The risk of losing at Parkhead isn’t about a striker, it’s about the gaping hole in central midfield. Priorities.
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Since Clement came in we have had dessers, roofe and danilo. Now we have only got dessers. Last night we should have scored 6, same vs the sheep away and hearts away. We have conceded 3 because our back 5 have been great and we deploy a holding mid (Sterling will need to be that man if lunny is out for 4 games). Scoring goals, and the fact we now have only 1 player able to do so for god knows how long, is 10000% the most pressing issue.

In midfield, we have jack, raskin, lawrence, lunny and cifu all due back post Jan break.
 
The tide has turned in our favour and it’s been a long time since that’s happened. It’s usually the other way around and now we’ve got the bit between our teeth. We are grinding results out, getting the points and growing in confidence.

We’ve got a cup win under our belts, a last 16 in Europe and we are two points behind with a game in hand and if we win the remainder of our games in December we begin 2024 at the top of the league.

If that doesn’t get the plums pumping then we would be as well chucking it.

And mark my words, we WILL beat them at the midden to cause the biggest meltdown we’ve ever seen. Far bigger than the 55 season.
 
Barrymoped said:
Rather good it has to be said OP.

After getting pumped 3-1 at home to Aberdeen a couple of months ago I was resigned to finishing miles behind the beggars this year.

What a change in 2 months thanks to having a real manager in charge
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You're a better than me mate I thought we would finish miles behind them when we lost to the tims at Ibrox
 
KarlSvenson said:
The injuries are still a huge concern. We have momentum but to win all the games to the break with our current injury list is a big ask.
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It's a huge ask however what an incentive the team have because if we manage it we'll be in a great position to go on and win the title.
 
Coisty9 said:
All momentum with us. First time in ages we've applied proper pressure to the scum. Go to the Crime Scene and win,league is ours.
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In think Last night was a bit of a reality check. And yes, before anyone piles on, big Phil is doing great and there has been an upturn in a lot of the squad form and ultimately it’s about results but we still have not found a way to deal with the low block coupled with poor finishing means we are in for some nervy times ahead.

On last night, I don’t know why when 1-0 up we tried to play the ball around their goal with all 21 players in their 3rd. Every time a move broke down it was a hoof up the park and it was a foot race for the ball through on JB. Never came to anything but 2 or 3 were close. Why not sit slightly further back, if they want to have a go, pass it round them (keep in mind they had 10 men) if they don’t, fine, see the game out with passing in the middle 3rd with the occasional attack.

As you say however scoreboard pressure is something they have rarely had to deal with in the past.
 
I'm delighted where we are right now I couldn't imagined this after we lost in Cyprus.

But I'm concerned that we're now running on empty a bit and the manager has little options at his disposal if be delighted with 7 point in the next 3 games 9 would be a bonus
 
Delighted we are making a real fight of it.

I still don’t think we are very good, but that’s largely relevant and tbh, couldn’t give a toss, providing we win the league.
 
The players are giving their all, we have a great manager, we have improved so much off the ball, but we are lacking a little bit of quality or magic.

I think we will continue to grind out results, but without reinforcements, I am concerned there will be days where we struggle to get the ball into the back of the net.
 
RH_2020 said:
In think Last night was a bit of a reality check. And yes, before anyone piles on, big Phil is doing great and there has been an upturn in a lot of the squad form and ultimately it’s about results but we still have not found a way to deal with the low block coupled with poor finishing means we are in for some nervy times ahead.

On last night, I don’t know why when 1-0 up we tried to play the ball around their goal with all 21 players in their 3rd. Every time a move broke down it was a hoof up the park and it was a foot race for the ball through on JB. Never came to anything but 2 or 3 were close. Why not sit slightly further back, if they want to have a go, pass it round them (keep in mind they had 10 men) if they don’t, fine, see the game out with passing in the middle 3rd with the occasional attack.

As you say however scoreboard pressure is something they have rarely had to deal with in the past.
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Their goalkeeper pulled off at least 3 quality saves and as for them as an attacking force they never crossed the halfway line. I have to be honest last night was one of the most comfortable games I have seen us play in a long while
 
Im confident and have belief in our manager and our players, however they are not miracle workers and the realist in me says these injuries will start taking its toll on results. Simply inevitable we will start to drop points if we keep losing players the way we are. If we had anywhere near a full squad available I’d be totally confident in winning a treble.
 
Frustrated and nervous. We have got ourselves in a great position but injuries continue to mount up.

Feels similar to going into the Europa final , with no striker
 
I'm feeling really positive because of Clement. The difference he has made in such a short period of time is remarkable. Even with the injuries mounting up I have confidence that he'll 'solve another problem' at the paedo-dome.

Generally though this squad is either poor or injury prone. A few exceptions aside. Tav, Butland etc.

What I'm really excited about is the medium to long term under Clement. He looks the exact fit for our club. Can't wait to see the signings he makes in January and the summer.

In Clement we trust!!!
 
Taverneeeeer said:
St Mirren possibly. They lost there last season.
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St Mirren are a team that will get in their faces and this Celtic team hate that.

You would have to question how much effort their Japanese players will be putting in now with their international tournament on the horizon as well.
 
The job Clement has done with some of these players, and with a squad completely decimated by injuries for most of his time with us, is absolutely remarkable and gets me incredibly excited about what he will do with his own players and a full compliment to choose from.

All that said, with only one fit striker and a bare bones midfield going into some difficult fixtures over the next 10 days, I have some doubts that we'll be able keep up the momentum.
 
Papasmurf said:
What do I think?

We’ve had a slump. Beale in charge of that one.

They are going through one.

We are right back in it.

But our players are going down one at a time.

I know we are on the crest of a wave right now. But I’m concerned that unless we start getting players back and keeping them fit, our squad simply can’t keep this up.

A negative view of course. But I think realistic.

They wont continue to lose and drop points to the shite in this league. Come out of the game against them ahead, we will be in a great position though
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That sums me up too.

Insurmountable injuries, powderpuff attacking options and a threadbare midfield.

Dare I say it, but our defence would be the bedrock of any triumph as we are not conceding much (touch wood)
 
Muzza said:
We are right back in the race. Injuries mounting up but if we can get through the next 4 games with minimum10 points we will be in a great place.
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I think you are being optimistic with your 10 points here. We have literally no midfielders fit apart from maybe Dowell. People seem to be underappreciating the extent of our injury crisis. It's a joke. Clement is doing a wonderful job but he can't be expected to keep turning water into wine.
 
Totally amazed at what the Manager has managed with this squad and the injuries we have. Just goes to show what you can do with a good manager and a squad that are with him.
 
Ambiorix said:
Get a result at the Piggery and a decent striker in January, and we can start planning for title celebrations.
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Certainly when we do go there , we need to be straight into them from the first minute, the vermin in the stands will go ballistic !!!
It would be a fine sight
 
Blox21 said:
Certainly when we do go there , we need to be straight into them from the first minute, the vermin in the stands will go ballistic !!!
It would be a fine sight
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We need to be realistic about that game. We will quite possibly not have the personnel to get ‘straight into them from the first minute’. Our midfield is decimated.
 
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