3 best players all starting on the bench today

Russell said:
I agree 100%. It was great getting a point in Porto but I would have prioritised today’s game before Europa League...Gerrard is obviously doing the opposite.

Thank god we won but I can’t see us getting away with it much longer. I hope I’m totally wrong & we look back at this weekend & say “this is what Champions do”.

In Gerrard we trust :p
Click to expand...
I absolutely do trust Gerrard, but on this occasion I think the FollowFollow “armchair fans” are 100% correct. League games must be prioritised and if anyone is rested or needs a rest then it’s EL games - regardless if players are disappointed in missing out in glamour games. Players need to accept their job is to win the league very very soon and not have big days out in the Europe.
 
Danger Zone said:
It’s great having a big capable squad but I think Gerrard is guilty of over tinkering and it’s going to cost us eventually.

Not many successful sides that rejig the side so significantly and so often. Much more consistency is needed.
Click to expand...

So far, you’d have to say his tinkering has worked.

However, I’d have to agree I like to see a settled side. And like you I can’t help feeling it’ll come a cropper eventually.
 
If we'd got anything other than 3 points the gaffer would've rightly been destroyed on here for resting in the league, home or away, celtic or St Johnstone over Europe.

Europa nights are no more than a bit of fun until 9 is remedied. We must do everything to challenge for the league.
 
Arminius said:
So far, you’d have to say his tinkering has worked.

However, I’d have to agree I like to see a settled side. And like you I can’t help feeling it’ll come a cropper eventually.
Click to expand...

I don’t think it worked in the OF that’s for sure! Unfortunately the biggest league game was the most prominent. But yeah it’s actually the midfield that’s bothering me the most, when he picks Aribo and Arfield right now he’s picking two passengers in key areas of the park.
 
Brick_Top said:
Morelos, Kent and Jack all playing in Europe on Thursday then rested for today.

Thursdays result and performance was excellent and we were all buzzing after it, but for me our Euro nights can’t be to the detriment of the league.

We done ok to grind out the win today, but I think we really need to be starting our best 11 in games like today.
Click to expand...

Defoe is capable of deputising for Morelos in the SPFL, Kent & Jack are being eased back from injuries.

I don’t see what the issue is?
 
sirstevefleming said:
A calculated risk that paid off. Good player management - reducing injury risk, conserving energy and allowing other squad player to contribute

You simply can’t play your ‘best xi’ every week.
Click to expand...
A moment of sanity in a world gone mad m8, how the fu*k can we win 55 with the hysteria we showed in the stands at 1 down. We can't play best 11 every week as you say and and we can't be shouting shoot every time the ball falls to a Rangers player, madness at times today .
 
Brick_Top said:
Morelos, Kent and Jack all playing in Europe on Thursday then rested for today.

Thursdays result and performance was excellent and we were all buzzing after it, but for me our Euro nights can’t be to the detriment of the league.

We done ok to grind out the win today, but I think we really need to be starting our best 11 in games like today.
Click to expand...

I’m in the rotation isn’t necessarily a bad thing camp in general. However resting those three was an error. Resting one, maybe two at a push would be ok but resting all three is asking for trouble.
 
Yea
crmpicco said:
I absolutely do trust Gerrard, but on this occasion I think the FollowFollow “armchair fans” are 100% correct. League games must be prioritised and if anyone is rested or needs a rest then it’s EL games - regardless if players are disappointed in missing out in glamour games. Players need to accept their job is to win the league very very soon and not have big days out in the Europe.
Click to expand...
Yeah I’m with you but unfortunately Gerrard has different ideas & with us doing pretty well in Europa League & in with a real fighting chance to progress he won’t be resting any key players soon. We just gotta put our heads down & pray it works out.
 
crmpicco said:
I absolutely do trust Gerrard, but on this occasion I think the FollowFollow “armchair fans” are 100% correct. League games must be prioritised and if anyone is rested or needs a rest then it’s EL games - regardless if players are disappointed in missing out in glamour games. Players need to accept their job is to win the league very very soon and not have big days out in the Europe.
Click to expand...
If we don’t ‘have big days out in Europe’ we will neither attract quality players or the money to pay them. The reality is that we need to be in Europe to make enough money to keep our club competitive
 
Brick_Top said:
Morelos, Kent and Jack all playing in Europe on Thursday then rested for today.

Thursdays result and performance was excellent and we were all buzzing after it, but for me our Euro nights can’t be to the detriment of the league.

We done ok to grind out the win today, but I think we really need to be starting our best 11 in games like today.
Click to expand...


Gerrard said in his press conference on Friday that he had doubts about Jack and Kent being fit enough to start, after a hard shift on Thursday night and recovering from muscular injuries.

The last thing we need is playing them not fully fit and then losing them for a long spell.
 
MearnsUnionist said:
Gerrard said in his press conference on Friday that he had doubts about Jack and Kent being fit enough to start, after a hard shift on Thursday night and recovering from muscular injuries.

The last thing we need is playing them not fully fit and then losing them for a long spell.
Click to expand...

I agree with this mate and understand that if they weren’t fit on Friday then we shouldn’t have risked them yesterday.

Again though my initial point was that they were obviously fit enough to start on Thursday, so if they are coming back from an injury and only have one game in them, why not prioritise them for yesterday rather than Thursday.

We got away with it by the skin of our teeth yesterday but might not be so lucky if we try it again.

For me the league has to take precedence over Europe and should generally always see our best 11 available start.
 
MearnsUnionist said:
Gerrard said in his press conference on Friday that he had doubts about Jack and Kent being fit enough to start, after a hard shift on Thursday night and recovering from muscular injuries.

The last thing we need is playing them not fully fit and then losing them for a long spell.
Click to expand...
Heard anything further about the Kent injured again rumour Mearns?
 
Brick_Top said:
I agree with this mate and understand that if they weren’t fit on Friday then we shouldn’t have risked them yesterday.

Again though my initial point was that they were obviously fit enough to start on Thursday, so if they are coming back from an injury and only have one game in them, why not prioritise them for yesterday rather than Thursday.

We got away with it by the skin of our teeth yesterday but might not be so lucky if we try it again.

For me the league has to take precedence over Europe and should generally always see our best 11 available start.
Click to expand...


League is priority for me too mate, but clearly Gerrard felt we needed them more for Thursday, rather than yesterday.

He got away with it, just, but going forward, Jack and Davis need to start as many games as is physically possible.

They are the heartbeat of our team and give us terrific control in matches.
 
Brick_Top said:
I agree with this mate and understand that if they weren’t fit on Friday then we shouldn’t have risked them yesterday.

Again though my initial point was that they were obviously fit enough to start on Thursday, so if they are coming back from an injury and only have one game in them, why not prioritise them for yesterday rather than Thursday.

We got away with it by the skin of our teeth yesterday but might not be so lucky if we try it again.

For me the league has to take precedence over Europe and should generally always see our best 11 available start.
Click to expand...

A manager will pick a team that he thinks will win the game at that time. On Thursday all the players You are clamouring for were fit. On Sunday two were fit enough for the bench and one not fit. The team selected were not only capable of beating Motherwell - they actually did.
 
4 changes wasn't that much - especially as 1 was enforced if Kamara was ill. But when its 3 key players like that it's a risk, which very nearly came back to bite us.
 
Kamara would have started yeseterday if he wasnt sick on friday.

Motherwell was always going to be tough let's not kid ourselves.
 
Brick_Top said:
Morelos, Kent and Jack all playing in Europe on Thursday then rested for today.

Thursdays result and performance was excellent and we were all buzzing after it, but for me our Euro nights can’t be to the detriment of the league.

We done ok to grind out the win today, but I think we really need to be starting our best 11 in games like today.
Click to expand...
Admit i was worried when i seen the team line up it must have given Motherwell a boost
 
Dado's Bandage said:
Unsurprisingly people are looking for a problem that isn’t there with respect to this. We’ve won 8 out of 10 league games. We’ve absolutely horsed teams at home when rotating the team. We’ve performed fantastically well in Europe and we’re in the Semi Final of the League Cup. We play a game today where a team make it tricky for us yet still come out with a win. Kent ended up out for 4/5 weeks because we rushed him into the team. Jack has been struggling a bit for fitness lately and we have an incredible backup striker who scores almost every time he plays. The team selection today was absolutely fine, thankfully the manager knows what he’s doing whilst folk on iPads, iPhones and laptops who talk a good game can be ignored.
Click to expand...
Behave yourself with sensible posts on here, it will never catch on :D ps as you'd guess i agree with you 100% mate.
 
Brick_Top said:
Morelos, Kent and Jack all playing in Europe on Thursday then rested for today.

Thursdays result and performance was excellent and we were all buzzing after it, but for me our Euro nights can’t be to the detriment of the league.

We done ok to grind out the win today, but I think we really need to be starting our best 11 in games like today.
Click to expand...

It was a risk of sorts but we won so ultimately, you have to say it's the right decision if they can then also play in a possibly even more tricky SPL game on Wednesday night and then in the semi too.

Putting out a full team yesterday and then not being able to do so on Wed or Sunday is a worse call for me.

They're not being rested as we're prioritising Europe. They're being utilised as best they can be for the entire set of fixtures we have comign up between now and the winter break.
 
The idea that we were lucky yesterday bugs me.

We piled on the pressure and turned the game around.

And if we truly want to aim to be an elite club, we need to be able to do well in European competitions.

We'll have more matches like yesterday than like the thumping of Aberdeen, regardless of who starts the games.
 
People are overlooking the fact we've a tough game on Wednesday away to Ross County, which is never a nice place to travel.

To ask two players returning from injury to play 90 minutes in Portugal on Thursday, full game at Ibrox on Sunday and then 3 days later play Wednesday nhggt in Dingwall, isn't good player management.

This isn't a game of football manager where you can just have your virtual players play every game. These are real people. Real players, who if we want to see last the season need to be handled with care.

I think Gerrard was spot on with his squad choice, and had the sense to bring Kent on early enough to influence the game when it was looking like he was needed.
 
When playing Motherwell at home it should not be a risk to rest particular players. What is obvious is that Ryan Jack makes our team tick and without him we struggle.
 
sirstevefleming said:
A calculated risk that paid off. Good player management - reducing injury risk, conserving energy and allowing other squad player to contribute

You simply can’t play your ‘best xi’ every week.
Click to expand...
What he said, someone talking sense.
Play Kent every game when he's just back from injury would be a disaster until he's back at 100%.
He's managing Morelos and Defoe brilliantly, both are hungry and banging in goals.
Jack, like Kent has injury issues and has to miss training sessions as is, we need to nurse him back to 100%.
 
Lawsome said:
If we'd got anything other than 3 points the gaffer would've rightly been destroyed on here for resting in the league, home or away, celtic or St Johnstone over Europe.

Europa nights are no more than a bit of fun until 55 is remedied. We must do everything to challenge for the league.
Click to expand...
Corrected that for you
 
It was a mistake against a Motherwell team much improved.

Do that at home to Accies or St Johnstone, not against an in form Motherwell team.

We got away with it.
 
Quite simply id sacrifice every cup competition and Europe to win the league this year. The league should be our top priority and everything else a bonus. Obviously not saying sack them but this in my eyes is the most important league since 9IAR
 
Last edited:
DJ_RFC_1872 said:
Resting them for Ross County which will be another tough game.
Click to expand...

No, that can't be it, we are a team of robots and are entitled to win every game at Ibrox by 5 goals

Kent is just back from an injury and maybe isn't ready for so much football in such a quick turn around

Jack, oh look he's just back from an injury and might not just be ready for so much football

Morelos, clearly rotation is going to happen with him and Defoe, particularly at home, and correct me if I'm wrong, Defoe did his bit and scored

We have a squad to be used, we have a massive away game on wednesday night and a cup semi final, not everyone will play all the time

We won a very difficult game against a rugby team
 
Brick_Top said:
Morelos, Kent and Jack all playing in Europe on Thursday then rested for today.

Thursdays result and performance was excellent and we were all buzzing after it, but for me our Euro nights can’t be to the detriment of the league.

We done ok to grind out the win today, but I think we really need to be starting our best 11 in games like today.
Click to expand...

Still not a gazillion percent confident of our back two.
Both played well against Porto, but both looked slack and once again yesterday, and seemed unsure against a big bustling centre forward again.

Goldson made a mistake early on, which could of so easily have seen us go 1 down even earlier, and then Helander got turned for the goal.Something if Katic had done would have seen him dropped almost immediately.In fact it did after we last played them at Ibrox and beat them 7-1!

I can fully appreciate and understand fully why Gerrard wants a natural right footed and left footed partnership… just not convinced Goldson and Helander are the ones.
 
Imo Arfield and Stewart shouldn’t start matches together
Both very one paced and similar in their approach to the box
 
The gaffer said Friday morning that Kent & Ryan were likely to sit out Sunday because they are returning from injury
 
I’m not as fussed up front, Defoe is an outstanding deputy for Morelos, especially in games at Ibrox.

Kent and Jack are more of a problem when they don’t play but both have injury concerns and have to be treated carefully or they could end up out for longer spells.

It’s not ideal but I’ve got no problems with how the gaffer is dealing with them
 
Blutoe said:
The usual calls for resting players in Europe would soon dry up if we were getting pumped by Porto while the Tim’s were beating Lazio
Click to expand...
Plus the extra money we made by qualifying for the group stages, enabled us to buy Kent.
 
HelloMyNameIsMrBurns said:
How do you think our best players would feel about that?
Click to expand...

Aye, this huge selling point when signing a decent player of playing in Europe, then no %^*& that your benched to be rested for Killie away on a plastic pitch

I want a league win, but our best players performing well regularly in Europe only improves our profile and increases their potential value
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top