Next Block Of League Fixtures Starting From Saturday - So Important to Season

Been bashing on all week that if we won today we'd win the league. Emphatic start to my prediction.

And we have still to improve, with quality players coming back in to fitness.
 
First one done, now it’s time for a strong run of wins. Shame Souttar won’t be back until after WC but thought there was a noticeable difference in both Tav and Lundstram today. Break has done them good.
Tav looked like he'd dropped a few kgs of muscle and definitely has a bit more pace about him
 
Assuming the current management team are in charge for all 8 games, then I’d imagine it’ll go something like:

L, W, W, W, D, W, W, D

5 wins from those 8 will be about par for Gio’s domestic record since he’s been here, with a couple of stupid draws and a loss away to a tough venue thrown in for good measure.
Gio record domestically (league/cup) v non bheast sides:-

34 games
29 wins
5 draws
0 defeats

85% win ratio.
 
Couldn't have asked for a better start to this run of 8. Theoretically the hardest one done and out the way, should be no excuses now to get maximum points from it.
 
Which is great but the issue is that postegolou probably has a similar win ratio v the diddies but has the bonus of winning the old firm games also.
In the league it’s not just similar, it’s the exact same across the last season and 7 games if we include the full picture.

League outcome in non old firms (using full seasons including SG league games last year)

Played 41 v 41
Points available - 123
Points 104 v 104

Old firms play a huge part - although for us dropping points in the last mins v Hearts and RC and throwing away a 2 goal lead v mwell at home didn’t help our cause. And a 1-0 lead at home to mwell. And drawing 2-2 at home to a horrendous sheep side.
 
In the league it’s not just similar, it’s the exact same across the last season and 7 games if we include the full picture.

League outcome in non old firms (using full seasons including SG league games last year)

Played 41 v 41
Points available - 123
Points 104 v 104

Old firms play a huge part - although for us dropping points in the last mins v Hearts and RC and throwing away a 2 goal lead v mwell at home didn’t help our cause. And a 1-0 lead at home to mwell. And drawing 2-2 at home to a horrendous sheep side.
It just shows that there isn't a lot between the teams.

We have also played about 12 more games in Europe in that time than they have, which definitely plays a part.

I would expect us both to get to the game at New Year without dropping much points.

That game is a must win for Gio.
 
Gio record domestically (league/cup) v non bheast sides:-

34 games
29 wins
5 draws
0 defeats

85% win ratio.

Crazy to think how some of those draws have come about too. McGregor chucking in a goal to make it 3-3 at Ross County, 2 stonewall penalties denied at Dundee Utd, losing a 2 goal lead at home to Motherwell, and losing a last minute equaliser with 9 men at Hibs. Not sure many of those can be pinned on the manager.
 
I saw enough on Saturday to believe that Ben Davies in the heart of our defence will be the solution to the dodgy recent defending. We look much more comfortable at the back with him on there. It breeds confidence right through the back and midfield.

Up front, Colak is on fire and it’s great to see Alfie back scoring and Kent getting on the scoresheet again. Tillman and Matondo are improving and I was delighted with Sakala’s contribution when he came on.

Things are starting to look a lot brighter and I have every confidence that we will win every single one of these fixtures. It’s never easy but I am very confident we will do it.

I’ve stuck this thread on watch just to see which of us in here were right and which of us were total surrender monkeys :)). (That’s just a bit of humour. Don’t get your knickers in a twist anyone Haha).
 
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It just shows that there isn't a lot between the teams.

We have also played about 12 more games in Europe in that time than they have, which definitely plays a part.

I would expect us both to get to the game at New Year without dropping much points.

That game is a must win for Gio
It just shows that there isn't a lot between the teams.

We have also played about 12 more games in Europe in that time than they have, which definitely plays a part.

I would expect us both to get to the game at New Year without dropping much points.

That game is a must win for Gio

Surely to god we will have a near full strength squad to pick from when they come to town in January , for the last 10 years we’ve always had crucial players out through injury, if it’s still 2 points gap when we n play thdm and we are at near full strength then I’ll fancy us strongly to really give them a doing that day
 
Crazy to think how some of those draws have come about too. McGregor chucking in a goal to make it 3-3 at Ross County, 2 stonewall penalties denied at Dundee Utd, losing a 2 goal lead at home to Motherwell, and losing a last minute equaliser with 9 men at Hibs. Not sure many of those can be pinned on the manager.

The problem is that his style of play and tactics have meant we are hanging on in a lot of games rather than being out of sight.
 
The problem is that his style of play and tactics have meant we are hanging on in a lot of games rather than being out of sight.
Plenty of times over the last 12 months the same could be said about Celtic despite their ‘free flowing world class best football’.

Truth is that both teams are as likely to drop points as each other.
 
Plenty of times over the last 12 months the same could be said about Celtic despite their ‘free flowing world class best football’.

Truth is that both teams are as likely to drop points as each other.

I would agree. It is so important we get a minimum of a win and 2 draws in the remaining old firm fixtures. Can’t afford them to win any of the next three as it would put massive pressure on us to win the other two
 
I would agree. It is so important we get a minimum of a win and 2 draws in the remaining old firm fixtures. Can’t afford them to win any of the next three as it would put massive pressure on us to win the other two
I honestly fancy us to be top going into the World Cup break, then we have them at Ibrox in the new year which will be a huge game.
 
Livi, Hibs and Hearts away? For a team who’s manager had just pissed off?

Don’t know how much difficult it could have been.
Livingston wasn't in December, Hibs were 6th in the league and we had St Mirren, St Johnstone, Dundee and Dundee United at home.

It was a good run of form but totally expected in my view with those home fixtures.
 
I think we should win all of those games.
I have a feeling with them losing to st mirren and getting a narrow home win on Saturday they might be starting to get figured out or running out of steam.

However , racking up all these wins will ultimately mean nothing if we lose to the scum. We can't afford to be dominated again.
So Gio needs to look at what we did the the cup game and the 1-1 game at parkhead and mirror that tactics and mindset because he proved on both occasions we can have the better of them.
 
Livingston wasn't in December, Hibs were 6th in the league and we had St Mirren, St Johnstone, Dundee and Dundee United at home.

It was a good run of form but totally expected in my view with those home fixtures.
Hearts, Hibs and Livingston are possibly our hardest away grounds away from the piggery and we had visits to all 3 of them as well as Lyon in the space of 14 days.

It's just about as hard a run as we get, and yet was the start of our most productive part of the season.
 
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