"our problems"

Almost as weird as gleefully accepting terrible performances because we are scraping wins and draws and staying ahead of a piss poor Celtic team.

Wondering what is wrong with the team/squad that we can’t find any form isn’t moaning.
I remember what terrible performances look like. You don't.
 
I'm not panicking nor am I moaning. I am concerned at how poorly we've played so far because if we don't improve dramatically we will scrape the league and nothing else.
Historically, that's all we've really held our club to. Our 9IAR team had one decent European run by the look of it and that's our most celebrated and revered side ever bar maybe the 72 team that didn't even win the league that year. We've only won 7 trebles and 18 doubles out of 131 attempts. If Gerrard wins one this season, he's hit the bare minimum (around 1 every 5 years) ignoring the unparalleled recovery process he's had to guide the club through from where were under Pedro/Warburton. People are acting as if doubles and trebles are normal when they really aren't. I can only imagine it's because Celtic won an unprecedented 4 in a row while trying to call them tainted by our recovery process at the same time.
 
7 points as it stands clear of them, report back when there's a real problem.
I get your point Huistra but for how long will it be 7 points. Issues need addressed immediately.

We've only played two teams in the top six so far, we've lost one and drawn one. That form will bite us on the ars3 very soon.
 
Historically, that's all we've really held our club to. Our 9IAR team had one decent European run by the look of it and that's our most celebrated and revered side ever bar maybe the 72 team that didn't even win the league that year. We've only won 7 trebles and 18 doubles out of 131 attempts. If Gerrard wins one this season, he's hit the bare minimum (around 1 every 5 years) ignoring the unparalleled recovery process he's had to guide the club through from where were under Pedro/Warburton. People are acting as if doubles and trebles are normal when they really aren't. I can only imagine it's because Celtic won an unprecedented 4 in a row while trying to call them tainted by our recovery process at the same time.
Right enough, all is rosy and we are pure magic. Bet Sparta are shitting it.
 
Comparing our current team to McCoist's lower league dross achieves nothing. We both know this team is capable of far better.
That's another point but I'm comparing it to our team a few years ago. The one that 'couldn't play past December' until it could. The one that 'would never win the league' according to the experts on here until it did. We've not been at our best this season but it's a long way away from terrible.
 
Right enough, all is rosy and we are pure magic. Bet Sparta are shitting it.
Sparta hammered Celtic and Slavia hammered us last season. In case you weren't watching in the summer, the Czechs managed to make light work of Scotland as well. I think the Czechs are better than we are at football (generally and historically) and we'll need to play well and probably have a bit of luck in either game to beat them. On what planet would they be worried about playing us even at our best?
 
I don’t agree with all of this. We were good for an hour last weekend and very good second half in midweek. Old Firm performance was our best of the season. I do agree that we are quite some way off what we know we can do though.

Keep seeing the comparisons of us this season and then last season. The two massive differences are that we’ve managed to beat them already this season and they are showing nothing to suggest they can build an impressive points total by the end of the season. They’ll surely improve but we’ve got far more in reserve than they do.

The first half of the game against Celtic we were rotten. You are being blinded by the result.
 
Sparta hammered Celtic and Slavia hammered us last season. In case you weren't watching in the summer, the Czechs managed to make light work of Scotland as well. I think the Czechs are better than we are at football (generally and historically) and we'll need to play well and probably have a bit of luck in either game to beat them. On what planet would they be worried about playing us even at our best?
I think you’re deliberately missing my point as an excuse to type a lot.
 
Winning ugly is something teams do in February, March etc when they’ve began to run out of steam.

if we’re having to win ugly against Dundee in September we could be in trouble.

yet to see us turn in a convincing win this season and it concerns me greatly.
I think championship winning teams win ugly when they need to. Be that Sep, Dec, Mar, whatever.

The issue isn't winning a game ugly now. Its that most games have that feel right now.
 
I think your expectations are unrealistic and your reactions are over the top.
I don't expect us to beat Sparta, I expect us to perform well or at least better against the dross in this country which would make me feel better going into a game like Thursday's.
 
Thank fućk we won the old firm match, that game apart there’s all but fućkaII between the teams’ results.

We also have 2 players; 2 of my favourite players, who - and I am not talking about Roofe here - whose actions / personal choices made themselves unavailable for UCL qualifiers.
I didn't realise they'd not lost any other games. Now I'm concerned.
 
I get your point Huistra but for how long will it be 7 points. Issues need addressed immediately.

We've only played two teams in the top six so far, we've lost one and drawn one. That form will bite us on the ars3 very soon.
Until we make it 10

About that long
 
I think championship winning teams win ugly when they need to. Be that Sep, Dec, Mar, whatever.

The issue isn't winning a game ugly now. Its that most games have that feel right now.
I take your point. Granted even early on there’s the odd game where time wasting, low block and general diddymen tactics make it a game we have to win ugly. But we’re a reasonable amount into the season and I’ve yet to see us win a game without being an ugly win.
 
We weren’t brilliant but we certainly weren’t rotten. We had poorer halves vs them last season.
Aye, again exaggerated horse shit the other way doesn't help either

I notice the usual moaners only have issue with what they perceived as a lack of realistic views when they are positive. I mean, for example, where are Leopolds posts pulling up the guy suggesting we're gonna get a doing off the dross of the SPL. A patently ridiculous take on our current form, but no, no, that's absolutely fine. Carry on with that particular, ridiculous exaggeration because its negative and I like being negative and looking at things from an absurdly darkened lens.
 
I take your point. Granted even early on there’s the odd game where time wasting, low block and general diddymen tactics make it a game we have to win ugly. But we’re a reasonable amount into the season and I’ve yet to see us win a game without being an ugly win.
Yep. The odd game like that is fine, as long as its the odd game. And not part of an apparent ongoing malaise.

I'm not overly concerned. I still think we win the league by 10+ points minimum. But I do want to start seeing some games where we impose our will, our greater skill and turn some teams over as we should. Not all the time. But some of the time at least.
 
We might be top of the league but you’re kidding yourself on if you think all is well.

We will drop plenty of points if we continue playing like we are.
I agree with optimism of the OP, hate this non stop negativity but you are bang on. We are playing badly. Not playing well, unlucky not to score then get one. It's awful stuff and we will be caught out of it continues. I can't figure out the problem. Players are simply not playing the way they can or should. This is where management and coaching takes the brunt of it. Over to you guys but please sort it.
 
Yes we’re ok in the league but this poor form won’t do so well in Europe.

I also think we’re riding our luck in the league too.
 
I get your point Huistra but for how long will it be 7 points. Issues need addressed immediately.

We've only played two teams in the top six so far, we've lost one and drawn one. That form will bite us on the ars3 very soon.
We've played 3 of the current top six - Dundee United, Dhims and Motherwell mate. Only 4 points our of 9 right enough, and that's with two of them at home.
 
The only problem I see is blinkered,we look at how we play and if it’s not up resembling our best form then there is something wrong,no I’ve watched rangers all my life and it doesn’t matter wether it’s smiths era or wee dicks time or indeed even jock Wallace’s tenure sure there was some great performances but in amongst it there was a load shitty ones it happens guys just enjoy the ride instead of trying sort something out of your control.
 
We will win this league at 70% just down to how absolutely shit they are.

Then in the summer we have a MASSIVE rebuild. With alot of big wages free’d up and Champions League money.
 
people forget we werent as great after the turn of the year

3 shots on target against bottom of the league fodder is shocking no matter what way you dress it up

alot of games were gritty and a will to win

hopefully it will be the reverse this year
 
Last edited:
Looks like we play at the opposition's level instead of our own.

Awful against a poor team but do enough to win.
Decent against a decent Motherwell team and drew.
Raised it against Celtic and won and played well in spells against a very good Lyon team.

I think we have this attitude of just do 'enough' in games rather than going full pelt with intensity regardless of opposition.
 
Last edited:
It’s possible for two things to be true at the same time.

It’s possible for us to be comfortably top of the league despite not playing anywhere near our best.

It’s also possible to have worries about the standard of our performances.

You don’t have to be a “happy clapper” pretending that everything is going well and you don’t have to be all doom and gloom pretending everything is shocking.

It’s possible to criticise current performances whilst also viewing them in a wider context and not going overboard.

Far too sensible for on here.
 
People have been saying “we’ll come good and hit form” for well over a month now.

Only thing is, we’re still waiting.

It’s definitely a concern. Form isn’t turned on instantly. It’s built over a number of games. We’ve played 14 competitive games this season already and there isn’t even a hint of a decent performance at the level we can produce. Sure, the results are somewhat ok domestically but our luck could soon run out.

We’ve got some tougher games coming up now which will require an improvement.

Agree completely.

Every away game is a nerve shredder - defeat to Dundee Utd, 2 unconvincing (albeit welcome) wins against Dundee & St Johnstone, & heck even Ross County made things uncomfortable for a spell - and now the home games don't feel much better.

Most of the players are performing way below what they produced last season, which is way below their best - Goldson, Barisic, Tav, Kent, Kamara, Alfie, Roofe for starters.

We keep hearing "wait until we click into gear" - which might happen, but equally it might not.

Unless we find another level from somewhere, we are heading for no points, no goals & bottom of the group on Thursday, quickly followed on Sunday by a tough game at home against an often difficult opponent.
 
What annoys me really is the refusal to acknowledge the covid and injury issues we've had so far in the season. It leads to inconsistent and disjointed performances.

Malmo was disappointing to say the least but it is what it is. We came up against a team more stable and prepared than we were and paid the price. Missing Kamara and Roofe definitely didn't help us there but nobody cares to mention that.

Right now we need to get past Thursday and Sundays matches and then hope the international break gives us a chance to regroup.

If we find our form again then this could well be the season where we win a double or treble.
 
5 points closer to the title this weekend.

First round of fixtures over in 4 games. We have a 6 point gap on the (lol) "competition". To clarify, we could drop points in 3 of the next 4 games and (assuming draws) still they would only be on level points with us.

And that's with wins. Let's see how they deal with the nerves. Because every game is fast becoming must win for them. We see our own fixtures as must win ofcourse, but undeniably we have substantially more room to breath!
 
What annoys me really is the refusal to acknowledge the covid and injury issues we've had so far in the season. It leads to inconsistent and disjointed performances.

Malmo was disappointing to say the least but it is what it is. We came up against a team more stable and prepared than we were and paid the price. Missing Kamara and Roofe definitely didn't help us there but nobody cares to mention that.

Right now we need to get past Thursday and Sundays matches and then hope the international break gives us a chance to regroup.

If we find our form again then this could well be the season where we win a double or treble.
Covid and injuries and less than ideal preseason is what people are forgetting and in my opinion the main contributor for our dip in form and lack of spark!! But we are top of the league(7 clear of that lot), in a semi, burst angeball in OF, group stages 3rd year on the trot in Europe!! Not too shabby, I'll take it even though I agree we should be in CL and max points in the league that we would have if at the levels we can play and expect!!
 
Our problems appear to be which champagne do we order for the title party?

Its a tough ask

Lurkers? Eat our dirt.
 
Do they count less?
Missing the point, winning games in that manner needs a certain degree of luck. Luck won’t see you through an entire season. We need to be comfortably and routinely horsing teams like Dundee and Motherwell.

Forget how shite they’ve started the season. Complacency’s a dangerous game. We need much, much better from the squad.
 
Missing the point, winning games in that manner needs a certain degree of luck. Luck won’t see you through an entire season. We need to be comfortably and routinely horsing teams like Dundee and Motherwell.

Forget how shite they’ve started the season. Complacency’s a dangerous game. We need much, much better from the squad.
We've won the league with a win percentage that's less than 60% 3 times in most of our lifetime. Throughout the 9IAR run, it was around 63% overall and that's actually increased over the past 30 years. We win on average 70% of our games in a league winning season and that's where we're at just now. I don't think that you'll find any supporting evidence for the number of goals being a factor in league wins either and it's very, very rarely a factor in deciding the league overall. In short, it's a nice soundbite but I don't think it has any basis in reality. A 1-0 win like yesterday is just as important as a 5-0 win, as much as I know we all prefer it when the opposition doesn't put up a fight.
 
Missing the point, winning games in that manner needs a certain degree of luck. Luck won’t see you through an entire season. We need to be comfortably and routinely horsing teams like Dundee and Motherwell.

Forget how shite they’ve started the season. Complacency’s a dangerous game. We need much, much better from the squad.
Forget about how shite they started the season, Hibs will be our closest challenger. We need to play our best to ensure we finish ahead of Hibs in 2nd.
 
Back
Top