Remaining games, points totals and what Gerrard has to do to maintain the goodwill.

Mark Allen talked about knowing the Croatian league. I doubt it was a league Gerrard scowered as an under 18's coach.

We signed three from there; Katić, Grezda and Barišić. Grezda never featured against us, I bet Gerrard had never seen him play in the flesh/live.

There was talk of McGregor and Arfield before Gerrard was appointed.

We were linked with Jones in numerous transfer windows before Gerrard was even a rumour.

I'm not having Lafferty as a Gerrard player. He's barely featured when fit and available.

Kamara was linked in the 2018 January transfer window.

Who was signing players when we had a caretaker manager in charge?

I will give you Jones, since we tried to sign him January 2018. I don’t remember a link to Kamara prior to January. Gerrard May even know him from his time at Arsenal. Lafferty, who knows? Gerrard will have seen a player who scored a high number of goals for a team in our league and may well know him from down South.

Allen’s role at City was Academy Director. I’m not sure what his knowledge would have been of the Croatian League in that capacity.

Both McGregor and Arfield would be well known to Gerrard.

Semantics really, because it is evident that you’ve chosen to believe Allen is making all the signings based on pretty much your own theories with not a lot to support them. My belief is that he will have an input, same as Gerrard, same as Scoulding and a few others. The final decision, as both have always said, rests with Gerrard.
 
I will give you Jones, since we tried to sign him January 2018. I don’t remember a link to Kamara prior to January. Gerrard May even know him from his time at Arsenal. Lafferty, who knows? Gerrard will have seen a player who scored a high number of goals for a team in our league and may well know him from down South.

Allen’s role at City was Academy Director. I’m not sure what his knowledge would have been of the Croatian League in that capacity.

Both McGregor and Arfield would be well known to Gerrard.

Semantics really, because it is evident that you’ve chosen to believe Allen is making all the signings based on pretty much your own theories with not a lot to support them. My belief is that he will have an input, same as Gerrard, same as Scoulding and a few others. The final decision, as both have always said, rests with Gerrard.

Obviously we’ve been looking at our scouting arena,” said Allen. “You’re constantly looking to add people into that, and we’re looking to expand even further in terms of other areas and other markets.” “I think with Nikola Katic coming from Croatia, that’s another area and another market that we’re sort of fresh into, but we know quite a bit about, and I would expect us to be mindful of that market moving forward,” he added.
 
Obviously we’ve been looking at our scouting arena,” said Allen. “You’re constantly looking to add people into that, and we’re looking to expand even further in terms of other areas and other markets.” “I think with Nikola Katic coming from Croatia, that’s another area and another market that we’re sort of fresh into, but we know quite a bit about, and I would expect us to be mindful of that market moving forward,” he added.

AFTER we signed Katic. You’re reading stuff into that just to fit your own agenda mate.

You’ve not addressed my point about Gerrard having the ultimate say. You think he’s come here to have players he doesn’t want foisted on him? It’s a team effort identifying players and getting the deal over the line. As Manager, Gerrard gets final say. I’m happy enough with that,
 
AFTER we signed Katic. You’re reading stuff into that just to fit your own agenda mate.

You’ve not addressed my point about Gerrard having the ultimate say. You think he’s come here to have players he doesn’t want foisted on him? It’s a team effort identifying players and getting the deal over the line. As Manager, Gerrard gets final say. I’m happy enough with that,

i assume he trusts mark allen etc. and they've a made a howling c.unt of it
 
I agree.

If you want to point to a period of the League season that has cost us it was the opening 10 games.

The late equalisers conceded at Aberdeen and Motherwell.
The no-show first half at Parkhead.
Woeful defeat at Livingston.
Draw at home to Kilmarnock.

Of course, during this time we also had the Europa League run and Celtic are dropping points as well, so all seems a bit better.

Those late equalisers were a real blows. Hold on in both those games and even grab a point at Livingston and we're challenging for a title.

This is where my belief in the current management team comes from; we're not been far off this season. A little bit of good fortune and - yes - better decision-making and we're genuine challengers.
 
Those late equalisers were a real blows. Hold on in both those games and even grab a point at Livingston and we're challenging for a title.

This is where my belief in the current management team comes from; we're not been far off this season. A little bit of good fortune and - yes - better decision-making and we're genuine challengers.

we've managed 17 wins out of 29 in the league

that isn't bad luck its garbage
 
To be honest, I don't really care now. We will finish in 2nd place, it doesn't matter if it's 12 ahead of Aberdeen or on goal difference - you don't get a trophy for being runners up. If some people see that as an achievement then our standards have slipped some tho g awful.

Closing the gap on the bheggars won't really mean much - they can afford to take their foot off the gas, the league is over, they have had a managerial change and are on course for back to back to back trebles.

Tuesday was the one that mattered for me and once again we failed to deliver. Our domestic form has been poor, our results and performances in the cup awful.

27 points on offer, we'll likely take around 16 IMO. There is no evidence to suggest we will get near 24 from 27.

Agreed and sadly accurate. We are miles off winning the league championship - miles.
 
Those late equalisers were a real blows. Hold on in both those games and even grab a point at Livingston and we're challenging for a title.

This is where my belief in the current management team comes from; we're not been far off this season. A little bit of good fortune and - yes - better decision-making and we're genuine challengers.
Yeah it's fine margins.

We had the Tynecastle humpings under Warburton, last season I watched us get hammered at Easter Road, but win! Killie at Rugby Park, I think it was Murty's first game after he'd been confirmed until the end of the season - they absolutely ran over the top of us that day, it was embarrassing.

We're dominating these games now, but the deficiencies in the attacking positions are glaring and have been covered in great detail.

Tuesday night was a disgraceful result and performance, worst game of the season but I don't think we're too far away. I still have doubts, but I think that's normal.
 
Yeah it's fine margins.

We had the Tynecastle humpings under Warburton, last season I watched us get hammered at Easter Road, but win! Killie at Rugby Park, I think it was Murty's first game after he'd been confirmed until the end of the season - they absolutely ran over the top of us that day, it was embarrassing.

We're dominating these games now, but the deficiencies in the attacking positions are glaring and have been covered in great detail.

Tuesday night was a disgraceful result and performance, worst game of the season but I don't think we're too far away. I still have doubts, but I think that's normal.

doesn't make sense
 
Finishing third would be horrible ,we have to consolidate second place ,if dolly got second then I’m afraid it ours indeed show up McInnes to be th3 better manager...so far
 
He’s got enough goodwill for next season but needs to get leaders on the pitch and quality in the final third. Players like he was or dare say a Roy Keane who would take control of it on the pitch if it wasn’t working and know what is required. We look like an academy team with a really good striker just playing in our set positions with no brain, skill or heart.
 
Those late equalisers were a real blows. Hold on in both those games and even grab a point at Livingston and we're challenging for a title.

This is where my belief in the current management team comes from; we're not been far off this season. A little bit of good fortune and - yes - better decision-making and we're genuine challengers.

I was never that critical of the dropped points early on.

It was a new group of players under a new manager still finding its feet whilst simultaneously punching above its weight in Europe; it’s from January onwards without Europe to distract us that’s been the real sickener.

Perhaps this is just the effect of playing so many games early on?

You could argue that we have a bigger, more expensively assembled squad to counter that inconsistency, but it’s also one that’s opened up an 8 point lead between second and third place, so maybe it’s only doing what it should do in terms of quality?

There is still a bit to go though.

The cup defeat feels like it’s knocked the stuffing out of us a little bit.

I just hope the heads don’t start to drop and second place begins to look in doubt.

Building up some sort of momentum for next season should be the objective now in these last two months.
 
Lennon's team hasn't exactly set the heather on fire, they dropped their first points at home under him.
I refuse to write off hope for the title just yet, with 27 points still up for grabs how can anyone at this stage?

Only until it is mathematically impossible to win it, I will remain optimistic.
 
They’re all dead rubber games now anyway so the amount of goodwill he can earn is already diminished with our last chance for silverware having disappeared in humiliating fashion.

He has to at least demonstrate he can mix it up, he’s shown no signs AT ALL of being able to do that and it’s a serious concern. I’m done with harking back to how bad Pedro and Murty were, it doesn’t make accepting mediocrity or failure under Gerrard any more acceptable, so all he can do is put the wins together and hope that it’s enough.

If we’re having the same discussions about lack of action and late subs next season, he’ll be a goner, because it’ll just continue to cost us points, games and ultimately trophies.
 
I'm thinking 15-18 points.

Is it enough? Facts are we need to try and stick it out and build something.
 
The cup exits have been unnaceptable, especially the other night which was a disgraceful result.

However there's a bit of myth attached to this form since the break line. Saturday is our 30th league game of the season.

First 10 - 18 points from 30
Second 10 - 21 points from 30.
Third 10 - 23 points from 30 (if we win on Saturday).

This is actually our most consistent league run of the season. The difference is the bheggars have pulled away because they have taken 28/30.

That's a fair enough point, but the three points frittered away at Killie immediately after the yahoo win, knocked the stuffing out of us and immediately allowed that lot in the same midweek to claw back the points we had taken from them.

Add in the excruciating (Roget would be running out of descriptions for some of our performances this season) v St Johnstone and that was basically game over. That was us handing them a cushion that deep down we knew we couldn't get back. Last week's dropped points (and yup we were cheated out of them) and their subsequent draw the following day means it's all about the filth now crossing the 't's and dotting the 'i's.
 
If we lost the next Old Firm game, the loan players will chuck it and the whole season will implode.
 
We sinply cannot keep changing managers, he needs to be given time.

As was pointed out earlier, he came in and took over a fucking shambles of a team.
 
Other than the cups gerrard has done ok , just need to look in the summer for the sort of player with real quality who’s going to win us games that we’ve been struggling in like hibs 1-1 , Motherwell 3-3 , Dundee 1-1 for example , if he does this we’ll be good to go
 
The summer will tell us a lot about how next season is going to pan out.

Got to hit the ground running, we've European qualifiers early doors. A bad start and he's under immense pressure.

I'd prefer it if Mark Allen and the DoF role was removed allowing Gerrard and his team to do it their way. Grezda, Jones, Barišić, Lafferty et al, they aren't Gerrard signings.

Then the manager has to look at himself and start learning from his mistakes, becoming more tactically aware, positive, getting decisions correct along with improving results.


This sort of attitude does nobody any favours.

As much as our european run was excellent this season, we were fortunate with the draw. We might not be as lucky this season.

So being put out of europe early doesnt really mean a "bad start". We need to see the draw first.

Also I would suggest the fact Barisic plays almost every game when fit then he was a Gerrard signing.
 
For what it's worth I don't see him losing that many of the remaining fixtures. 2 at most (famous last words and that)

I think we'll beat Kilmarnock Saturday and suprise a few people at the Piggery.

The Tims don't have that fear factor about them anymore.

A few tims I know arent confident of beating us at all.

Say they have lost more than just the manager with Rodgers leaving and arent confident of the league like they were. They have been a totally different team since he left.
 
Based on the season so far I think we can probably hope for about 16/17 points out of 27 so we'd be finishing mid 70s in terms of points total.

I don't know whether that will be enough to satisfy a lot of our fans.


If we beat Celtic twice or get a draw and a win, both are easily achievable, then there will be some comfort in that.

However, our current form suggests points will be dropped elsewhere where they really shouldn't be.
 
Being brutally honest I think the rest of the season will be a slog now.

Nothing much left to play for, loan players maybe downing tools thinking about next season, teams sitting in trying to frustrate us.

Before Tuesday our win record since December was slightly above 50% I honestly can't see that improving all that much now.


The thing is though, if we win our next 2 games v Killie and Celtic, then there's plenty to play for.

There will be a league to play for, so there will be no lack of incentive.

Whether our team can put an extended run together though is another matter, if our form is anything to go on.
 
we've managed 17 wins out of 29 in the league

that isn't bad luck its garbage

And every one of those 12 games we havent won in the league a one goal swing in our favour gets us points.

A 10-15 goal a season creative attacking midfielder added to the current squad could have us another 10-15 points. Even having Kamara in some of the earlier draws we would have won IMO.

We really aren't far away, and are vastly improved on last year even if the points aren't much better at this stage.
 
That's a fair enough point, but the three points frittered away at Killie immediately after the yahoo win, knocked the stuffing out of us and immediately allowed that lot in the same midweek to claw back the points we had taken from them.

Add in the excruciating (Roget would be running out of descriptions for some of our performances this season) v St Johnstone and that was basically game over. That was us handing them a cushion that deep down we knew we couldn't get back. Last week's dropped points (and yup we were cheated out of them) and their subsequent draw the following day means it's all about the filth now crossing the 't's and dotting the 'i's.
Oh aye the league is gone for me, no doubt.

Just interesting it's the early season form that has properly cost us and that was when things seemed the most positive.
 
They’re all dead rubber games now anyway so the amount of goodwill he can earn is already diminished with our last chance for silverware having disappeared in humiliating fashion.

He has to at least demonstrate he can mix it up, he’s shown no signs AT ALL of being able to do that and it’s a serious concern. I’m done with harking back to how bad Pedro and Murty were, it doesn’t make accepting mediocrity or failure under Gerrard any more acceptable, so all he can do is put the wins together and hope that it’s enough.

If we’re having the same discussions about lack of action and late subs next season, he’ll be a goner, because it’ll just continue to cost us points, games and ultimately trophies.

Pish.


If we win the next two games its a 5 point gap at most, maybe less if they drop points at Dundee, with 7 games left, with them at Ibrox to come.

Unrealistic, unlikely? Yes

Impossible? Never

Who thought a 3 nil half time lead in a Champions League final would be over turned?
 
Great question and something I mentioned in a post after Tuesday night.

For starters, he needs to beat Hibs and Aberdeen in the next two games against them. His failure to do that more than once in 9 games against them this season is quite simply appaling.

I’m not going to worry about the OF games as I’m fully expecting us to take a beating in both of those. I’m just hoping they’re not too bad in terms of scoreline.

If he wins every game aside from the OF games, that’s probably enough to see him into next season.

If he loses another 2/3 on top of the OF games, serious questions will be asked and 2nd won’t even be guaranteed.
 
Nine games left, we'll take about 18 points. We've averaged pretty much 2pts per game all season.

The filth will take probably about 22 points based on how they've done over the season.

So I expect them to win it by around 11 or 12 points. Obviously the two games against them has the potential to alter that difference quite a bit, but those aside, unless we can go on an amazing run and at the same time the arse falls out of the scum then it's done.

Given the European run, finishing a clear second, avoiding any Pedro / Murty-esque pumpings, beating the scum at Ibrox and in general showing we can play decent football at times.... overall I'd take that for SG's first season... albeit it will be tinged with knowing that yet again the scum were there for the taking and we failed to capitalise.

Next season will be huge.
 
For me it is not to look like he is losing control of the situation.

That might be him continuing to say the right things post match.
Giving some evidence of a willingness to change things on the park. Dropping those who have been most culpable for our major failures.
A performance away against them.
Ideally at least winning 4 from the last 9 games - however if we pick up a draw here or there I wont be too downbeat, unless the draws are caused by sticking to the exact same formula, or let down by the same players in the same formations.
 
You do not sign up a rookie manager if you will not give him a second season to learn from his mistakes. Give him till the next split then make your call. He must have a list of players he knows he cannot trust week in and week out and hopefully they are paddled in the summer. My concern is the amount of players who will be on this list. Too many players in the squad do not turn up for the big games and hide when the going gets tough. Also we need a captain in our central area not someone stuck out on a touch line. Another thing that worries me is SG not using subs when clearly the game needs changed yet he refuses to make changes..No winning mentality or this is what it seems like...
 
I was quite unimpressed with the style of football we were playing at the start of the season but think we've been playing a lot better since the turn of the year.

I thought we played brilliantly at Easter Road but a mix of bad luck and poor refereeing cost us.

As long as we finish no lower than 2nd, and continue to play decent football then I'll be happy.

Summer recruitment is crucial.
 
Great question and something I mentioned in a post after Tuesday night.

For starters, he needs to beat Hibs and Aberdeen in the next two games against them. His failure to do that more than once in 9 games against them this season is quite simply appaling.

I’m not going to worry about the OF games as I’m fully expecting us to take a beating in both of those. I’m just hoping they’re not too bad in terms of scoreline.

If he wins every game aside from the OF games, that’s probably enough to see him into next season.

If he loses another 2/3 on top of the OF games, serious questions will be asked and 2nd won’t even be guaranteed.


There's absolute nothing to suggest we'll take 2 doings from the mentally challengeds.

I fully expect 4 points out of the 2 games at the worst.

The other games are more of a concern to me.
 
more pressure comes the closer they get to 10

Europe was a bonus but all of us would have traded that to have the title in our own hands regardless for the run in to end of season

Fans are impatient for this reason & blowing hot and cold so much adds to it

We need a strong end to the season
The fact is we needed that run as the money earned will help in the long run . If we are going to overturn them we need money for better players and we aren’t going to get that from the Scottish game it’s going to have to come from Europe
 
There's absolute nothing to suggest we'll take 2 doings from the mentally challengeds.

I fully expect 4 points out of the 2 games at the worst.

The other games are more of a concern to me.

I hope you’re right but I think they’ll be out for revenge after the 29th and we’ve regressed massively since then. I’m worried about them personally but maybe too much scar tissue from recent years still.
 
The tims have not been great, lost griffiths and dembelle.
Spent very little compared to what they made.
They have even more money with rodgers pay off and giving wee lenny peanuts.
They lost their manager.
Have we took advantage- no.
For me , and based on that shambles on tuesday, the gap cannot be anymore than the 8 points that stands at present.
Gerrard and allen need to work very hard over the summer, weeding out the dross and bringing in good yins.
Failure to win the league in 2020, means the sack for both.
Claudio raneri won the league with shity leicester than got sacked soon after.
2 seasons is more than enough.
 
The fact is we needed that run as the money earned will help in the long run . If we are going to overturn them we need money for better players and we aren’t going to get that from the Scottish game it’s going to have to come from Europe
Aye if the money is spent wisely, we dont do that often.
 
it's such a difficult one as nobody really expected him at the start of the season to win the league this year. Gerrard's problem is that we have not been too far behind for the majority and even on top a couple times and lost it due to the consistency of the team. If we had been playing as we have been and getting the results we have been getting, but Celtic were more consistent (as they haven't had a great season in the league compared to other years) throughout then people would not be as frustrated. I honestly think a lot of the frustration is that we all felt that the league was in grasping distance this year. "There for the taking" has been used many times on this forum. So Gerrard is getting jip because our rivals havent been as good as they have in the past few years.

To answer the question i think a win in the majority of home games will keep most on his side with a "tomorrow is a new day" kind of attitude.

I feel for the guy and desperately want him to do well. But in saying that most of us probably feel that way and have enjoyed the uplift he has brought to the club in 1 season.
 
The cup exits have been unnaceptable, especially the other night which was a disgraceful result.

However there's a bit of myth attached to this form since the break line. Saturday is our 30th league game of the season.

First 10 - 18 points from 30
Second 10 - 21 points from 30.
Third 10 - 23 points from 30 (if we win on Saturday).

This is actually our most consistent league run of the season. The difference is the bheggars have pulled away because they have taken 28/30.

Whatever way you look at it, it is progress. Not great progress but progress all the same:)

W.A.T.P.
 
We are going through a good spell at the moment in the league probably our best run of games so far in 14 games we have only lost one game.
hope we keep this up in the remaining games.
 
Anywhere between 15 and 20 points is being realistic. We have proved time again this season that we can string a good run of victories together.

As far as I’m concerned the league is done and it’s about playing for pride now and finish the season well.
 
And every one of those 12 games we havent won in the league a one goal swing in our favour gets us points.

A 10-15 goal a season creative attacking midfielder added to the current squad could have us another 10-15 points. Even having Kamara in some of the earlier draws we would have won IMO.

We really aren't far away, and are vastly improved on last year even if the points aren't much better at this stage.

we're miles away

couldn't beat an ordinary aberdeen team in 2 attempts in a must win game

dreadful and no amount of pandering or window dressing changes it
 
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