Match Thread St Johnstone v Rangers - 13:30 Sunday - Sky Sports

[admac1873]

One more full season for Gerrard.

European games are keeping him safe just now

 

[DavieCooper on the wing]

If this team can't get a confidence lift after Thursday they never will,they look scared and lose every 50/50 ball.

 

[JMCK]

We’re just not good enough. And they are. It’s that simple.

Yet we were good enough before the break; we have also been good enough to qualify through the group stages of the EC.

 

[boghall bear]

Yet we were good enough before the break; we have also been good enough to qualify through the group stages of the EC.

I’m avoiding the rest of the threads for the next 24 hours cos frankly it’s becoming absurd in this place. Can’t work out if it’s full of timposters, trolls, genuine bears that are just fed up and venting, or genuine bears that truly have their head in the clouds.

There’s one thing I’ve been driving myself mental with today though, a question that I can’t answer.

I refer SOLELY to the SPL as I think the way other teams play in Europe suits us and we genuinely look good in Europe (not so much against braga despite the result, granted).

However, my conundrum;

Are we a team that, when playing in Scotland, aren’t very good but completely excelled above our means up until New Year?

Or

Are we a team that, when playing in Scotland, are a good team, but we’ve just hit an extended “blip”, and we’ll come back strong?

It can’t be a case of us being a great team in the first half of the season and then became utter shite overnight, that makes absolutely zero sense to me, so by default you’d think it needs to be one of the above.

I just can’t see us playing as well for so long in the first half of the season if we aren’t a good team. But on the flip side, I cannot for the life of me see an end to this “blip”.

I’m utterly dumbfounded

 

[Amato1872]

Has Gerard lost the dressing room during the January window?

We have went from a midfield 5 with wide players creating chances to a narrow 5 and no chances.

Ojo, Barker and Jones are clearly surplus and only for show on the bench. With Kent our only natural wide player and we know how poor he is at present - the Jersey clearly feels very heavy on him at present.

Kamberi has arrived and Stewart now pushed down the pecking order. So Stewart isn't likely to be as focused or happy

Hagi is a number 10 and isn't going to thrive playing wide in a narrow 5. Indeed he leaves Tav totally exposed.

Unhappy players can often upset others around them in the dressing room. All of a sudden a happy dressing room splits with a group of favoured and unflavoured players.

Kammara has went from going to Juventus to someone we wouldn't get 50k for Dundee to take him back.

Sure seems like it.

 

[Amato1872]

I’m avoiding the rest of the threads for the next 24 hours cos frankly it’s becoming absurd in this place. Can’t work out if it’s full of timposters, trolls, genuine bears that are just fed up and venting, or genuine bears that truly have their head in the clouds.

There’s one thing I’ve been driving myself mental with today though, a question that I can’t answer.

I refer SOLELY to the SPL as I think the way other teams play in Europe suits us and we genuinely look good in Europe (not so much against braga despite the result, granted).

However, my conundrum;

Are we a team that, when playing in Scotland, aren’t very good but completely excelled above our means up until New Year?

Or

Are we a team that, when playing in Scotland, are a good team, but we’ve just hit an extended “blip”, and we’ll come back strong?

It can’t be a case of us being a great team in the first half of the season and then became utter shite overnight, that makes absolutely zero sense to me, so by default you’d think it needs to be one of the above.

I just can’t see us playing as well for so long in the first half of the season if we aren’t a good team. But on the flip side, I cannot for the life of me see an end to this “blip”.

I’m utterly dumbfounded

Agreed. There has to be a reason in there somewhere

 

[BrooklynBlue]

I’m avoiding the rest of the threads for the next 24 hours cos frankly it’s becoming absurd in this place. Can’t work out if it’s full of timposters, trolls, genuine bears that are just fed up and venting, or genuine bears that truly have their head in the clouds.

There’s one thing I’ve been driving myself mental with today though, a question that I can’t answer.

I refer SOLELY to the SPL as I think the way other teams play in Europe suits us and we genuinely look good in Europe (not so much against braga despite the result, granted).

However, my conundrum;

Are we a team that, when playing in Scotland, aren’t very good but completely excelled above our means up until New Year?

Or

Are we a team that, when playing in Scotland, are a good team, but we’ve just hit an extended “blip”, and we’ll come back strong?

It can’t be a case of us being a great team in the first half of the season and then became utter shite overnight, that makes absolutely zero sense to me, so by default you’d think it needs to be one of the above.

I just can’t see us playing as well for so long in the first half of the season if we aren’t a good team. But on the flip side, I cannot for the life of me see an end to this “blip”.

I’m utterly dumbfounded

We're a decent team that lacks genuine quality. With that comes a lack of consistency - on our day we can beat anyone but by the same token, we can struggle against the lowest opposition.

When we have players injured, missing from suspension and off-form, then we lack the depth. Our bench is generally average and run-of-the-mill SPL.

 

[cm72]

The more I think about things I keep coming to the same conclusion,I think Gerrard is starting to lose the dressing room.
Something has totally collapsed here. Him picking his favourites time and time again even if they've been poor has started to affect the other players I think. Only natural that if you've had game time and been ok just to find you dropped again for someone playing poor must do your nut in. Once you get 1 or 2 players unhappy like this the ball is rolling.

 

[gordon_blue]

Kamberi clearly hand balled it and not one Rangers player complained about the decision. Arfield kicked the ground and fell over, again not a single player complained. Collum didn't deny us anything.

I meant that the commentator said a St J player had handled it earlier on, not the Kamberi one. If it was even dubious, they would have got it.

No matter how badly you play, these decisions can change matches.

 

[Wade Wilson]

Couldn't watch the game so only just checked the highlights there. Won't bother going into it too much. Pointless really

Cracking goal from Kamberi, and brilliant play to set up Aribo. Always was a fan of him while he was with the spoonburners. Hopefully he can get a chance now.

Just a quick question that maybe have already been answered, but did he point to the badge after scoring? Looked like it on the highlights

 

[Big Al Widepants]

Yet we were good enough before the break; we have also been good enough to qualify through the group stages of the EC.

They knew they were outplayed so they changed their system. They have so much more quality on the bench that there’s always a plan B or C. As soon as we hit a problem there’s nowhere to go and our existing first choice lose confidence. Add to that SG’s lack of experience in dealing with this type of situation whereas Celtic have battle hardened management.

 

[Auld Heid]

They knew they were outplayed so they changed their system. They have so much more quality on the bench that there’s always a plan B or C. As soon as we hit a problem there’s nowhere to go and our existing first choice lose confidence. Add to that SG’s lack of experience in dealing with this type of situation whereas Celtic have battle hardened management.

Septic have changed to 3-5-2 since the new year and are scoring regularly as a result.

We have started playing a narrow 5 in midfield and creating very little and under increased pressure at the back due to our lack of width.

 

[Crossroadblues]

Just goes to prove my theory that at least 50% of the time, footbal just plain doesn't make any logical sense. A few days ago we came from 2 goals down to beat Braga, but at times yesterday we looked like some of the players had never seen a football before. Truly baffling.