The teams mentality will be questioned - and rightly so

[Ubik]

problem started with the manager picking the wrong team then takes to long to change it. I also dont think we give out subs long enough, the same errors he made last year. Players on the pitch let us down but the manager needs to stop picking the wrong team.

 

[CaptainCourageous]

Majority of you are a fucking disgrace in this thread.

One fucking game.

Don’t bother going to Porto or next Sunday then

We've bottled more than one game under Gerrard.

All domestic cup semi finals last season, Aberdeen in the league, Hibs at Easter Road, Hibs at Ibrox, Kilmarnock last season, the bheggars this season, today. There have also been games in Europe - Legia and Young Boys.

Last season's concerns still hanging over this squad. When given an opportunity to lay down a marker or pull ahead, we shit the bed.

Weak minded, a real lack of leaders, fighters, winners and a winning mentality. Today being yet another example.

 

[Ronniemca]

It could be a blessing in disguise for us to sit Just off the mentally challengeds at the top.Its as clear as day these players can't handle the pressure of being front runners.Our only chance of winning anything is to try and hold onto their coat tails and hope the pressure gets to them and they blow it big style.We only have a couple of proven winners in our team and it really shows in these pressure games

 

[legalbeagle]

Hopefully now that we are a few hours on most of us can accept that there will be dropped points here and there. Minimising those is key, but it is going to happen, and has with all of our teams (even the 92/93 team lost 4-3 away at Dundee!).
I sometimes think the lack of bottle is more on show with the minority of fans who can’t deal with any setback.

many would have dumped Borna, now we can see he is one of our more consistent performers. Now we have people writing off Tav after a bad run of form, ignoring the times he has stepped up and shown his nerve in the past.

we need to learn from every mistake and setback, and we need to be able to move forward as well. Loads of games coming up, they won’t all go swimmingly, get behind the team as much as we can and try to help minimise the disappointments.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

Hopefully now that we are a few hours on most of us can accept that there will be dropped points here and there. Minimising those is key, but it is going to happen, and has with all of our teams (even the 92/93 team lost 4-3 away at Dundee!).
I sometimes think the lack of bottle is more on show with the minority of fans who can’t deal with any setback.

many would have dumped Borna, now we can see he is one of our more consistent performers. Now we have people writing off Tav after a bad run of form, ignoring the times he has stepped up and shown his nerve in the past.

we need to learn from every mistake and setback, and we need to be able to move forward as well. Loads of games coming up, they won’t all go swimmingly, get behind the team as much as we can and try to help minimise the disappointments.

Well said - I was going to post this but didn't want the hassle (maybe I don't have a strong enough mentality to post on FF).

The irony of folk whaling about mentality and bottle every time we have a minor setback is not lost on me.

 

[punk]

I can’t accept dropping points, I can’t accept dropping points to a shite Hearts team and creating little to nothing in their box and putting virtually no pressure on them. That to me is absolutely unacceptable and not what you see from title winning sides.

It’s shite like that today that makes me worry that we have the technical quality, but not the balls to get over the finish line.

Brilliant post mate, but some people would rather you said the team were brilliant today with some brilliant individual performances ably led by our captain and the manager knows when a player is off form. And yes, stop wetting your panties coz Stevie G is a Liverpool legend and he gets it

 

[Danger Zone]

Brilliant post mate, but some people would rather you said the team were brilliant today with some brilliant individual performances ably led by our captain and the manager knows when a player is off form. And yes, stop wetting your panties coz Stevie G is a Liverpool legend and he gets it

I think some of the younger fans have now been conditioned to accept mediocrity. There’s a lot of over the top negativity on here, but there’s also equal amounts of turd polishing nonsense. I’m supposed to believe we’ve got the bottle because we hammered Hamilton at home after a shock Livingston win? In spite of the fact we tend to falter in the really crucial games and have continued that pattern this season (in domestic terms)? Yeah I don’t think so, fans are right to be concerned.

If we peppered their goal today but we just couldn’t get the ball in the goal and we dropped points I could accept it. But I can’t accept gutless shite and us struggling to carve any real chances out against a struggling hearts side. It just seems that the increased pressure is too much for same, particularly our over protected captain who despite a fanatic season last year, has a sizeable rap sheet of blunders and gaffs in important matches over the course of his entire Rangers career.

 

[Earl of Leven]

I think some of the younger fans have now been conditioned to accept mediocrity. There’s a lot of over the top negativity on here, but there’s also equal amounts of turd polishing nonsense.

We're finished, over and done, if we ever actually genuinely believe "Ach, we're second best now, too far behind, maybe we can make the odd cup final". Maybe us older fans need to step up? We're never 2nd to the scum unless we %^*& up.

 

[Gerrard55]

Its almost like we dont want to be top.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

We're finished, over and done, if we ever actually genuinely believe "Ach, we're second best now, too far behind, maybe we can make the odd cup final". Maybe us older fans need to step up? We're never 2nd to the scum unless we %^*& up.

I think the mass hysteria after games like today show that is certainly not the case.

 

[tazzabear]

We had Hamilton at home to go top with the filth having unexpectedly dropped points right before our kick off. We had a perfect fixture at home and no time to dwell on their result.

I’m not sure why people are intent on trying to defend this recurring theme, we had a trickier fixture this time with a day of knowing we’d need to win to stay top and we produced that abject gutless shite, again. When you factor in Hearts home form it’s even more concerning.

There isn’t really a debate to be had here, we rarely capitalise, and then there’s our performance in the cups. The greater the significance of the game the less likely we are to get a result.

I don’t agree with your summation here so, if you don’t mind, I’ll continue with my opinion that bottle or mentality isn't the issue and didn’t cause today’s performance.
What, in my view, caused the today’s result was a Hearts team playing way above the levels they’ve reached so far this season.
For example, have Davis and McGregor not been through this before?

 

[Danger Zone]

I don’t agree with your summation here so, if you don’t mind, I’ll continue with my opinion that bottle or mentality isn't the issue and didn’t cause today’s performance.
What, in my view, caused the today’s result was a Hearts team playing way above the levels they’ve reached so far this season.
For example, have Davis and McGregor not been through this before?

Davis and McGregor are two players out of 11 and neither of them gift wrapped Hearts their goal today. As for the rest of it, yeah stick with your option mate, to me it reeks of denial and goes against ample evidence to the contrary but still each to their own and all that.

By the way Hearts were shite, we just didn’t turn up.

 

[Thornliebank_Bear]

I totally get why people are pissed off i couldnt believe the 2nd half i was sure the gaffer would explode at half time and we would see some desire at the very least...it really was garbage and quite worrying that we done nothing in the final 3rd and didnt even test them... but can we leave out the older wiser stuff people always start going on about on here as if being negative all the time makes you some sort of football expert.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

Davis and McGregor are two players out of 11 and neither of them gift wrapped Hearts their goal today. As for the rest of it, yeah stick with your option mate, to me it reeks of denial and goes against ample evidence to the contrary but still each to their own and all that.

By the way Hearts were shite, we just didn’t turn up.

Your opinion reeks of total ignorance.

This team has only been together for 14-15 months and changed a fair bit in the summer again. There's been numerous times in that period they've found themselves in very tough situations and have dug in and got over the line.

There are various footballing issues that need remedied before I think you start ranting and raving about 'bottle'. I think you're actually letting the staff and players off the hook by making it seem so simple.

 

[Danger Zone]

Your opinion reeks of total ignorance.

This team has only been together for 14-15 months and changed a fair bit in the summer again. There's been numerous times in that period they've found themselves in very tough situations and have dug in and got over the line.

There are various footballing issues that need remedied before I think you start ranting and raving about 'bottle'. I think you're actually letting the staff and players off the hook by making it seem so simple.

So does yours, because your blatantly ignorant to the clear evidence. Got us over the line? We’ve won fùck all and failed to make a cup final despite two great chances against Derek McInnes’s Aberdeen. In Europe they’ve pulled some great results out of the bag, domestically it hasn’t been good enough and thats the end of it. Even last season we only made the gap look more respectable after losing the league and some of the pressure coming off. Too many fans trying to kid themselves on and obviously don’t want to look at the reality of the situation.

And I’m basing my opinion on a lot of hard evidence (the number of high pressure games with more at stake where we’ve slipped up), what exactly is yours based on? And 14
-15 months is quite a time in football.

 

[Bluegeo64]

Or we come back from conceding an early goal at a difficult away ground against an obviously determined opposition.

Is that not a response?

We're going to drop points across the season. This seems at odds with FF expectations.

I get what your saying to a point but the issue for me is not really the result but a dreadful performance almost across the whole team. It's the lack of desire that's worrying- if we'd come out level or even defeated after a ding dong battle where we gave our all and were unlucky I would not be complaining. Instead we showed no heart in big domestic game where the pressure was on...again.

 

[wilso10]

Your opinion reeks of total ignorance.

This team has only been together for 14-15 months and changed a fair bit in the summer again. There's been numerous times in that period they've found themselves in very tough situations and have dug in and got over the line.

There are various footballing issues that need remedied before I think you start ranting and raving about 'bottle'. I think you're actually letting the staff and players off the hook by making it seem so simple.

You're pushing against a closed door.

The idea of us losing this game today due to 'mentality' is borderline stupid. It was a poor team performance, it had f*ck all to with mentality.

 

[BrooklynBlue]

We've bottled more than one game under Gerrard.

All domestic cup semi finals last season, Aberdeen in the league, Hibs at Easter Road, Hibs at Ibrox, Kilmarnock last season, the bheggars this season, today. There have also been games in Europe - Legia and Young Boys.

Last season's concerns still hanging over this squad. When given an opportunity to lay down a marker or pull ahead, we shit the bed.

Weak minded, a real lack of leaders, fighters, winners and a winning mentality. Today being yet another example.

My issue with the thread is highlighted here - and the nterpretation of 'bottle'.

I'll presume Legia is an error but I'm not sure how anyone can question 'bottle' in Europe given the performances and results with a limited squad. Even in Bern we competed well but were undone with the last kick.

Hibs? With a little fortune and better finishing we would have won both. That's not bottle but football.

Can you give an example of dropped points that didn't come down to "bottle" in your opinion?

 

[Danger Zone]

If only you were bright enough to connect to the dots and realise and an abject team performance can be a direct result of a lack of mental steel. It’s really simple stuff, the fact some can’t see it is alarming, the fact that some can’t see it and still want to try and patronise others is both alarming and kind of funny.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

So does yours, because your blatantly ignorant to the clear evidence. Got us over the line? We’ve won fùck all and failed to make a cup final despite two great chances against Derek McInnes’s Aberdeen. In Europe they’ve pulled some great results out of the bag, domestically it hasn’t been good enough and thats the end of it. Even last season we only made the gap look more respectable after losing the league and some of the pressure coming off. Too many fans trying to kid themselves on and obviously don’t want to look at the reality of the situation.

And I’m basing my opinion on a lot of hard evidence (the number of high pressure games with more at stake where we’ve slipped up), what exactly is yours based on? And 14
-15 months is quite a time in football.

The reality of it is we're joint top of the league, in a domestic semi final and reached the group stages of the Europa League. In October for non-farcical Rangers sides that's about par - when has it ever been any different?

If I had the chance to get a 1-2-1 with Gerrard and ask him about the issues in the team and he just answered 'lack of mentality' to every question I'd be wondering what the %^*& we were paying him for.

A team is either weak willed with a lack of resolve or it isn't and there have been numerous times this side has been in a tough spot and have got a result. Consistency and ability are another matter.

Chest out, chin up I want to see big bollocks out there lads is bloody Peter Reid stuff - I wish it was that simple.

 

[Danger Zone]

The reality of it is we're joint top of the league, in a domestic semi final and reached the group stages of the Europa League. In October for non-farcical Rangers sides that's about par - when has it ever been any different?

If I had the chance to get a 1-2-1 with Gerrard and ask him about the issues in the team and he just answered 'lack of mentality' to every question I'd be wondering what the %^*& we were paying him for.

A team is either weak willed with a lack of resolve or it isn't and there have been numerous times this side has been in a tough spot and have got a result. Consistency and ability are another matter.

Chest out, chin up I want to see big bollocks out there lads is bloody Peter Reid stuff - I wish it was that simple.

You keep talking about getting a result mate, we’ve won fùck all! This is Rangers not Motherwell, we want silverware not the odd result here and there.

It’s not complicated, today was another game where the pressure to stay top and make a statement was there, and we cùnted it. Again, I can accept dropping points because sometimes you get unlucky and it happens, but I can’t accept gutless shite like that today, and that sort of gutless shite has been the norm in the higher pressure domestic games where we’ve either had a chance to capitalise on a slip by the scum, or to progress to a cup final. Of course this doesn’t mean we’ll simply bottle it again this season, but neither is it an encouraging sign of things to come. Based on that, fans are absolutely entitled to be both angry and concerned that we’re about to get more of the same.

 

[wilso10]

You keep talking about getting a result mate, we’ve won fùck all! This is Rangers not Motherwell, we want silverware not the odd result here and there.

It’s not complicated, today was another game where the pressure to stay top and make a statement was there, and we cùnted it. Again, I can accept dropping points because sometimes you get unlucky and it happens, but I can’t accept gutless shite like that today, and that sort of gutless shite has been the norm in the higher pressure domestic games where we’ve either had a chance to capitalise on a slip by the scum, or to progress to a cup final. Of course this doesn’t mean we’ll simply bottle it again this season, but neither is it an encouraging sign of things to come. Based on that, fans are absolutely entitled to be both angry and concerned that we’re about to get more of the same.

Title winning Ranger sides have undoubtedly dropped points this early in the season and went on to win trophies.

Now enough with your hysteria and mentality pish and get to bed.

 

[Danger Zone]

Title winning Ranger sides have undoubtedly dropped points this early in the season and went on to win trophies.

Now enough with your hysteria and mentality pish and get to bed.

This isn’t a title winning Rangers side though, and they slip up almost every time they have an opportunity to really apply pressure (or make a cup final). No title winning Rangers side slips up nearly every time they’re given a chance to get ahead.

If you’ve had enough of it then get out the thread and go and have a cry wank.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

You keep talking about getting a result mate, we’ve won fùck all! This is Rangers not Motherwell, we want silverware not the odd result here and there.

It’s not complicated, today was another game where the pressure to stay top and make a statement was there, and we cùnted it. Again, I can accept dropping points because sometimes you get unlucky and it happens, but I can’t accept gutless shite like that today, and that sort of gutless shite has been the norm in the higher pressure domestic games where we’ve either had a chance to capitalise on a slip by the scum, or to progress to a cup final. Of course this doesn’t mean we’ll simply bottle it again this season, but neither is it an encouraging sign of things to come. Based on that, fans are absolutely entitled to be both angry and concerned that we’re about to get more of the same.

But it's getting to to the point now where every single game is down to bottle and mentality. If the league stays nip and tuck which I expect it will that's constantly going to get rolled out. Look at the last few weeks.......

Young Boys - lack of winners, no captain, can't see a game out, bottle mentality.
Hamilton - 55 memes, Lennon will implode, their £7M centre back is a panic merchant. Alfie POTM, Gerrard MOTM. Happy Days.
Hearts - lack of winners, no captain, can't see a game out, bottle mentality.

I think complacency is more an issue with the squad than bottle. I'm far more interested in what Gerrard is going to do with Arfield and Tavernier than this boring notion we're a bunch of nancy boys that constantly shit the bed.

 

[BrooklynBlue]

If only you were bright enough to connect to the dots and realise and an abject team performance can be a direct result of a lack of mental steel. It’s really simple stuff, the fact some can’t see it is alarming, the fact that some can’t see it and still want to try and patronise others is both alarming and kind of funny.

[Is this directed at me? If so, I'm bright enough, thanks. You seem incapable of accepting different opinions. You're a very needy poster all round.]

Of course I'm aware that teams can falter through a lack of "mental steel". I don't agree in this instance because I see a limited squad, managerial errors and a lack of quality which invariably means inconsistency.

You obviously think we're a better team than that.

 

[Danger Zone]

But it's getting to to the point now where every single game is down to bottle and mentality. If the league stays nip and tuck which I expect it will that's constantly going to get rolled out. Look at the last few weeks.......

Young Boys - lack of winners, no captain, can't see a game out, bottle mentality.
Hamilton - 55 memes, Lennon will implode, their £7M centre back is a panic merchant. Alfie POTM, Gerrard MOTM. Happy Days.
Hearts - lack of winners, no captain, can't see a game out, bottle mentality.

I think complacency is more an issue with the squad than bottle. I'm far more interested in what Gerrard is going to do with Arfield and Tavernier than this boring notion we're a bunch of nancy boys that constantly shit the bed.

We’ll agree to disagree. I think that when the team slips up repeatedly when afforded these chances it’s concrete proof of an issue with a lack of mental steel, that’s the end of it for me really. And by the way, complacency is a direct result of a lack of mental steel, I’m not sure why some seem to think they’re separate issues altogether.

 

[Southside-Bear]

Vast majority of our title winning teams dropped points throughout the season, it will happen throughout the season. I wouldn't be overly concerned at this stage.

 

[Danger Zone]

[Is this directed at me? If so, I'm bright enough, thanks. You seem incapable of accepting different opinions. You're a very needy poster all round.]

Of course I'm aware that teams can falter through a lack of "mental steel". I don't agree in this instance because I see a limited squad, managerial errors and a lack of quality which invariably means inconsistency.

You obviously think we're a better team than that.

It wasn’t aimed at you, but you’re a master of irony.

 

[temperance]

Today was a great chance to prove our mental strength and make a statement.

We failed.

Exactly this, and the filth will know it.

 

[Kirbys House]

If only you were bright enough to connect to the dots and realise and an abject team performance can be a direct result of a lack of mental steel. It’s really simple stuff, the fact some can’t see it is alarming, the fact that some can’t see it and still want to try and patronise others is both alarming and kind of funny.

No offence but you always seem to come across as a bit of a know it all in these types of threads. Tend to wonder if you've ever kicked a ball.

 

[Carlisle Bear]

We’ll agree to disagree. I think that when the team slips up repeatedly when afforded these chances it’s concrete proof of an issue with a lack of mental steel, that’s the end of it for me really. And by the way, complacency is a direct result of a lack of mental steel, I’m not sure why some seem to think they’re separate issues altogether.

Fair enough. I think if it's as simple as having a bunch of guys with an iron will together then we have a vastly, vastly overpaid manager and coaching staff.

 

[Danger Zone]

No offence but you always seem to come across as a bit of a know it all in these types of threads. Tend to wonder if you've ever kicked a ball.

Do you have any counter argument or is that the sum of your contribution?

Unless you’ve played professionally for a team expecting to win things, you’re no more qualified than me to comment on such issues. And lastly, I’ll say what I said to the other snipers, if I really bother you then stick me on ignore and save yourself a potential aneurism.

 

[Danger Zone]

Fair enough. I think if it's as simple as having a bunch of guys with an iron will together then we have a vastly, vastly overpaid manager and coaching staff.

It’s not that simple, which is why I said I could have accepted the dropped points if we’d at least pressured them and looked like creating something. That didn’t happen though and Hearts looked as likely to snatch a winner as we did. It’s when they continually produce gutless displays in these scenarios that makes people question their mental strength.

 

[Kirbys House]

It’s not that simple, which is why I said I could have accepted the dropped points if we’d at least pressured them and looked like creating something. That didn’t happen though and Hearts looked as likely to snatch a winner as we did. It’s when they continually produce gutless displays in these scenarios that makes people question their mental strength.

Edit - quoted the wrong post

 

[Kirbys House]

Do you have any counter argument or is that the sum of your contribution?

Unless you’ve played professionally for a team expecting to win things, you’re no more qualified than me to comment on such issues. And lastly, I’ll say what I said to the other snipers, if I really bother you then stick me on ignore and save yourself a potential aneurism.

Not professionally no, so I'll retract that. I should've saved it for one of your tactics threads tbf. Apologies.

Hearts absolutely didn't unless we were watching different games.

 

[EC54]

90% of folk on here during the week said we’d win easily. Unfortunately, the players went into the game with the same mentality. If they’d went in to it with the mentality that you need to win the battle before you can win the game we probably would have won it. Sense of entitlement costing us yet again.

I agree it seemed with us going top and then the international break had many losing there senses, with us becoming a better team than we actually are and Hearts becoming certain cannon fodder which I never thought would be the case no matter how poor they have been playing. Our mentality and will to win these types of games keeps reappearing. Early days yet but I have serious doubts we have what it takes.

 

[VMS]

I think some of the younger fans have now been conditioned to accept mediocrity. There’s a lot of over the top negativity on here, but there’s also equal amounts of turd polishing nonsense. I’m supposed to believe we’ve got the bottle because we hammered Hamilton at home after a shock Livingston win? In spite of the fact we tend to falter in the really crucial games and have continued that pattern this season (in domestic terms)? Yeah I don’t think so, fans are right to be concerned.

If we peppered their goal today but we just couldn’t get the ball in the goal and we dropped points I could accept it. But I can’t accept gutless shite and us struggling to carve any real chances out against a struggling hearts side. It just seems that the increased pressure is too much for same, particularly our over protected captain who despite a fanatic season last year, has a sizeable rap sheet of blunders and gaffs in important matches over the course of his entire Rangers career.

Great post

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

My issue with the thread is highlighted here - and the nterpretation of 'bottle'.

I'll presume Legia is an error but I'm not sure how anyone can question 'bottle' in Europe given the performances and results with a limited squad. Even in Bern we competed well but were undone with the last kick.

Hibs? With a little fortune and better finishing we would have won both. That's not bottle but football.

Can you give an example of dropped points that didn't come down to "bottle" in your opinion?

Agree with you on both Hibs games at ER. We dominated both games & decisions in both games were criminal to be honest.

 

[Stivenstoune]

A team matching the scum who have had it all their own way for years should be encouraged to do better not gastigated. Your insinuation that we have little chance to overcome the odds to win the league is laughable, what year at school are you now?

Do you remember when we used to win the league? Do you remember what it was like to win a trophy? Do you remember when we had leaders on the park and off it? If you accept mediocrity then fine but I don’t, I want Rangers to win every game and when we dont I want every player to feel like it was an affront not shrug and say next time we will be better.

 

[CaptainCourageous]

So what's the reason for losing/failing to win the bigger, more important games?

Semi final, cup matches, matches that see us continue at the top, matches that take us back to the top. We were favourites against the bheggars back in September and we failed to turn up in that too.

We struggle with pressure, there is a lack of winners and a winning mentality.

Rangers of old would have gone to Tynecastle today and ground out a win given the situation we were in; return to the top, take advantage, apply pressure, open a gap, show we can win when needed.

Not this Rangers side, just like last season. We looked nervous, unorganised, error prone, no one wanting to grab the game by the balls. No leaders. A team going through the motions.

 

[Teddypicker87]

I'm with the poster above re mentality. I've said numerous times to my mates recently that this team still havent shown us they can win a big game when required.

Hearts semi in 2 week will be the biggest game of gerrards managerial career. Pressure will be on us, could define our season

 

[JRei8790]

Do you remember when we used to win the league? Do you remember what it was like to win a trophy? Do you remember when we had leaders on the park and off it? If you accept mediocrity then fine but I don’t, I want Rangers to win every game and when we dont I want every player to feel like it was an affront not shrug and say next time we will be better.

Yes, yes and yes. I want to win every game but sometimes I accept that football and life In general doesn't work that way. Thanks

 

[tazzabear]

Hopefully now that we are a few hours on most of us can accept that there will be dropped points here and there. Minimising those is key, but it is going to happen, and has with all of our teams (even the 92/93 team lost 4-3 away at Dundee!).
I sometimes think the lack of bottle is more on show with the minority of fans who can’t deal with any setback.

many would have dumped Borna, now we can see he is one of our more consistent performers. Now we have people writing off Tav after a bad run of form, ignoring the times he has stepped up and shown his nerve in the past.

we need to learn from every mistake and setback, and we need to be able to move forward as well. Loads of games coming up, they won’t all go swimmingly, get behind the team as much as we can and try to help minimise the disappointments.

So many good points.
The mentality or bottle of the fans, or lack of, is, in my opinion more obvious than it is in the players.
The Barisic example you offer is perfect.

 

[bluetonic]

Davis and McGregor are two players out of 11 and neither of them gift wrapped Hearts their goal today. As for the rest of it, yeah stick with your option mate, to me it reeks of denial and goes against ample evidence to the contrary but still each to their own and all that.

By the way Hearts were shite, we just didn’t turn up.

I agree there league position before the game does’nt lie re the form they were in, it was always going to be a frantic opening 10-20 minutes as they went for it but we set ourselves up for the 2nd well after scoring on the break of half time but unfortunately did not turn up in the 2nd half as Hearts were there for the taking

 

[Jaws II]

So many good points.
The mentality or bottle of the fans, or lack of, is, in my opinion more obvious than it is in the players.
The Barisic example you offer is perfect.

Yes our mentality has led to us losing cup final to Hibs, semi finals to Motherwell and Aberdeen and vital league games to Celtic. Hibs, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.
Our players went into that game with a buoyant support and a Hearts team in a slide near the bottom and their fans low as a snakes belly.
Every one on the match thread was saying we would pummel Hearts.

The result is Hearts are up for it and fight hard.
They aren’t more skilful, they aren’t a better team.

Our team just repeated what they have been doing for the last season and a bit, when the pressure is on in a big match (Celtic at home, Hearts away, YB) our captain or another like Goldson will have a brain fart when under no real pressure.
When they get hit with a disappointment they never can seem to raise their game and cope with adversity.

This is %^*& all to do with the support, the fans were pumped and then the team goes out and collectively shit their pants in front of a shocked support.
The excuse making for the mentality of our team is getting desperate by the ostriches amongst our support.

 

[giogaddi]

Bottle merchants. We lack leaders, fighters, winners, a winning mentality.

The first sign of pressure and you just know they won't deliver.

We celebrated being top of the league for one game like it was the end of the season.

The chance to go two points ahead at the top of the league and the players produce a weak, sloppy, one paced, predictable, powder puff performance laced with errors and a lack of basics.

Questions asked and one again the wrong answer given.

Carbon copy of last season and no doubt that will be the same when the trophies are handed out.

Wow. Absolutely in your element yesterday it seems

 

[giogaddi]

I'm with the poster above re mentality. I've said numerous times to my mates recently that this team still havent shown us they can win a big game when required.

Hearts semi in 2 week will be the biggest game of gerrards managerial career. Pressure will be on us, could define our season

Was Legia a big game? Celtic at Ibrox last season? What about Tynecastle to go top last season? What about Feyenoord? Aberdeen at Pittodrie? Did any of your mates tell you you were talking pish?

 

[RFC4ME]

Bottle merchants. We lack leaders, fighters, winners, a winning mentality.

The first sign of pressure and you just know they won't deliver.

We celebrated being top of the league for one game like it was the end of the season.

The chance to go two points ahead at the top of the league and the players produce a weak, sloppy, one paced, predictable, powder puff performance laced with errors and a lack of basics.

Questions asked and one again the wrong answer given.

Carbon copy of last season and no doubt that will be the same when the trophies are handed out.

All I ever think when I read stuff like this this is - mind you fell through a glass table and wanted Gerrard sacked

 

[tazzabear]

Bottle merchants. We lack leaders, fighters, winners, a winning mentality.

The first sign of pressure and you just know they won't deliver.

We celebrated being top of the league for one game like it was the end of the season.

The chance to go two points ahead at the top of the league and the players produce a weak, sloppy, one paced, predictable, powder puff performance laced with errors and a lack of basics.

Questions asked and one again the wrong answer given.

Carbon copy of last season and no doubt that will be the same when the trophies are handed out.

You know what, CC.
You might be right.
However, If not, I’m going to enjoy ramming posts like yours right down your throats as much as I’ll enjoy slating the mentally challengeds I work with.

 

[tazzabear]

And it happens any time we have a chance to go top, or stay top. And as long as it does, we won’t be champions, that’s the bottom line. So to be honest mate, you should be stressing because the signs are ominous.

Ah, the signs are ominous?
I’ll tell you the signs I see.
I see us, how many points better off than last year?
I see us, how much closer to the scum compared to last year?
I see a stronger pool of players compared to last year.
I’m no expert in predicting the future mind you.