This current Rangers team has peaked. We're now on the slide

I think in any team related sport, an unbeaten season would be considered the peak and the pinnacle of their collective achievements together. So in that sense, I think you are correct.

There's plenty of hunger and talent in the squad, that will eventually shine through this season. We maybe won't be as relentless as last season, but we've got more than enough about us to tie up this title.

I think it's quite harsh to say we failed in the transfer market. Still very early in the season and that could come back to haunt a few posters. A few folk completely wrote off the signing of Ianis Hagi last summer. Some even wrote off Roofe at one point as well. I also think the budgetary constraints bit quite hard this summer. We've got a massive squad, with a fair few on big wages already. I don't think Mr Wilson had a lot to work with in that regard, failure to qualify for the CL was solely on the management and players for me. They had/have the talent to qualify, they just made mistakes at crucial moments and that cost us.
 
We were never going to replicate last season, we haven't had a season like that before and probably won't every have one again.

This is a normal season, where we will have some dodgy results, it happened to every side we've seen in our lifetime in a league campaign, except last, but nowadays there has to be knee jerk reactions and huge statements made on the internet at every juncture!
 
A non existent pre season is the issue for me, we are not sharp enough. You could make arguments for other things but when it's the entire team, then it has to be down to training. The forwards, the midfield, the defence and even the gk, none of them look at full fitness.
 
Tagsbear said:
We were never going to replicate last season, we haven't had a season like that before and probably won't every have one again.

This is a normal season, where we will have some dodgy results, it happened to every side we've seen in our lifetime in a league campaign, except last, but nowadays there has to be knee jerk reactions and huge statements made on the internet at every juncture!
Click to expand...

It's like people have forgot what an actual title race is.

Massive overreactions to any result Celtic get, even though they've lost 3 out of 6 ffs.
 
I dont think you could have realistically expected anything close to last season again. Thats a once in a lifetime season.

I think we badly needed another CB and a box office CM signing. I still think a right sided attacking option was needed as well. Lundstrum, sakala and bacuna so far have not provided the boost the squad needed to keep ticking over. Hopefully that comes.
 
Its a tactical issue, we dont really seem to have any, get ball back give it to Kent thats it, even scottish sides with players worth a tenner can deal with it. You stop him and crowd the box then take advantage of weak tim friendly ref thats going to let as much go as possible.

The fitness stuff is also nonsense Rangers wouldnt have beaten Celtic without everyone fighting for every ball and working for 90 mins.

We should help the players by going 4-4-2 and getting it forward quickly the problem with that is the manager will have to answer questions on why he never done it a while back. Same with Patterson not playing he should be one of the first picks.
 
Thornliebank_Bear said:
Its a tactical issue, we dont really seem to have any, get ball back give it to Kent thats it, even scottish sides with players worth a tenner can deal with it. You stop him and crowd the box then take advantage of weak tim friendly ref thats going to let as much go as possible.

The fitness stuff is also nonsense Rangers wouldnt have beaten Celtic without everyone fighting for every ball and working for 90 mins.

We should help the players by going 4-4-2 and getting it forward quickly the problem with that is the manager will have to answer questions on why he never done it a while back. Same with Patterson not playing he should be one of the first picks.
Click to expand...

I think the big shiny thing in the trophy room and the invincible season answers any questions about why he never went 442 a while back.

Patterson isn't better than Tavernier- our captain who gained us three points just last week. In fact,much as I love Patterson, it ain't even close.
 
jweebear said:
Something needs to be done sharply.
Click to expand...
Chas said:
The first 45 was as good as we have played since late 2020. 2nd half less so, but we are moving in the right direction.
Click to expand...
The first half was our best of the season, but that's not saying much. Our form has to be of concern. I keep hearing that it'll come, but I'm not so sure that it will. None of our players are currently playing well, some are playing poorly others have yet to convince.
There's a staleness, a malaise around the club at the present time. A defeat in Prague next week puts us right behind the eight ball in terms of progression in Europe.

A disrupted pre-season, Covid19 issues and niggling injury worries have to be taken into account but I think the problems may lie a bit deeper.

Have the players switched off from the managers message? It can happen.

Whatever the reason(s) a solution needs to be found and quickly.
 
Tagsbear said:
We were never going to replicate last season, we haven't had a season like that before and probably won't every have one again.

This is a normal season, where we will have some dodgy results, it happened to every side we've seen in our lifetime in a league campaign, except last, but nowadays there has to be knee jerk reactions and huge statements made on the internet at every juncture!
Click to expand...
What you say is true but surely our poor form in every game thus far is of huge concern.

The win over Celtic tends to cover up some real concerns. We've been poor for long spells in every game.
 
The peaked thing is interesting given the age of our squad and our exceptional coaching staff.

You would hope that McCorie, Aribo, Kamara, Hagi, Kent, Wright, Bassey, Patterson, Kelly, Katic, and Morelos will all go up a notch from last year.

You would hope that our coaches will develop the obvious talent in Bacuna and possibly Sakala.

You would think that the return (one day) of Jack would help.

One out injured at the moment but Balogun, Goldson and Helander are the best 3 centre backs in Scotland.

Tav and Borna are probably the best right and left backs in Scotland.

Shagger still best keeper in Scotland and McLaughlin probably 2nd or 3rd.

Davis still has it, but 12 games so far this season is too much, Arfield seems on the wane.

Lundstram and Simpson don't inspire but deserve more time.

there is barely a player in Scotland now who would make our bench, never mind our team.

Yes, we are out of sorts, but still 4 clear and in the Group stages (yet again)
 
Really cannot get on board with this Dunc. we are similar of age so i know you've seen us start season's before sluggish to come good, and we up against far superior Celtic sides then.

We cannot compare this season to last season, that was just a juggernaut of (almost) perfection. Anyone expecting more of the same has their heads in the clouds.
 
If you’re able to have a grown up discussion about it, you can’t rule out there being a chance that this is a possibility.

A central core of the squad working towards the title for three years, others for two years, then losing a little bit of mental edge resulting in constant passive performances after winning the biggest title in years?

Plenty of teams will peak after 3 years, some don’t even last that long.
 
Starting to look like there's something in this theory.

We should still have enough about us to win the league which should mean financially we're able to have a major overhaul next summer.
 
ICA_86 said:
If you’re able to have a grown up discussion about it, you can’t rule out there being a chance that this is a possibility.

A central core of the squad working towards the title for three years, others for two years, then losing a little bit of mental edge resulting in constant passive performances after winning the biggest title in years?

Plenty of teams will peak after 3 years, some don’t even last that long.
Click to expand...
There's also the slog of the Spl. Livingston, Dundee, St Johnstone and Co kicking and elbowing for 90 minutes. Every other week.

That's why you need to freshen the squad and have players able to cope with the grind.

That's what the B team should be built towards. Players with experience of Scotland champing at the bit to step up.
 
For everyone involved in this team, 55 was the biggest thing that was demanded of them. They delivered. Now everything pales in comparison.
 
ICA_86 said:
If you’re able to have a grown up discussion about it, you can’t rule out there being a chance that this is a possibility.

A central core of the squad working towards the title for three years, others for two years, then losing a little bit of mental edge resulting in constant passive performances after winning the biggest title in years?

Plenty of teams will peak after 3 years, some don’t even last that long.
Click to expand...

There's an argument that some who gave absolutely everything last season have no more left to give whether that's physically or mentally.

We look so one paced right now as team. And as disorganised as I've saw a Gerrard team. We were a mess tonight.

I'll clarify what I meant on the OP. I'm not calling us shite or hopeless or anything like that and I do expect us to win the league - but the effort, the hunger, the workrate that was there in abundance last season has gone.

The team has went stale. I think we've expected a 4 year cycle and it's finishing a year earlier than we anticipated.
 
SDF said:
Doesn't make us shite, doesn't make us bad but we are not the same side as last season. We're good but we are going through the motions something awful this season.

Energy, hunger, desire..call it what you want. Whatever you call it, we don't have it anymore. There is absolutely no zip to this team.

Failure(for whatever reason) to freshen up this squad is going to cost us.
Click to expand...
Pretty much agree the recruiting in this summer was honking. The Goldson situation isn’t acceptable he signs before the transfer window closes or he’s made available.
 
Confirms what some of us said during the summer the failure to freshen up and strengthen the team has been nothing short of criminal.

We needed 3/4 quality signings nothing transpired our business in the summer really was poor we haven't brought any instant ready made starters into the team since Roofe was signed.

Criminal stuff.
 
Last season was the peak and after 3 years it was time for a natural freshening of the squad, especially without money behind us, and yes, naturally, there's a decline when you don't freshen things up.

We'll have to stick it out for the rest of the season, which makes winning the league even more of a must given the rebuild we'll require next summer.

Wasn't even overly disaplointed after tonight's game. The league is literally the be all and end all this season.
 
SDF said:
There's an argument that some who gave absolutely everything last season have no more left to give whether that's physically or mentally.

We look so one paced right now as team. And as disorganised as I've saw a Gerrard team. We were a mess tonight.

I'll clarify what I meant on the OP. I'm not calling us shite or hopeless or anything like that and I do expect us to win the league - but the effort, the hunger, the workrate that was there in abundance last season has gone.

The team has went stale. I think we've expected a 4 year cycle and it's finishing a year earlier than we anticipated.
Click to expand...
It also doesn’t mean we won’t win the league.

We’re still capable of putting in ‘good enough’ performances with a sprinkling of excellent games which should see us win the league.

Wilson needs to be working on his A-List right now though.
 
I still believe this team is far and away the best in Scotland. Last season was a once in a lifetime season that couldn’t have come at a better year , be extremely lucky if we ever see a season like it again. Our main challengers are a shambles an we all know the Edinburgh teams will collapse at some point ( yes 2-0 bay lev) so keep the faith
 
ICA_86 said:
It also doesn’t mean we won’t win the league.

We’re still capable of putting in ‘good enough’ performances with a sprinkling of excellent games which should see us win the league.

Wilson needs to be working on his A-List right now though.
Click to expand...
Wilson so far has been a massive disappointment.
 
I think this is right, though it's being emphasised more due to our failure to secure CL cash.

Still confident we'll win the league but it'll be a slog this year.
 
Where’s Arfield btw? He was excellent start of last season then was in and out with injury but surely he’s not done in the team? Still has a lot to offer, late runs in the box and a fight in midfield, always gives 100%, could help the midfield chip in with goals and links well with Morelos.
 
I think it’s a combination of some players maybe at end of cycle as well as our system. Domestically especially, I think teams have grown wise as how to play us. We are in our 4th season with this system, that’s a long time in football.

Not saying we have to rip it all up and start again but definitely needs a few tweaks for when we have possession in final third. We lack penetration and movement.

Morelos seems like a totally different player compared to 2 years ago, think the dropping deep of our main striker and well as underperforming full backs is what is holding us back. Morelos takes most of his touches outside box with his back to goal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top