We all ok with Gio's get ahead and sit back approach?

When we win, yes but when we don’t, nope

We are a far better outfit in seeing out games than under what Gerrard was serving up this season. At least we are actually going ahead in games, how many games in a row did we concede first under Gerrard? A ridiculous amount. This is all a work in progress that will still take us to the title. Don’t get twisted by the media, Gio coming in and doing what he’s doing is a far bigger success than the fat slob in the East. No £20m+ spent, no Euro excuses, no daft points dropped at home against relegation fodder under Gio.
Don’t let this derail what Gio is doing, without Gio there was no Sparta win or Lyon draw and therefore no Haaland and Bellingham coming to Ibrox, the 10 day turnaround in the Hibs games was also phenomenal
 
bLuE PirAtE said:
Do we need an ex-Ranger on the coaching staff? A Scotsman who will tear a strip of the players if they ain't doing it. Think Archie Knox or John Brown type. I think the Dutchmen might be too laid back.
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Tricks are for the Circus? Gio also didn’t win the CL and Captain his side in a World Cup Final by being laid back. I think you need to take a step back from all the hysteria for a day or two. Hopefully a strong win on Friday with some Academy boys excelling will excite everyone again that we have the right management team in place
 
It is a little concerning. I think I had some doubts about the Hearts performance, which was good overall, but kept them at bay. Last night was so poor though and it was obvious to a layman like me what our tactics were. I dont think surrendering possession will ever be a viable option at Rangers for domestic games. It's just not something we'll accept. We're 150 years down the line, so the idea we'll suddenly accept being a counter attacking team is fantasy stuff. All of that said, there's more than enough from Gio and co to be positive about. Let's not totally lose our s**t over one game. The next few are key.
 
It didn’t work last night, we got the first goal and then tried to catch them on the transition. We will look different when we have some of our better options available.

10/12 in that run of away games was a solid return though also, Gio put’s trust in his defence with justification given the number of clean sheets we have had recently.

It wasn’t a great result and the performance made it worse however - the reaction in here by some is pretty embarrassing
 
There's no way Gio would want his team to be so passive. Manager's can ask his players/team to set traps and counter attack etc.

Its the players though that need to take responsibility on the pitch. Kamara and Hagi (goal apart) were total spectators. I thought Sands handled himself very well considering it was his first game and the other midfielders were non-existent.

That was the type of game you want Kamara to stand up and be counted. No Davis or Aribo so he should have the confidence, quality and leadership abilities now to take control of the game when we're struggling.
 
Jamie19892017 said:
It is a little concerning. I think I had some doubts about the Hearts performance, which was good overall, but kept them at bay. Last night was so poor though and it was obvious to a layman like me what our tactics were. I dont think surrendering possession will ever be a viable option at Rangers for domestic games. It's just not something we'll accept. We're 150 years down the line, so the idea we'll suddenly accept being a counter attacking team is fantasy stuff. All of that said, there's more than enough from Gio and co to be positive about. Let's not totally lose our s**t over one game. The next few are key.
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There is surrendering possession and there is players unable to retain possession.

We didn’t play well last night, it was scrappy but the players are not blameless here
 
Bruce_Wayne said:
There's no way Gio would want his team to be so passive. Manager's can ask his players/team to set traps and counter attack etc.

Its the players though that need to take responsibility on the pitch. Kamara and Hagi (goal apart) were total spectators. I thought Sands handled himself very well considering it was his first game and the other midfielders were non-existent.

That was the type of game you want Kamara to stand up and be counted. No Davis or Aribo so he should have the confidence, quality and leadership abilities now to take control of the game when we're struggling.
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This might sound daft, but our leaders on the pitch are good, but not great.

Never, ever thought I'd say this, but we badly lack someone with Barry Ferguson's *on pitch* mentality. I suppose I'm talking about having a shouter - someone who is good box to box wouldn't be bad.
 
Tactics were a bit too cautious, I agree. But as Gio said himself, he wanted us to be able to attack them on the turnovers but our ball retention was really poor, that bit is on the players and led to us being unable to get out or build attacks.

However, putting Lundstram on to "shore it up" with 20 minutes to go at 1-0 was dreadful. Surely it needed a positive change to push on for a 2nd goal.

And I see where posters are coming from re: the post match interview but I actually didn't mind it too much. Cool headed and highlighting the positives. As a one-off, that's OK for me. Not going to be acceptable every time we drop points though.
 
Not just under Gio is this happening. How many times under various managers through the years have we dominated matches and are left sweating and holding on for the last 10 minutes ?More often than not we do get over the line but it’s never an easy watch.
 
Candyass said:
This might sound daft, but our leaders on the pitch are good, but not great.

Never, ever thought I'd say this, but we badly lack someone with Barry Ferguson's *on pitch* mentality. I suppose I'm talking about having a shouter - someone who is good box to box wouldn't be bad.
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You never thought you'd say that a team could do with a player of the ability of Barry Ferguson?

And by the way, Barry Ferguson played in Rangers teams that failed to win many games in Scotland like last night's.
 
Its-Sebo said:
The boom or bust on here is brutal.

I'm unhappy with last night, but I have to say I'm surprised to learn that we've actually been shite in the previous 7 league wins with 1 goal conceded under Gio.
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I think most people said at the time the performances against Livingston, Hibs, Hearts, Dundee Utd and obviously last night were poor.

Good to get the results under the circumstances but was anyone thinking they were good performances? Playing like that and getting the 3 points isn't sustainable.
 
Not at all as said above showing way too much respect, if that's how he approaches Pittodrie I dread to think how he shapes up at the Piggery.

Taking Wright off in the 65th minute whilst defending a one goal lead and putting on a third defensive midfielder to hang on for 25 minutes was dire,if it was an injury to Wright then replace with Sakala,if he wanted Lundstram on then take Sands off.

I'm no fan of Lundstram far from it but he showed up better in the limited minutes he had in comparison to Sands who was largely invisible throughout, that change should have been made sooner.
 
rangersfc_51 said:
When does off night become consistent though?

We haven’t played well in the League away from home since the Motherwell 6-1 result.

Grinding out results, but we have been lucky and the performances have been way below par.
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Cant agree with you there. We scored two great goals at tynecastle and put in a decent performance i thought. Same at livingston 8 wins and a draw away at a tough ground with several first team players missing. I think we are doing fine so far.
 
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Bucharest95 said:
Happened far too many times for me and we'll get caught out again and again
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I don't think we sat back. I think we were rank, couldn't get the ball and when we did couldn't hold on to it. They were all over us as the possession stars showed. The goal was against the run of play. I'm not sure what we done during that break but we better up the ante big time
 
blue genes said:
This is accurate IMO - & Boyce missed umpteen easy chances at Hearts.

We have Alfie, Kent, Aribo & Roofe (when fit) up front - up against what are generally journeyman SPFL defenders - what on earth are we sitting back for?!?!

We should be on the front foot, home & away, every game, for the whole game.
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We are sitting back letting shit like Aberdeen come at us so we can hit on the counter.
 
I don't think it looked like a deliberate tactic tbh. It looked more like the team came out and weren't particularly up for the game as they should have been, lethargic after a long break, and missing the players in midfield that normally drive us forward.

The first two you can argue are Gio's responsibility, he should have made sure every player running out was 100% focused and fired up, but I don't think it was our set up, formation or instructions that caused it. The players need to take a lot of responsibility here.
 
Bowery Boy said:
Wright was garbage. Sakala should be ahead of him. Every time.
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I can't ever remember Wright (especially away from home) having a great performance when he's started the game. It was a blunder last night from Gio. Also a blunder not changing it at half time. No doubt about it.
 
Think people are over reacting a little and pointing to the recent away games. In reality he’s came in at a horrible run of fixtures. The performance at Hibs wasn’t great but from what I remember we didn’t give them a sniff all game and when you think how they tore us apart just a week or so before then in the semi final it’s a significant turnaround. Additionally, whilst we admittedly gave Hearts opportunities we could have easily scored 4 or 5 that day - good chances by Morelos, Arfield and Sakala all missed. Pittodrie is never a comfortable game, after a winter break, mid week and with several key players missing! If you were offered 7 wins and a draw from Gios first 8 games you’d have snatched it!
 
We didn't drop points last night because of the tactics.

We dropped points because Aberdeen looked far more up for it and just about every one of their players played like it was their Cup Final (usual) vs many of our players who were far too passive. Our midfield in the 2nd half was completely absent and guys like Hagi and Morelos were unable to get into the game.

My complaint with this squad of players from time to time is the lack of fight we show against these teams who want to make it a physical battle - we need to be able to raise our game above that.
 
THEGOVANFRONT said:
Whist we got a goal & a freak penalty cost us full points our overall approach was way beyond negative
We were so negative in our play we actually allowed Clancy to have an impact on the game as we were constantly on the back foot giving him the opportunity to get involved with supposed fouls etc
To set up giving complete control of the central area of the park to the opposition was total madness & something I have never seen a Rangers team do before
Yes, we have set up defensively before but they had all the time in the world centrally without a Rangers player near them and at no point did we try to change this & control the game, Kamara & Sands were so interested in protecting the defence that we had virtually no control of the game & the attacking side of the team were totally isolated
I know we were missing central based players but it was as if we started the game without replacements & we chose to do that.
This really can't continue as it has happened to an extent at Easter Road & Tynecastle before tonight but at least in those games we competed centrally.
At least in those games we seemed to play ad a team when breaking- last night there was no cohesion at all throughout the team
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He tries that against Celtic it’s going to end up one way.
 
A few of us mentioned during Gio’s exemplary run that the change in tactics came with a risk. Possession was down, we were knocking the we ball more and reliant on absorbing a bit more pressure.Full backs less attacking etc etc.

Last night shows what happens when you do those things badly and you are a bit more reliant on the breaks and of course we were a bit under strength.

Whether Gio did this because of what he saw against Hibs and whether it is his long term plan is unknown. However these adjustments have been consistent albeit 1 or 2 games we controlled possession better.

This is not a criticism but merely pointing out again those saying Gio was an upgrade over SG were getting carried away because the warning signs were there.

I didn’t like the team selection last night and in my view having stabilised the team he needs to get the team being more expansive than it has been otherwise we will allow our better opponents to do their own thing -we need to impose our game.

Also Gio has not been able to change much in terms of personnel so you cannot criticise him especially when the run has been brilliant-points will get dropped.

I would have said last night looked inevitable despite the usual we will pump them 4-0 nonsense on here-at some stage any team’s weaknesses will hurt them. We were under strength and poor on the night.

All that matters at Rangers is winning and the reaction on here showed but if this is going to be Gio’s default style it won’t be the most popular approach for the support
 
wilso10 said:
We didn't drop points last night because of the tactics.

We dropped points because Aberdeen looked far more up for it and just about every one of their players played like it was their Cup Final (usual) vs many of our players who were far too passive. Our midfield in the 2nd half was completely absent and guys like Hagi and Morelos were unable to get into the game.

My complaint with this squad of players from time to time is the lack of fight we show against these teams who want to make it a physical battle - we need to be able to raise our game above that.
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Disagree tactics and application are equally important-if you are being asked to counter attack /soak up pressure etc that is completely different from imposing your game on your opponents
 
TinyRick said:
I'm fine with it. Same number of points for a 1-0 as any other win.
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I’m not , it’s Aberdeen we’re playing not Man City
I can understand sitting in near the end of the game to see it out but we had 70 minutes to get a second goal last night and mustered one decent effort in that time .
We’ve got better players than every team in the league bar none we should be putting teams under more pressure than we did last night.
 
As bad as the ref was, and he was horrific, we barely made three meaningful passes (outwith the goal.)

Go on with away performances like that and it’s goodnight Vienna.
 
DylanGer said:
Disagree tactics and application are equally important-if you are being asked to counter attack /soak up pressure etc that is completely different from imposing your game on your opponents
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My observation was that we couldn't even deploy the counter attack system because it seemed like too many of our players surrendered to the physical battle from the Aberdeen players and therefore were giving the ball away sloppily when we had it.

The Lundstram substitute was a bizarre one.
 
tazzabear said:
Brilliant.
We can be a tough bunch, can’t wee.
One game having dropped points leads to “we'll get caught out again and again”!
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It’s really not just about one game! If we had won it folk would say “didn’t play well but won, that’s what champions do”’ that’s what we got against Dundee United and Hibs! Hearts and livi we scored two goals but after say back and lost control of the game. There’s a pattern that needs to be addressed imo! Tactics in these games aren’t right
 
mathers1 said:
The performances against Aberdeen, Dundee Utd & 2nd half against Hearts have been nothing short of appalling.

Lack of chances created against Aberdeen & Utd in particular, protecting 1 goal leads just will not do. Vast improvement required.
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Hibs as well.
 
Michael Mols said:
Is it maybe just Gio still finding his feet and sussing out the situation? When Walter came back for his second spell the first thing he did was shore up the defence with Weir and Ehiogu then built from it.
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I could understand if this was one of his first weeks in, but he has just had 3 weeks break to work on the training pitch. If you know anything about football it is Tav and Barisic aren’t built for defending, they have the highest number assists across the league. They are marauding full backs. Pinning them back to keep the zero particularly when you have two sitting midfielders 50 yards behind the slowest number 10 or what ever Hagi is meant to be playing is only inviting unnecessary trouble when you are playing a team that are giving their all.

GvB played against Aberdeen often enough to know it is always their cup final.

I also think last night showed again McGregor is not cut out for GvB’s style of football, we can not retain possession using him, he didn’t look comfortable again from the start last night, everything was delayed or panicked too often he is in bother because of his indecisiveness. A ball back to him is usually straight out the park or to the opposition.
 
wilso10 said:
My observation was that we couldn't even deploy the counter attack system because it seemed like too many of our players surrendered to the physical battle from the Aberdeen players and therefore were giving the ball away sloppily when we had it.

The Lundstram substitute was a bizarre one.
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Listen no tactics work if you don’t do the basics. However I stated on the prematch thread the team looked too lightweight and so it panned out. I get the downer on Lundstrum as a player but he is experienced and strong and should have started -throwing in Sands was a mistake and all the apologist ratings on him are merely down to him being new and being exempt from criticism-it didn’t work.
Fundamentally as I stated above Gio plays a more conservative style of football hence the Lundstrum sub paradoxically he then brings on 2 strikers as a draw wasn’t good enough.
 
Wee Bronckhorst was himself a midfielder. He must know that wasn’t right last night and he simply must realise 2 players in midfield at places like pittodrie has never and will never work.
 
Needs a bit of perspective.

They way we were conceding goals pre-Gio, I'm not sure we would have navigated Livingston, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen away with 10 points from 12. So I can understand us changing to tighten things up.

For last night, if Gio has Helander, Jack, Davis, Arfield, Aribo and Roofe all to choose from then I'd like to think the team would be more naturally solid and allow him to be more offensive.
 
ITs successful but its boring. Not my preferred way to play but it's a results driven business.

Would prefer we attacked but realise it ain't going to happen often
 
THEGOVANFRONT said:
Whist we got a goal & a freak penalty cost us full points our overall approach was way beyond negative
We were so negative in our play we actually allowed Clancy to have an impact on the game as we were constantly on the back foot giving him the opportunity to get involved with supposed fouls etc
To set up giving complete control of the central area of the park to the opposition was total madness & something I have never seen a Rangers team do before
Yes, we have set up defensively before but they had all the time in the world centrally without a Rangers player near them and at no point did we try to change this & control the game, Kamara & Sands were so interested in protecting the defence that we had virtually no control of the game & the attacking side of the team were totally isolated
I know we were missing central based players but it was as if we started the game without replacements & we chose to do that.
This really can't continue as it has happened to an extent at Easter Road & Tynecastle before tonight but at least in those games we competed centrally.
At least in those games we seemed to play ad a team when breaking- last night there was no cohesion at all throughout the team
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My reply to your question is a definite no.
 
I'm not onboard with our new found sit in tactics. We should be showing some attacking intent. Nullifying tav and borna is weakening the team and the opposition know it. That's why you can see them have more of the ball in recent matches, especially away
 
No, think it will come back to bite. In all honesty we got lucky at Tynecastle. They should have scored 2 or 3. Hibs game was a bit more even but neither team created much. I have the fear we will go into this OF game with the idea of sitting deep and inviting waves of pressure so we can hit on the break and it won't work.
 
Leo_Ger said:
Needs a bit of perspective.

They way we were conceding goals pre-Gio, I'm not sure we would have navigated Livingston, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen away with 10 points from 12. So I can understand us changing to tighten things up.

For last night, if Gio has Helander, Jack, Davis, Arfield, Aribo and Roofe all to choose from then I'd like to think the team would be more naturally solid and allow him to be more offensive.
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You can tweak your game plan to tighten things up at the back without also blunting your entire attack to the point it creates nothing.

Hibs, Dundee Utd, Aberdeen - genuinely lucky if we created 5 chances in those 3 games combined. It’s not good enough regardless of who’s out injured.
 
OnTheWay said:
We gave a God awful Aberdeen team a free point tonight and as bad as were on the park Gio didn't do much to change it either.

Likes pace on the wings but replaced the pacey Wright (who was poor) with no pace Hagi (who was also poor) to bring on another holding midfielder option with 30+ minutes to go. Also waiting until the mid-late 70's to bring on Sakala. Absolutely baffling.
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Apart from a freak handball they never looked like scoring and neither did we so why not just try and protect the 1-0 and get out of there, sitting back would also bring them on to us and allow more space for morelos/kent on the counter
 
Delboy Trotter said:
We got fortunate at Easter Road with the late penalty as we were hopeless that night too and didn’t look like scoring

Away to Livi after the early 2 goals we were utterly abysmal too

Home to Dundee Utd we were atrocious

Tonight was the worst of the lot though. Barely had a shot on goal and their keeper could have had the deckchair and cigar out for most of that game

Tynecastle we got fortunate with McGregor and them missing some decent chances
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This for me, although a don't think it's panic stations just now and on paper it looks all rosey, some of the performances have been a worry early on. More solid yes but we have also been alot more defensive and against the better sides of this league we are allowing them alot more chances than we should. If we go up against the tims in 2 weeks the way we did last night it could be a long 90mins.
 
wilso10 said:
We didn't drop points last night because of the tactics.

We dropped points because Aberdeen looked far more up for it and just about every one of their players played like it was their Cup Final (usual) vs many of our players who were far too passive. Our midfield in the 2nd half was completely absent and guys like Hagi and Morelos were unable to get into the game.

My complaint with this squad of players from time to time is the lack of fight we show against these teams who want to make it a physical battle - we need to be able to raise our game above that.
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Thing is this ties back to the ref

We can't take our be physical in the same way as the opposition the flow of Game gets stopped and we struggle

Yes we needed to be better but ref also massively influenced the game is been common complaint especially with Clancy and Robertson in tight games

The time to have cut it out was after the clancy cheat game but we stupidly chose collum .....now collum makes mistakes is a poor ref but calls it how he sees it and the way he is facing both teams have same chance of being on a blunder.

Clancy is different it's the small fouls stopping staring of play yellows for minimal contact one way nothing the other way.

Like it or not it changes the games
 
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