What is/was the catalyst for our dramatic loss of form?

Rt. Hon. Bearman said:
We should have gone all out to buy Shankland in January.

Failing to do so has likely cost us £50 million.
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With what money Bearman?

Theres a reason that we did loans or loans to buy in January as the finance was not there.

I think the loss of form has simply been down to asking the same players to go to the well time and again coupled with injuries to Ridvan, Dio and Cortes. The manager has tried to use the squad and negate that but some of the players he's brought in have either checked out (Barisic) or are still getting over a long term injury (Sima, Dowell, even Lawrence).
 
GazzaLegend said:
Totally agree with your first couple of points, that and losing Yilmaz is massive.

On the last point, I just wonder if Lundstram is so bad now because he has lost the security of Raskin or Sterling beside him, resulting in zero midfield structure. Maybe he has chucked it, but surley the manager would know this and drop him? %^*& knows!

A lot of posters were screaming for Sterling to be moved up into midfield tonight, I actually expected that from the start. I just can understand it, Borna at LB has to be less of a negative than sacrificing Sterling to play him at LB instead given the massive impact on the midfield.
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I think this is the only decision that Clement has made that I would question. We need Sterling in midfield for his athleticism. If the manager doesn't trust Borna then play one of the kids
 
It seemed to start with Clement throwing Dio under the bus for one of the Motherwell goals. I just wonder if the players were that fragile they took offence?
I was certainly surprised he mentioned him by name.
 
I wonder how many in this team genuinely want to play the scum in the cup final.Some look as if they wish the season,and their Rangers careers would just end now.
 
It’s called getting found out.

Have said for ages that if try to win things with Lundstram as our main man in midfield then we are likely to come up short as the guy simply isn’t good enough to dominate another team. Add to that the ingrained experience of the senior players as serial losers and the fact that something like 4 or 5 years after he signed we were still starting Wright against the filth at Ibrox.

The reality - whether folk want to accept it or not - is that Clement did well getting a tune out of this lot for a while and got the new manager bounce, which coincided with the scum having a sticky patch.

I’m sick of watching the same movie season after season just now. Renew the ST when we’re looking like having a good chance of winning the league, only for us to have pretty much fucked it within a week afterwards. The hardest part is that it’s not surprising.
 
For me, the real reasons are the same ones we’ve had for years.

Lack of pace, technical ability and ruthlessness.

Our passing and ball control is woefully bad, and has been for years.

We’re a slow, predictable, plodding team and have been for years.

Our senior players are too nicey, nicey and don’t have the hunger and desire to just keep winning, and have been for years.
 
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GazzaLegend said:
I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.

This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.

I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.

The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.

Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.

I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.

The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.

We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.

We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.

Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?

There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.

Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?

I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
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Your very last comment here is the one point I wanted to add to this.

The beat performance I've personally seen this season was that 5-0 at home v Hearts where Cortes and Ridvan were excellent on the left, and likewise Tav and Sterling on the right hand side gave us excellent balance down both flanks. Only a couple of weeks after and that whole left flank has been fucked because of the injuries and we've not found anywhere near an adequate solution since Sterling just doesn't look comfortable at LB and Silva has been shoehorned in there expected to do the job Cortes was brought in for, when I'm still not sure I could really call Silvas best position.
 
MancGer86 said:
Your very last comment here is the one point I wanted to add to this.

The beat performance I've personally seen this season was that 5-0 at home v Hearts where Cortes and Ridvan were excellent on the left, and likewise Tav and Sterling on the right hand side gave us excellent balance down both flanks. Only a couple of weeks after and that whole left flank has been fucked because of the injuries and we've not found anywhere near an adequate solution since Sterling just doesn't look comfortable at LB and Silva has been shoehorned in there expected to do the job Cortes was brought in for, when I'm still not sure I could really call Silvas best position.
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We have been really unfortunate with injuries to our wide players. Even Lovelace lasted only a couple of games.
 
TheGreatDane said:
When was the last time Sterling played CM? For me Lundstram’s legs have gone because he played every minute of every game. That has been a major factor. The last game he played well was Hibs away.

Clement has also preserved with Silva and Dessers in the team together (until tonight) and it hasn’t worked. Playing Silva on the left hasn’t worked since we played in Lisbon. I can’t recall it working prior to that.

Goldson’s confidence seemed to totally collapse around the middle of February for some reason and he hasn’t recovered. I can’t remember the last time he had even a semi decent game.
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Isn't the time Goldsons confidence dropped also the same time Balogun got injured? I feel like Souttar's positioning is poor. He's a very Scottish style of defender that has an all or nothing approach, & ends up way out of position when it goes wrong. I think it would be difficult to feel confident woth him next to you
 
The tame fashion we exited Europe should have cause more concern at the time.

No one will ever admit it but Europa League progression was de-prioritised.

That mindset is loser material - and here we are.
 
Sterling at left back with Barisic on the bench is mad. Bkrna has totally checked out for his summer move, but Sterling is not good at left back and missed badly in the midfield. Might as well have Borna playing poorly there and Sterling playing well in midfield rather than Sterling playing poorly at left back.
 
grinandbearit said:
Gut feeling lundstrams,contract talks havnt been to his liking, his performance the last few weeks have been telling.
Wouldn't surprise me if another few have been told their time is up.
And not before time
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Can't be the case surely. Surely you would tell them win the league and there will be a decent offer.
 
adidasler said:
The tame fashion we exited Europe should have cause more concern at the time.

No one will ever admit it but Europa League progression was de-prioritised.

That mindset is loser material - and here we are.
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Psychology plays a huge role in football, and beating Dundee before the peasants game at Ibrox would have placed us top of the table, and set up for the rest of the season. Dropping points at Ibrox against that mob has shattered the team morale.
 
cooprfc said:
I think having to flog the likes of Dessers every game, whilst also lacking genuine wide options like Cortes and, until now, Sima has eventually taken its toll.

We were flying and confident and actually showing bottle (coming from behind at Kilmarnock, smashing Hearts, seeing out some nervy games) and then the injuries and tiredness toom hold, we stuttered and the confidence wen
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muttley said:
Psychology plays a huge role in football, and beating Dundee before the peasants game at Ibrox would have placed us top of the table, and set up for the rest of the season. Dropping points at Ibrox against that mob has shattered the team morale.
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Really hope we pull it back together. Though I won’t hold my breath.
 
Shoehorning Silva/Dessers in to a 4 3 3

The Silva out wide left experiment that surprised and worked against Benfica, as it was more of him being in his homeland with something to prove.

A curveball is a one off.

Advocaat done it away to Monaco Tugay as a sweeper, he never done it again.

It’s not worked since, it’s meant we have been light all over the park. More wide open even under Beale, which is some achievement.
 
CapitalBear1973 said:
Did i say that ? As captain, he is meant to provide the inspiration, leadership and mental fortitude to the rest of the team when it really matters. When have we ever seen that from him ?

(And please don't say he takes a good penalty - that's not the function of an effective captain).
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I wasn't going to say that he takes a great penalty :))

In pressure situations he has stepped up, he hasn't dragged us through games ala Barry Ferguson but then he's not as good a player as Barry Ferguson. What would you like to see from him that would satisfy you from your post above?
 
Along with the usual reason, their bottle and lack of winning mentality, I can’t help but feel something has gone on behind the scenes.

The body language is all wrong now, and even the little one-to-one chats with players as they’re subbed off have stopped. Then there’s Raskin being totally bombed out.

Something isn’t right.
 
Feel like the players got to a point where they thought 3 points were a given, then Motherwell happened & seems to have blown any confidence out the water, second half vs them aside.
 
Class of 72 said:
It seemed to start with Clement throwing Dio under the bus for one of the Motherwell goals. I just wonder if the players were that fragile they took offence?
I was certainly surprised he mentioned him by name.
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Which may also explain his sugar coating and ego massaging post match interview last night.
 
Londonderry_Bear said:
Our injuries have exacerbated what the manager had already told us was a completely unfit squad and it's now caught up with us.

I honestly just think they are done and have nothing left to give
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Just had the same conversation.

Players are running on empty now and the injuries and extra games in European / cup runs have taken their toll.

One of the most noticeable things for me is how often we don’t even go for second balls or how static players are out of possession, and that’s just in the first half.
 
GazzaLegend said:
I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.

This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.

I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.

The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.

Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.

I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.

The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.

We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.

We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.

Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?

There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.

Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?

I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
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It's almost like Celtic scored within 20 seconds and we've never recovered from it. That goal absolutely battered us mentally and sent us on a journey of destruction
 
LoyalRanger_72 said:
And even Gio’s win took extra time and let’s be real, Celtic were absolutely dead on their arse that day.

Gerrard showed Celtic absolutely no respect, turned the tide back in our favour and when he left, that mentality he finally built left with him.
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Is this a criticism?
Did we not play this game after an extra time game in midweek?
And you are suggesting the scum were dead on their feet?
 
Without checking I’d suggest the outfield players playing the furthest below their ceiling are the ones who have played the most minutes this season.
 
Londonderry_Bear said:
Our injuries have exacerbated what the manager had already told us was a completely unfit squad and it's now caught up with us.

I honestly just think they are done and have nothing left to give
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a huge part of it
the players who could have given us pace, drive and guile are either out (Cortes, Diomande, Ridvan, Danilo even Lowry) or have had injury issues (Sima, McCausland)

Dowell and Lawrence are done due to injuries sustained
they are entering the Jack/Roofe phase of the odd game played in a season
we need to get rid of that element
 
JohnD said:
I think getting knocked out of Europe was a big factor. The core of this group like playing in Europe and seem to loathe playing in the Scottish league. Once we were knocked out I think some of them subconsciously dropped their levels.
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When you look at the timing of this, you can’t think there has to be something in it.
It’s the only thing that makes sense.
The detail is missing but the timing is there.
Unlike the other suggestions, which can be easily argued back, there is little that can be thrown back here.
 
When Clement came in I liked the change to take a pragmatic approach to how we play.... mixing building up from back with more direct intelligent long balls. That seemed to make us more effective and also less predictable.

Recently the balance seems to have tilted to more long balls with us giving away possession easily and frequently. Butland's default now seems to be long ball rather than play it out.

Other than that juggling of personnel has no doubt been a major impact. Clement has not found a good solution on the left since injuries and taken power and energy out of midfield by deploying Sterling wide (or even not starting him)
 
Pennine Walk said:
We beat StJohnstone at McDiarmid to go top the day after Celtic had drawn at Parkhead and the players and fans thought that was the league won. It was cringey hearing that eff you Celtic song were gonna win the league with so many games to go and i think the players believed it as well.
The euphoria that day was OTT.
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It's fans job to dream and sing enthusiastically and the teams job to deliver. It was on a plate then and the players conspired to throw it away.
 
nobody said:
This is what people refuse to admit. It's no example to set to the new players especially the young ones, it's no coincidence Butland had lost confidence to come off his line after that. Imaging having Tav and Goldson in front of you. Imaging a young player silva etc seeing that example. You'd fall apart. Since that moment we have been a shadow of ourselves.
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This one is laughable.
Butland freaked by that?
If he was the leader you’re thinking he is, he’d be out there taking charge.
It’s also like suggesting Gough, Greig, Ferguson and Weir didn’t make errors.
 
LoyalRanger_72 said:
And even Gio’s win took extra time and let’s be real, Celtic were absolutely dead on their arse that day.

Gerrard showed Celtic absolutely no respect, turned the tide back in our favour and when he left, that mentality he finally built left with him.
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We'd just played a KO tie in Europe that had went to ET 3 days before it. Why were they dead on their arse and we weren't?
 
Flying Fullback said:
Isn't the time Goldsons confidence dropped also the same time Balogun got injured? I feel like Souttar's positioning is poor. He's a very Scottish style of defender that has an all or nothing approach, & ends up way out of position when it goes wrong. I think it would be difficult to feel confident woth him next to you
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Possibly. But I thought Souttar was absolutely fine last night.
 
scobie1873 said:
There was 5 up front at times tonight, Roofe was having to come back in to midfield.
What actual position does Lawrence play?
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I’ve seen this before. A line of players across the front all standing. No movement, no runs in behind. We lack any penetration in behind. Lawrence makes good runs but he is being played too deep. I don’t understand why Dowell has been played further forward recently instead of him. We also don’t have wingers who can get to the byline and our wide forwards don’t get to the back post enough.
 
Let's not be over-analytical: it's a simple game, the object of which is to score goals. We have no one that can, with the head or the foot, stand (or command) somewhere in the opposition's goalmouth and put the ball into the net.
 
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