What would you change?

trueblue77 said:
The same core of players fail us in big games, domestically, time after time. It's nothing new and it won't change. There's a lack of character and mental strength that we don't see when they play in europe. Don't ask me why.

How many trophies do we not win before that becomes obvious to people ?
Click to expand...
That last para nails it for me. How many trophies have we won since we got back into the Prem?: one.

Stevie G did what was needed in killing Terry Munro, but we all need to come out of our stupor and realise that ONE TROPHY IN 4 SEASONS IS ABYSMAL.
 
Jonathan E said:
It's the refereeing in Scotland I'd change.

In Europe we get to play football and VAR corrects most mistakes. (No co-incidence that Celtic have been dismal in Europe.)

This season has seen the benefit of the doubt go for them without exception and against us without exception.
Even today, as disappointing as our performance was, Collum missed at least four first half bookings which had a bearing on the result and at least one clear penalty - Goldson being hauled down.

In short, with VAR and fair officiating, we would be winning this title even accounting for the self-inflicted wounds and lapses in performance.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but that first para doesn't stand up to scrutiny. Yes, there have been poor decisions against us, no doubt.

But it wasn't refereeing decisions that cost us the title. It was a spineless team with zero fight, a too-often error-prone keeper and a clueless manager.
 
I believe in Eli said:
This team is at the end of their cycle. We need a complete refresh. Can we trust Ross Wilson to recruit well enough? I can see us selling Alfredo, Kamara, Aribo and Kent to fund a rebuild.
Click to expand...
Cut out the middleman and let the manager choose his players, this Director of Football nonsense doesn’t work.
 
FifeBlue said:
Sorry, but that first para doesn't stand up to scrutiny. Yes, there have been poor decisions against us, no doubt.

But it wasn't refereeing decisions that cost us the title. It was a spineless team with zero fight, a too-often error-prone keeper and a clueless manager.
Click to expand...
As I said, I was accounting for the poor performances and lapses, but Celtic have had those, too. But they also had an offside winner against Hearts, a late-show, 'play til you score' winner at Ross County, penalties denied for Livingstone, Dundee Utd and Motherwell, whilst we've had a Motherwell offside equaliser and at Tannadice the most blatant of penalties denied.

Conservatively, that's them ten points gained and us four points lost.
 
I remember many times on here people calling for Gerrard’s head too. Maybe the problem is we have a bunch of shi^e bags who can‘t handle the pressure and haven‘t been able to for 4 (or longer!) years!
 
Quality
Balance
Versatility

Quality is obvious. For me too many of the 55 squad have had a 10% drop in their performance in under a year. That’s worrying. The big issue here is that some of the key players from last season are the ones with the sharpest decline.
Personally I’d let Davis and McGregor retire at the end of the season. They’re naturally declining and have been excellent servants to the club.
Barasic is an issue. We need to get him back to where he was at or he needs to move on. Bassey has done well but, Barasic is a better player when he’s on form.
The CB pairing needs another guy in there to push them and that’s if Goldson doesn’t leave. I’d like 3 good CB to be available with a decent 4th providing cover, preferably a young player.
We are over reliant on Tav at RB and we’d be stuck if he was out for a prolonged period. I know we brought in the (Polish?) guy but I know next to nothing about him other than he has loads of potential.
Lundstram had a shaky start but is doing well now but the players we need around him, Kamara, Jack, Ramsey, etc need to be worked out. I like Jack and Ramsey but fitness issues are the problem here. Having 2 good players available for half a season is no good. Gio doesn’t seem to know how to use Kamara.
Kent and Hagi are the big assets but are they luxury players? Maybe. We do need creative, dangerous players but they need to be in a system that supports them better. We could probably get round about £30m for the pair of them in the current market.
Aribo. Luxury player but I’ve yet to see him really dig in when the game isn’t going our way. Good player though.
Morelos is our most important player. Roofe, Sakala and Itten aren’t the answer to a missing Alfie. They can play with him but Alfie goes we need to replace him.
Of course there are other we could clear out and we have a few players on loan whose wages will be freed up.

There is quality there but it’s not operating at 100% either in application or in the way Gio has the system set up. It brings up the question of balance. You take a 3 or 4 players out and it’s an injury crisis. The team relies too heavily on a few players. New players have to address this issue and also bring in added quality.

We have too many players who at face value are too similar in their roles. Of course you need players to cover injuries but there is a lack of players to change the system up. In the past we’ve had guys like Hemdani, Reyna, Jig, etc all who could play a couple of different roles and offer a different approach.
 
Our formation is wrong. We don’t get near enough numbers from our attacking players what do our right n left do for the team? They don’t score enough n they don’t assist enough they need to be nearer the goals so they can score or hit the byline so the can cross. They don’t do enough in big spl games.
 
Damo said:
Result entirely on the manager. Genuinely no clue, just standing on the sidelines hoping something will happen with the floated balls into the box from 25 yards out. Aribo should have been hooked instead of Ramsey. Kent anonymous but plays every minute and apparently having a good season with a grand total of 2 goals. Celtic wide men completely nullified tav and were still putting the sprints in at the end of the game unlike us. Blatantly obvious that the game plan wasn't working but as usual Gio doesn't have an alternative.
Click to expand...
What was his alternative with the players he had at his disposal? He made a tactical change for this game (the correct one) and we looked much better for it. It’s not the managers fault our defenders can’t defend and the goal keeper can’t command his area. They were doing that all season before he came in, and he hasn’t had the funds or time to change them.

His substitutions were again probably the correct ones - if he had just taken off Roofe and put on Sakala all the fans would be up in arms that he did a like for like and didn’t change up the formation. Sadly Sakala and Arfield are not of the quality required to change a game. We were the better team for large amounts of the game and the difference was they could defend whereas we just let them cut us open time and time again!
 
change Gil.I’m sorry but it’s not working out there have been some baffling decisions since he took over.tactics v them at parkhesad,no subs v st Johnstone and others.
Really hoped it would work out.But doesn’t seem to be.
 
With the way Gio wants us to play, we need to get some pace and flair in to the team. The only first team player currently with those attributes are Kent and Sakala. Kent can’t the only one expected to beat a man all the time it’s too predictable to defend against. Sakala just isn’t good enough. You could say Diallo but he doesn’t have the heart for it.
 
ecossebear said:
What was his alternative with the players he had at his disposal? He made a tactical change for this game (the correct one) and we looked much better for it. It’s not the managers fault our defenders can’t defend and the goal keeper can’t command his area. They were doing that all season before he came in, and he hasn’t had the funds or time to change them.

His substitutions were again probably the correct ones - if he had just taken off Roofe and put on Sakala all the fans would be up in arms that he did a like for like and didn’t change up the formation. Sadly Sakala and Arfield are not of the quality required to change a game. We were the better team for large amounts of the game and the difference was they could defend whereas we just let them cut us open time and time again!
Click to expand...
I agree that you can't entirely blame the manager for the poor goals we conceded. However, the lack of drive and tactics are on him, and his substitutions or lack of reaction are constantly questionable. Ramsey should have stayed on instead of Aribo for one. Agree that Roofe needed to stay on even though he was anonymous. However, I completely disagree that we were the better team. The "stats" may have been slightly in our favour but the tims managed the game well and didn't have to get out of 2nd gear. Everything was played in front of them and we never really looked like breaching their defence. Our tactic again seemed to revolve around floating balls into the box to a striker than can barely win a header and spends a lot of his time rolling on the floor. Celtic were happy to sit in, keep their shape and then break at pace (usually after we passed it to them).

I agree that attacking options were limited from the bench but there's always an alternative and it's his job to find the solution. I'd be very surprised if many fans thought we would get something from the game yesterday after they scored their 2nd.

Arfield is best when he can make 3rd man off the ball runs in behind but there was no space for that yesterday. Thought amad should have been given an opportunity as Aribo and Kent could still be playing now and wouldn't have scored. Davis should also have came on as we needed to recycle the ball better and he would have moved the celtic team potentially creating space for others. Football is a squad game with competition for places but gio doesn't seem to understand that. It'll likely be the same selection, performance and result in the semi unfortunately. Everyone knows the definition of insanity except for our manager.


ecossebear said:
What was his alternative with the players he had at his disposal? He made a tactical change for this game (the correct one) and we looked much better for it. It’s not the managers fault our defenders can’t defend and the goal keeper can’t command his area. They were doing that all season before he came in, and he hasn’t had the funds or time to change them.

His substitutions were again probably the correct ones - if he had just taken off Roofe and put on Sakala all the fans would be up in arms that he did a like for like and didn’t change up the formation. Sadly Sakala and Arfield are not of the quality required to change a game. We were the better team for large amounts of the game and the difference was they could defend whereas we just let them cut us open time and time
Click to expand...
 
Wordy_Rappinghood said:
Oh god.

Where to start.

I'd want a manager who insists on the basics and understands that a million crosses is not a winning tactic in Scotland. A coach that understands the horrors of the SPL and adjusts his side accordingly.

I'd also question the idea that we can't do better than Tavernier, Goldson, Jack, Kent and the other players who can't win cups or cope with the sharper end of the domestic game. I know that will have people looking up my IP and coming to my door with pitchforks but I'm comfortable saying it.
Click to expand...

Spot on.
 
Playing out from the back. I'm ok with this in general but you have to work the ball forward as fast as you can instead of winning the possession cup and constantly passing it back to the keeper or passing it across the front of out own goal.
 
Jonathan E said:
It's the refereeing in Scotland I'd change.

In Europe we get to play football and VAR corrects most mistakes. (No co-incidence that Celtic have been dismal in Europe.)

This season has seen the benefit of the doubt go for them without exception and against us without exception.
Even today, as disappointing as our performance was, Collum missed at least four first half bookings which had a bearing on the result and at least one clear penalty - Goldson being hauled down.

In short, with VAR and fair officiating, we would be winning this title even accounting for the self-inflicted wounds and lapses in performance.
Click to expand...
You really think thats the main issue ? why not look at our serial loser squad first ?
 
Recoba said:
You really think thats the main issue ? why not look at our serial loser squad first ?
Click to expand...
Because regardless of what you think of our squad, if we had Europa League standard officiating in Scotland we would be top of the league tonight.

Celtic and their media cheerleaders have created, over decades, a false scenario of pro-Rangers referees - the ridiculous 'penalty Rangers' meme - and by intimidation have achieved a situation where officials err on the side of caution (for Celtic/against Rangers) for fear of reprisals.

This is why they are so effective in Scotland and ineffective in Europe.
 
Xtal said:
A poor manager who doesn't suit us domestically or the players we have.

A poor scouting department that has frittered away what little money we do have on players who are inconsistent, injury prone or don't fit our system.

Players who are capable of one off freak games in Europe but cannot do the basics in such a poor league.

We have very clearly failed to use what we do have to the best of our ability to make up for our lack of funds and you could make a case for anyone at the club being dispensable now.
Click to expand...
The attitude of the entire club from top to bottom currently.
 
Damo said:
I agree that you can't entirely blame the manager for the poor goals we conceded. However, the lack of drive and tactics are on him, and his substitutions or lack of reaction are constantly questionable. Ramsey should have stayed on instead of Aribo for one. Agree that Roofe needed to stay on even though he was anonymous. However, I completely disagree that we were the better team. The "stats" may have been slightly in our favour but the tims managed the game well and didn't have to get out of 2nd gear. Everything was played in front of them and we never really looked like breaching their defence. Our tactic again seemed to revolve around floating balls into the box to a striker than can barely win a header and spends a lot of his time rolling on the floor. Celtic were happy to sit in, keep their shape and then break at pace (usually after we passed it to them).

I agree that attacking options were limited from the bench but there's always an alternative and it's his job to find the solution. I'd be very surprised if many fans thought we would get something from the game yesterday after they scored their 2nd.

Arfield is best when he can make 3rd man off the ball runs in behind but there was no space for that yesterday. Thought amad should have been given an opportunity as Aribo and Kent could still be playing now and wouldn't have scored. Davis should also have came on as we needed to recycle the ball better and he would have moved the celtic team potentially creating space for others. Football is a squad game with competition for places but gio doesn't seem to understand that. It'll likely be the same selection, performance and result in the semi unfortunately. Everyone knows the definition of insanity except for our manager.
Click to expand...
I agree with the Davis and Amad points. I’d have had Davis on at half time for Lundstrum as his confidence seemed shot after the second goal. And Amad MAY have been able to produce some magic with 10 minutes to go.

Ramsay I think we took him off as he was shattered. When had he last played 90 minutes far less 2 full games in 4 days!

With regards the ‘always an alternative’, I’m not sure we had one yesterday. He has shown us (against Dortmund second leg) that he can make big changes and has a plan B but we just didn‘t have the players yesterday to do so. We got into a couple of good positions which could be considered chances, but your spot on when you say we didnt even trouble the keeper far less look like scoring! I’d have liked to have seen David on at half time, Sakala on for Aribo and play the two up front with Ramsey in behind, but there’s nothing to say that attacking move wouldn’t have led to a much worse defeat.
 
ScottCD7 said:
For the remainder of the season get shot of Goldson and have Balogun and Lundstram as the 2 CBs
Click to expand...
Yeah good point the league has gone now , so we don't need Goldson to blackmail us so just say sign or go just now don't play him again & just play the guys that can play centre half , Balogun Lundstrum bassey & bring King into the fold more , Gio won't play youth the feynoord fans told us that on there forums so bring a manager in that developes youth no use have the young guys on the bench when they only get the last 5 mins or so , we also have to many players that are out injured for moths at a time that needs addressed also the loan system why are we bringing other teams youths in that doesn’t work we tried that with Gerrard we got Kent because Gerrard knew his capabilities but the likes of the man utd kid he's to small for our game with the cloggers in the league that was never going to work , Sands doesn’t improve us either so what is Wilson doing another on a shaky nail & Stewart Robertson never known a weaker human being at that level in any business, less said about him the better now we are back chasing the filth again with them having money in the bank & us broke its not looking good for the foreseeable future.
 
trueblue77 said:
The same core of players fail us in big games, domestically, time after time. It's nothing new and it won't change. There's a lack of character and mental strength that we don't see when they play in europe. Don't ask me why.

How many trophies do we not win before that becomes obvious to people ?
Click to expand...

It’s mental how much this is staring people in the face…. Yet it’s always the manager under the microscope.
 
Wordy_Rappinghood said:
Oh god.

Where to start.

I'd want a manager who insists on the basics and understands that a million crosses is not a winning tactic in Scotland. A coach that understands the horrors of the SPL and adjusts his side accordingly.

I'd also question the idea that we can't do better than Tavernier, Goldson, Jack, Kent and the other players who can't win cups or cope with the sharper end of the domestic game. I know that will have people looking up my IP and coming to my door with pitchforks but I'm comfortable saying it.
Click to expand...

There's going to be player agents sending you emails for a square-go now.
 
I would make sure we have at least more than one player capable of taking corners. I would make sure we have more than one player capable of taking free kicks. I would have more than one player up front who can make defenders work. I would make sure players can take throw ins without putting our team under pressure when they give the ball away after first touch from a throw in. I would like to know what all the guys who are not subs job are at the club. Seems like people have been brought in by the manager on a pals ticket to money for nothing. So much wrong at our club I could go mad trying to list all the things that need changed
 
Install VAR.

Neutral refs from abroad for Old Firm games to be refed fairly.

New Manager Gio doesn't have it.

Get rid of McGregor, Goldson, Tavernier, Aribo, Kent and sell Morelos too as we need to find a way to play without him as we are a one-man team still 4 years down the line.

Rip it up and go again.

Better recruitment team structure.

Fresh investment.

Announce Doekhi (Free), Til (loan) and Solbakken (Free) as a start to summer recruitment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top