How do you "know for fact"?Quote:
Originally Posted by SLARE
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How do you "know for fact"?Quote:
Originally Posted by SLARE
Yeah, under another manager you might have beaten us. We would still be running away with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by SLARE
Aye, I've noticed that the SPL is shit - that's why we're nine points ahead of everyone after only 13 games. We do have fuck all money, but hey, turns out we don't need it eh?Quote:
Originally Posted by wardy
What gives you the right to say you should be winning the league every year? The fact that you haven't done so, not once, in the last three years? The fact that you currently sit 12 points off the pace already? You have no divine right to win the league, because, as you admitted, you're worse than us. A lot worse at the moment.
He probably received that text message that was doing the rounds. Something about Lennon and Commons fighting at training.Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkoke
Real shame about Naismith.
yup very gutted. best player in scotland this season by miles.
It is, he was in brilliant form. He looked a front runner for player of the season.
What's happened to him?
cruciate ligament in his knee. Season over
Cruciate ligament injury.
Shame, he was playing the best football of his career this season. For a few seasons he was a really infuriating player - he looked nothing but a journeyman. He really turned it on this season though and has been instrumental in our good run of results.
Out for the rest of the season :(
He was rightfully murdered by the IRA
only positive is he will stay with us for a bit longer.
Should have been sent off.
bollocks. no need to worry anyway we have big laffs up front now.
Not bollocks at all.
It was a completely reckless tackle which left Milsom with a nasty gash on his leg.
I believe that with the way out financial situations have been over the last few years, we should have been winning the league and should be looking to win it again this year. This is something I've heard from Rangers fans as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidUK
Imagine if Smith actually had money to spend these last couple of years? You'd have pissed the league every year and made more of a mark on Europe.
The point I'm making is, that this Rangers team isn't very good, it just happens to be the best in the country by default. I don't think Celtic have a 'divine right' to win the league. I think that if there was an actual good team in the league (like I think we should've been had we brought in better staff with the resources at our disposal), it would be winning every year.
50/50 challenge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Curly Toe
There has been opportunities in the past where I've thought, if Celtic had really went for it in the transfer market, they could have buried us for years. However, that was years and years ago. I don't think it applies anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by wardy
We didn't need to spend money as far as the SPL goes. We've been consistently better than Celtic for years without having to spend major amounts of money.Quote:
Originally Posted by wardy
See, this is the point you lose me. A while ago I'd have agreed that this Rangers side isn't very good. Recently, though, in the last few months especially, we've grown in to a good side - a side that can play nice football, is able to beat most teams in the league fairly comfortably, are also able to grind out results and have one or two special players in the ranks.Quote:
Originally Posted by wardy
How can we be the best in the league by default? :wtf: We're the best in the league because we have the best blend of players, a good attitude, as I said one or two special players, have made some very good signings in the transfer windows and the players look like they want to play for the manager. That isn't 'default.'
Don't label us a poor side by default just because Celtic ARE a poor side. Even if you did have a different manager, backroom staff or whatever, you'd have to be doing VERY well to be above us in the league the way we are playing.
As it goes, I think on paper our teams are relatively evenly matched (defence apart, your centre backs are absolutely horrendous). With a better manager you might be doing better - but you're not. This does not equate to us winning by default. It all adds up to us, at this moment in time, being a better side than Celtic.
If Rangers are so good, why were you knocked out of three tournaments by three shit teams so early in the season? I think you're overrating your team. I don't think Rangers are very good but as long as you have no-one to challenge them they'll continue to be the best in the country.
Rangers are a good side.
At the start of the season we did look poor and it didn't look like it was going to go well for Ally. We got knocked out of the European competitions for that reason - at that point, we were poor :dunno:
As poor as we were then, and as poor as we are now as far as you're concerned, we're still comfortably better than Celtic which the league table shows. You don't need to be anything special to be better than this Celtic side - but you can't say it's by 'default', as we've improved by making signings in the necessary positions and are continually improving, especially in the aftermath to the defeats you mentioned.
Fair enough I haven't denied Celtic are shit and I don't retract anything I've said about Rangers. I still think you'll piss the league but you've just lost your best performing player and you've yet to go on a bad run so we'll just need to wait and see if McCoist can keep it going.
Yeah fair play to you in admitting how bad Celtic have been, but it's not exactly deniable, is it? I just think it's a disservice to Rangers to say we only win the league because Celtic are poor.
As I said, on paper, you have a good team. I had nothing but praise for Izaguirre last season. I think he is a fantastic player who, if he hadn't got injured, would probably be looking at receiving offers from bigger and better leagues than the SPL.
I also think Kayal and Ki are a fantastic pairing. Kayal oozes class at times and Ki looks a great all round footballer. Both haven't looked AS good recently but it's definitely there. Hooper scares me, as I've stated before in here. He reminds me of Kris Boyd. Just an out and out goal scorer. The kind of player you won't hear from for 85 minutes but is still likely to pop up and bag a winning goal.
Naismith was one of out best performing players but I'm a fan of Lafferty so hopefully he takes this chance to shine. Also, alongside him I think we've got the best footballer to play in Scotland since Larsson.
STEVIE D?
Gutted for Naismith btw I think he's a very very classy player and have said so a few times.
Havent seen much of Celtic this year but it's got to be a worry that Ledleys been called their best or most consistent player as I think he's a pile of shit
well, if you'd seen Celtic play more this year, you'd likely have changed your opinion.
Probably not he's pretty limited
Not Stevie. Jelavic.Quote:
Originally Posted by son_of_foley
You think so? I think Ledley is an average footballer. I had heard good things about him at Cardiff and it seemed Celtic had made a cracking signing. He's been disappointing in my opinion. He was poor last season, and whilst he has improved ever so slightly this season, he's still nothing special. He is standing out at the moment as everyone else around him seems to have turned in to spastics. He's very average in my opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
I also still think Jelavic is pretty shit as a footballer but a good finisher for that level.
I would've snatched the hand off for the 8m or whatever they turned down. FUCKING HELL THAT COULD BUY 2 MORE KYLE LAFFERTYS
Seriously?
Jelavic is a classy, classy player. His touch and control are excellent, and yeah he is a very good finisher.
You see him a lot more than me. I found him to be clumbsy, his movement to be a bit poor (although he moves a lot so he does find good positions), lazy a lot of the time (certainly at the start of this year) and I think his technique is a bit shit when it's something a bit trickier
Thats just me though I know I'm in the minority on this one and probably wrong.
We're both right on Ledley though xx
I realise I've contradicted myself there by saying he moves a lot but is lazy. I mean I see him sometimes moving to a position but when the ball comes if it's not on a plate he cant be fucked
I'm surprised you think that - I'd directly disagree with almost everything you've said there. He isn't clumsy - he's very good with the ball at feet and in tight space. He's a very clever player and has excellent use of the ball - i think he has 4 assists this season on top of his 7 goals.
I do agree that earlier in the season he did look rather lazy and unmotivated - especially after we were knocked out of Europe. I worried if he was thinking he would have rathered jumped ship at that point, I think European football would have been the reason he was here. That was at a time when the entire team was playing rather poorly though, since then he's really kicked on and, in my opinion, looks head and shoulders above everyone else in the league.
Anyway, Celtic tonight, what do we all think?
I've backed them to lose as part of my double with Spurs winning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by son_of_foley
no he's not
He wouldn't look out of place in the Wigan team.
Wigan have at least one central midfielder who is a lot better than ledley
First game I'd been to in a while last night. We were still shit but, for once, took our chances and came away with a great result.
Even though the stadium was half empty the atmosphere was unreal as the Green Brigade (say what you like about them) were on top form and made it feel like the place was full. Thought we were in for the same old story when that opener went in, but we got a rare bit of luck and took advantage of their dodgy defending.
As I say though, we were still pants for the most part. I hope this doesn't fool too many people into thinking we've 'turned the corner'.
You might have turned the corner. Sometimes a comeback like that can encourage the players to kick on from there. I doubt it, as I think the problem is more to do with the fact that Lennon is inept as opposed to a major problem with the players, but double last nights result with a convincing win over Motherwell this weekend and things might just get better.
Better than Sutton, Bellamy and Robbie Keane? I think he's a great player but I'm not sure he's even the best Rangers player since Larsson. Can't think of any players at the moment though LOL.Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidUK
Sutton? Yes. Bellamy? Yes.
Keane I might give you, but soon I think we'll be able to call Jelavic better. Whilst I do think Jelavic is a better technical footballer than Keane, you can't really argue with Keane's career, stats, and how efficient he was whilst he was at Celtic.
Double post.
How was Matty McKay in his first start, gents?
Dave mate, I think you've gone completely mental.Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidUK
Vastly overrated player.
Sutton???
I think he's underrated. Should've had more England caps.
definitely - he and Shearer were frightening together. Didn't Shearer say he was his best ever strike partner as well?
Probably. DavidUK hasn't been this wrong since he shagged his granny.
come on, Helen's a good ride
I don't think saying Jelavic is a better footballer than Sutton is unreasonable at all :dunno:
It's pretty far-fetched.
It's not.
It's hard to back up, purely because Sutton was at Celtic for about 5 years (?) and achieved a hell of a lot. As far as ability goes, however, Jelavic eclipses him easily.
He's a better football; more skillful, sets up a fair few, and is more prolific - I don't think Sutton ever managed 20 goals in a league season in his time at Celtic? Jelavic will comfortably break the 20 mark this season. He is absolutely strolling through the SPL and makes everything look very easy.
I reckon if Jelavic spends a lengthy time at Rangers he'll go down as a great players for us.
Jelavic is a pretty average player in a very poor league. He hasn't even played in a top league. Sutton was a very good Premier League striker at Norwich and Blackburn. I think you're going a bit mad here. Jelavic is absolutely nothing special, at 26 he hasn't played in a top European league and has barely played for Croatia, who aren't exactly drowning in great strikers at the moment.
I think he will go on to play in a top league sooner or later. If he keeps performing in the manner he is currently then I don't think it will be long until a bigger side, probably a Premiership side, comes in for him.
I think he could hold his own in the Premiership. All speculative of course. Sutton also played in a very poor league in the SPL, for a very strong Celtic side, a side much stonger than the current Rangers side. As I said, the fact that Sutton HAS done the business down South is hard to argue with but based on his time at Celtic, and Jelavic's time at Rangers, I think Jelavic looks superior to him.
I fully expect a few mid-table Premierships teams to be interested in him at the end of the season, hopefully not January, and I reckon he would cope in that league quite easily.
Even if I am perhaps being slightly biased I don't think it's fair to call him average.
Sutton also put in some pretty strong performances in Europe for Celtic. Much of the time he operated as an attacking midfielder too, which showed his versatility. I remember he was a centre-back for Norwich before they tried him up front in an injury crisis and he ended up piling the goals in. You are probably young to really remember Sutton's Premier League days but he was a very good striker when he wasn't getting injured. At one point he was the most expensive player in England when Blackburn signed him. His time at Chelsea, before going to Celtic, probably sullied his reputation in England a bit. Added to that, England had a lot of very good strikers around in the 90s so he didn't win as many international caps as he probably could have.
he played centre back for Celtic a few times as well and was phenomenal.
He scored 19 goals in the SPL alone in the 03/04 season, by the way, much of which, like Cappy says, wasn't in as advanced a role as his peers.
Izaguirre, Kayal, Ki and, potentially, Forrest are all better players than Jelavic - there you go have that.
ooh, 25 Premier League goals for Norwich in the 93/94 season too :yes:
Steve Davis and Naismith are better than Jelavic.
Also Lafferty still will be.
Love you though Dave
Thanks for all the helpful responses about Matt McKay.
We can only assume Grim that you're inidcating Fanny has a big baggy arse
jealous?
If it's not tight it's not right.
The funny thing is, sof, that I had that exact thing in mind but as more of a side point to the statement.Quote:
Originally Posted by son_of_foley
Davis is a great player and I feel we're lucky to have such a quality player in our side when we play in the SPL. He is head and shoulders above most players in the league, but Jelavic is a classy, classy players.Quote:
Originally Posted by son_of_foley
I wouldn't go too overboard above Naismith, either. Before his injury he was playing fantastically but it wasn't too long ago that he was an incredibely frustrating player. Not too long ago a lot of Rangers fans weren't keen on him - he looked nothing more than a journeyman. Hopefully he has genuinely improved his game but it could just have been a purple patch.
I love Kyle.
I'm not sure what I think about this. He's a good player with the benefit of having SPL experience but part of me is thinking we should be looking to sign better players than him.Quote:
Originally Posted by BBC
we both should be mate, but this is pretty much going to have to be the way of it going forward. If either club have any sense about them they'll go hell for leather at picking up youth and 'established' league players from Asia from here on in on the cheap, comparatively.
I reckon Aluko will do a job for your lot. I hope so, anyway - seriously, I want Naisy being out for the season to be as little an excuse as possible should we actually be able to claw it back.
As an aside - when does it become squeaky bum time for you lads? Say Celtic go 4 points behind on Saturday....? Is Kilie a perceived potential banana skin from your POV? I mean, I can't see you playing as badly as youz did against St Johnstone, but it did highlight that McCoist really, really doesn't have a lot of options when it comes to bringing squad players in, I think?
I don't think it's going to get squeaky any time soon mate. Celtic going 4 points behind on Saturday, to me, means nothing. It's nothing more than a simple case of you playing first, it shouldn't add any pressure. It should be put back to 7 points by Sunday.
Killie have an awful record against the Old Firm, we should beat them. Celtic will be comfortable against St Mirren at home so it is very likely to go down to 4 points overnight but, as I said, that shouldn't mean anything.
As far as the size of our squad goes, you're right. In that sense I don't mind signing players like Aluko. Good player with SPL experience. Even if he isn't going to be playing regularly, we do need players to simply bulk up the squad and Aluko is more than a good signing for that role.
agreed, and who knows, maybe he'll absolutely batter his nut in to try and prove something to himself/the manager/the fans? You might have more in him than might first have been thought.
I honestly want the standard and depth of the Old Firm, MOtherwell, Aberdeen and the Edinburgh clubs to improve to the point where the race for second isn't foregone, and 3rd/4th becomes far more competitive also.
I think if the right people were in charge of the SPL/SFA and the respective clubs that that isn't an unrealistic desire. What follows is in-country competition and improved co-efficient in Europe as a result. Did I enjoy the seasons where we were trouncing everyone 3, 4, 5, 6 nil every week? Yeah sure. But I think everyone needs to start looking at the league structure and owner-suitability at all of the clubs in the top flight and the first division with a view to getting Scottish football back on an even keel over the next, say, ten years.
It makes me so sad to see where we are. The nadir of UEFA Cup Finals and Champ League Last 16s has been quickly followed by such a downward spiral as to be a legitimate laughing stock of world football. Sadder still is that we all saw it coming for, what, ten years prior?
And when we get drawn against Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia (who, I don't care what anyone says, are VASTLY over-respected by the international community in terms of league and international football) and Wales and all of the pundits are out in force telling us what a difficult group we're in? Sorry, but that's rotten. For one thing I don't actually agree and think that we should be going into those first two home games looking for a very strong 6 points and not fearing Bale/Bellamy/Ramsay (i.e. Wales), and not paying Croatia half the respect that everyone seems to think they deserve.
Scotland seem to suffer the absolute antithesis of England in terms of expectation and media pressure - we go into games with trepidation in that respect and a shrug of the shoulders onto the next game kind of ideology if we drop a point or three here and there - when we really shouldn't - we're better than that. We've good, young players with a mixture of experience and when Scotland actually play well these days, it's quite something to behold in terms of passion and drive and grit and determination and strength and patriotism and at times flair. Contrast that with England, whose fans and media and a great deal of the international community just EXPECT to be able to do well in every match, every qualifier, every tournament and I really think we're hard done by by ourselves. Not that we should slip to that other side of the spectrum, but I mean, let's have some respect for ourselves. Let's have some faith in ourselves. Let's not lose the greatest aspects of the Tartan Army in their allegiance and their dedication and their behaviour and their camaraderie - but let's lose this affable big bunch of daft lads stuff that seems to transfer onto the team as well, maybe?
Hopefully with the current lack of investment in Scottish football we do come to rely more on homegrown talent and football academies and a restructuring of PE classes in high school and regional youth team league setups, training approaches etc. to the point where this becomes the means to the aforementioned ends in the previous paragraph(s)
Becks to PSG....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo....html?ITO=1490
wrong thread? But still, it was on the cards. Good place for Posh to go, with all her fashion and whatnot
Oops.... Aye, wrong thread.... My bad...
Game on.
12 points to 4 in 8 days is a ridiculous turnaround. HAIL HAIL
Fanny, have you seen our goals from yesterday yet?
not yet mate I'll try and catch them tonight. Joy to watch?
That's a pretty absurd statement to make. Croatia have achieved massively on the international scene, they'd been around less than 20 years, have a smaller population than Scotland yet they've been to 3 World Cups and 4 European Championships in that time. That's why they deserve respect, that's why they are a tough proposition for Scotland: because they do the business. Contrast that to Scotland, who haven't been to a championship of any kind since 1998, they have never made it out of a group stage in any championship they have been in.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
I think the current Croatia side is one of the weaker teams they've had in some time but these things are cyclical for small nations. However, by the time qualifiers come round they may have a new set of players and perhaps a new manager. They also have Luka Modric, a player with ability way beyond any player Scotland can call on, plus they still have quality experienced players like Niko Kranjcar, Darjo Srna, Mladen Petric and Ivica Olic (amongst others). That is a tough group for Scotland and you'd be doing very well to finish top 2, given that, although Spain were in it, I believe all round you had a substantially weaker group overall for Euro 2012.
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Capitano Gatisto
that's sort of what my reference to respect was based on. Their short history is impressive, but they're not the team they were.
They still got to Euro 2012, they still have good players, they will most likely have players coming through. While they're not as good as they were, they're still clearly better than Scotland at the moment.
yeah I'd say they're better than Scotland too, but that's no reason to over-respect/fear them on the pitch, and I do think they're an overrated team.
Big Sammy scored with a passback, Hooper got two poachers goals and one which was a cracker, and young McCeough (sp?) ran the full pitch. Amazing goal. Nice to see for once.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
just watched them just now. Have to eat my words about Hooper, he's starting to control the ball really well and just batter them in for a laugh. I know it was just the highights as well, but it seemed to HIGHLIGHT loads of decent play from Samaras in more of that...sort of free roleish kind of position just between midfield and Stokes and Hooper?
What a wonderful goal for McGoeuchjhsfj, what an ace feeling that must've been
I dunno why you ever slagged Hooper, he's quality.
Rangers are having their usual mid-season slump. Hopefully we can keep winning and do them at Parkhead to make it interesting.
I think Hooper lacks dig and physicality.
When he's got the ball at his feet he can be deceptively silky and slick. Obiously his finishings great and hes a bit of a predator, but I dont think hes really up to much when it comes to winning balls and holding it up. Bit wishy-washy.
Sammy's a strange one. He wins an obscene amount of balls in the middle of the park, but just heads them onto nobody. He always has good ideas but makes them too obvious or is too slow to execute. Id fucking love to see him getting in form and doing well because he seems like an absolutely brilliant guy. This 'off the left free role' hes getting is doing him a world of good because its taking the pressure to score off him. Finishing has never been his strong point.
Just wait for his yearly double against the huns and watch the Celtic fans get off his back for a few months.
Also, Kenny Sheils comments on Sky yesterday about real football fans was hilarious.
what did he say? Oh and you pretty much nailed my answer to wardy about why I had become impatient with Hooper
Basically said that win was for all the "real" football fans. Like the people from Perth who support St. Johnstone, the people from motherwell who support motherwell, and that he can't understand why so many people like the Old Firm.
I like Kenny Shiels he's not afraid to give people the harsh truth when it's needed. Speaks his mind and is seemingly doing a good job there. Replacing Bryson wasnt going to be easy but getting Bujis in seems like a good move and of course his son is having a fantastic spell there. Dean could still be something very special I believe.Quote:
Originally Posted by SLARE
Coming from here, Kenny will have probably been aiming that also at the morons (and I'm not claiming all old firm fans here are morons but there certainly are a number) from Northern Ireland who enjoy the 'tribal' element of the old firm.
I think as well both clubs have profitted and marketed themselves that way so from the outside looking in, and thats the position I'm in, it's nice to see someone bloody the old firms nose every now and again.
It's nothing new for a manager of a small club to be looking for more fans from the local area
What's so hilarious about that? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by SLARE
Celtic looking good just now. If the Old Firm's form stays the same for the next few weeks then the Old Firm game will have come at a great time for Celtic.
please don't laugh, but Samaras has been a fucking revelation in midfield/on the wing.
His god awful goalscoring record aside, Samaras isn't a bad player. I don't like it when he lines up against us.
I've always thought he was a capable striker until someone pointed out his goalscoring record throughout his career. It really is atrocious. If you can look past that and accept that he is never going to bang in 25 goals a season, he is a pretty decent player. He holds the ball up really, really well, is big and strong and wins his fair share in the air.
The way he went about saying it and how he said it. Don't get me wrong, I agree with most of it, but it was just pretty funny.Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidUK
Since Lennon said hes a player that could get him the Sack, he's been great. With the pressure of him being a 'Goalscorer' taken off, hes been absolutely brilliant.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanny
My dad said to me the other day that at his best, Sammy is our best player. I probably agree with that, he just never fucking does it.
he's done it the last 3 games in a row playing behind the front two just in off the left. That's where he always drifted back to when he played upfront proper. I think Lennon's found Sammy's position. I fucking love watching him playing there
He has been great since lately. When he just gets his head up, hes a revelation. Thats all it needs sometimes.
He was impressive playing there for Greece in the last World Cup, and always seemed to gravitate towards that wing even when playing up front, so it makes sense to get him out there AND still have 2 front men
That dive from Aluko was one of the worst I've ever seen. Disgusting stuff.
One of the worst you've seen?
I'll guess you didn't watch Celtic when Petrov was acting like he was snipered every other week? :D
Yes it was one of the worst I've ever seen. Petrov normally made sure there was contact before going down easily. The defender didn't touch Aluko at all.
:lol:
Petrov was the most compulsive diver I've ever seen.
I'm in no way defending Petrov though. I never liked him. Thought he was overrated, couldn't get a corner off the ground, and was of course, a diver.
I hated him.
Never thought he was overrated though, I thought he was a cracking player when he was at Celtic. A very unlikeable player however - mostly due to his overreactions and constant diving.
What does everyone think about this weekends fixtures then? More change in the lead at the top? Or both Glasgow teams to beat the Edinburgh sides?
Personally, I think a trip to Easter Road couldn't have come at a worse time for Rangers. Whilst we we were quite comfortable there last season, traditionally Easter Road is a hard game for us. They handed us a 3-0 walloping at Ibrox last season, too. Turned out to be a freak result with no lasting impacting whatsoever but they hammered us that day.
Celtic are looking good at the moment - really quick and sharp, and at Celtic Park should be likely to bag a few goals. However, if there is any team I could see Celtic slipping against it would be Hearts.
If Rangers play as flatly as they have recently then we will struggle against Hibs. Whilst playing well and creating a lot of chances would be great in the run-in to the Old Firm match, I'd happily take a scrappy 1-0 win this weekend. A scrappy performance is what I'm actually expecting, which is worrying - our squad hasn't exactly looked fit for a rough, fast-paced match recently.
I'd like to say a narrow Rangers win and probably a Celtic win, but I wouldn't be surprised if the lead is down to 2 points on Saturday.
Hearts' problems off the pitch are surely taking their's toll on the players - comfortable Celtic win.
Even more comfortable if Hibs nick something earlier on.
Ally McCoist has defended his player of claims he was cheating "its quite clear that it was the early stages of Hurricane Bawbag that took Down Sone Aluko"