Credit where its due.
At 3-2 and the Loovens header I thought was going to nestle in the back of the net I believed that this was going to be arguably the most interesting old firm game since the 3-3 game when Goram saved from Big Pierre.
Sadly from my side it wasnt to be.
The better team won. Of that there can be little doubt.
The poor defending cost us again. The lack of passing cost us dear. Many wont admit it but the loss of Brown was a blow - he was playing very well before the injury. The sending off - no complaints. Both full backs on a yellow was screaming for one to be sent off and while Charlie was having a decent game, the card was coming.
Fair play to Lenny for the comments after it. No sugar coat, the comments made were just. The team lost discipline and shape and paid badly for it.
Only fair to pay due comment to Ally as well for the comments about Mulgrew and the actions as he was walking off. Hopefully this respect from both sides will continue and we can keep talking to the action on the park.
Onward and upwards bhoys - only one game and many more to come..
Fair play
posted on 19/9/11
Need 2, quick, strong CBs asap.
January at the earliest, so you have five European games, a good few tricky domestic games and Rangers in December.
Pistol Pete is not known for splashing out mid season so you play with what you have. Kelvin, Glenda, Madge
and Chuck for characters from a Hollywood 'B' movie.
posted on 19/9/11
I thought Loovens was the better of the CBs, if Wilson is the best we can do it's time to give up
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I think that the biggest flaw of both our CB's were decision making. They are big guys yet seem to be wrong side far too often and rolled too easily. Positionally twice they were all all at sea and making last ditch tackles and some of the passing was either awful or unbelievable - like the passes back to Forester with players closing in.
Bad day, but not surprising for the 1st OF game of the season. Been like this now for a few years...
posted on 19/9/11
McManus and Caldwell were far superior to any combination we have had since and thats a worry!!!
posted on 19/9/11
Samaras had a good game in my opinion, worked hard unlike some others but no doubt the usual, it was Sammys fault brigade will be out in force.
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It wasn't Sammy's fault Lenny picked him and there were a few players just as bad, but work hard!? Did you see when the ball hit off him inside the penalty box and he was given offside, it was cuase he was too lazy to shift his fatarse back onside!
posted on 19/9/11
Did you see when the ball hit off him inside the penalty box and he was given offside, it was cuase he was too lazy to shift his fatarse back onside!
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have to agree - i was going ballistic at him for that one...
posted on 19/9/11
Whittaker, You pick one incident out,perhaps a better placed shot wouldn't have hit him. One thing Samaras can never be accused of is laziness.
As I said before, lay the blame where it's deserved,Kelvin Wilson is the man who started the rot, Loovens had a better game than him, and I think Billy Davies left him out for half a season because he's rubbish not because he signed for us.
posted on 19/9/11
comment by ritchiebhoy (U10107)
posted 7 minutes ago
McManus and Caldwell were far superior to any combination we have had since and thats a worry!!!
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Can't agree with you often, but that is worryingly true!
posted on 19/9/11
Morbhoy:
So you'd be quite happy to stick with Samaras?
posted on 19/9/11
Whittaker,
There are games where he is the only one who can play by himself and yes I wouldn't be looking to sell him.
The real problem is the defence, we need 2 CBs and a RB would help also.
Lenny must also get over his love affair with Brown, well though he played for 20 minutes he clearly wasn't fit and we would have been better off with Ledley either starting or coming on.
Forrest isn't the answer yet and we can't keep relying on him to win games by himself.
posted on 19/9/11
I remember Looevens having a total nightmare at Ibrox 2 years ago when he and McManus gifted Rangers 2 goals in the first 20 mins. If you don''t get rid of bad players, they eventually get back into the side again.
There was no sophistication about rangers' approach. There never is. Play it up to the front men quick and upset the Celtic defence. You need physically strong defenders when you go to Ibrox--players who can win high balls and go through their forwards in the tackle. Martin O'Neill knew that and always played powerful guys like Bobo Balde, Varga, Mjallby and Valgaeren-- and that's one of the reasons why he hardly ever lost to Rangers. For some reason, Neil Lennon has yet to learn this.