Hi All, hope you are all keeping well. I rarely come on the forum these days but thought I'd sense check views on GVB following the shambles of last night. Social media and the internet is doing it's usual thing after a defeat where everyone should be sacked which is why I tend to stay clear these days - far better for your sanity!
Anyway what are the views on here. I'm personally of the view he shouldn't be sacked and it's an overreaction. But I am probably a bit traditional in that I probably give Managers generally more time than they are due and don't see it as always being the solution. I'm also not necessarily a massive fan, something from the start never really convinced me so whilst I don't think he should be sacked I'm not sure he will ever be anything other than an average Rangers Manager. So anyway some pros and cons from my side of GVB.
Pros:
He has clearly shown he is a good coach and tactically astute. Last year he took us to a Europa final, penalty kicks away from winning it. He did that without our talisman Morelos and in the latter parts we never had a fit striker. His tactical changes in these games were often the difference, which was a huge change from Gerrard with one style.
At times we have played some of the best football under GVB I've seen for a while. Not always of course but we are back to the days domestically of seeing other teams as cannon fodder - comprehensive wins over Hearts, St J, Killie, Ross County etc with plenty of chances created and goals scored.
If you said when he took the job that within his first year we would win a cup, make the CL and get to the final of the Europa everyone would have bit your hand off for it. Getting to the CL has ironically ended up being a problem - had we lost against PSV and gone steadily in the Europa his job probably isn't even being discussed. In some ways he's now being punished for overreaching.
The squad isn't good enough. He has been let down by his DoF and board with players in over 2 windows. It's not like we have an underachieving group someone else could do more with. No one is turning Wright, Sakala, Matondo etc in to a team that competes in the CL.
Linked to the above, last night featured 7 starters who were playing in Gerrard's first season. That team finished 10 points behind Celtic and didn't get out the group stage of the Europa. It was also seen as a team that had made progress. Against Napoli, it was 9 of the same team who played Feyenoord the next year - would have been 10 but Kent was injured vs Feyenoord and didn't play. That team also won nothing.
People will point to the league and overseeing a swing that saw Celtic take it. Our points total last year would have won the league in all but 4 seasons since the millenium. This season is our third strongest start to a league season over the same period. He's unfortunate in that sense that Celtic have just been better. Celtic last season didn't lose a game between the break and the league end. They have lost 1 game in one year. We haven't been terrible in the league and in fact outside Celtic he hasn't lost a game - but they have just been better.
Cons:
Context of the last point aside, people don't accept second place and there's no indications we will win it this year.
If he's not in control of the signings, is he a weak Manager? It's a criticism that has been labelled more at Celtic than Rangers in recent seasons but I don't think Gerrard would have accepted RW dictating who is signed. And if GVB is the one making the decisions then his transfer record is appalling.
The tactical flexibility shown last year has disappeared this season. Last night for example at 4-1 he puts on 3 forwards. It would have at that point been more sensible just to go for damage limitation given the momentum of the game and the way it was going. We weren't getting back in to it at that point.
There seems at times disconnect between what he wants and what the players do. He puts out a fairly offensive team who play very negatively with no explanation as to why.
You cannot excuse 2 heavy OF defeats, or failure to beat Celtic in the league over 4 games.
His team selections have become a bit desperate and impulsive. It's clear he doesn't yet know his best team or system one year in. For example Tillman starts the season like a train then disappears, shunted either to RW or the bench. Sakala doesn't feature at all then starts 2 games. Sands seems to be undroppable then just disappears. Different RW every game. Similarly for midfield. Not sure of his best keeper - McGregor last season McLaughlin this and back to McGregor. You don't get consistency of performance that way.
The reality for me is replacing GVB doesn't get to the root of the issues. I'm also pretty sure the condition for anyone coming in will be overhauling the squad, which in itself points to the fact there isn't the right level of quality to work with.
Gio
posted on 13/10/22
comment by puyolsnohadahaircut (U6410)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Magnum (2 in a row easy) (U22391)
posted 2 hours, 23 minutes ago
comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Magnum (2 in a row easy) (U22391)
posted 34 seconds ago
comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by whodunnit (U22710)
posted 9 seconds ago
I deleted your comment talking about my children.
they have nothing to do with the thread, nothing to do with you. they are innocent children.
thats the last of it.
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I merely asked if you had children and was that how you knew the schools were out.
You’ve overreacted to some light banter, which isn’t a new thing. That’s ok.
Suggesting I was “talking about your children” is an absolute nonsense.
But hey, you stay classy.
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you shouldn't be talking about the guy's children to be fair.
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😂😂 I didn’t 🤷♂️
He was trying to be a smart alec suggesting I was of school age, so I took a certain inference to gently mock him.
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look. if you feel the need to talk about somebody's children, talk about mine. I'm sick of most of them anyway.
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Just thinking about the scrooge movie, how is Mrs crachit and all the assorted little crachits 😀
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With their wee green legs and pink snouts
posted on 13/10/22
Seems like Hearts are going all out to "better" our defeat
posted on 13/10/22
comment by bmcl1987 - the M stands for meltdown 🤓 (U14177)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by puyolsnohadahaircut (U6410)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Magnum (2 in a row easy) (U22391)
posted 2 hours, 23 minutes ago
comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Magnum (2 in a row easy) (U22391)
posted 34 seconds ago
comment by bmcl1987 (U14177)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by whodunnit (U22710)
posted 9 seconds ago
I deleted your comment talking about my children.
they have nothing to do with the thread, nothing to do with you. they are innocent children.
thats the last of it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I merely asked if you had children and was that how you knew the schools were out.
You’ve overreacted to some light banter, which isn’t a new thing. That’s ok.
Suggesting I was “talking about your children” is an absolute nonsense.
But hey, you stay classy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
you shouldn't be talking about the guy's children to be fair.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
😂😂 I didn’t 🤷♂️
He was trying to be a smart alec suggesting I was of school age, so I took a certain inference to gently mock him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
look. if you feel the need to talk about somebody's children, talk about mine. I'm sick of most of them anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Just thinking about the scrooge movie, how is Mrs crachit and all the assorted little crachits 😀
----------------------------------------------------------------------
With their wee green legs and pink snouts
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Don't, it sounds like our euro squad
posted on 13/10/22
Think the Rangers board will decide to put the accounts out this Friday night.
Fans already down so no harm done.
posted on 13/10/22
So, about this Liverpool fan that rangers have hired..?
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-fans-rage-senior-club-28229711?fbclid=IwAR1MUGKlF7DQkg5TwKpe_42HLdx94kUXg4odRzK7S5jYE3Wkuk-uYiABGjA
posted on 13/10/22
The banter years. Did they ever really end?
Also:
https://twitter.com/SimpsonsSPFL/status/1580320930047225856?s=20&t=Zyl3DfELbwamLo21AR8QwQ
posted on 13/10/22
They’re just inventing new things to banter about.
posted on 13/10/22
comment by PointyBirds (U21890)
posted 46 minutes ago
The banter years. Did they ever really end?
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Thread was funny as fck - 'worked for City slurp, top man slurp, him and Bisgrove slurp, next level income slurp slurp slurp'
He posted on twitter with his pool mates laughing about the annihilation ....'he can GTF, cvnt, sack him along with Gio,'
posted on 14/10/22
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 12 hours, 48 minutes ago
So, about this Liverpool fan that rangers have hired..?
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Anyone Everyone
posted on 14/10/22
comment by Humble Hamish (U21959)
posted 0 seconds ago
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 12 hours, 48 minutes ago
So, about this Liverpool fan that rangers have hired..?
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Anyone Everyone
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Or is it Everyone Anyone?