22 Sep 2021 09:24:51
Our Cup Record has been horrendous the last few seasons.
We last won the League Cup in season 2010-2011.
We last won the Scottish Cup in season 2008-2009.
Under Gerrard alone, we have only reached 1 Final.
In the 2018-2019 season we were knocked out the League Cup at the semi-final stage and the Scottish Cup at the quarter final stage, both by Aberdeen.
In the 2019-2020 season we were beaten in the League Cup Final by Celtic and knocked out the Scottish Cup at the quarter finals stage by Hearts.
Last season was a huge disappointment as we were knocked out the League Cup and Scottish Cup quarter finals by St Mirren and St Johnstone respectively.
And that's always been a source of concern for myself with the current squad - do they have that winning mentality?
Even when Gerrard was rebuilding, I always felt we should have been challenging for the Cups as we built a squad capable of winning the league.
And this brings me onto my next point for tonight's game.
Is our squad capable of challenging on all fronts? Especially since the "first 11" are struggling for form.
We all expect changes tonight to the line-up.
But is continuity required to allow the current first team a chance to play themselves into form? Or is a freshness required and is it a chance to give others much needed games time?
And what's more important?
European run and the finances / respect that brings or winning doubles or trebles in Scotland?

1.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 09:49:31
Good post MPH

Gerrard read this it should cause him some concern? And his players!

The way there playing at the minute I’m not sure how it will go tonight Livingston will have chances it’s down too who creates more and can put the ball in the net
Will we be hungry for tonight’s game?

can’t see a good European run this year for some reason don’t honk we will get by the group stages this year
the team is looking tired, jaded just something a miss and we really needed better quality in the transfer window.

Possibly we all seem to think more of players than other clubs do as no one seemed interested in putting in serious money to buy our players out transfer policy for some reason has t really taken off we really struggle to sell players for good profits like the mob across the city do
Teams want there players they just come straight in with serious money and get then end of
All we get is paper talk

I feel Davis just hasn’t the legs for every game neither does arfield Morelos goals are drying up Kent way off the boil wright isn’t setting the heather on fire northern is lundstrum could go on and on

End of this season players who want out need to be sold but if No one is goi g to pay the money and we can’t afford to let them leave for pennies then we’re left with unhappy players?
we need good young creative players and a prolific goal scorer who can batter in 25-30 goals in the Scottish league

our football this season has been very boring with no real End product and we’re just not lethal enough to finish teams off

this could be a rant but it’s just how I feel about the squad at the minute.

2.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 09:49:33
Well this team showed a winning mentality going on a record breaking season clinching the title by 25 points, can we do better? Of course! But to question their mentality mate?

3.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 10:23:38
League and European run is what's more important, nothing else. If we win one of the domestic cups then it's nothing more than a bonus. Trebles sound great, but the 2 domestic cups only give you bragging rights, but bring very little in prize money. Kudos and bragging rights won't put money into the transfer kitty! know our record is not great, but it means absolutely nothing to me as long as we win the league and qualify for the Champions League.

4.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 11:22:29
I agree to an extent BMGH01,as of course winning the league and qualifying for the champions league are without question the most important, but i want us to win everything we're in and i desperately want us to lift both domestic cups too and be in complete domination, within scottish football mate 👍🇬🇧.

5.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 11:27:33
Agree with everything you said there stig.

6.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 11:44:16
BMGH01 spot on, I had already posted 2 or 3 days ago very much what you have said, The league is or bread and butter, The two cups don’t have the prestige they once had.
🇦🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚽️👍.

7.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 11:57:36
The league is the be all and end all BMGH01.
But when we were off the pace in the league, is 1 final appearance enough out of the 6 contested?
And Europe is also 2nd most important to myself.
But winning the odd cup gives you that winning mentality, especially amongst a group of pros who've won nothing.

8.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 12:05:12
MPH won nothing?

9.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 12:54:34
As far as I'm bothered, MPH, then I'm ok with that as long as we keep winning the league. If that doesn't happen then that's a whole bigger issue right away. I would love to win everything, but If I was offered the chance to be league winners and Champions league qualifiers every season and nothing else, then it's a deal. Yeah, our cup record is terrible, but the cups are not our main aim.
Let's be honest, the Scottish cup hasn't exactly been our best friend since away back when I started going to games when Souness came in. His Scottish cup record was brutal! The league is the main one for me mate.

10.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 12:58:05
I think several players will depart in Jan/ Summer 22 in order to bring in money for new signings. I expect as many as 10 to leave. John 25 has made a list and he is usually correct.

11.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 13:19:30
I refer you all to comments on here this time last year where quite a few had us written off and Celtic announced as 10 IAR winners.

"SG is a rookie manager, not what we need"

"SG has no plan B"

"Tav is never a Rangers captain and should be dumped"

"Goldson is hopeless"

"Kent is an empty shirt"

"Morelos is uninterested and should be sold for £5"

Hands up anyone who sees any similarity to those comments this year?

We are not yet firing on all cylinders but it will come.

Lyon were never going to be easy as some had proclaimed

Malmo are no mugs and were well ahead in terms of match sharpness

The CL was well above our station for this year

One step at a time - win a cup and retain the league by 5 points whilst bringing in a few players who will strengthen our first team

If we change 8 first team squad players next summer it will be a tough season whilst we bed them in so and I cannot believe that our management team will take that approach no matter who has a source that says so.

12.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 14:28:47
I don't think qualifying for the CL was above our station this season , DK19.
I think we were hindered by poor preparation, injuries, suspensions and CV issues.
Malmö aren't a great side. We've competed against better in the past.

13.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 14:32:02
Sorry, Barrowlad, slip of the written tongue.
I meant in terms of cups.
It was a great achievement, probably our most important title in years but this team to me need to prove a winning mentality by winning more.

14.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 14:34:03
I believe a lot of the new players will come in January rather than the Summer which will allow them to bed in. I also believe the present team will improve ( sooner the better) and Results will get better.

15.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 14:51:16
MPH, You and Stig scaremongering?

16.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 15:22:19
Dk who would u replace. U say we need a few, to me a few means four or five.
R u saying keep most off the guys who r out of contract.

17.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 15:42:12
You are right MPH when it comes to a winning mentality, but surely winning the biggest prize in Scotland should have instilled that? There is obviously an issue somewhere, but If it is attitude, and they can't get themselves together after romping the league, do you really think winning the league cup is going to make any difference? Rangers are champions and should have a champions mindset and mentality, if any player doesn't, then there's obviously something else going on. Then it might be that they do indeed want away so their standards have slipped. It's not been the easiest start to the campaign, and there has been plenty to deal with, but we'll come good.

18.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 17:08:53
MillerBrandWilson please explain how it’s scaremongering?

I just stated the way I feel we’re performing and also stated about players that no one came in with serious money if they really wanted to buy
The way they do when they want Celtic players?

MPH stated true facts in his post about cup games

How is any of it scaremongering 😂?

19.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 21:36:23
John, a few to me is 2 or 3. 4 or 5 is a handful but that is semantics.

All I am saying is that if we dump 50% of our squad as you suggest is likely we will struggle for consistency next season and I don’t believe Gerard will risk it.

I don’t profess to know any better than our manager and considering our upwards direction of travel I dot feel the need to second guess what they should do - I have no issue with anyone who has a different opinion but think that if they go against our manager they should at least explain why.

We need to improve to put up a strong showing in the CL next season (I am certain we will win te league this season) but how we bring in and who we replace is above my pay grade cause a I have no inside info on finances or targets.

All opinions are my own, my sources know no more than me (no special relationships or golf buddies or wife’s school pals), just reading on here, papers, google etc and I don’t need to prove anything cause I accept that I might be completely wrong.

I don't have any favourite players who are above criticism and accept that every player can have an off day but that does not mean he is an empty shirt or waste of a jersey.

I enjoy your posts and inside info (right or wrongly) but I’m not one of your hero worshippers and don’t need to ask you what to eat when I go to Prague or what Pie you prefer😂.

20.) 22 Sep 2021
22 Sep 2021 22:44:21
Cool re numbers dk
Lol re last paragraph, ps steak pie and Stornaway black pudding all day mate.
Let me know if u want recipe.