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I've resisted posting anything about the weekend. Can't imagine anyone's in the mood but wanted to get this off my chest...
Gerrard has put together a good side. Third season into a clear & consistent vision, motivated players with shrewd, collected signings.
Despite what SG wants you to believe, they've spent big, well over the rest of the SPL making them so dangerous all things considered.
Despite what SG wants you to believe, they've spent big, well over the rest of the SPL making them so dangerous all things considered.
Celtic are 9 years steeped in hubris.
In a vacuum, the formula is simple. Rely on better (vastly more £££) players to bludgeon the league. If all else fails buy again.
It's sad because it works (in a vacuum).
Rangers getting things right & external factors have changed this.
In a vacuum, the formula is simple. Rely on better (vastly more £££) players to bludgeon the league. If all else fails buy again.
It's sad because it works (in a vacuum).
Rangers getting things right & external factors have changed this.
I said years ago that how we deal with Brown's phasing out will define the ten, and it's looking badly wrong (but not over yet of course)
Did OK on Saturday sure, but the theme this season is shoe-horning an unnecessary, waning defender into the heart of an attacking team.
Did OK on Saturday sure, but the theme this season is shoe-horning an unnecessary, waning defender into the heart of an attacking team.
Were the rest of the strategy exceptional you'd get away with it no doubt. But it just doesn't work with the 3-5-2 and there's obvious lack of motivation in every other key area. (3 CBs + 1 SB is painful.)
Anyway, it's wildly wrong on the pitch - the results attest to that.
What I'm most angry about is the more systemic hubris / lack of ambition.
NL was a predictable appointment but made sense in many ways. A steady hand to steer megabucks players...
What I'm most angry about is the more systemic hubris / lack of ambition.
NL was a predictable appointment but made sense in many ways. A steady hand to steer megabucks players...
Rodgers (
) on the contrary, was the kind of ambitious appointment to modernise the whole shebang. From recruitment to player dev, to formulating a modern, cohesive style.
That proved to be an expensive dead-duck, the unrelenting EPL $$$ killed any long-term plan dead.
) on the contrary, was the kind of ambitious appointment to modernise the whole shebang. From recruitment to player dev, to formulating a modern, cohesive style.That proved to be an expensive dead-duck, the unrelenting EPL $$$ killed any long-term plan dead.
Full disclosure: I like Lennon and think he can be a bit underrated. He's made some very good, attacking Celtic teams.
But this evidently broken 3 CBs + SB shows no evidence of long-term planning or attacking ingenuity. It's a throw them on and hope for the best.
But this evidently broken 3 CBs + SB shows no evidence of long-term planning or attacking ingenuity. It's a throw them on and hope for the best.
That was the kind of thinking behind McGregor at LB or Ntcham wide - "more technicians on the pitch". There's nothing nuanced about that.
Nor is there anything nuanced about this season's signings. Have we really had to buy/loan 6 starting players in 1 window!?
Nor is there anything nuanced about this season's signings. Have we really had to buy/loan 6 starting players in 1 window!?
This is of course only Lennon's 2nd full season, but who of the 15 odd signings in his first season could be deemed successful? [Jullien and Frimpong imho]
All in, it has been short-termism, scattergun, expensive.
All in, it has been short-termism, scattergun, expensive.
This focus on NL is getting away what I originally planned to write - the buck should stop with Lawwell. He is responsible for the future planning sans-manager, including recruitment.
I've praised him in the past as there's obviously been a concerted attempt to buy smart....
I've praised him in the past as there's obviously been a concerted attempt to buy smart....
"Some" evidence now (say, Klimala et al), but including the appointment of Lennon and lack of aforementioned proper attacking ethos and strategy....
What's left is an astonishing lack of ambition.
What's left is an astonishing lack of ambition.
So to summarise what I'm trying to say is, we've suffered due to bad leadership at the very top for maybe 4-5 years.
With our financial advantage we should've created a legacy - a hotbed for young players. Lawwell's contrived to create a mess.
With our financial advantage we should've created a legacy - a hotbed for young players. Lawwell's contrived to create a mess.
For some positivity, NL has turned slumps around before. There's obviously, clearly a host of (£££) talent here now.
Finally Rangers will hit a bad patch (how'd they have dealt with 6ish starters out on Sat?)
So not all doom and gloom, but the flaws so painfully obvious.
Finally Rangers will hit a bad patch (how'd they have dealt with 6ish starters out on Sat?)
So not all doom and gloom, but the flaws so painfully obvious.
