Some perspective on Gio

[Calgacus]

We've played 28 league games. One player is into double figures, Alfie with 12.
Kent has 2. Lundstram 1. Kamara 2.
Goldson 2. Bassey 0. Sakala 7. Aribo 7. Arfield 4. Tav has 6.

That's 41 for the season from the team that started yesterday. That's not even 2 goals a game on average & considering the amount of chances we create, some of those numbers are awful.
The only other goalscorer worth mentioning is Roofe who has 6.

There's a lot of pressure on Alfie because if he doesn't score we will probably only score one goal in the game and our defence is averaging losing a goal at just short of one goal a game.

That's miles from title winning form folks. Miles from it.

Score a goal a game (without Alfie's stats) is OK if we don't concede, but we do, more this season than any since Gerrard arrived.

 

[Bluebeard]

Football fans are a fickle bunch

Gerrard was regularly slated for not changing things up.

Gio tries changing things up and is slated.

It’s not fickle to suggest it’s outrageous to attempt to play Tavernier at centre half, or Lundstram. It’s never going to work. Just sheer arrogance thinking we will get away with it it’s only Motherwell.

“ but it worked against Dortmund” no , it didn’t. Lundstram played deep and helped Balogun and Goldson mop up against Dortmund, he didn’t play as a centre half. He’s way, way too slow for that position and was exposed brutally for the first goal yesterday. That’s on the manager.

 

[Walters80]

Gerrard inherited an absolute disaster and had to build a completely new squad

Gio inherited the champions. There’s a huge difference

Agree to a certain extent but the big difference is Gerrard was backed financially Gio hasn't had that luxury.

Gerrard left cause he could see this team were on the slide dramatically and money needed to be spent or things would get worse.

I'm actually shocked Gio agreed to take the job knowing he'd be working with his hands tied having dreadful Ross Wilson signings forced on him.

 

[Melanchthon]

Ultimately there is no way around the fact that the manager and team have dropped 8 points against Ross County, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and Motherwell. Even taking into account the surrender against C3lt1c, those games should have been won comfortably and if they had be then we would be on easy street to the title. This is self-inflicted and it is up to the manager and players to sort themselves out or a price should be paid as dropping those points at this stage of the season is unforgiveable and beating Dortmund does not change that.

 

[Arkanoid]

We’d be 7 points behind Celtic after 15 games if we’d both started on zero .

His team resembled 2016s imposters , terrified of being on the same pitch h as Celtic

But we continue to get great results in Europe . There’s a mentality issue running through this club that needs weeded out .

We should have been more than 4 points clear than Celtic, they were that bad at the start of the season. Gerrard should have walked out with a minimum 10 point lead

 

[When we were young]

It’s not fickle to suggest it’s outrageous to attempt to play Tavernier at centre half, or Lundstram. It’s never going to work. Just sheer arrogance thinking we will get away with it it’s only Motherwell.

“ but it worked against Dortmund” no , it didn’t. Lundstram played deep and helped Balogun and Goldson mop up against Dortmund, he didn’t play as a centre half. He’s way, way too slow for that position and was exposed brutally for the first goal yesterday. That’s on the manager.

You are dead right Bluebeard, it's on the manager.
He should have changed line up at half time with fresh legs for those who played on Thursday

 

[Bluenose1979]

We should have been more than 4 points clear than Celtic, they were that bad at the start of the season. Gerrard should have walked out with a minimum 10 point lead

Agree with this. We actually missed a real opportunity to run away and potentially have Ange on a shoogly peg quite early. Their hordes wouldn't have been away from the shark park if we'd been as ruthless as we should've been.

Unfortunately, like others, I think SG checked out after Malmo and it rubbed off on the dressing room.

I'm still a long way off being convinced by Gio TBH. Never got the hype at the time he was coming in, but more than happy to give him a chance to prove himself.

Outside of the European nights, he's not giving me much confidence quite honestly. Yesterday should have been a skoosh and between him and the players they contrived to yet again blow it. Only so many times you can fail to learn your lesson or prove something a blip before it just starts to look like a trend.

 

[Calvinist]

Collectively, we have a good squad, the problem is I think they believe their own hype.

Thats why I think Gio needs get a pre-season and his own players in.

I agree with your point

I think we have a very capable squad who seem to freeze at the business end of the domestic season and have a mental block when it comes to cup games .

I was expecting better things from Gio , but he seems an overly negative , cautious manager . The exact opposite of what has got us results in Europe .

Regardless of how the season ends I’m not keen on on him continuing as manager in the summer

 

[JCDarcheville]

It's not as bad as some make out. In general, the team is actually making some progress performance level wise. We are losing out to very soft goals, Gio is at fault for continuing to select McGregor. Sort that, tighten up and we can still win the league.

 

[Bigbluebear]

In which case, why are they at rangers? If we’ve got players we can’t trust in home games against Motherwell then we’re in an even worse position than I thought

Its who we would have been removing for them rather than the guys on the bench.

 

[Chris01]

I wanted Gio at the time but it’s been a bad appointment

Really bad record in Scottish league and is gifting Celtic the title with his naivety.

Summer rebuild for the squad and the manager needed imo

 

[Otis Blue]

Like Gerrard we have another manager learning on the job and learning about Scottish football and it’s teams and players. He’s getting caught out just as Gerrard did. The worse of it is that Gio adopted the champions when he started , Gerrard adopted mediocrity.

 

[arnietac1]

Our performances at pittodrie and the piggery after the break are two of the weakest, worst Rangers performances I can ever remember in 50 years.

If you don't mind that is a loaf of shite isn't it?

I know you are upset over yesterday as we all are but stating complete bollox will not get your point across any better.

 

[CaptainCourageous]

I look at the players more than Gio…at the moment

It’s on both.

 

[Bluebeard]

If you don't mind that is a loaf of shite isn't it?

I know you are upset over yesterday as we all are but stating complete bollox will not get your point across any better.

How is it bollcks? I’ll say it again so you hear me - in almost 50 years of watching us our performances at pittodrie and the piggery are two of the weakest, most insipid, worst Rangers “ displays” I have ever seen.

 

[dt17]

4pt clear but who still shit the bed in situations like Ross County and yesterday. Both them were on the players. The same players that have done it time and time again over the years.

McGregor

 

[ForGodForCountryForever]

I loved Stevie G but I know it was time for both he and Rangers to seek fresh starts, no moreso than because after such a long time of the same group and voices itd become stale.

Gerrard was more a Firebrand to Gio's Cerebral Calmness, yesterday those players wouldve been given a Rocket playing as they eventually did. Maybe it wouldnt have made a difference but it shouldve been the least they got.

Gio doesnt strike me as the sort who ever sends a Rocket, and while that might be fine in Europe the complexities of domestic Football defo require it in your Weapons Locker

"We need to do/be better".

Even if the players are listening theyre not hearing him.

More often than not, they tended to hear Gerrard.

 

[dt17]

It’s not fickle to suggest it’s outrageous to attempt to play Tavernier at centre half, or Lundstram. It’s never going to work. Just sheer arrogance thinking we will get away with it it’s only Motherwell.

“ but it worked against Dortmund” no , it didn’t. Lundstram played deep and helped Balogun and Goldson mop up against Dortmund, he didn’t play as a centre half. He’s way, way too slow for that position and was exposed brutally for the first goal yesterday. That’s on the manager.

Lundstram has played CB in his career though.

Ultimately there is no way around the fact that the manager and team have dropped 8 points against Ross County, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and Motherwell. Even taking into account the surrender against C3lt1c, those games should have been won comfortably and if they had be then we would be on easy street to the title. This is self-inflicted and it is up to the manager and players to sort themselves out or a price should be paid as dropping those points at this stage of the season is unforgiveable and beating Dortmund does not change that.

How can you blame Gio for McGregor gifting teams a win? I suppose it was Gerrard's fault that he dropped the ball for a Hearts tap in after 90 odd minutes as well?

 

[Bluebeard]

Lundstram has played CB in his career though.



How can you blame Gio for McGregor gifting teams a win? I suppose it was Gerrard's fault that he dropped the ball for a Hearts tap in after 90 odd minutes as well?

Who picks mcgregor just now? The tooth fairy?

 

[Mearns Ranger]

You don’t think Gerrard’s run of fixtures was easier?

absolutely not

its the scottish premier league, not the EPL. 99% of our opponents are dross

and Gio has had a much, much worse return than Gerrard

One loss(away to Celtic) and one draw worse.
One draw you could say he picked up a point at Tannadice where Gerrard lost?

 

[dt17]

Who picks mcgregor just now? The tooth fairy?

No arguments about who picks him. I've said already Gio seems to have a blind spot for him and it'll cost him his job.

 

[RFC_Champions]

both of them were on McGregor id argue

Gio drops Borna for playing poor. Why not drop McGregor for costing us points?

This is going to cost us the title imo

 

[Bruce_Wayne]

I look at the players more than Gio…at the moment

Gio's change in approach since the Celtic game has been evident. Even his selection of Lundstrum to build attacks from the back through the lines from centre half yesterday looked a great tactic at half time.

He's obviously also made mistakes and decisions that can be questioned, all manager's do, but we're 4 years down the line with these players now and they are doing the same effin thing they have done in 3 of the 4 years they've been together.

Tremendous in Europe but again cant seem to win games that they really should. They've done it countless times over the last 4 years and we're seeing it again this season. I love Goldson but when the pressure is slightly on against muck like Motherwell he seems to be all over the place.

2 manager's now with this core of players and we're seeing the same bad habits and weird mentality they have shown all to often.

 

[Big D]

Gio getting slaughtered, and for many reasons rightly so, but having thought about this and looking into the league form, see if your opinion changes slightly.

Gerrard
Played 13
Won 9
Drawn 3
Lost 1

Gio
Played 15
Won 10
Drawn 4
Lost 1

The records are very, very similar.

For me Gio shades it with Europe as his results have been bigger, (must win v Sparta, draw in Lyon prior to the Dortmund delight)but we should also remember that Gio has played Hearts, Hibs, Celtic, Aberdeen and Dundee United away from home.
Regardless of could’ve, would’ve, should’ve, Gio has had the much harder run of fixtures.

We’re still very much in this and I still believe we’ll win it.

Positivity, optimism and belief. It'll never catch on.

 

[barrheadbear]

if you reset the points to Zero, when Gio takes over, we are 7 points behind Celtic

and we have played some absolute dross teams in that period (motherwell, ross county, dundee utd, aberdeen)

lets not forget, Gio was taking over the champions, who were 4 pts clear

You missed the worst game of football I might just have seen in over 50 years, v Hibs at Easter Road where we won with a late Roofe penalty. Both teams that nught very dreadful, an absolute dire game of football.

The teams collapse is the exact same thing that hapoened un SG's first two seasons. A complete loss of form post Winter break. Can't explain it, but it is there in black and white. Three times we have entered the break in fine fettle and then when the restart comes we crash big time. Inexplicable.

 

[Arkanoid]

It’s on both.

And Gerrard? He’s still getting an easy ride from plenty

 

[laud55]

Gio is meant to be a "pragmatic" manager which I guess means he makes sure the defence is right first and foremost. We currently look incapable of keeping a clean sheet. This is something that needs fixed now with the players that we have available. And we need to take more of the chances that we are creating. The accuracy of the shooting has been pretty awful. These are things that can be worked on in training surely without massive intensity during this heavy match schedule.