The right response ….

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Originally Posted by LSArab

I think JR takes his fair share as we were too optimistic setting up like that against AZ. Especially when we knew they had to come at us

I do hope JR is kind of manager who learns from this.

The Aussies are now seriously in question as first team options

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Fair comment... I thought it was too early to start blaming folk, maybe blame isn't the correct word, but your right, far too optimistic the way we set up. Maybe thought it might replicate the home performance, but as we all know going to another teams ground in Europe is never easy (as many found out visiting us)

Think a back 5 might be a good idea until we gel/stabilize etc. Really want to see RG back in that defence, he was great for us latter end of last season.

No sure about Tynecastle tho..... another chance for Robbie to prove a point ? (not that he has to)

The two foul/no booking thing is an issue.... we should have got 5 sent off and match abandoned, it would have been less embarrassing ;)

Where do you start with that? No way of sugar coating it, a stain on the club. I literally couldn't face picking up a metro on the bus this morning, I've had bigger disappointments following Utd, but that has to be the most excruciating and embarrassing. Ok we've had pumpings by some sh1te in the championship and old firm, but not on a European stage for all to see, and 6 goals in about 21 mins? That is complete amateur stuff, we essentially got beat 7-0 in about 65 mins, nobody escapes blame for that.

I think we were probably a decent keeper and defensive midfielder away from a sound beating as opposed to a humiliation. I think we will be ok the season ahead, not many teams would beat Alkmaar at home, my only concern is we might be about to go into season with 2 dodgy keepers, remember the disaster of relegation season, not saying that would happen again, but would seriously undermine our ambitions if that was to be the case. We also need a defensive mid, and if Watt and Fletcher play regular all season that's two guys who are not going to get you a lot of goals and relatively slow.

Truth is you can conjure up ghosts of Barcelona etc... but we have been absolute dire in Europe for three decades now, our record in that time is down there with our record at Parkhead which is equally embarrassing. Alkmaar are better than us by decent margin, to have any slim chance we can't be making it easy for them with the gaps and space and defensive errors we handed them. I wont go too hard on the manager because as said Alkmaar are better player for player, and he doesn't have a defensive midfielder and keeper was poor, but I will say Tam Courts pretty much most games v Celtic and Rangers had us well organised, you could see the team had been coached well and worked on, and that despite virtually having nothing up front, but he still managed to make us competitive in those games, even at Ibrox when he had to throw in a raft of kids with only a week to prepare, he set us up excellently that day, and we kept the ball well and carried a bit of threat.

Like the sentiment of the topic says, when you fall off a bike you have to get back on again, think it might be sticky spell ahead though, and lot of enthusiasm disappeared last night.

I'm a bit stuck for words today as the true feelings of utter humiliation sink in.

My first thought today is the club should do something tangible by way of apology to the fans that travelled, maybe a voucher based on production of travel evidence. Dunno how that would work but something, anything.

Second knee jerk thought is to send the same 11 starters out on Sunday and tell them to f ucking win, to start putting things right.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LSArab

I think JR takes his fair share as we were too optimistic setting up like that against AZ. Especially when we knew they had to come at us

I do hope JR is kind of manager who learns from this.

The Aussies are now seriously in question as first team options

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The keeper has been less than impressive but surely the full back deserves a chance.

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Originally Posted by An old shed boy

The keeper has been less than impressive but surely the full back deserves a chance.

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Yeah, far too early to judge him. He's played at a better level than ours, he'll come good I reckon. Keeper needs to be protected on Sunday I feel though. Hearts fans are a rabid bunch of ****s and I fear another humiliation could be on the cards

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Originally Posted by An old shed boy

The keeper has been less than impressive but surely the full back deserves a chance.

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The gaps between our fullbacks and CB'S were ridiculous for an away leg against fast passing opponents. It was pretty obvious from the first leg that we needed 5 across the back away but everyone knew Ross wouldn't do it because he has always favoured a 4. It wouldn't have changed the result but maybe would have saved complete humiliation.

So start Behich again on Sunday. But for me Freeman is better than Smith at RB because he's more tenacious in closing down opponents and offers more going forward.