Rangers v Aberdeen

[TheDeeDon]

I think one of the biggest problems we have is that we have assembled a squad of inconsistent players over the years.

Most of the players we have are good on their day but those days are few and far between.

The commentator on Sky sports said at the beginning of the game that Jamie McGrath got 6 assists in his first 8 games this season and none in his last 14 games, cant see a lot of fans bothered about him going to Hibs.

Leighton Clarkson clearly has talent and ability but he doesnt show it often enough, he has looked good since Thelin started playing him deeper in midfield but has gone missing again in the last few games, the 4 managers he has had in his time with us havent been able to get a tune out of him so I dont have much confidence that the 5th manager will be able to either.

Maybe thats why these guys are here and thats the type of player we can afford, players who have plenty of ability but dont show it often enough.

Clarkson is a clearly talented player, so what is stopping him doing what he does best. Who is playing alongside him?
The opposition stopping him finding space?
Form?

Him alongside Polvara yesterday was never going to work, but I get why Jimmy dropped Palaversa.

Okkels is a player we have because he has struggled with injury for a few years and it has shown when he plays for us.
By playing Okkels, we then put Topi on the right, which weakens us further and have seen this time and time again over the past few months.


No danger that midfield four was getting us points at Ibrox, but would Palaversa in the middle. Topi on the left and Shayden on the right been any better?

McGrath is gone, but the lad has just recently came back from injury. Four months out is not a period you bounce back to your best after some minutes.
He is a good player and won't be easily replaced and should do well for Hibs.

Despite spending money, our squad is fairly poor and clearly players who either just aren't good enough or can't play Thelinball.

Our season changed last year with the siging of Hoilet.
The boy had a quality about him, despite his age, that is clearly lacking this season.

Even having a player like that in training or on the bench, helps others in the team raise their game and is a far better option off the bench than some of what we've got.

[The_Moog]

Maybe thats why these guys are here and thats the type of player we can afford, players who have plenty of ability but dont show it often enough.

This certainly seems to be part of the issue.

Theres a significant chunk of that team we have paid in the region of 500-800k for in transfer fees.

Is that spend generating significant improvements?

Are these players a clear level above the majority of the SPFL journeymen they face each week?

On current evidence (and previous when we have opened the purse strings in the past) you would have to say no.

I saw a quote somewhere that Keskinen is basically a million pound Connor McLennan. Theres a level of truth to that.

So really, if spending that level of money does not actually differentiate you in any meaningful way from the dross of the league, whats the point of forking that cash out.

Be as well filling yer team with your own bunch of honest trier journeymen if the results and outcome are gonna be pretty much the same.

Id certainly be beginning to think that if I was Dave C.

[rico94]

Clarkson is a clearly talented player, so what is stopping him doing what he does best. Who is playing alongside him?
The opposition stopping him finding space?
Form?

Him alongside Polvara yesterday was never going to work, but I get why Jimmy dropped Palaversa.

Okkels is a player we have because he has struggled with injury for a few years and it has shown when he plays for us.
By playing Okkels, we then put Topi on the right, which weakens us further and have seen this time and time again over the past few months.


No danger that midfield four was getting us points at Ibrox, but would Palaversa in the middle. Topi on the left and Shayden on the right been any better?

McGrath is gone, but the lad has just recently came back from injury. Four months out is not a period you bounce back to your best after some minutes.
He is a good player and won't be easily replaced and should do well for Hibs.

Despite spending money, our squad is fairly poor and clearly players who either just aren't good enough or can't play Thelinball.

Our season changed last year with the siging of Hoilet.
The boy had a quality about him, despite his age, that is clearly lacking this season.

Even having a player like that in training or on the bench, helps others in the team raise their game and is a far better option off the bench than some of what we've got.

As far as Clarkson goes he has the build of a kid so if the opposition put anyone on him to stop him from dictating the play he is going to struggle.

With Scottish football being so physical he might not be suited to play up here and maybe get on better playing abroad.

McGrath has been decent in spells here this season and last season but has gone missing in games a lot of the time so I suspect he will be the same at Hibs.

You could argue that the players we have arent suited to Thelin ball but a lot of these guys struggled under Robson and Warnock last season and the excuse for them was they werent suited to playing hoofball.

Maybe they just arent suited to Scottish football and Daves process of signing players isnt working.

[rico94]

This certainly seems to be part of the issue.

Theres a significant chunk of that team we have paid in the region of 500-800k for in transfer fees.

Is that spend generating significant improvements?

Are these players a clear level above the majority of the SPFL journeymen they face each week?

On current evidence (and previous when we have opened the purse strings in the past) you would have to say no.

I saw a quote somewhere that Keskinen is basically a million pound Connor McLennan. Theres a level of truth to that.

So really, if spending that level of money does not actually differentiate you in any meaningful way from the dross of the league, whats the point of forking that cash out.

Be as well filling yer team with your own bunch of honest trier journeymen if the results and outcome are gonna be pretty much the same.

Id certainly be beginning to think that if I was Dave C.

I guess that sort of money isnt going to get you much quality these days.

You will always get the odd bargain like Miovski but most of the players you sign in that price range will be bang average.

I remember a lot of people moaning about the fact we only used to sign players from the uk and as much as I think we should be looking at players from all over the world I think we have went too far in the other direction.

I think the core of our team should be Scottish players, it seems to me that a lot of the guys we have signed from other countries really struggle with the physical side to Scottish football.

[Mason89]

We should be trying to scoop up the best of the shyte and getting the odd gem on loan.

For all of his many, many faults, McHunnis was pretty good at putting a squad together.

[TheDeeDon]

For all of his many, many faults, McHunnis was pretty good at putting a squad together.

😯
Someone's hacked Masons account!

[TheDeeDon]

I guess that sort of money isnt going to get you much quality these days.

You will always get the odd bargain like Miovski but most of the players you sign in that price range will be bang average.

I remember a lot of people moaning about the fact we only used to sign players from the uk and as much as I think we should be looking at players from all over the world I think we have went too far in the other direction.

I think the core of our team should be Scottish players, it seems to me that a lot of the guys we have signed from other countries really struggle with the physical side to Scottish football.

Said it in this thread already and other threads previously.

Our spending money is peanuts in the grand scheme of football.

We spent more on fees in the 80s and early 90s and football finances haven't exactly regressed since then. Well they have in Scotland.

We also seem to think that signing a foreign player is automatically an upgrade on any Scottish or player from the UK, because everything is shyte over here.

I'm certainly not writing off any of the January signings and believe next season will be a better time to gauge them. After a rest and hopefully a good pre season.

We need to get more from our youth set up too, to supplement the squad rather than filling up our squad with dodgy loans and players we've never heard of.

I wish I knew the answers to it all, but I don't think anyone does.

[TheDeeDon]

Just read Jimmys after match interview yesterday, where he speaks about "clear the air" talks with the players.

Clearing the air usually means signs of unrest.

Can't help think that this is all a bit of mind games in the run up to the cup final.

Was it 1970 that Celtic turned up to the final with champagne, thinking they just had to turn up to win.

A 1970 upset would be just Dandy. 👍

[Mason89]

Either that or the players know they?re being hung out to dry with the tactics

[Jormungand]

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Someone's hacked Masons account!

Was just gonna ask: is that nae one of the signs of the apocalypse?