AkydefGoldberg wrote:Celtic hit Rangers for five - didn't see the match obviously but it was 3-1 at one point then was informed it'd gone to five with facing ten men. Joey Barton - all that trash talk and end up with egg on your face. Thoughts @SlightlyJames?
Wasn't in any mood to be saying anything constructive at the time I saw this mention so I just left it well alone.
Aye, we got thoroughly pumped. The team were dire, Senderos got himself sent off with one of the stupidest hand balls I've ever seen and Celtic, particularly Moussa Dembele, were more than happy to mop us up. Rangers have got severe defensive problems and when you've got guys like Joey Barton and Niko Kranjcar in midfield who don't seem to give a fuck, doing nothing to compensate or protect the defence, those weaknesses are only exasperated.
Barton in particular seems to have been a significant mistake of a signing. Seems quite clear he's had a good season in the Championship and decided he's going to come up here and stroll the SPL, but he's been rotten. Made zero impact in any game he's been in, seems to have completely underestimated the Scottish game and played up how he's supposedly a class apart, come in for far higher wages than our proven performers and done nothing to justify them.
I'd seen somewhat of a narrative when he'd first been brought in about how Barton had supposedly matured in his more recent years and become more of a level head but here we are in September and he's already been causing unrest in training, suspended for the better part of a month and still can't keep his fucking trap shut in the media. And now, supposedly, there's been allegations of him betting on games! We'll be well shot of him with any luck. Overpaid under-performing cocky prick.
Now Barton's gone (for a few weeks at least) there should be an opportunity for Rangers to find some semblance of form. Get some more energetic players back in the team like Harry Forrester and Jason Holt who put a shift in and start playing with a bit more decisiveness. I would be sceptical about putting Kranjcar back in the team, he's got a good eye for a pass but the guy seems either unfit or uninterested. Very little movement.
I would love to see a lot more of Michael O'Halloran in the team, he's found it very difficult to get game time this year and I can't understand why. Any time I see him come on he presents a goal threat but he only ever seems to get on as a sub. Been weeks since I heard any mention of Jordan Rossiter, there's been nothing said about any injuries or anything but there's been no sign of him in the team. Hopefully he's back soon, feel like he could be an important player for us.
It's been a month since Rangers won a competitive game. That's pretty dire. Despite falling down the table I definitely feel like our team has the capacity to perform well and be competitive in the league. Next few months will be telling.