Rangers Vs Motherwell Discussion Thread

[SuperSteelman]

Embarrassing, every other team seems to be capable of giving them a game,even if most get beat they don't get pumped in the same embarrassing way that we do.

 

[Jay]

I don't particularly subscribe to the idea of being particularly annoyed if we lose at Ibrox - regardless of scoreline - because I've grown up expecting us to lose there anyway. But the biggest problem I had today was the fact that we made guys like Sone Aluko and Lee Wallace look like top class players.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd fully expect both to get a first team game for Motherwell, but it's fucking frustrating when you watch Motherwell players treat Aluko in an Aberdeen shirt and Wallace in a Hearts jersey like any other SPL player, but as soon as they're in a blue kit at Ibrox, suddenly we shite ourselves, stand off them, and make them look like great footballers. Throw in absolute mince like Edu and Healy, and you soon realise that there's a perfectly valid reason why other sides can go to Ibrox and get a result.

 

Overall we were terrible today, made worse by the fact that Rangers are a completely dire side - Celtic will win the title this season pretty easily, and by an absolute country mile if Jelavic leaves in January.

 

Incidentally, I love how the Currants new wee singing section seems to have just adopted every song the Motherwell fans sing, with a few changes obviously - don't get me wrong, football songs by their very nature are very, very seldom original, but it seemed as though they'd actually come to Fir Park earlier in the season with tape recorders in a bid to adopt every single song from the East Stand.

[Stu]

It's no longer acceptable, Our away form has been the only positive of late and that's back to back away defeats against a " poor " Hearts side and a "poor" Rangers side.

 

Last decent performance was St Johnstone away, we've been papering over the cracks for some time now. The reality is that we do not have the abiltiy to bring in players to change this and if we're honest with ourselves top 6 and a decent cup run is a decent season for us.

 

I'm not calling for anyone's head or any of that knee jerk pish,. however it's time for some straight talking from the club and the gaffer.

 

We have to adjust our expectations level.

 

The rest of this month will define our season Queens Park (cup) and then ICT home , Arabs away Dunfermline then St Johnstone Home.

 

We need to be looking at minimum 10/12 points and progression in the cup.

:blink:

[MJC_MKI]

As my Celtic supporting mate said to me "You f*****ng let David Healy score against you" just about sums up the day.

The only thing that imprerssed me today was the Ibrox public address system

 

 

With all due respect, fuck your Celtic supporting mate. What those fannies think about us and how we play is the least of our concerns. I'm sick fed up hearing this 'oh dear what will the Celtic fans think of us now' from some of our fans every time we lose against Rangers. For Christ's sake, some of our support need to fucking grow a set and tell Celtic fans where to go and how to get there because that seems to be the first thing that comes into some Motherwell fans' heads after a result like this against Rangers, and why? We don't 'owe' Celtic and their fans to perform against Rangers or get a result against them, we owe it to ourselves and nobody else and guess what? Even if we did give Rangers a game of it or by some miracle actually beat them, yer 'Celtic supporting mates' will still tell you that you're a Rangers fan without the busfare because that's the way their deluded, bitter wee minds tend to work as in their cretinous little world, 'if yer no wan ae us yer wan ae them'.

 

Like I said, no disrespect to you whatsoever, this rant is actually not aimed at you personally, but it really pisses me off hearing Motherwell fans openly fretting about what Celtic fans think or say about us after a game that has got fuck all to do with them.

[Tweed]

Your absolutely right about not giving a flying what the Celtic fans think. However we let David Healy score against us. Murder.

[MJC_MKI]

Yes but inspite the fact that McCall must take his fair share of the blame for yet another gutless display at Ibrox, I'm 100% sure that he didn't send the players out under instruction to let 'David Healy score'.

 

Motherwell have always been very generous to teams or strikers out of form, so Healy scoring against us, for the first time in eleven months since the last time he scored, also against us, is nothing new. I remember Harald Brattbakk, that Norweigan dud who played with Celtic who was ridiculed for his inability to score ending his drought against us at Fir Park in the late 90s, and whenever Robbie Winters went through a barron run at Aberdeen he'd always make up for it against us. Christ, even Derek Townsley scored against us for Hibs one season. It's just one of those bizarre yet totally frustrating things that always seem to happen with Motherwell. Players who normally couldn't kick their own arse suddenly seem to find another gear when they come up against us.

[Burn_Broomfield]

Soul Destroying!! One more injury to that Rangers midfield and I'll be playing in it, and they still fuckin' bossed us!! They will be out the game by the season's end so we won't have to suffer such demoralising defeats anymore. Hearts and Dundee Utd have better teams than the one Rangers put out and yet we can pump them no bother. I really hate Rangers

[mfc]

with jelavic no playing at lafferty going off early i thought our players would have got a lift from that but it made absolutely no difference

 

 

[Lobey_Dosser]

If anything, we shat it.

 

Humped by a front 3 of aluko, Healy and fleck...

[gary_411]

Woeful today. They were there for the taking but we showed far too much respect to a shite team and got pumped as usual. Lasley was non-existant, and Hughes and Hateley were doomed to fail as the rest of the midfield 3. Think Hammell got more abuse than was deserved, he did actually hold aluko back for most of the first half and it was Craigan that was at fault for his goal.

 

Clancy didn't have anything like the pace to keep tabs on Wallace but then that's not his fault, McCall should never have thrown him in there. Hateley has been solid at RB all season, Tynecastle apart. Utter madness on that front.

 

McCall has to accept the blame for basically being tactically beaten by a clueless diddy like McCoist. He changed what has been a decent back 4 and an attacking away side to one that was never going to create. To his credit, at least he changed it and brought on 2 attackers at half time and hooked hughes. We looked better after the break but it didn't last as they hit us on the break.

 

Really annoyed at Hughes getting a game over Carswell and Forbes, the guy just seems lazy and isn't a luxury we can afford. So much more frustration but I won't waste my breath on the ref and the media, and our general ineptness at ibrox as its the same every time.

[Steve Diggle]

When we beat Celtic at Fir Park last season and we were all over them like a fuckin rash. We completely shut them down.

 

Now, while I acknowledge that we're not in crisis, I think we need to be changing the record in terms of how we play against these c***s and thinking about a more in your face type of game.

 

You don't tinker with the back 4. You replace Jennings with the most 'like for like' that you can. And if you need to bolster up midfield then put someone else in instead of one of our forward skelfs.

 

This in itself highlights what some have highlighted for some time as the 2nd chink in the armour - the failure to develop the squad around the 1st eleven. No matter what we think of who is on our bench. It's down to McCall and Black to develop and maintain a group of players who are match ready for the times in matches when we need to change things. I'm in the belief that although we don't have an embarrassment of riches we have fringe players that are able to come in and fill gaps when required. I'm also of the opinion that if I were Forbes, McHugh, Page etc. any confidence would be almost shot by now - and I'd add Carswell to that growing list.

 

McCall is doing a great job. Away form has by and large been great. We need a plan B at home because we're unable to unlock the opposition. I can handle that more than Broons park the bus shite that we had to endure. However the big question mark is how we tackle the Old Firm teams. There's no doubt that there's something psychological going on where we're giving them far far too much respect and standing right off them. Two performances out of something like 9 games (celtic at home / rangers semi) is abysmal.

 

I don't know if the players are not up for it when they cross the white line or if they've been cautioned by McCall against commiting to challenges for any number of reasons.

 

This might come across as a bit of a negative rant. It's not meant to be. We're doing great and McCall is surpassing expectations. But there are, I believe, flaws and it doesn't do any harm to get them out there and discuss them.

[Onthefringes]

Here, here

[Andy_P]

I thought the team selection was a bit of a mish-mash of ideas that ended up with McCall trying to hedge his bets as much as possible.

 

Seemed obvious that we needed an extra midfielder in alongside Lasley to retain the regular midfield shape so for me that was always going to be either Carswell or if he wanted to go for the experienced option, Hateley into midfield and Clancy to right back.

 

That much was fair enough.

 

I didn't foresee the inclusion of Hughes however. I could only really put the withdrawal of both Humphrey and Daley and the extra central midfielder down to hoping to try to retain possession as much as possible, keep it tight for as long as possible in the hope that the home support turn. And then still have the option of utilising some more attacking options from the bench if required.

 

I can see his dilemma in that if he starts with an attacking formation, we leave ourselves more exposed as were in the second half, and that if we do concede more than one he's got little or no chance of rectifying the situation and the only changes he can make are likely to be damage limitation.

 

But aye, you reach the point where you wonder, we're third place, a defeat is expected anyway, why not just go and stick it to them from the off and see if you can really get them panicking.

[sbcmfc]

Strange choices.

 

Hughes IS NOT a replacement for jenno, he's too lightweight, and doesn't look match fit, he was rotten at Tynecastle where we got over run in midfield, and rotten again on Saturday, although he seemed to be playing right midfield, he has no attacking instinct at all, it's sideways at best.

 

I'd have kept hately at RB, stuck carswell in midfield, and had Daley on the right.

 

Clancy had a poor game, had always thought he'd done a job previously.

 

Start of the second half was encouraging with Daley working hard, and trying to create something. The changes were positive, which was fine, there was always the risk it left us a bit exposed at the back, but rangers looked vulnerable when we did attack them.

 

1st goal hutchy should have nailed edu, or stay on his feet, he sold himself and didn't win the ball, or take the man out, although he did have a good game otherwise.

 

2nd goal aluko got far too much respect, and despite being our best player, I thought Randolph could have done better, he was well positioned (probably a bit over critical!!)

 

3rd goal, looked like we had a decent shout for a penalty, rangers go up the park and get the killer 3rd.

[santheman]

With all due respect, fuck your Celtic supporting mate. What those fannies think about us and how we play is the least of our concerns. I'm sick fed up hearing this 'oh dear what will the Celtic fans think of us now' from some of our fans every time we lose against Rangers. For Christ's sake, some of our support need to fucking grow a set and tell Celtic fans where to go and how to get there because that seems to be the first thing that comes into some Motherwell fans' heads after a result like this against Rangers, and why? We don't 'owe' Celtic and their fans to perform against Rangers or get a result against them, we owe it to ourselves and nobody else and guess what? Even if we did give Rangers a game of it or by some miracle actually beat them, yer 'Celtic supporting mates' will still tell you that you're a Rangers fan without the busfare because that's the way their deluded, bitter wee minds tend to work as in their cretinous little world, 'if yer no wan ae us yer wan ae them'.

 

Like I said, no disrespect to you whatsoever, this rant is actually not aimed at you personally, but it really pisses me off hearing Motherwell fans openly fretting about what Celtic fans think or say about us after a game that has got fuck all to do with them.

 

 

No direspect taken MJC as I said exactly the same thing to him.

I only used that example to highlight how badly I thought we defended when a guy who is a bit of a joke figure (even with Rangers fans) and has only scored somethin like 2 goals in 2 years manages to stick one past us.

Sorry to have rubbed you up the wrong way

[TheLip69]

But aye, you reach the point where you wonder, we're third place, a defeat is expected anyway, why not just go and stick it to them from the off and see if you can really get them panicking.

 

 

That seems to be the attitude most teams take into Old Firm matches, why are we so different?

With all due respect to Killie and ICT, we're better than them, yet they go to Ibrox and turn them over while we go there and fucking roll over.

We've got a terrific away record so why did McCall need to make wholesale changes to the team and the system for Ibrox? I dont mind getting beat by Rangers at Ibrox, I dont care how long it's been since we last won there, I dont care how long it goes on, as long as we give it a fucking go.

I've came away from Ibrox plenty times disappointed with the result but rarely with the performance, recently it's gone past disappointment it's now embarrassing.

[Finlay]

Both Killie and ICT were beaten at Ibrox. They did put up more of a 'fight' right enough. Rangers league defearts, unless I'm mistaken, have all been away. Still beat us 3-0 at Fir Park mind you. Certainly easy points for them at the moment.

[Scarecrow]

David Healy now has the princely total of 2 goals for Rangers. Both against Motherwell. Cringe!!!

[weeyin]

That seems to be the attitude most teams take into Old Firm matches, why are we so different?

With all due respect to Killie and ICT, we're better than them, yet they go to Ibrox and turn them over while we go there and fucking roll over.

We've got a terrific away record so why did McCall need to make wholesale changes to the team and the system for Ibrox? I dont mind getting beat by Rangers at Ibrox, I dont care how long it's been since we last won there, I dont care how long it goes on, as long as we give it a fucking go.

I've came away from Ibrox plenty times disappointed with the result but rarely with the performance, recently it's gone past disappointment it's now embarrassing.

 

I don't even mind the fact that McCall tried a different formation for this game (some of it enforced, some of it to switch tactics). In his post-match interview, he at least made all the right noises about running a 4-4-2 and, even when a goal down, try and take the game to them.

 

It just seems like the players are scared to play there. You would think the obvious way to overcome the fear is to get in about them from the kick-off and don't let them settle. Even if you lose a game like that, at least you come away feeling that you made it difficult for them.

 

I've been saying it for a while now, but it feels like no matter how well (or poorly) we are playing, Rangers could field their U-14s girls team and still turn us over by 3 goals.

[Big Stall]

Just saw the goals. Belter of a finish for craigan! Unstoppable!

[sbcmfc]

David Healy now has the princely total of 2 goals for Rangers. Both against Motherwell. Cringe!!!

 

More embarrassing is salim kerkar making another cameo against us!! I think he has made 3 appearances for rangers, all off the bench against Motherwell, it's almost like they're taking the piss!!

[Joeboy]

Was watching the game online yesterday, but thankfully some visitors came in and deprived me of the majority of the second half, so I'm limited about what I can say about the game myself.

 

I've been to the majority of away games this season, but I didn't really contemplate going yesterday. I could barely even gather the motivation to watch it online. Normally if Motherwell are playing and I'm not at the game, I can't concentrate on anything else for that period of time, I'm constantly checking the score etc, but I was so pessimistic about yesterday I saw it as a foregone conclusion and barely even batted an eyelid to the score when the visitors came in.

 

What makes it all the more difficult to take is that it is the worst Rangers team there has been for quite some time. Take 2009/10, the Rangers team was better then than it is now and they only managed one victory against us out of four. To add to that in 2/3 draws, you could argue we really should have won (O'Brien's missed penalty in the first game and Forbes disallowed goal in the second). Nowadays our team seems to offer them an unnatural amount of awe and the personnel from that season is mainly the same. To add to that, Rangers didn't beat us at home between January 2007 and Boxing Day last year, now there seems to be no doubt about it.

 

I'm not for a minute suggesting we should be expected to beat or even get a point against Rangers, I'm just suggesting we should compete a bit better. Sone Aluko never really stood out to me against us for Aberdeen at any point, especially not to the degree he could make the "step-up" to Rangers or Celtic. Infact, I found it quite entertaining when Rangers were so desperate to sign him and I thought it epitomised their fall from grace, yet he is still afforded respect by us yesterday, certainly in the hour I saw.

 

Part of me thinks that in a way we have our performances against both halves of the Old Firm to thank (if you like) that we haven't received any bids for our highly rated players recently. Murphy was decent in the second half of the 3-3 draw at Ibrox in May 2010, but other than that he hasn't kicked a ball against either half of the Old Firm in my opinion. I think potential suitors may be watching him in games against Celtic and Rangers and see he isn't very effective against superior opposition. As for Hutchinson, he has been badly exposed during each of our last four games against Rangers.

 

I must underline I am beyond delighted with our position with two games in hand halfway through the season, but it would be an injustice to ourselves if we took the "we've surpassed expectations thus far" stance to justify inept performances such as this. Let's hope we put it right and cuff them in the next game at Fir Park.

[henry]

More embarrassing is salim kerkar making another cameo against us!! I think he has made 3 appearances for rangers, all off the bench against Motherwell, it's almost like they're taking the piss!!

 

They are taking the piss ,Rangers own us and ride oor arses every time they play us. Certain players [Hammell ,Lasley ,Graigan, Hatley ,Higdon ] were so far of the pace it was embarrassing. Clancy should hopefully be away at the end of the season anyway, but what will get the alarm bells ringing for me is if we offer Hughes a deal.

[Finlay]

Andrew Weston (Press Sport) was hinting on twitter last night that Hughes won't be staying.

[postiejim]

They are taking the piss ,Rangers own us and ride oor arses every time they play us. Certain players [Hammell ,Lasley ,Graigan, Hatley ,Higdon ] were so far of the pace it was embarrassing. Clancy should hopefully be away at the end of the season anyway, but what will get the alarm bells ringing for me is if we offer Hughes a deal.

Some of these guys are a bit like myself , best days are behind them .