Can we just have some perspective please?

[stirlo]

1 hour ago, naeclue said:

I was miserable yesterday, and am still fed up today. But I have a bit more perspective. The first hun goal, the ball breaks for them, it could have easily not. For us, nothing goes our way. 
 

We had years of losing to Celtic, we’ve broken that, it’ll be Rangers next. 
 

Keep on keeping on, we’ll get there.

 

On the first goal, perhaps we could have got a break - but ultimately it was a horrendous series of errors from our players. I watched it again last night and it was a comically bad goal to lose.

[FarmerTweedy]

1 hour ago, Victor Meldrew said:

Don't get me wrong: yesterday was extremely disappointing - we had the chance to take the game to an extremely mediocre Rangers side and we didn't. As many others have said, the decision-making in the final third was very poor and too many players just weren't performing as they should have done.

 

However....

 

We need to take a step back and look at things sensibly. We're about to finish third again (barring disasters) and whilst we're not hard on Rangers' heels, we're closer to the top two than we've been for a while, with a really good points total. We're going to be in Europe for the third successive season for the first time ever, and we've finished in the top 4 in three successive seasons for the first time since our golden era in the 1950s.

 

All of this is being done on the back of financial stability: the teams that won trophies in 1998, 2006 and 2012 were built using money we didn't really have, and we saw where that got us: the 1998 team was dismantled pretty quickly, the 06 team disintegrated and the spending that built the 12 team led us into administration.

 

This time (and particularly with the European and FoH money) we have an opportunity to build something sustainable which means we can develop a team that strays 'best of the rest' and helps to build something special.

 

I firmly believe that trophies will come: just as I did in 1996 when the Huns destroyed us in the Scottish Cup final and then narrowly edged the League Cup final. We need our players and management team to learn from this and I'm sure they will.

Fully agree with all of this.  The thing I'd add is when you look at the transfer business we've already done with pre-contracts for the summer, it shows that the club are actively looking at, and trying to improve, both the squad of players we have, and also the way we're going about things. In the past few years, we haven’t got the balance right between signings that are likely to take some time to settle and adjust to life and football in Scotland and ones that are likely to hit the ground running, and we've also tended not to get enough signings in early for preseason, often seeing a number of signings only join as we're about to start, or already into, competitive games.  The signings we've already made indicate that we're learning as a club.

[HopeDiouf]

2 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

The first goal I put primary culpability with Rowles powderpuff attempt to mop up the Kingsley interception - a proper Center half clears out ball and man there. But not Rowles. After that, the rest of them are just throwing bodies in trying to block. For me, Kingsley does the right thing intercepting it but Rowles is same as always, weak and indecisive at mopping things up. Sometimes as a cb you just need to leather it hard as you can and clear it. Rowles never seems to want to do that. 
 

The second goal, for me it’s basically 100% Taits fault. The defence is deep and vulnerable, looking to push up, he cannot try and skip past players with the risk of giving the ball away when we were deep like that. It was too high risk situation and it was the 1 thing we couldn’t afford for him to do. Lack of awareness of the situation. Punished unfortunately. Again, after that the rest of the defenders are just trying to throw desperate blocks in. 

 

Beni stood about a yard away and watched the 2nd goal. Tait gave the ball away so gets majority of blame  but plenty opportunity to defend it.

[FarmerTweedy]

1 hour ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

Yesterday was very very disappointing, no shame losing to Rangers but the problem is when we lose without having a right go but saying that get this 3rd place in the league confirmed and invest some serious money in the squad in the summer and come back stronger next season 

I thought we started really slowly yesterday, but after about 15 minutes got going, and from then on I thought we had a go alright, but just weren't good enough on the day to actually create the sort of chances we needed to.  I thought it was an improvement on recent performances against them, although obviously we need to improve further! 

 

I think you're right that we'll invest seriously in the summer (no multi million pound transfer fees though!) and I do think we'll be a better, stronger team next season. I do believe exciting times are ahead! 

[OmiyaHearts]

My perspective is we are now going on 13 years without a cup final win. 4 x runners up in that time. 

 

It's not good enough and people are allowed to go off on one, after pissing the bed against Rangers for the umpteenth time in a row.

Edited April 22 by OmiyaHearts

[TheBigO]

1 hour ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

Yesterday was very very disappointing, no shame losing to Rangers but the problem is when we lose without having a right go but saying that get this 3rd place in the league confirmed and invest some serious money in the squad in the summer and come back stronger next season 

But what I don't get about yesterday and everyone's hand wringing about it is.... what would "having a go" look like???  I had guys round me shouting press press press every time their defenders had the ball.  They wanted Vargas to push up, they wanted Beni 10 yards further.  Easy pass round them, Cantwell, Sterling with free reign and an overload.  We held shape until our half and then pressed quite well actually.

 

Between the two goals, which were early and late, so for 90% of the match, we totally matched Rangers.  We had the better chances (perhaps better to say openings due to decision making) restricted them to very very few.  So was that due to a lack of ambition?!?!?  It was disappointing we lost, but the manner we lost was simply an early goal from a slip.  It wasn't shape, it wasn't attitude, it was a diagonal we should have dealt better with and then a very cool finish.  We regrouped, we made good chances.  We fluffed our lines.

 

But folk can't process disappointment and need to chuck blame, so everyone gets it.  Rangers are not on form, but they've got better players than us.  They just do.  Our boys did their best and fell short.  Guys all round me "aw ffs how can Ross Co and Dundee match them and we can't ffs Naismith".  Aye cos that's how it works, right enough.  Coventry will probably get into Europe next season eh.

 

Look, the lads will be disappointed and Naisy will not hold back in telling them where they need to be better.  But the simple truth is if Kent, Forrest, Shanks, Vargas, Oda (at 2-0 mind you) had finished as they should have, it's a different game.  Very very different.  The set up got us in those positions.

 

As for the OP, absolutely spot on.  We're 3rd by some distance, we're only getting put out cups by the OF, and we're running them close a lot.  We're in a superb position.  We keep going.  Shit, imagine JKB in the late 70s!

[HopeDiouf]

2 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

But what I don't get about yesterday and everyone's hand wringing about it is.... what would "having a go" look like???  I had guys round me shouting press press press every time their defenders had the ball.  They wanted Vargas to push up, they wanted Beni 10 yards further.  Easy pass round them, Cantwell, Sterling with free reign and an overload.  We held shape until our half and then pressed quite well actually.

 

Between the two goals, which were early and late, so for 90% of the match, we totally matched Rangers.  We had the better chances (perhaps better to say openings due to decision making) restricted them to very very few.  So was that due to a lack of ambition?!?!?  It was disappointing we lost, but the manner we lost was simply an early goal from a slip.  It wasn't shape, it wasn't attitude, it was a diagonal we should have dealt better with and then a very cool finish.  We regrouped, we made good chances.  We fluffed our lines.

 

But folk can't process disappointment and need to chuck blame, so everyone gets it.  Rangers are not on form, but they've got better players than us.  They just do.  Our boys did their best and fell short.  Guys all round me "aw ffs how can Ross Co and Dundee match them and we can't ffs Naismith".  Aye cos that's how it works, right enough.  Coventry will probably get into Europe next season eh.

 

Look, the lads will be disappointed and Naisy will not hold back in telling them where they need to be better.  But the simple truth is if Kent, Forrest, Shanks, Vargas, Oda (at 2-0 mind you) had finished as they should have, it's a different game.  Very very different.  The set up got us in those positions.

 

As for the OP, absolutely spot on.  We're 3rd by some distance, we're only getting put out cups by the OF, and we're running them close a lot.  We're in a superb position.  We keep going.  Shit, imagine JKB in the late 70s!

Youve ignored the defending at both goals. We gifted them the 2 goals. Schoolboy stuff. From about 5 of our players at both goals.  Not for the first time either.

 

As for kent. Even if hed finished his chance he was offside anyway.

Edited April 22 by HopeDiouf

[TheBigO]

Just now, HopeDiouf said:

Youve ignored the defending at both goals. We gifted them the 2 goals. Schoolboy stuff. From about 5 of our players at both goals.  Not for the first time either.

BUt that's not about shape or attitude, not in the slightest.  It's in the moment decision making, which was poor.  Tbh, the first goal, it's a very good, cool finish.  Kingsley gets himself in a mess, Rowles should go through the player.  But from there, Dessers finishes very very well.

 

Second one, Tait makes a tit of it trying to be positive and cos we're chasing the game, we're left open (it's why I would have brought on Cochrane instead of Tait tbh, we'd have held shape better and had energy and bite, plus Alex can still drive us, but anyway, 20/20 with hindsight).

 

So yeah the goals are disappointing, but they're no different to the lack of good finishing - top players make better decisions.  It's as simple as that.  But hey was Rangers' defending any better leaving Shanks open at the back post?  Or that pass into midfield and free run for Forrest?  When Vargas robbed their LB and went into the box and he squared instead of shooting?  No it wasn't.  We didn't finish the chances.  That's the margins

 

And everyone on here wailing doesn't make our players make better decisions.  What we do have is a squad of very honest lads who do their best. They come up short here, that's all.  Learn, move on.  What else can they do?

[A_A wehatethehibs]

Just now, HopeDiouf said:

Beni stood about a yard away and watched the 2nd goal. Tait gave the ball away so gets majority of blame  but plenty opportunity to defend it.

I think Beni was just knackered at that point tbh. He thinks about trying a tackle but probably doesn’t want to give away a penalty so takes up textbook position on pen spot. Hence why for me it’s 100% down to taits lack of awareness of the risk he was taking exposing everyone like that. Just goes down to inexperience he’ll learn from that and learn to be more risk-averse in that situation. Unfortunate tho that he’s had to learn the hard way on the biggest stage. Hardest part of first team football is learning when to take a risk vs when to do the safe option. If ever there was a moment for the safe conservative option, that was it 

[FarmerTweedy]

1 hour ago, Bozi said:

Now now we can't have this, common sense and perspective aren't allowed here today,l

Take it all back, throw young Tait under the bus, call Shankland poor, slaughter Beni and apologise!

 

This season started off poorly but the form we have shown has been pretty much relentless, we have reached 2 cup semifinals and are absolutely getting g group stage European football next season. We have improved dramatically but we are a team being built and next season we are addressing the lack of creativity.

 

Onwards and upwards, this hurts but we are absolutely on the right path 

 

And I for one apologise to Naismith for being too quick to judge earlier in the season 

In the first round of 11 games, we only picked up 14 points. In the second round, we picked up 25, and in the third round 23.  Had we done as well in the first round of fixtures as we have since, we'd still be third just now, but with a genuine chance of challenging for second place, and a (very very slim, admittedly) chance of the title!  Next season, we'll have the challenge of regular European games on Thursday nights followed by Sunday games to deal with, but if we can handle that and get at least 20 points on the board from the first 11 games, we could be in for a very interesting season! 

[Le Chat]

45 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

It wasn’t that bad performance was decent but defence let us down again, The next step in the progression of this team is to replace Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson with better defenders. 

 

Agreed.  Both utter shite.

[HopeDiouf]

1 minute ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

I think Beni was just knackered at that point tbh. He thinks about trying a tackle but probably doesn’t want to give away a penalty so takes up textbook position on pen spot. Hence why for me it’s 100% down to taits lack of awareness of the risk he was taking exposing everyone like that. Just goes down to inexperience he’ll learn from that and learn to be more risk-averse in that situation. Unfortunate tho that he’s had to learn the hard way on the biggest stage. Hardest part of first team football is learning when to take a risk vs when to do the safe option. If ever there was a moment for the safe conservative option, that was it 

Dont disagree on that. But if rowls or kent or beni bother to make a tackle it doesnt happen. Beni couldve taken cantwell down and taken his booking. But he jogged back instead. Then stood and watched amd rowles and kent failed to put a challenge in.

[ecky92]

1 hour ago, Walter Kidd said:

I've slept on it.  We are definitely getting closer to Der Hun and have beaten Celtic twice this season.  Positive mental attitude required.  Apologies to Kye Rowles for my disparaging post last night. 

Played 5 , lost 5 hardly getting closer lol 

[OTT]

33 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

My perspective is we are now going on 13 years without a cup final win. 4 x runners up in that time. 

 

It's not good enough and people are allowed to go off on one, after pissing the bed against Rangers for the umpteenth time in a row.

 

Agree with this.

 

I really don't believe in settling and being happy with what we've got. 

 

IMO we're making up for years of stagnation, be that through Vlads inability to deliver a new main stand, Budge finally getting it done followed by stagnation under Levein. 

 

When opportunities present themselves we need to demand more. Forrest and Vargas shat the bed. Grant did precious little and we handed them 2 cheap goals. That Rangers team wasn't good. It was low on confidence and a bit of composure in the final 3rd from us would have saw a result. 

 

Key takeaway is that we cannot go into next season with those attacking options. Outside of Shankland, we don't have a meaningful attack. 

[SectionDJambo]

I believe that Steven Naismith will continue to improve the quality in our team. It may take a little time, but he's already managed to get us into Europe again and he seems to have an attitude of the acceptance of failure not being good enough for Hearts. 

JJ took 3 seasons to get us the long awaited cup in 1998. We lost his first final, to Rangers again, by 5-1, which was an embarrassment for all of us. Instead of it setting him back, it gave him stronger ambition to succeed. 

Football fans are a very emotional and polarised bunch. Opinions usually vary from extreme anger, pessimism and despair to great optimism, hope and positively.  We are no exception.

[HopeDiouf]

6 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

Key takeaway is that we cannot go into next season with those attacking options. Outside of Shankland, we don't have a meaningful attack. 

Ditto the defensive options.

[OTT]

1 minute ago, HopeDiouf said:

Ditto the defensive options.

 

I think GK we're covered well, both Gordon & Zander are solid keepers. Kent is essentially a one man back 4. Although Atkinson was good yesterday, he's too inconsistent, Rowles isn't strong enough to play a CB pairing and Kingsley IMO gets a very easy ride.

 

Bare minimum, I'd like to see a proper RB and a proper CB signed. Rowles can either compete with Kingsley at LB, or move on IMO.

 

If I had my way our starting 11 would look as follows:

 

Zander

New RB Kent Findlay Rowles

Hoff Devlin

Dhanda

Armstrong Shankland Mckay

 

No idea where we could get a decent RB, I think Zeefuiks wee brother could be a good option, OOC at Hertha Berlin in the German 2nd division, and doesn't look to be a key player there. Could be within budget? 

 

(If we can't get Armstrong, try for McCowan)

[HopeDiouf]

7 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

I think GK we're covered well, both Gordon & Zander are solid keepers. Kent is essentially a one man back 4. Although Atkinson was good yesterday, he's too inconsistent, Rowles isn't strong enough to play a CB pairing and Kingsley IMO gets a very easy ride.

 

Bare minimum, I'd like to see a proper RB and a proper CB signed. Rowles can either compete with Kingsley at LB, or move on IMO.

 

If I had my way our starting 11 would look as follows:

 

Zander

New RB Kent Findlay Rowles

Hoff Devlin

Dhanda

Armstrong Shankland Mckay

 

No idea where we could get a decent RB, I think Zeefuiks wee brother could be a good option, OOC at Hertha Berlin in the German 2nd division, and doesn't look to be a key player there. Could be within budget? 

 

(If we can't get Armstrong, try for McCowan)

Quite like that other than rolwles.  Too soft for scottish football.

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

2 hours ago, MattyK82 said:

 

See this rhetoric is exhausting. 

 

We did have a go. Theres no doubt about that.

 

We competed well but we lacked quality in the 3rd of the pitch that really mattered.  

 

Yeterday was nothing like 2022 for example, when we didn't have any sort of go and literally offered FA.

 

Yesterday we did well to a certain point. But turned off twice at the back and failed to capitalise on multiple dangerous attacks (most came in a 20 minute spell when the game was finely balanced) because of poor decision making and naivety;

 

1. Vargas nicks the ball off Souttar, on the right, gets in behind - fails to pick the right cut back - Forrest was totally unmarked for a tap in.

 

2. Mckay plays in Vargas in an overload situation, he dithers and chance is gone.

 

3. forrest nicks the ball 1st half, drives at them but should have slipped in shanks or shot much earlier. Chance wasted.

 

4. shanks header at the back post. Probably should score.

 

5. odas chance late on. He simply must score. Brilliant save. But has to score.

 

Their fans were subdued in the 2nd half. Because they knew we were on the ascendancy. The problem was we lacked the killer touch. Their 2nd goal was totally against the run of play. But it killed the contest.

 

 

Aberdeen and Coventry had a right go that weekend as underdogs we went out the cup without much of a fight against a very poor rangers team btw that didn't even need to get out 2nd gear

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

1 hour ago, TheBigO said:

But what I don't get about yesterday and everyone's hand wringing about it is.... what would "having a go" look like???  I had guys round me shouting press press press every time their defenders had the ball.  They wanted Vargas to push up, they wanted Beni 10 yards further.  Easy pass round them, Cantwell, Sterling with free reign and an overload.  We held shape until our half and then pressed quite well actually.

 

Between the two goals, which were early and late, so for 90% of the match, we totally matched Rangers.  We had the better chances (perhaps better to say openings due to decision making) restricted them to very very few.  So was that due to a lack of ambition?!?!?  It was disappointing we lost, but the manner we lost was simply an early goal from a slip.  It wasn't shape, it wasn't attitude, it was a diagonal we should have dealt better with and then a very cool finish.  We regrouped, we made good chances.  We fluffed our lines.

 

But folk can't process disappointment and need to chuck blame, so everyone gets it.  Rangers are not on form, but they've got better players than us.  They just do.  Our boys did their best and fell short.  Guys all round me "aw ffs how can Ross Co and Dundee match them and we can't ffs Naismith".  Aye cos that's how it works, right enough.  Coventry will probably get into Europe next season eh.

 

Look, the lads will be disappointed and Naisy will not hold back in telling them where they need to be better.  But the simple truth is if Kent, Forrest, Shanks, Vargas, Oda (at 2-0 mind you) had finished as they should have, it's a different game.  Very very different.  The set up got us in those positions.

 

As for the OP, absolutely spot on.  We're 3rd by some distance, we're only getting put out cups by the OF, and we're running them close a lot.  We're in a superb position.  We keep going.  Shit, imagine JKB in the late 70s!

For me rangers never even needed to get out 2nd gear yesterday , Aberdeen and Coventry both went out the cup this weekend but can hold their heads high having at least shown some ambition,  fight and going for it

[upgotheheads]

1 hour ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

The first goal I put primary culpability with Rowles powderpuff attempt to mop up the Kingsley interception - a proper Center half clears out ball and man there. But not Rowles. After that, the rest of them are just throwing bodies in trying to block. For me, Kingsley does the right thing intercepting it but Rowles is same as always, weak and indecisive at mopping things up. Sometimes as a cb you just need to leather it hard as you can and clear it. Rowles never seems to want to do that. 
 

The second goal, for me it’s basically 100% Taits fault. The defence is deep and vulnerable, looking to push up, he cannot try and skip past players with the risk of giving the ball away when we were deep like that. It was too high risk situation and it was the 1 thing we couldn’t afford for him to do. Lack of awareness of the situation. Punished unfortunately. Again, after that the rest of the defenders are just trying to throw desperate blocks in. 

 

 

1 hour ago, TheBigO said:

BUt that's not about shape or attitude, not in the slightest.  It's in the moment decision making, which was poor.  Tbh, the first goal, it's a very good, cool finish.  Kingsley gets himself in a mess, Rowles should go through the player.  But from there, Dessers finishes very very well.

 

Second one, Tait makes a tit of it trying to be positive and cos we're chasing the game, we're left open (it's why I would have brought on Cochrane instead of Tait tbh, we'd have held shape better and had energy and bite, plus Alex can still drive us, but anyway, 20/20 with hindsight).

 

So yeah the goals are disappointing, but they're no different to the lack of good finishing - top players make better decisions.  It's as simple as that.  But hey was Rangers' defending any better leaving Shanks open at the back post?  Or that pass into midfield and free run for Forrest?  When Vargas robbed their LB and went into the box and he squared instead of shooting?  No it wasn't.  We didn't finish the chances.  That's the margins

 

And everyone on here wailing doesn't make our players make better decisions.  What we do have is a squad of very honest lads who do their best. They come up short here, that's all.  Learn, move on.  What else can they do?

 

This must have been Tait's biggest game so far in his career. The three positives I take from it are that Tait had the guts to try that in the middle of the park, second that he has now learned an important lesson on what not to do in those situations, at least not yet, and third is that bringing Tait on instead of Cochrane showed SN's attacking mindset. In retrospect, I'm guessing that Naismith wishes he had used Cochrane instead of Tait.

[HopeDiouf]

1 minute ago, upgotheheads said:

 

 

This must have been Tait's biggest game so far in his career. The three positives I take from it are that Tait had the guts to try that in the middle of the park, second that he has now learned an important lesson on what not to do in those situations, at least not yet, and third is that bringing Tait on instead of Cochrane showed SN's attacking mindset. In retrospect, I'm guessing that Naismith wishes he had used Cochrane instead of Tait.

Hes also learned that if he makes a mistake, his team mates won't take a booking to bail him out.

[TheBigO]

9 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

For me rangers never even needed to get out 2nd gear yesterday , Aberdeen and Coventry both went out the cup this weekend but can hold their heads high having at least shown some ambition,  fight and going for it

But, right, if Kent scores, or Forrest, or Shanks or any of them, we would be in the "had a go" category!??!  No?!?!  Aberdeen got ragdolled by Celtic for huge chunks of that game and at 2-1 could have been 5-1 down.  They did well, don't get me wrong, but they chucked some balls forward Celtic struggled with, basically.

 

We get our equaliser, which we should have given the moments we had, we've played the game better than Aberdeen did.  Really we did.  We didn't finish it in either box.

[TheBigO]

6 minutes ago, upgotheheads said:

 

 

This must have been Tait's biggest game so far in his career. The three positives I take from it are that Tait had the guts to try that in the middle of the park, second that he has now learned an important lesson on what not to do in those situations, at least not yet, and third is that bringing Tait on instead of Cochrane showed SN's attacking mindset. In retrospect, I'm guessing that Naismith wishes he had used Cochrane instead of Tait.

Oh yes I hope I'm not seen as having a go at Tait.  I like he tried to drive but it was the wrong decision.  My thing is that I actually think Cochrane would have been MORE of an attacking sub in a way.  I think people think LB at CM and think defensive, but he's not really.  He'd have added dig and drive.  Anyway, as I say 20/20 with hindsight eh.  Macauley will have learnt from it like you say.  This season makes him a better player next season.

[HopeDiouf]

3 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

But, right, if Kent scores, or Forrest, or Shanks or any of them, we would be in the "had a go" category!??!  No?!?!  Aberdeen got ragdolled by Celtic for huge chunks of that game and at 2-1 could have been 5-1 down.  They did well, don't get me wrong, but they chucked some balls forward Celtic struggled with, basically.

 

We get our equaliser, which we should have given the moments we had, we've played the game better than Aberdeen did.  Really we did.  We didn't finish it in either box.

Kent was offside regardless.

[TheBigO]

1 minute ago, HopeDiouf said:

Kent was offside regardless.

Ah was he? Thought it weird wasn't on highlights.  That's a shame, I have it down as a chance missed!!!

[HopeDiouf]

Just now, TheBigO said:

Ah was he? Thought it weird wasn't on highlights.  That's a shame, I have it down as a chance missed!!!

Me too till I saw it on TV. It was on BBC highlights and he was off.

[Gordon Ramsay]

1 hour ago, OmiyaHearts said:

My perspective is we are now going on 13 years without a cup final win. 4 x runners up in that time. 

 

It's not good enough and people are allowed to go off on one, after pissing the bed against Rangers for the umpteenth time in a row.

 

Threads like this appear after every Rangers defeat. Perspective, getting closer, next time etc.

 

Did we have more territory and possession than usual against them yesterday? Yes. 

 

Did we look like we believe we'd win? I don't think so.

 

It's incredibly frustrating and don't see it changing anytime soon.

[Victor Meldrew]

18 minutes ago, upgotheheads said:

 

 

This must have been Tait's biggest game so far in his career. The three positives I take from it are that Tait had the guts to try that in the middle of the park, second that he has now learned an important lesson on what not to do in those situations, at least not yet, and third is that bringing Tait on instead of Cochrane showed SN's attacking mindset. In retrospect, I'm guessing that Naismith wishes he had used Cochrane instead of Tait.

Not sure Tait did much wrong. He was in the other side's half and was driving forward to make something happen. He lost the ball - these things happen. There were plenty of opportunities to stop Rangers scoring but none of them was taken.

[stirlo]

I think that broadly speaking we are definitely moving in the right direction. But I also think some fans are putting a bizarrely positive spin on yesterday's performance. It's true that we had some decent build up play, but the harsh reality is that we conceded two really poor goals and hardly laid a glove on Rangers in an attacking sense. The 2-0 scoreline was a fair reflection on the game and definitely didn't flatter them.

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

19 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

But, right, if Kent scores, or Forrest, or Shanks or any of them, we would be in the "had a go" category!??!  No?!?!  Aberdeen got ragdolled by Celtic for huge chunks of that game and at 2-1 could have been 5-1 down.  They did well, don't get me wrong, but they chucked some balls forward Celtic struggled with, basically.

 

We get our equaliser, which we should have given the moments we had, we've played the game better than Aberdeen did.  Really we did.  We didn't finish it in either box.

We'll agree to disagree buddy , for me rangers didn't even need to get out of 2nd gear yesterday 

[jr ewing]

Set up all wrong yesterday. 

[MattyK82]

40 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

Aberdeen and Coventry had a right go that weekend as underdogs we went out the cup without much of a fight against a very poor rangers team btw that didn't even need to get out 2nd gear

Why? Because they took their chances? If we had taken one or two of the chances, as I previously mentioned, would we have 'had a go'?

 

Rangers weren't in 2nd gear. They just aren't very good compared to previous rangers teams. Difference was they took their chances. We didn't. Simple as that. 

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, HopeDiouf said:

Ditto the defensive options.

Midfield too

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, MattyK82 said:

Why? Because they took their chances? If we had taken one or two of the chances, as I previously mentioned, would we have 'had a go'?

 

Rangers weren't in 2nd gear. They just aren't very good compared to previous rangers teams. Difference was they took their chances. We didn't. Simple as that. 

They took 2 chances, they had a few others that they missed, the one where Silva dived instead of shooting for example. 

[Pasquale for King]

13 minutes ago, stirlo said:

I think that broadly speaking we are definitely moving in the right direction. But I also think some fans are putting a bizarrely positive spin on yesterday's performance. It's true that we had some decent build up play, but the harsh reality is that we conceded two really poor goals and hardly laid a glove on Rangers in an attacking sense. The 2-0 scoreline was a fair reflection on the game and definitely didn't flatter them.

Agreed 

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

1 minute ago, MattyK82 said:

Why? Because they took their chances? If we had taken one or two of the chances, as I previously mentioned, would we have 'had a go'?

 

Rangers weren't in 2nd gear. They just aren't very good compared to previous rangers teams. Difference was they took their chances. We didn't. Simple as that. 

Totally disagree, if rangers needed to yesterday they could've went through the gears but they didn't need to because as usual we shit it against them

[BervieJambo]

43 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

Aberdeen and Coventry had a right go that weekend as underdogs we went out the cup without much of a fight against a very poor rangers team btw that didn't even need to get out 2nd gear

Can we knock one thing on the head here - this is not a “very poor rangers team”. Yes, they have had a couple of poor results recently and yes, they aren’t as good as they were in the 1990s, but they are still in with a chance of the treble and reached the latter stages of the UEFA cup. Man-for-man they have better players in almost every position compared to us.

 

Yesterday, we performed well in patches, but showed naivety and poor decision making both on the pitch and from the management. Both have improved considerably over the season, but we’re nowhere near the finished article yet. Keep on improving at the same rate and we will have something to celebrate.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

12 minutes ago, Victor Meldrew said:

Not sure Tait did much wrong. He was in the other side's half and was driving forward to make something happen. He lost the ball - these things happen. There were plenty of opportunities to stop Rangers scoring but none of them was taken.

Absolutely wrong. Know folk maybe defend him as a young well liked prospect. But I treat players as equals. It’s not about his position, but it’s his awareness of where his defenders and team mates were positioned. They hadnt pushed all the way up yet, they needed more time. The ball should’ve been straight out to full back or back to CB. Lose the ball in the middle in that situation and the defence is totally exposed and backpedaling. On 80 mins, 1-0

down that was a moment for safety and secure possession because of the consequences of the risk. The lad risked allowing rangers to kill the game which is exactly what happened.

[MattyK82]

4 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

They took 2 chances, they had a few others that they missed, the one where Silva dived instead of shooting for example. 

True.

 

Right at the end, they had another couple of chances (after the game was done).

 

But while the game was 1-0, they barely had a sniff. The 2nd goal was totally against the run of play. But it killed the contest. Was a shame as it seemed a matter of time before an equaliser.

[MattyK82]

6 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

Totally disagree, if rangers needed to yesterday they could've went through the gears but they didn't need to because as usual we shit it against them

 

No we didn't.

 

We just lacked quality in the final 3rd. Shitting it indicates we pulled out of tackles or were overawed by them. Neither was the case. 

 

The rangers manager and players themselves said they found that a tough game.

 

This is the problem after a defeat, especially v one of the OF. Everything is so black and white to some. Either we were amazing or we were shite. No grey.

 

We will just have to agree to disagree here.

 

 

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

2 minutes ago, BervieJambo said:

Can we knock one thing on the head here - this is not a “very poor rangers team”. Yes, they have had a couple of poor results recently and yes, they aren’t as good as they were in the 1990s, but they are still in with a chance of the treble and reached the latter stages of the UEFA cup. Man-for-man they have better players in almost every position compared to us.

 

Yesterday, we performed well in patches, but showed naivety and poor decision making both on the pitch and from the management. Both have improved considerably over the season, but we’re nowhere near the finished article yet. Keep on improving at the same rate and we will have something to celebrate.

For me they're not a good rangers team but we always make them look decent, as usual plenty crap talk before the game but it's action on the pitch we need against them instead of shiting the bed every time

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

Just now, MattyK82 said:

 

No we didn't.

 

We just lacked quality in the final 3rd. Shitting it indicates we pulled out of tackles or were overawed by them. Neither was the case. 

 

The rangers manager and players themselves said they found that a tough game.

 

This is the problem after a defeat, especially v one of the OF. Everything is so black and white to some. Either we were amazing or we were shite. No grey.

 

We will just have to agree to disagree here.

 

 

We most certainly will have to agree to disagree here buddy

[PapaShango]

I think we did set up to have a go but it’s easier said than done and it can hinge on small margins. We got in behind them a few times second half and every time we picked the wrong pass. Got to remember we have one of the youngest squads going some of those players yesterday are pretty raw. Got to feel for Tait he looked distraught at the end but I’m sure he will come back better for the experience. 

[Pasquale for King]

7 minutes ago, MattyK82 said:

True.

 

Right at the end, they had another couple of chances (after the game was done).

 

But while the game was 1-0, they barely had a sniff. The 2nd goal was totally against the run of play. But it killed the contest. Was a shame as it seemed a matter of time before an equaliser.

The game played out the way most people expected, were any of us shocked that we lost an early goal? We had no tempo or urgency in the first half, happy to get to HT at 1-0. 
We then make a change, doesn’t work, then 3 subs that gave us some impetus but them scoring a second was entirely foreseeable when we were chasing. 
From our starting line up, to the subs that we made, when they were made, and the way the game went were all so predictable and depressing tbh. 

[1971fozzy]

55 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

For me rangers never even needed to get out 2nd gear yesterday , Aberdeen and Coventry both went out the cup this weekend but can hold their heads high having at least shown some ambition,  fight and going for it

come on man. We didnt show ambition ? Fight ? Or go for it ?

utter bollocks.  I must have been at a different game.  These players could not be faulted for fight or ambition and we did go for it.   2 bad goals to concede  no doubt but could say the same about any goal.

this squad is young, will get better and will have additions for next season.

Aberdeen for all your fawning are fighting to avoid the relegation play offs ffs.  

[PapaShango]

2 hours ago, Nelly Terraces said:

Yesterday was a waste of my time & money, but hey, not really fussed & won't be repeating the trip back to Hampden to play either of the old firm anytime in the future, just got better things to do in my life. 

That’s the spirit. If I took than stance after every Hearts loss I would have chucked it years ago. 

[Pasquale for King]

9 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

For me they're not a good rangers team but we always make them look decent, as usual plenty crap talk before the game but it's action on the pitch we need against them instead of shiting the bed every time

Spot on

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

Just now, 1971fozzy said:

come on man. We didnt show ambition ? Fight ? Or go for it ?

utter bollocks.  I must have been at a different game.  These players could not be faulted for fight or ambition and we did go for it.   2 bad goals to concede  no doubt but could say the same about any goal.

this squad is young, will get better and will have additions for next season.

Aberdeen for all your fawning are fighting to avoid the relegation play offs ffs.  

For me yesterday was a better performance than the league cup semi final earlier in the season no doubt about that but yesterday rangers didn't even need to get out of 2nd gear to beat us , very disappointed with our performance but that doesn't hide the fact secure 3rd place and it's still been a very good season in the grand scheme of things 

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

What I will say is this season there's been far far more positives than negatives and plenty to build on going forward