When it comes to backing McCoist,
this blog is guilty of being as fickle as any emotional supporter. One minute
it is only fair to cut him slack, the next he gets outright praised for a great
run in October/November, then suddenly two bad results and he needs to leave.
this blog is guilty of being as fickle as any emotional supporter. One minute
it is only fair to cut him slack, the next he gets outright praised for a great
run in October/November, then suddenly two bad results and he needs to leave.
This is the beauty of football,
of supporting a team – you literally are only as good as your last result, and
going by the Hearts and Alloa scores, he and the team were abominable.
of supporting a team – you literally are only as good as your last result, and
going by the Hearts and Alloa scores, he and the team were abominable.
Yesterday saw a home fourth-round
tie with SPL midtable side Kilmarnock on the
menu, and the pressure was certainly on McCoist to get the right selection to
overcome a theoretically superior team.
tie with SPL midtable side Kilmarnock on the
menu, and the pressure was certainly on McCoist to get the right selection to
overcome a theoretically superior team.
The team sheet, as usual, made
for grim reading. Daly was starting again after his disaster in Gorgie, while
hapless Mohsni likewise retained his place at the back. Even more precarious
was RB Foster’s installation on the left to cover for both Steven Smith and the
injured Lee Wallace.
for grim reading. Daly was starting again after his disaster in Gorgie, while
hapless Mohsni likewise retained his place at the back. Even more precarious
was RB Foster’s installation on the left to cover for both Steven Smith and the
injured Lee Wallace.
And yet, 90 minutes later, a
comfortable 3-0 victory over the Rugby
Park side showed
pre-match concerns to have been totally unwarranted.
comfortable 3-0 victory over the Rugby
Park side showed
pre-match concerns to have been totally unwarranted.
The early stages of the match
were promising, if not inspirational, with the home side picking at the
visitors, sizing them up, without really creating a lot. But when Nicky Law
curled home yet another wonder strike on 19 minutes, it was simply plain
sailing thereafter.
were promising, if not inspirational, with the home side picking at the
visitors, sizing them up, without really creating a lot. But when Nicky Law
curled home yet another wonder strike on 19 minutes, it was simply plain
sailing thereafter.
The much-maligned Mohsni was an
absolute titan at the back for the Govan men, with Steve Simonsen rarely tested
as countless clearances were made by the Tunisian international. It was his
best display for a long time, and showed what a colossus he can be when he
concentrates. McCulloch even got more involved than usual himself, with a fair
few vital interceptions and tackles, and he deserves credit for that.
absolute titan at the back for the Govan men, with Steve Simonsen rarely tested
as countless clearances were made by the Tunisian international. It was his
best display for a long time, and showed what a colossus he can be when he
concentrates. McCulloch even got more involved than usual himself, with a fair
few vital interceptions and tackles, and he deserves credit for that.
Regular readers will know I have
castigated Jig endlessly for years, but I will always give credit when it is
earned, and he had a decent match yesterday.
castigated Jig endlessly for years, but I will always give credit when it is
earned, and he had a decent match yesterday.
Black in midfield did his usual
dirty work, the stuff which goes unnoticed, but the stuff which stops the
defence being more pressed than it ends up being. Blackie, when he concentrates
similarly, is a better enforcer than many fans give him credit for, but he
showed up yesterday. And Law, once again, seems to have an astounding knack for
wonder goals, notching two distance efforts.
dirty work, the stuff which goes unnoticed, but the stuff which stops the
defence being more pressed than it ends up being. Blackie, when he concentrates
similarly, is a better enforcer than many fans give him credit for, but he
showed up yesterday. And Law, once again, seems to have an astounding knack for
wonder goals, notching two distance efforts.
The introduction of Boyd saw an
always-pleasing strike from one of Ibrox’s favourite sons, especially given his
current confidence levels.
always-pleasing strike from one of Ibrox’s favourite sons, especially given his
current confidence levels.
Frankly McCoist got just about
everything right yesterday. Foster was excellent at LB, McGregor absolutely
imperious on the opposite side, and even Daly, while not sparkling, was
distinctly better than last week.
everything right yesterday. Foster was excellent at LB, McGregor absolutely
imperious on the opposite side, and even Daly, while not sparkling, was
distinctly better than last week.
Ally has bought himself a little
time, but as much as he deserves heavy criticism for the things which go wrong,
like last week, it is only fair to praise when things go right, and they did at
Ibrox. You can use all the arguments you like about Killie not being a
brilliant team, but they are still an SPL team, and that is a division above
us.
time, but as much as he deserves heavy criticism for the things which go wrong,
like last week, it is only fair to praise when things go right, and they did at
Ibrox. You can use all the arguments you like about Killie not being a
brilliant team, but they are still an SPL team, and that is a division above
us.
For all the pressure on McCoist
that his ‘job was on the line’ if he did not win, for some fans to then dismiss
a victory as being against a ‘rubbish team’ (a team who apparently were not
rubbish till Rangers beat them) is just blatant hypocrisy and downright unfair.
You cannot dismiss the result if the opposite would have had you calling for
his head.
that his ‘job was on the line’ if he did not win, for some fans to then dismiss
a victory as being against a ‘rubbish team’ (a team who apparently were not
rubbish till Rangers beat them) is just blatant hypocrisy and downright unfair.
You cannot dismiss the result if the opposite would have had you calling for
his head.
As much as I have decried
McCulloch, I have also done likewise with McCoist (as regular readers will
know), but when fans will actually refuse to give any praise for a good result
is just plain not on.
McCulloch, I have also done likewise with McCoist (as regular readers will
know), but when fans will actually refuse to give any praise for a good result
is just plain not on.
See what I mean about fickle?
The criticism of the manager has been way over the top. As has the praise for the young Hearts team who were in line for a doing before Stevie Smith lost his mind.
It was bad enough enduring the over the top praise from the Rangers hating press without some of our fans backing these idiots up. Hearts are doing things the right way and Rangers are doing it wrong way. When no-one takes into consideration that the Rangers manager needs to win every week, and cannot afford to lose seven or eight matches due to inexperience. And Hearts will lose this much by the end of the season.
Yes it was depressing last week, but they don't hand out trophies in November.
We have made a poor start to the league campaign but have plenty of time to pull it back. It would help if the stadium was full though.
If the football on display was any good, then perhaps there would be more bums in the seats. Findlay was correct, this is not the Rangers that we once knew, this team lacks quality, direction and leadership, both on and off the field.
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