Disaster in Dingwall, desperate in Dundee, denial by Clement
19/04/2024 08:12
I can’t really put into words what I’ve just witnessed over the last few days, but I’m going to attempt to here.
A Rangers team that crashed and burned in Dingwall, having lost to Ross County for the first time ever, followed that up with a gutless, pathetic performance at Dens Park on Wednesday night.
On Sunday, County deserved it 100%. The signs were there from the first whistle. A lethargic and complacent looking Rangers side that struggled to get to grips with the home team was a concern from the get-go.
Fair play to Don Cowie and his team. They clearly fancied it, showing an off the pace Rangers zero respect, while coming at the Rangers back four constantly, obviously believing they could score goals on the day.
The fact County sit second bottom of the SPFL yet tore Rangers apart time and time again shouldn’t be lost on anyone. Rangers were an abject mess with players on that pitch who were clearly low in confidence and miles off the pace.
Rangers got what they deserved from the game. Nothing. Soundly beaten on the day by a County team that showed a disdain for their opponents that really ought not to be there.
Dundee on Wednesday was every bit as bad as Sunday. Worse, perhaps, as Clement said he expected a response. We all did. Surely, they’d get the finger out and put in the effort required to get out of Dundee and down the road with the three points?
Did they hell. Awful, gutless, and pathetic. Again. I thought you could tell after ten minutes this Rangers team didn’t have it in them to win that game.
They never looked like scoring, and yet again, every time our opponents got near our penalty box, I watched through the cracks of my fingers.
The long journey down the road for those loyal supporters that made their way up to Dundee would’ve been a quiet, sobering one.
This isn’t good enough, not even close to being acceptable.
As Dujon Sterling said himself, 'Shit'.
We can talk about bottle, mentality, or whatever it is that makes this squad of players soil themselves just about every time the pressure is cranked up, all we want. The fact is, they’re just not very good, with an over inflated opinion of themselves.
Yes. They are weak in the head, that much is certain. This is the second season in three years where they’ve put themselves in a strong position to win the title. Yeah, yeah, it isn’t over yet for this campaign, but it’s as good as.
Three points behind an average Celtic team, compared with their previous levels. Out of Europe with no more than a whimper against Benfica at Ibrox and five points taken from the last fifteen available.
Three games away from home, one of those away to Parkhead. Five games left to play, and these players have put themselves behind the proverbial eight ball, it’s what they always do.
It doesn’t bode well here. Let’s not try to sugarcoat it. The last few weeks have been an embarrassing, shambolic capitulation.
The club sits at a crossroads.
There is no stick or twist now. The rank and file have seen enough. How many trophies should this squad have won? More than the three they’ve managed to win, that’s for sure.
Philippe Clement is a good manager. We’ve all seen enough since he arrived to now be confident he knows what he’s doing. He’s won the Viaplay Cup, got this team through the group stages of the Europa League, and got them competing for this title.
That doesn’t exempt him from criticism, though. Some of his comments after matches have been puzzling, to say the least.
Some of his team selections are baffling. Players coming in from the cold at times, while others aren’t getting a sniff of first team football, yet others are in and out of the starting line up as if they’re doing the hokey- cokey.
At this point of the season, the business end, I want to see the strongest team available to start the game. At times, that really doesn’t look to be the case.
The manager has talked about fitness, and we know it’s a legacy issue, but c’mon, Rangers don’t have a particularly good group of players here, so I’m saying it’s fair to expect the best eleven available to be on that pitch, when there’s so few games left.
I expect every player to ‘leave it all out there’ in every game they play. I’m not seeing that, and I’d guess the majority of fans would say similar.
As the dust settles on a catastrophic week for Rangers title ambitions, the club really does stand at a dangerous juncture.
Where Rangers go from here is going to be pivotal to the next few years and to any future success the club might have.
Titles lost due to our own failures, trophies that have escaped us due to the glaringly obvious inability to cope with extreme pressure. We’ve seen it all before and this time is one time too often.
I can’t see this team winning this league, so what’s to happen thereafter?
The core group, those senior players, are taking the brunt of the assault on the club from its own fans. Rightly so, in many respects, but there’s more to this than just the guys that have been here too long and they most certainly have been here too long.
Sentiment really has to go out of the window now.
The issues the club have come down to terrible recruitment, naivity at boardroom level, and a football department that has clearly neglected the situation it continually finds itself in. Year after year, fans get their hopes up, buy their season tickets, MyGers and merchandise.
Rangers fans loyalty is notandnever will be in doubt. It’s time for change and those fans know it full well.
Tough calls are on the agenda. For all those decision makers at the club.
It’s time for change.
Clement simply has to say thanks and goodbye to a number of those core, senior players. They are clearly scarred by historic failings. The club needs invigorated, the team needs fresh ideas, bold leadership, and players who can lead by example.
If he does not, he will find himself in a similar position to Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale. A situation where those senior players will outlast yet another manager.
This can’t be allowed to fester any longer, regardless of how this season pans out.
The support has lost all faith and trust in a few of these players. That is sad, but it’s true. Change is needed, a new broom swept in, with a new, younger squad that we can be happy watching grow.
Nils Koppen, Clement, Bisgrove, and Bennett must be decisive and ruthless for the good of Rangers. Egos must be thrown aside, reputations forgotten.
We’ve watched these actors’ performances in this tired old B movie once too often. Forever fluffing their lines when the director shouts “Action!”.
It’s boring now. It’s predictable, and it’s soul destroying. The reaction from the away support at the final whistles at the end of those games in Dingwall and Dundee will tell you that.
When you lose the away fans, the most loyal support there is, there’s no wiggle room. They’ve had enough of this nonsense, and it is a nonsense.
Celtic are now clear and obvious favourites to win this league. They go one behind Rangers, on fifty-four titles if they go on to win this league. If they do the double, they equal our trophy haul.
Does this board wish to be the overseers of this capitulation, or are they brave enough to do something about it?
The situation is beginning to dawn on many, Rangers are in danger of not even being the most successful team in the city they originate from, never mind the most successful team in world football.
That can not be allowed to happen. This club must be set to go full throttle, ready for the battle next season.
Sadly, with this squad of players, that will absolutely not be the case. They’ve imploded once too often for any of our liking.
Do the powerbrokers have it in them to be as ruthless as is required? Will they back Clement with hard cash?
This implosion might well have cost the club the best part of fifty million pounds in Champions League money.
Who takes the blame or responsibility for that?
There’s no time left to arse about, making mistakes that cost millions upon millions of pounds.
Rangers were built on success. They led the way in this country. Rangers set standards.
This club is failing those standards. Others are setting the standard required, while OUR club is riddled with apprehension and fear.
It can’t go on. The club and its directors simply must raise the bar. Winning a League Cup is all good and well. It’s a nice day out, but winning titles is what WE were built on.
At this moment in history, the sad truth is, we have won one in the last twelve years.
That is not and never has been acceptable. It would be nice to think we are still in this. The brutal truth of it is I can’t see it. Not at all.
We look like we’ve blown it.
Again.
