See above. Do you think football is just standing still and that we'll keep up forever as the big leagues get further and further away? Delusion to an extreme level. There was nearly a Super League formed last year man I don't use coefficient ranking as a sole way to rate even recent European success..coupled with knowing the results of recent years and the fact that the gap is as large as it is though, it's a handy way of pointing out the difference in that regard to someone who seemingly disregards European competition completely, rich from a Hibs supporter ...the league table ranks domestic success (aside from the cups)....both are very relevant when it comes to good teams...very, very simple for those with a brain
It may have made no difference. So it doesn't do anything for "coping" when a new season is underway... Undoubtedly it would have helped to be fully focussed and rested for all the league games, again...would it have changed any results? Who knows. If we didn't do what we did in Europe, there'd be no argument. For you to shout from the rooftops that there's no argument and that the team that won the league by "12 points" was the better team though, come on fella Hilarious Mate...should you not have maybe scurried away when it was discovered you didn't know what you were talking about? Cringing for you
The money that Celtic and Rangers are spending is increasing as well. Celtic have spent £25m quid this summer. With both clubs getting a huge windfall of up to £40m from Champions League this season you will both more than likely spend big next summer. Celtic have spent the same as Sevilla this summer who routinely win the competition. They've spent more than Frankfurt who've just won it. They've spent more than Villarreal who were in the final the season before last. It's not a handy way to show anything as I pointed out by showing far, far inferior teams to AC Milan were as much as 13 places above them. Given that Rangers are about 10 places above Italian champions AC Milan in the coefficients then getting to another final shouldn't be a huge issue. Anyway, I'm off to my kip as you're pretty delusional and it's getting a bit boring now.
Yes but it isn't increasing at the same rate as the clubs from the major leagues. Wage structure is a huge difference. Not just transfer fees. Doubt there is a club in the English Premier League anymore who either us or Celtic pay near the same amounts of cash as to our players week on week. Money isn't the only thing I'm talking about anyway. The changes they've made to European competitions sets up to give us less chance when we inevitably skip down the coefficient rankings and lose the second CL spot. The Conference League was created to soften the blow. The clubs from the big leagues are pushing for special treatment and it makes business sense to have them all involved. That's how it is and it'll only get tougher. But sure it's the same now as 2003 Rangers and AC Milan aren't clubs from the same league where qualification and chances for progression are the same. Obviously we aren't better than them. Rangers have been in Europe and successful for years now, AC Milan spent years not qualifying with their league spot and so unable to accumulate any points in such a table...the comparison between Rangers and Celtic (in the same league, with the same opportunities) are quite obviously a truer comparison and the difference in placement between them is a fair representation of recent results. In fact, their ranking is very high if anything.. The fact that this needs to be spelled out to you is worrying. Dead on, make sure you do go this time , you've been flogging a dead horse all night
The Old Firm does crack me up Never known of any fan base to even give a rats arse about coefficient rankings yet they're obsessed.
Figured I'd offer my two cents worth to the discussion. Rangers next level - the European run was incredible and certainly exceeded many people's expectations for a Scottish club. Some of the teams they knocked out were unexpected but I'd still be reluctant to say Rangers have improved from an undefeated title-winning season under Gerrard. I don't think Rangers fans can bang on about "55" and then suggest any season where they're not winning the league is a great season. The league will always be the top priority for Rangers, had they won the Europa League then the discussion may well be different but ultimately it ended in defeat. Old Firm European record - I do think it was phenomenal and likewise Rangers have impressed for a few years now. It is however worth adding that Rangers away record wasn't great despite reaching the final. They won just 1 of their 9 away games, 10 if you include the final. Ultimately getting the result over 6 group games / 2 legs is all that matters but Ibrox carried them a lot. A tad ironic given claims they only won the league because it was behind closed doors. Winning away at Dortmund is no mean feat but they didn't win any of their other away games last season. Gerrard won a few in the seasons before. As for Celtic, probably worth adding they've beat some decent "names" too. They've beaten teams from La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga themselves in recent seasons so this idea Celtic are letting Scotland down is a tad harsh. I think Rangers have upped the level of both teams and hopefully they'll have a good crack at the Champions League this season (home games will be huge for both) but Celtic have done OK in Europe. They picked up more points in the Europa League groups last season in a tougher group imo, just unfortunate to go out whilst Rangers went through. Gerrard - bringing it back on topic a bit.. There's obviously a good manager there. I don't think people appreciate enough the pressure in Glasgow to win every week & win every trophy - particularly with "ten in a row" on the line. People seem to think he should drop down a division and get more experience - if you can do it under that pressure you can do it here. He probably should have stayed at Rangers a little longer but with the exception of a couple of clubs and the England national team, there's nowhere that has the same pressure in this country as there is up in Glasgow. Villa are obviously going through a bit of a rough patch but almost every team outside of the top 6/7 are going to have a run of games where they're going to not win any games. They need to quickly improve if he's going to keep his job but I don't think Villa have or should have expectations of challenging for Europe so he's not doing a drastically bad job. They finished 14th last season, with the exception of Brentford I'm not sure who they realistically expect to finish above. There are good teams in this league and a good number of them have been in the division longer than Villa too. It's only Villa's fourth year back at this level, they obviously want to kick on a bit but I don't think they need to panic just yet with Gerrard. They can probably write City off at the weekend but then they've got a run of games they can expect to get some results in so things might look rosier in a few weeks.
The issue is that they have lost games they really should be taking points in. And whilst I agree a loss in the City game is as good as guaranteed, that will be 5 losses in 6 games. Their confidence is destroyed and he's lost the fanbase. The Leicester game is absolutely massive, a team that have been even more shit. Fail to win that and he's surely out, presuming the club don't pull the trigger after the inevitable City loss.
Good post. Think his big issue is that he seems to have lost the fans. When the fans want you out it usually happens sooner rather than later. Don't know if it's just Twitter and match going fans feel differently but under every tweet Villa make its just fans calling for Gerrards head. They have a lot of attacking talent but don't seem to be creating much from what I've seen.
He's certainly under pressure and I think he knows that. I think fans are very fickle though and Gerrard's only a few results away from having fans back on side again. The results can't continue much longer of course. I do think he still has a career at this level though. I think it's too soon to be writing Gerrard off and suggesting he needs to drop a division though. I think he'll take another job at around Villa's level (maybe not as big a club as Villa) when one becomes available. Assuming that he can't tell this spell around anyway, Villa have some good games coming up that they should be doing better in. Hopefully he turns things around.
Whilst he's lost the fans currently he doesn't seem to have lost the players. Don't think their effort could be faulted against Arsenal. Just a couple of daft bits of defending cost them. So if they continue with that effort he has a chance in the games you mention.
Definitely. Maybe I'm too old school and favour giving the manager too much time. I know Villa's form extends beyond this current season but I'd personally want to give Gerrard a little more time to turn things around, I don't think they have to panic just yet. That said, I'd have given some shite managers of ours more time too so maybe I'm the wrong person to be advocating more time for Gerrard
Imagine spending that much effort just to argue you’re the best team in Scotland. It’s a bit like arguing that you’re the best looking man in the burns unit at the hospital.
He probably has more credit in the bank than Dean Smith did with the ownership, being a flashy name. Said previously too that I imagine a few of the squad wouldn't be happy to see him go and would probably look to move on. If the club feels content they will not be battling relegation then he probably stays on - obviously right now that isn't the case though. Lose to Leicester and it will probably tip it.
That in bold. Nobody in this thread has suggested as much mate. Clearly you have misunderstood. As for a penalty shootout victory vs defeat being the difference between "next level" in footballing terms, and not...explain that one
Just in case anyone is wondering, the best team in Scotland are currently losing 4-0 against the Scottish Champions and the best team in Scotland now find themselves 5 points behind the Scottish Champions after 6 matches.
