A team of two halfs

[J-C]

Why are we a team of two halfs, either we start very slowly and after the break we play out of our skins, or we start superbly like today, then after the break we just disappear from the game.

It makes you wonder if most of the players are mentally strong enough to keep the concentration going for the full 90 mins.:confused:

[Leithenhibby]

Very frustrating especially after such a good start.

It would be a wise man that can put his finger on it and a wiser man that can rectify it....:grr:


Roll on Wednesdays game :wink: but no sure if I'm looking forward to the first, or second half..:cool2:

[rightwinger]

It should be remembered that we are still very much a work in progress.

Hughes has inherited some good players, brought some on, and found a good few gems in the transfer market. He still needs the time to work things out and iron out the creases to keep taking us forward.

You could say the same about our performance today. We played positively but without a great deal of ruthlessness or direction. Our performance dropped hints that the players believe they can go through there and win. But it didn't seem like we knew exactly how we were going to do it. That will hopefully come in time.

We still have scope to improve much further. What for Rangers? They look strong now because they're winning and have a manager who is keeping a tight grip on things. But that won't last and, when they start falling, who will arrest the decline? No money, Smith soon to be gone, fans not happy. Rangers' squad is full of soldiers who will be resolute enough to block you out when they're winning. But when the decline starts how will players like Papac, Whittaker, Thomson, McCulloch, Lafferty, Kenny Miller etc turn it round for them?

Today we started the 2nd half flat and were punished for it. We came back into the game then lost a soft penalty. McBride then collapses in injury time and Rangers run through and score. We were not outclassed or even outmuscled, we were simply punished by a ruthless, well-organised outfit. Individually, we are in no way inferior to them. But their team has had longer to gel and mature and that counts for a lot in football.

Rangers will have no chance in the CL. Look at how uneasy they were in the first half with Zemmama, Benji and Miller linking up and playing fast football. Rangers kept us at bay with nothing more than sweat and industry. In the CL they'll come up against teams who play like us and can also match Rangers for experience, industry and physique.


It may sound odd but Rangers are goosed. They do not have the means to improve or go forward. They can only hope that Smith can keep them at the level they are at ad infinitum. Impossible. As Man Utd have shown, you have to keep building and progressing to keep ahead of those below you. If they progress and you don't then you will decline.

Give us time.