Scottish Football 25/26

That penalty decision was disgraceful, Ralston was pushed to the ground and had his back to the ball when it hit him on the back of his elbow, var in Scotland is a joke, Dallas was in var and he's a bigot

7 hours ago, owls maniac said:

Rangers physically look miles off it. It’s a question of whether Danny will get the time to turn it around. Big big job in a club with huge expectations. 

It's hard to know what 'success' looks like this year.

They won't win the league no matter how well Röhl does.  They won't finish above Celtic OR Hearts, who unlike Rangers are a competent set of players with a strong spine, playing a system that suits them. 

Their fans probably won't accept third place even from where they are now.

11 hours ago, owlinexile said:

 

It's hard to know what 'success' looks like this year.

 

They won't win the league no matter how well Röhl does.  They won't finish above Celtic OR Hearts, who unlike Rangers are a competent set of players with a strong spine, playing a system that suits them. 

 

Their fans probably won't accept third place even from where they are now.

He probably has to win a trophy to count as some element of ‘success’ and they’ve only got one shot now with the Scottish Cup after losing in the League Cup yesterday. It’s going to be a tough season for Danny with the level of expectations.
 

They need to be looking long term and trying to improve the squad in increments with each window. It’s going to take time. Shifting out Martin’s duds and replacing them with better quality won’t be instant. They probably won’t see 3rd as a success for this season but at the moment that’s looking a likely scenario. 
 

Just as an FYI and I’m sure you’re not overlooking it, I agree Hearts have a strong spine and a good system, but there’s a lot of quality and pace in there too. You don’t score the same amount of goals as both Rangers and Celtic combined, and have a +19 goal difference at this stage of the season by accident.
 

I’m obviously loving it and maybe shouting about it too much, but we have been by far the best team in the league so far and there is good quality in that side too. The recruitment via Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics has been a game changer.

On 03/11/2025 at 12:30, edinburghowl said:

He probably has to win a trophy to count as some element of ‘success’ and they’ve only got one shot now with the Scottish Cup after losing in the League Cup yesterday. It’s going to be a tough season for Danny with the level of expectations.
 

They need to be looking long term and trying to improve the squad in increments with each window. It’s going to take time. Shifting out Martin’s duds and replacing them with better quality won’t be instant. They probably won’t see 3rd as a success for this season but at the moment that’s looking a likely scenario. 
 

Just as an FYI and I’m sure you’re not overlooking it, I agree Hearts have a strong spine and a good system, but there’s a lot of quality and pace in there too. You don’t score the same amount of goals as both Rangers and Celtic combined, and have a +19 goal difference at this stage of the season by accident.
 

I’m obviously loving it and maybe shouting about it too much, but we have been by far the best team in the league so far and there is good quality in that side too. The recruitment via Bloom’s Jamestown Analytics has been a game changer.

I'm definitely not trying to talk down Hearts.  Just pointing out they have all the strengths that Rangers currently lack. 

I would love Hearts to win the league.  It would be a massive rocket up the SPL and incidentally ******** off all the Celtic supporting Mean Dads at the kids' Catholic school.

Hearts any good today?

Didnt know pantuche camara was playing in Scotland. Loved him at plymouth. Looks like he's over his injuries. I'd have him at Hillsborough next season (I'd go and pick him up and drive him down myself to have him this season) still only 28

On 03/11/2025 at 13:30, edinburghowl said:

He probably has to win a trophy to count as some element of ‘success’ and they’ve only got one shot now with the Scottish Cup after losing in the League Cup yesterday. It’s going to be a tough season for Danny with the level of expectations.
 

Seems a bit premature to write Rangers off to me. Only 12 games in so lots of opportunities for Hearts to get a nosebleed and Celtic appear to be a mess.

When Röhl got the job I stuck a little bet on him to win the title at 14/1, in 3 games he’s made up 4 points on Hearts and 2 on Celtic and the odds have already come in to 10/1 (7/1 with some bookies)…..

48 minutes ago, Emerson Thome said:

Seems a bit premature to write Rangers off to me. Only 12 games in so lots of opportunities for Hearts to get a nosebleed and Celtic appear to be a mess.

 

When Röhl got the job I stuck a little bet on him to win the title at 14/1, in 3 games he’s made up 4 points on Hearts and 2 on Celtic and the odds have already come in to 10/1 (7/1 with some bookies)…..

Its doubtful. He has only beaten Hibs (who Martin beat in the cup the month before), Kilmarnock and Dundee (bottom 3 sides). A nice run of fixtures coming up though so maybe he can get an head of steam up

There is no chance Danny wins the title with this current Rangers' side. 

Finishing runners up would be a good effort. 

14 minutes ago, SiJ said:

There is no chance Danny wins the title with this current Rangers' side. 

 

Finishing runners up would be a good effort. 

Are they that bad? They got 75 points last season and to the quarter finals of the Europa League. They signed 15 players in the summer… now yes, I’m sure some of the signings will be bad, but I know Gassama isn’t, Aasgaard is one of the most highly rated young players here in Norway, a few of the rest of the signings are internationals. What if the previous manager was awful and actually there are at least 15 decent players in the overall squad he can build a team around? Valentin, Gassama and Musaba didn’t look up to much under Xisco until Danny came in…

A bit off topic but when I picked Wednesday as a kid I decided I needed a Scottish team. Something with a bit of glitz and glamour. 43 years later I’m finally looking to go and see Forfar Athletic next season. 

12 hours ago, Emerson Thome said:

Are they that bad? They got 75 points last season and to the quarter finals of the Europa League. They signed 15 players in the summer… now yes, I’m sure some of the signings will be bad, but I know Gassama isn’t, Aasgaard is one of the most highly rated young players here in Norway, a few of the rest of the signings are internationals. What if the previous manager was awful and actually there are at least 15 decent players in the overall squad he can build a team around? Valentin, Gassama and Musaba didn’t look up to much under Xisco until Danny came in…

They're just not at the standard needed for Rangers.  The demands here are totally different and those new additions are struggling to come to grips with that. Aasgaard does a fancy flick, puts his hair back into place and think that's his lot - he has been a total passenger. He looks every inch a lower championship/league one player. 

Röhl has gone back to basics and made us competitive, but we're a long way from challenging for the league this season unless we see some quality additions enter the building in January.

As for how bad we are then in terms of our summer recruitment

- Jefte & Ridvan are better than Meghoma

- Dessers is better than Miovski

- Igamane is better than Chermitti 

- Hagi is better than Aasgaard

- Cerny is better than Antman

- Balogun is better than Cornelius, Fernandez and Djiga 

- Tavernier is better than Aarons

The summer window saw us regress in pretty much every position despite substantial amounts of investment. The levels of investment this season should have seen us win the league at a canter given how crap they are - but unfortunately, we've blown that. 

16 hours ago, Ward15owl said:

A bit off topic but when I picked Wednesday as a kid I decided I needed a Scottish team. Something with a bit of glitz and glamour. 43 years later I’m finally looking to go and see Forfar Athletic next season. 

You don't pick Wednesday, Wednesday pick you. However i picked Meadowbank Thistle as a kid. 

2 hours ago, WAWAW said:

You don't pick Wednesday, Wednesday pick you. 

Naffest saying in football just ahead up of  calling your stadium "the old lady".....

7 hours ago, Liam_Baggies said:

 

They're just not at the standard needed for Rangers.  The demands here are totally different and those new additions are struggling to come to grips with that. Aasgaard does a fancy flick, puts his hair back into place and think that's his lot - he has been a total passenger. He looks every inch a lower championship/league one player. 

 

Röhl has gone back to basics and made us competitive, but we're a long way from challenging for the league this season unless we see some quality additions enter the building in January.

 

As for how bad we are then in terms of our summer recruitment

 

- Jefte & Ridvan are better than Meghoma

- Dessers is better than Miovski

- Igamane is better than Chermitti 

- Hagi is better than Aasgaard

- Cerny is better than Antman

- Balogun is better than Cornelius, Fernandez and Djiga 

- Tavernier is better than Aarons

 

The summer window saw us regress in pretty much every position despite substantial amounts of investment. The levels of investment this season should have seen us win the league at a canter given how crap they are - but unfortunately, we've blown that. 

Agreed. Röhl has done well (domestically) to get a few results but the lack of quality and particularly in forward areas will tell over the piece.
 

January is going to be a key window for Rangers, big changes are needed, and January is never a good window to be making big changes and that realistically is what is needed. There is huge surgery needed to that squad, and like you say I don’t think you’ve made improvements in any position with the recruitment over the summer.
 

With Thelwell looking like he is going to be in charge of any recruitment too that must be depressing as a Rangers fan. 
 

22 hours ago, Emerson Thome said:

Seems a bit premature to write Rangers off to me. Only 12 games in so lots of opportunities for Hearts to get a nosebleed and Celtic appear to be a mess.

 

When Röhl got the job I stuck a little bet on him to win the title at 14/1, in 3 games he’s made up 4 points on Hearts and 2 on Celtic and the odds have already come in to 10/1 (7/1 with some bookies)…..

Not impossible but highly unlikely I would say. There’s a reason the bookies have them the price they are

Whilst not mathematically out of it, the other thing to bear in mind with Rangers is how much has to happen for them to win the title.

They're not even third yet, first of all, but let's assume they don't lose their game in hand and so go above Hibs. If they were five points behind Celtic at this stage, with Celtic top, very few would be saying they were going to win the title. As it is, they're five points behind Celtic, but twelve (nine at best when game in hand played) behind Hearts.

I don't carry the same optimism about Hearts that some do, but let's be honest, this is not last season's Aberdeen. Any regression to the mean still may be enough for them to win the title if Celtic don't sort themselves out, such is the advantage that Hearts have built up early and the generally decent performances. Rangers need to overcome those deficits on two teams, meaning that they need to be just about perfect from here until the end of their season.

So far, Röhl has done what he did at Wednesday; be pretty consistent in winning the games that they should, but look totally off the pace against sides that are better. Aside from the weird hold we seemed to have on West Brom, he showed no indication of being able to figure out how to beat the better sides. To make up the gap, whilst overtaking three teams, Rangers will need to not only not slip up against the lower teams, but also beat Celtic and Hearts. Probably every time remaining.