27 Aug 2016 10:58:05
Once again left disappointed after watching Rangers play this season. Even when Kilmarnock went down to 10 men I wasn't convinced we would get a winner (unfortunately proved correct) . In my time watching Rangers, we have often had indifferent and sometimes poor starts to a season but still won the league, or at least mounted a challenge - Advocaat had a poor start and even some of Walter Smiths teams had slow starts but there was always a belief that those teams could go on a run of winning 10/ 15 games and would win when needed to. Granted they had more money and better players but the current Rangers team seems to be playing without any belief, a lack of leadership and without any real impetus in the final third. To often this season we have given away cheap goals and made it difficult for ourselves. Our defence gets a lot of stick, and rightly so, but its our offensive play that worries me more. We seem to have a lack of ideas and our link up-play between the front 3 and midfield is ponderous at best and easy for the opposition to defend. If we used the ball better in the final third it would take the pressure off our defence. With every game he misses Holt looks a better player for me as he was one who linked the attack n midfield and would also make good runs into the box - hopefully he returns soon. We also appear to have a lack of pace - Tav n Mckay have some but not enough throughout the team. Warburton has been a breath of fresh air since his arrival but at the moment the players are appear to be playing without belief in the system he has adopted - he somehow needs to get the players playing otherwise any form of challenge for the title will be over before Halloween. I'm confident he can do it but the team needs to improve and quickly -- we have had 4 league games this season and I can't really say we were better last night than we were against Hamilton, maybe it will take a defeat for the players / manager to realise it needs to change but just hoping there is a turnaround quickly otherwise it will be a long season.
27 Aug 2016 11:22:53
I don't think our defence getting criticism is right since half the time mistakes are made in midfield which left our defence being exposed. Constantly have been saying our defence is actually not that bad if we sowed up midfield we wouldn't be allowing teams these chances. Celtic's defence isn't any better than ours they just have had the same team for 3 seasons and have only brought in 2 or 3 players so its much easier for them to gel immediately than bringing in eleven new players.
27 Aug 2016 11:30:43
TheGreatDane86,I don't care who we've signed to date wee jason holt would always be in my team and one of the first names on the teamsheet, I agree with you as he links everything from middle to front with zip, also a great timer of runs beyond our strikers into the box, although not as good wee holty reminds me of ian durrant, there has to be a place for him in our midfield 3 and I don't care at who's expense, that's my opinion!
27 Aug 2016 11:57:22
RossW1995 - I understand what you mean; a number of our goals we have lost is due to giving the ball away cheaply in midfield / final third and then not having the fight to win it back or track runners. However, last night for example, Mckay gave the ball away cheaply in the final third and midfield (esp Barton) failed to get near the Kilmarnock player but for me that is still no excuse for Boyd being able to out pace both Kiernan and Hill - both looked lost, failed to either play offside or get goalside, and it looked easy for Boyd. Too often our defence is suspect at cross balls and our defenders appear to lack any positional sense, and are generally second to every ball - that for me justifies criticism.
27 Aug 2016 12:03:43
The defence is shocking, although the whole team has underperformed so far. The thing that annoys me is the manager can't see it and starts the same underperforming players every week. Kiernan is a joke, he's had one good game against Celtic and the rest he's been shocking.
27 Aug 2016 12:20:38
To be fair Boyd's movement has always been good and you still see miller out pacing defenders if his runs are right and you can't take the finish away. I said say Boyd would score he's a good a finisher as any. Hill was playing and he is probably our slowest player so he will get outpaced but he personally hasn't impressed so far.
27 Aug 2016 12:43:59
jason holt injured so he can't play.
27 Aug 2016 13:07:21
Boyds movement has never been good.
His finishing and positioning are his key attributes.
27 Aug 2016 13:38:31
Cee I know wee holt is injured but I'm saying in general warbs has imo to get him in our starting 11 no matter at who's expense, the problem I see and is how I'm commenting on it now is because I think there's a very good chance that warbs won't start with holt even when he's fit and I think that's wrong.
27 Aug 2016 18:25:31
Apart from 20 minutes at Easter Road, McKay has been terrible since the Celtic game. He's one who should be benched until he recovers enough confidence to go past a defender.