19 Sep 2016 14:30:22
After Celtic dropping points I'm reasonably happy with how the weekend went.
Even although we never clawed back the points I was happier with how we played.
The midfield looked more dynamic, add Rossiter and Crooks to the mix and we can only improve. Great to see wee Holty and Windass together, they will make those 2 positions their own. Niko is better coming on at 60 mins when the game has slowed down. I hope he can be more for us but he needs to get sharper.
Think the defence also looked the most comfortable it has been. Hill just might redeem himself yet and Wilson looked good. Tavernier and Foz must surely have silenced all doubters, they look like our best players this year imo. Tav especially he is turning into something special.
In attack is where I feel the manager needs to be braver. Forrester and MOH should be given some starts, McKay and Waggy are off the boil and need rotated.
I know before anyone says it that dropping points at home to County is not good enough, but I have mellowed with my expectations for the time being and I definitely seen signs of the Rangers from last year coming back. Most of us on here last season thought we needed experience to help out our young team but having had that and seen it failed, I think it was the wild abandonement from last year was what Celtic, Dundee and the like couldn't cope with. Bring it back I say!
19 Sep 2016 16:04:12
Recbob, I tend to agree with the fact that we substituted the swagger of youth with too much experience. A balance is needed to get us back to playing at our best. That and a few starts for MOH and Forrester getting more starts, then fingers crossed, but I doubt if we will be able to sort out the central defence in the short term. Or possibly deploying a deep lying defensive midfielder to cover the back 2 and build our attacks from there.
19 Sep 2016 16:07:34
The fact Forrester has been one of our strongest players this season and didn't even feature at the weekend is ridiculous.
Hill and Wilson were the best partnership we've seen this season in that position. Senderos will add quality throughout the coming weeks alongside Wilson.
Waghorn needs game time to get him up to speed. MOH needs to start. McKay needs rested. Windass and Holt have to play. Crooks needs game time as does Dodoo. Even off the bench for Crooks and Dodoo but hopefully see them play a part.
Excited for this game tomorrow, hopefully a comfortable win but have a feeling it'll go to the wire.
19 Sep 2016 17:06:25
Don't understand the Forrester situation either- he should be in team or on bench.
Really hope we can get a positive result against our bogey team - I'm from Dumfries and remember the days when rangers used to send a reserve team down for friendlies and still win by 6 or 7.
19 Sep 2016 17:26:53
Forrester in that midfield three is vital.
Would rather have him in the team than Waghorn, Kranjcar, O Halloran, McKay and anyone else in the midfield bar, Holt and Windass to be honest.
He's one of the only players who's shown close to top form this season.
19 Sep 2016 18:04:47
A lot of positives but we still need to score goals and we are crying out for a leader on the football park.
The sooner Rossiter is fit the better. He should replace Barton since he looks to be our best player in that role. Not sure where Crooks fits in but everything suggests that when he is fully fit he will be a major asset.
Weaknesses remain at centre back although Wilson does appear to be a better bet although who partners him is probably still debatable. No doubt that Tavernier and Fotheringham have Improved but worrying that Wallace is struggling and he really isn't a Captain, he just doesn't have the leadership qualities needed.
Rossiter should be the first name on the team sheet each week along with Windass. Players like Forrester and Crooks perhaps fighting it out for the other midfield role or we play both and sacrifice Waghorn with Holt and Gardner. I am not a fan of Halliday, I just don't think he is good enough and on current form, McKay does not merit a place in the starting line up and for me Krancjar needs to be used as an impact player as does Miller.
19 Sep 2016 18:40:22
I think the manager signed every player for a reason and did have a master plan on what players to play, just injuries and lack of match sharpness from certain players (not just new ones) has given everyone a false idea of what where we're at. The quality is still there, we've just not seen it yet.
Hopefully once we get everyone fit and firing we can recapture some of the form that had SPFL teams terrified of us last year. I still think this is a better squad than last years but it's yet to find its form. A few victories this week would go a long way to changing all that .
19 Sep 2016 19:28:19
Got to say i don't get the big hype abt Forrester, i think he's not bad but definitely dot think he is a starter. if everyones fit the midfield should be holt, windass and rossiter for me.
19 Sep 2016 20:54:28
Ross County offered nothing going forward and their star striker missed the game. No wonder Hill played well as he wasn't tested. Let's hope you are saying the same thing after next Sunday.