Rangers Banter Archive July 16 2016

16 Jul 2016 22:03:19
Gilks

Tavernier
Wilson
Kiernan ( Marriapa if he signs tho)
Wallace

Forrester ( or MOH depending on form)
Barton
Rossiter ( swap for Halliday now and again )
Kranjcar

Dodoo ( if he signs, if not Miller)
Waghorn.

16 Jul 2016 22:56:26
So if Marriapa doesn't sign you would go with Wilson and Kiernan? Take it you didn't see game today then.

16 Jul 2016 22:59:02
I like the look of that team but i would have MOH staring over Forrester at the minute seems to have bedded in and playing with great confidence.

16 Jul 2016 23:24:09
I thought over the piece rangers deserved the win today particularly after the two dreadful handball decisions. But the defence is still extremely suspect. I'd be very surprised if come the start of the league campaign if kiernan and wilson start. Hope warbs has another defender up his sleeve by then.

16 Jul 2016 23:40:45
Wes? Hill? McKay?

16 Jul 2016 23:59:10
Mattiappa clearly won't be signing don't know why people continue to put him in possible line up.

17 Jul 2016 12:48:54
Yes I would, unless the gaffer brings someone else in. Who else do we have apart from a very old hill? I think we have better options now and McKay in my opinion won't start. Also hear that we are trying to renegotiate with Marriapa so who knows.

16 Jul 2016 21:42:51
For me some are being slightly harsh on McKay aswell. I think tho he might not be a definite starter once warbs finds out his best side. He has so much competition if he has 2 poor games he's out and then it up to them to see if they can nail down a spot.

But that in its own way is the great thing about were we are now. Nobody garenteed a start. And healthy competition which will make for a interesting team sheet every time it comes out.

16 Jul 2016 23:52:48
He's deceptive. Makes it look lazy and easy. Doesn't catch the eye so you miss the slight footwork and skill. Massive fan of Barry and I believe he will only get better. I think he's better than most realise.

16 Jul 2016 20:38:58
I thot today's game was never in doubt. Yes our defence needs sorting out but as the games go we will be stronger. I still think Mackay is not the best and would rather someone is there instead I think he has one good game in every 4 games. But on a good note good result and can't for the league to start.

16 Jul 2016 20:49:19
Agree with you regarding McKay. I thought he was average at best today. Needs to play consistently like he did in the Celtic game.

The goalkeeper worries me. He just won't come for cross balls.

Defence will improve once we have our holding midfield players playing, they are still suffering because we don't have a quality holding midfield player. When Barton and Crooks or the ex Liverpool lad are in that side we will be much stronger defensively.

16 Jul 2016 20:51:06
Mckay is one of our best players.

16 Jul 2016 21:27:06
Think your being bit harsh on mackay he is one of our best players fair enough wasn't at his best the day but still picking passes boy should start every week for me.

16 Jul 2016 21:29:45
Mckay will pick up as games go on but the defending has got no better.

I love the way we play, the defending is the only issue for me.

Still getting lads in and that's only the second game we have had since last season.

Glad to get that one in the bag. A win is a win and to be fair that was a good one.

16 Jul 2016 21:33:52
What game are you guys watching? McKay is class pure and simple he looks like he's floating when he is in the ball and rarely gives it away. He is only going to improve and is still young.
We deserved to win 4-1 but a combination of goal line clearances, missed chances and poor refereeing meant we only won 2-0 away in hard venue against 1 of the better sides in the league without 6 new signings featuring and none starting.
Yeah we had shaky start but Well have played 4 friendlies before today while this was only our 2nd outing, class and fitness told in the end .
Can't wait to win this league.

16 Jul 2016 21:42:30
MaKay is our best player. he sees passes no one else sees with accuracy and pace. Any time we open teams up he is at the heart of it. Ok things don't always come off but he is physically stronger even over the short summer. Warburton rates him highly and I think we will struggle to keep hold of him

Is it not great to see a young Scot taking the ball from Kranjar and dictating the play.

16 Jul 2016 21:57:32
Can't believe some people thought McKay had a bad game. He was our best player today, can't think of him misplacing a pass, and every pass he hits is forward and into feet. He will go onto be the best player in that team imo.

16 Jul 2016 22:31:02
Let's be honest, if Motherwell took their chances in the 1st half, it was over, it was the proverbial game of 2 halves, no-one can deny that.

16 Jul 2016 23:09:57
I wouldn't have said 2 halves. Motherwell had the first ten minutes then we dominated.

That's only our second game since returning for pre season whereas motherwell have played a handful. We looked fitter at the end too.

Windass and Krancjar done well enough last half hour and I think the defence will be fine once we get at least one of the defensive midfielders in the lineup. Decent start at a tricky venue with improvement to come. On to the next one.

16 Jul 2016 23:50:57
I think we were caught a bit square and open but we need to cut the guys some slack as it's our first game. Also, we were superb in the second half. A bit like last season's first match at Easter Road imo.

17 Jul 2016 01:21:19
Stuartac, of course it was a game of 2 halves, if chances were taken, it would've been 5-2 Motherwell 1st half, don't kid urself, I wish it was more than 2-0 but it shows the, we're a completely different the from the 1 they beat and we were nowhere near our best.

17 Jul 2016 10:07:05
5-2? c'mon mate they had 2 good chances early on then a couple of half chances. Miller and waggy both missed good chances for us first half, we had two or three half chances second half as well as a stonewall penalty turned down and their keeper should have been sent of with 10 minutes or so to go. Also we scored 2 goals. What more do you want when it's only our second pre season game against a team that have played a good few? Yes, defence was a bit shakey but let's see where we are with Barton, crooks, rossiter in the side before we start moaning.

16 Jul 2016 19:55:36
Kieran and Wilson get an extremely hard time considering they have played over a full year with no recognised hm and full backs playing like wingers. let's see how they play when Barton is in front of them, how do fellow bears feel as I feel If we attack as a team we defend as one and I think they get left exposed too often. First post hello all😍.

16 Jul 2016 20:16:14
WIll7spot on they have been exposed for too much with no
cover .
Brings me back to what MW said at the start .
If we lose three goals, we will score four!
Been reading on here what other guys starting team will
be this year and Matt Crooks has not been mentioned once .
6ft4 and the ( young ) man CAN play, with Rossister, Barton also in the team, we will be in a good place, have faith .

16 Jul 2016 20:45:05
I probably would have crooks in my team, if it weren't for his injuries, I don't know when he will be back, but also what his best position is, if it's CB or CDM.
Otherwise I probably would have crooks who can play and has not a bad scoring record. Need to see him first.

16 Jul 2016 20:47:33
Tavernier- doesn't defend
Wallace- is very adventurous shall we say
Halliday- is not a holding midfielder
Holt- spends more time in their box than our half
Forrester- is a winger playing MF

How can anyone slate Wilson and Kiernan so much when they have absolutely nobody in front of them willing to run back and stop the opposition? I feel they will get on much better with the likes of barton, crooks, rossiter ahead of them.

Yes ok, we still need another CB to complete the squad, and if he is good enough to replace wilson/ kiernan, all the better, but I still think most of our defensive mistakes come from not having anyone in the team wiling to defend.

At one point, kenny miller had to run back and overtake andy halliday to do some defending today, that says it all.

And as much as I don't like the guy, Burley had it spot on the day when saying there are not enough players who played today who are naturally looking to stop the opponent going forward and do any of the dirty work.

16 Jul 2016 21:37:38
Tb fair Tav defended well for majority of the game today. His slide tackles were times perfectly and he won possession back on average 70% of the time while still being dangerous in final 3rd.
I'm always slating him defencively but felt apart from 1 slack backpass he done very well today as did Wilson who also gets plenty of stick from myself and other Bears.

16 Jul 2016 23:52:50
Will7
Welcome pal. Good post. I agree 100% with your assessment.

16 Jul 2016 23:53:57
Will7 its a good job we defend as a team eh, if it wasn't for ah we would have been 1 down before we started, though first game for season, we will definitely get stronger, but if i had my say big wes would be benched, i'd also bench keirnan permanently, that's a cert over the next couple of games, imho.

17 Jul 2016 09:29:41
Sure, Tav can defend when he is in the position to do so, but the problem is he plays so far forward he completely eliminates himself from the defensive play. I wouldn´t change how he plays to be honest, I would just tweak the team so that we have people in there capable of covering for him, and Wallace at times, defensively.

16 Jul 2016 18:51:42
thots on the days performance then folks?

16 Jul 2016 19:13:39
Great going forward, horrible in defence.

Two goals for us, could've been more, no goals for them, should've been more.

Really hope the centre back we're after isn't Dom Ball, would love him back, performance in Old Firm was up their with the best.

But he isn't a CB, just like Andy isn't a CDM.

16 Jul 2016 19:13:39
Great going forward, horrible in defence.

Two goals for us, could've been more, no goals for them, should've been more.

Really hope the centre back we're after isn't Dom Ball, would love him back, performance in Old Firm was up their with the best.

But he isn't a CB, just like Andy isn't a CDM.

16 Jul 2016 19:27:09
Was at fir park today and we were discussing at half time that the defence just like last season was shaky, motherwell's chances in the first half were nothing to do with their creative play it was down to us not defending properly, I said last season and I'll say again the danny wilson and rob kiernan partnership has to be split up as they don't play well together, that said I thought we played well especially the 2nd half and it ended up being a good professional performance in the end, we do though need to sign a good no nonsense centre half and I'm sure warbs will, we look good from middle to front and again played good football, joey barton will also make a big difference when he comes in and will undoubtedly help our centre halfs in the defensive midfield role, he'll protect them and that space in front of them, quietly confident we'll be fine this season and will mount a challenge for the league.

16 Jul 2016 19:27:35
We really need a commanding centre half every cross ball that came into our box today caused panic, maybe Hill can organise the defence with his experience we need to do something quickly.

16 Jul 2016 19:34:19
Good result today. I'll put our missed chances down to match sharpness. Nothing a few games won't sort. As for the defence, my word, nothing has changed from last year. No lessons learnt. They're going to seriously cost us this campaign if things stay as they are.

Worst performance today was the referee and his assistants. Are they guys for real? Just as well Shaghorn wrapped things up or else things could've been different. Clearly a red card and freekick and then a penalty.

The thing I'm happiest about is that now we have players on the bench that are exciting and can change a game. Missed this over the past few years.

16 Jul 2016 19:37:42
Thought the boys today done a good job! MOH looked lively and Kranc just strolled through the 30mins he played ( would have loved for him to have scored that with his first touch ) ! Windass looks to have the energy to go box to box ( he helped out the defence a few times when he came on ) ! Defence certainly needs sorted but I think when Hill is fit and plays alongside Wilson it'll steady the back four more but we still need a CD I feel!

Now even though we won I have to question the refs decisions with the keeper handling outside the box firstly then the penalty appeal!

We looked good today at spells but we try pass teams off the park and even though we play some really good football we need that striker with the killer instinct to finish off the chances we create!

We certainly will turn a few teams over this term I think once we get the newbies in and settled!

16 Jul 2016 19:45:53
Whomever thinks a real Holding Mid will take pressure of the two CB is in for something this season.

These two will cost us a lot of crucial three points in games this year if they start as much as they did last season.

Thankfully they'll be replaced though so no worries, right?

16 Jul 2016 19:47:31
Sure the defence is terrible but I don't like how everyone blames Rab and Danny. Tav leaves these guys a man short on almost every counter attack. So poor defensively. It's a shame we have midfield covered as I'd move tav into the midfield. He's great going forward. The only thing that let's him down in that department is his high crosses. Balls driven into the box are great but his high crosses are always over hit and too high. Rab and Danny are definetly prone to the odd mistake but I think you'd find two world class defenders struggling to man the back line by themselves. As soon as tav is caught out of position, Rab moves to cover and this stretches the two CHs causing all sorts of problems. I don't see how Hill or anybody else can fix this. What they can fix, aforementioned by the OP, is set pieces and crosses into the box.

16 Jul 2016 21:46:41
Windass MOH Waggy did really well today. Can't wait to see Hill shore up the back line.
Anyone else struggling to name a midfield and front line who gets left out if the boy Dodoo and the other striker MW mentioned yesterday.
Up top
Miller
Waggy
Windass
Mckay
Nico
Forrester
Dodoo
An other

Mid
Holt
Halliday
Crooks
Barton
Rossiter
Forrester
Windass
Nico

You could name a pretty attacking team out of that lot.

16 Jul 2016 23:58:16
And you forgot MOH in your list!

17 Jul 2016 09:19:51
Defence looks uncomfortable at times Not sure about this constant insistence on passing out from the back on two occasions today we got into difficulties when we really need a long ball out of the danger area
Early days but we are making good progress happy with what I have seen so far.

16 Jul 2016 18:29:10
im hoping with JB in the team we will have more options, he can play the ball over the top that gives teams more to think about other than our great passing to open up teams. Hopefully with Hill plus another commanding CB and crooks as def
Mid we will have height to defend and attack set plays which is a weakness of ours. Joey is great from corners and free kicks so it's and added weapon that I reckon MW and DW have identified from last season. We can't just keep playing the short ones we need variety. I'm loving the attacking options we have at the moment. MOH, Windass and Mackey all looked good. Here's to 55 boys!

16 Jul 2016 18:08:15
Very happy with windass, niko and o'halleron when they came on, Niko just breezed through what was left of the game minus his first touch of the game😂 but windass and o'halleron look very direct and dynamic which is very good to see.

16 Jul 2016 17:30:35
Great win today. Could have been more than 2. But with a new CF coming in along with the young Leicester player Dodoo will be ideal.

We will create a ton of chances but need to take them and we could sail to wins over most in the league.

But Clint Hill needs, absolutely needs to start the next game. Think every Bear watching today knows exactly why. Be nice to see how Lee Hodson plays as well, better defender than Tavernier.

16 Jul 2016 18:16:09
Also I would say a first choice centre back must be priority, same old same, looked really comfortable on the ball, sometimes to comfortable, if Motherwell had a finisher they would have won that game.

So I'm going to say this for the umpteenth time we need to scrap the Wilson and Kiernan partnership, it's quite a bad Achilles heel to have. Bring in hill for experience and a solid centre back that can defend first and foremost.

On the bright side I thought, Windass looked the part as did Niko, I think Niko will just get better and better.
Some of the players I have slagged off a wee bit did well also and that was Wes, TaV.

We are certainly not at this stage good enough yet to challenge but when you stick our new arrivals on and when there fit we will look better more street wise, Barton, rossister and Niko is the best midfield 3 in Scotland,
But the games not all about midfield we need be more ruthless and more solid, only quality additions will do, as I have given up on Wilson and Keirnan. It's the same old same, I don't know who's worse probably Keirnan, it amazes me how bad he is at clearing the ball as a defender over 6,2.

If we continue our way off playing, which I think is still the best and most entertaining way in Scotland we need that back door shut. I'm hoping a good centre back gets brought in to partner hill, and a good finisher gets brought in to bag 30 plus a season. If mcpartland can get that sorted I'm confident.

Obviously we're signing Joe Dodoo on a 4 year deal, that could be a solution. And supposedly maybe another striker.

But it's the defence that falls short, if we can get someone in that could partner Hill I would be delighted. We should rip up the Wison and Keirnan partnership.

How many mistakes is it going to take, or how many goals or times of unessesery pressure does it take to know we need both out, and let's try another pairing.

16 Jul 2016 18:43:26
We've had quite a while to get a First Choice CB in. Imagine the Mariappa deals off. A fully fit Louis Molt could've had a hat trick today. Quite a few teams in the league have genuine goal scorers.

The way Warburton has spoken of Keirnan in the past makes you think he's going to stick with him. If it's him and Hill, think very few fans would think that combination is good enough.

Going forward we surpass any team in the league. Anyone watching today would say our attacking play is unlike anything seen in Scotland for a while.

Dodoo will add a lot to the squad but another centre foward has to be a given before the window closes and will likely be a free or a loan deal which most would accept.

That defence though. Surely MW has something up his sleeve. Saying the defensive side of our game needs improving is more than an understatement.

16 Jul 2016 17:15:13
Team looked better once Miller holt and foresster went off. think windass al b a good one and krancjar good vision nice t see Ohalloran looking threatning. same old tho sort defence and mibi 55 al become reality.

16 Jul 2016 17:19:46
thought niko strolled through the half hour he got. looks classy passer. josh did well too. sort the defence warbs and the title is ours.

16 Jul 2016 17:30:46
Great result today which is the most important thing.

Performance raises questions about the defence which are not new. Don't think RK is good enough and Halliday is no HMF. Need a Ball or Mariappa in defence alongside Wilson and until such times play Clint with Wilson. Also suggest Crooks in HMF role from where he can assist with defensive duties. Tav scored great goal but was badly exposed in the 1st half.

Apart from that lots of positives to take and most importantly a great result.

16 Jul 2016 17:39:35
A think Hill or Crooks must be a certainty when fit for one of the CB positions. Kiernan and Wilson cannot play together at this level. They make the whole team look shaky and the same could be said of Halliday at CDM. Why the manager started with that again is beyond me considering he had options.
Thankfully we have Crooks, Hill and Barton to choose from when fit and that will sort that right out. I would personally like to see Rossiter at CDM when he returns.
Looked like we now have an insane amount of options up top though and still another few to come like Dodoo and someone else, so looking good for the league. Windass and Niko added class and McKay will thrive of Niko's quality once he establishes himself.
Well done Tav and Waggy, had to be they two to score to silence the doubters of their commitment. Well played Gers, shaky at times but understandable at this time of pre season and quality shown through in the end!

16 Jul 2016 17:42:37
Dont think wilson had a bad game today feel we were weak early down the right with tav and rk coupled with the fact that haliday isn't a cdm.

16 Jul 2016 17:50:09
Great post Fd.

16 Jul 2016 17:56:41
Wilson was poor today.

16 Jul 2016 16:52:36
Well watching the game today against motherwell. Midfield pretty good but the defence is shocking and we definitely needs a good target man up front. the new signings that came on done ok. But bare in mind this is a motherwell side that got hammered from Hibernian. we need the choice to put a corner in the box. We need better defence, we need good target man, .

16 Jul 2016 15:51:27
Still can't defend!
You can get shot down on here for having an opinion.
But that defence playing today is not good enough, whether it's pre season, mid season, end of season, any season!

16 Jul 2016 15:44:18
I know it's still early days but the defence still the same dodgy as hell and will get caught out with the better sides in the league.

16 Jul 2016 14:46:56
Thought we might have seen at least one of the new signings start, dissappointed.

16 Jul 2016 15:44:00
The gaffer said it's too early for the new players but most will play over the next 9 days.

16 Jul 2016 15:51:57
Very exposed at the back as usual.

16 Jul 2016 13:26:45
Heard that season tickets are just about sold out. If true, a FANtastic achievement. Fans have done their bit, now up to the players! !

16 Jul 2016 11:32:16
The Viking Clap at Fir Park today. Scott McDonald playing as well.

16 Jul 2016 10:38:57
Right lads just a thought but hat about kenwyne jones, just signed for Atlanta United but has to go out on loan for the season.

16 Jul 2016 11:24:45
I was thinking the same plus Carlos Bocanegra is like the technical director of Atlanta right now.

16 Jul 2016 04:06:15
Robin Van Persie 10/ 1 to join Rangers haha if they sign him I'll faint but realistically we have just about zero chance.

16 Jul 2016 10:01:09
He has stated in the past he was close to signing for the bears just before arsenal came in an am sure he'd be keen to come if we could stiker a deal with him here's to hoping what young dodoo would learn from him.

16 Jul 2016 10:05:45
1 in 10 chance, reasonably short odds if true.

16 Jul 2016 09:30:10
This rumour just won't go away Bobby, I heard it again the other night but I'm like you I just can't see it happening with his wages being the obvious stumbling block and I also read this morning that Everton are also in for him, so for they 2 reasons alone this will never happen.

16 Jul 2016 01:16:37
That guy dodoo reminds me of a young Jay Jay okocha. He will feed off Barton n niko n possibly get the bears up that table.

16 Jul 2016 06:22:51
We'll be up that table as long as that defence can hold its shape and form.

16 Jul 2016 09:33:51
You're right soton bear our defence still needs 1 more I think here's hoping it's Marriapa or bougherra.