17 Mar 2026 09:07:42
I don't want to start the debate about Andreas Skov Olsen again but there is one specific aspect that i would like to ask about.
Why do people believe he should play in a style that has never been his style and a way which doesn't appear to fit with the tactical directive.
Danny Röhl said upon signing Ryan Naderi that we would see a set up with two central forwards with two number 10s behind them.
Now wether this tactic works is a question for another day, I am not the biggest fan of that system.
But looking at the best team I have seen use it in recent years was RB Leipzig.
RB Leipzig had Christopher Nkunku and yussuf Poulsen as forwards with Dani Olmo and Dominik Szoboszlai as the 10s.
I cannot remember either of the 10s behaving like traditional wingers.
17 Mar 2026 09:39:00
It is clearly obvious that Olsen has talent, Aph, but we do need players to take initiative and grab a game by the scruff of the neck, and lead it.
Whether that's in defence, midfield or attack. Look at Rommens, there's a boy who is powering through games and leading by example.
Let's be frank here, Olsen has struggled in Italy and Germany. He needs to take responsibility for that, Aph. All effective players do that.
BTW, I like him, but he's got 8 games to prove that he really wants to be here.
17 Mar 2026 09:46:29
If he doesn't fit the style or system, then what would be the point in pursuing him? Surely, he would be better going where he would fit in better. I think much of the problem is based on the high potential fee, and that he doesn't appear to be looking to make an impact apart from occasional moments or showing any enthusiasm.
He isn't doing any of the things that had us excited about him in the past.
17 Mar 2026 09:52:34
Kaiser, I have not said he doesn't fit the style or system.
My point is people expect a Chris Burke type winger and he is not that type.
17 Mar 2026 09:57:39
Should be bringing in players who are able to play the system he wants to use. Until he gets the players who can play the system he wants, the players must play where they are told.
17 Mar 2026 10:03:35
Bunster, I agree, and he is clearly not asking Skov Olsen to behave like a traditional winger.
He is attempting to use him as a wide 10.
He needs to improve, but he will never be the winger that people are asking for.
17 Mar 2026 10:05:54
Because I don't agree with you on Olsen, you have berated me??? I pay to watch this guy and was hoping he was a game changer when up to speed. No doubt the guy has ability, but he has struggled lately, and like a few on here say, it's time for him to produce.
Would love to see him come good and help to deliver the Title.
17 Mar 2026 10:08:45
I apologize if my point is not clear, but it appears no one has understood what I am trying to say.
17 Mar 2026 10:16:02
Understand what you are saying, Aph. It's quite technical, really.
However, we've got an attacking player who would cost us an absolute fortune, and his parent club in Germany would be very happy to offload him.
He struggled in Italy at times, hasn't scored an international goal in 4 years, and is not showing his full potential here.
We can crack on about positioning and tactics all day, but very good players generally show their worth. This boy isn't!
Would I like him to cut inside, take the initiative, terrorise defences, and win us the league? Yes, of course. He's got 8 games. He needs to do it.
17 Mar 2026 10:19:08
Aphe, I agree he isn't and has never been a flying winger who will go past people on the outside, and that seems to be a common complaint on here, so I suspect it is the same amongst the wider fanbase as well. He can go outside, as he has shown with his crosses for Chermiti's goals against Hearts and Celtic. However, it isn't a sprint to the byline from 30 yards, but more a shift of the ball and 1/2 yard of space being created.
He traditionally plays as a wide playmaker who cuts inside on his left foot and either shoots or creates a chance. If he were doing that more regularly, and had end product, then we wouldn't be having this discussion.
However, despite knowing that, he hasn't shown anywhere near the talent I have heard he has. I am disappointed at his application more than anything, as you get some support from fans if they see you putting in effort. I am not sure if it is still lack of match fitness, or if it is just that he has lost that drive he had at the start of his career.
Thing is, unless he shows it soon, he is losing all support from a demanding fan base. It may be he needs a pre-season to get back to that level, but it might not be at us if he doesn't show some signs of promise to entice the club to pay whatever price it is.
17 Mar 2026 10:21:11
Rosto, I agree he needs to do better.
I am under the impression that, regardless of supporter opinion, the club will keep its commitment to the player and sign permanently.
What I will say is, he provides more goal contributions on average than any attacking player we currently have at the club, and owned by the club out on loan.
17 Mar 2026 10:26:02
Angus, I agree, and I do feel he is still lacking in match sharpness and confidence.
What I will caveat that with is, if he is already averaging more goal contributions than any of our attackers now, whilst struggling for confidence and not fully fit, then one can only hope that with increased confidence and fitness he would rise substantially above the others.
I do feel he is a player that needs an arm round the shoulders and made to feel like he belongs.
A full preseason would help enormously.
17 Mar 2026 10:31:09
OK, perhaps misread what u said about fitting the tactical directive. Also, bit difficult having a debate without wanting to debate. ? I do wonder, though, if he does fit either as a winger or the number 10, and can only judge him on what he's doing.
He didn't work out at other clubs, so a valid question as to if he'll fit here or were there other big reasons those moves didn't work. Essentially, now he has a 3 month trial to see if he suits here, not what he did before.
17 Mar 2026 10:34:33
For me, we have our best winger Curtis out on loan who would contribute more goals and assists than Olsen or Moore would in a full season.
He knows how to cross a ball, unlike a lot of our other wingers, and go past his man, and that's what we need.
17 Mar 2026 10:37:12
It's clear to see that Olsen has a talent and is naturally gifted. The problem is how we get the best from him. A full pre-season would help. Also, he's not the first gifted player to arrive in Glasgow and not set the heather alight, and struggle with the demands of our game. Hatley, Mikhiliachenko etc.
17 Mar 2026 10:37:34
Kaiser, it's actually quite simple why the moves haven't worked, and it was the same reason Cerny didn't work at the same German club.
Unfortunately, both at Bologna and Wolfsburg there were players in front of him in the pecking order.
At Bologna he had club captain Ricardo Orsollini in front of him.
At Wolfsburg he has Patrick Wimmer, a winger valued at over 60 million euros.
17 Mar 2026 10:40:04
Yet, Craigs, he hasn't, and he is getting the opportunities to make mistakes.
Skov Olsen has had 7 matches.
17 Mar 2026 10:45:19
I think you are preparing us for your inevitable belief that we will sign him regardless of fan opinion, Aph. Fair enough!
I'm a patient man! Like Angus says, his application needs to improve as well.
I'd rather we put that cash into Mikey Moore, sell Aasgaard and Atman, and look for something better.
I'm old enough to witness lots of players prove their worth over time, and not just instantly, but I'm also old enough to witness lots of players just never getting off the blocks.
If we sign this guy permanently, then it will be a big risk, Aph. His heat map statistics for us this season have him hugging the line, and, when watching him, he looks scared to try things.
If cutting in and getting through defences centrally is his thing, then we have pretty much the same problem as we do of him being an out-and-out winger.
According to you, Antman is better at No. 10, Aasgaard is a No. 10, Olsen is better off cutting into No. 10, and we have Moore who can play No. 10.
Moore is only 18 and is showing much more initiative and bravery than any of these other 3. They are all quite different, but if we are going to start splashing cash, I'd rather we didn't waste it.
17 Mar 2026 10:52:34
Aph, I am struggling. One minute you say, "what do people not understand why he can't play in a style that suits the tactical directive." Then say, "you have never said you have never said he doesn't suit the style or system." Let's have a play on words: tactical directive = system.
17 Mar 2026 10:57:28
This signing, Micky Moore, is fantasy. I would love it, but this will never happen. Spurs won't sell him.
17 Mar 2026 10:58:05
Penrith, it is again very simple.
I asked why people expect him to play like a Chris Burke-style winger, when it is neither the style of winger he has always been, nor the apparent tactical directive.
He is not a Burke-style winger, and I don't believe the system Danny Rohl is trying to play wants or needs him to play like a Burke-style winger.
As I have always said, the club's expectations and the fans' expectations of a player are worlds apart.
17 Mar 2026 11:00:14
Rosto, he is struggling for confidence, but it was not too long ago people were saying they would drive him back to London as a flop, and people were also saying the same thing about Djiga.
Now people want them signed permanently after gaining confidence over the course of the entire season to date.
It is a recurring theme with Rangers fans wanting players sent back after 7 games.
Cerny, Sima, Tillman and many more.
17 Mar 2026 11:10:28
I loved Cerny, Sima and Tillman from the off tbh. Same with Moore, some others didn't like Moore to begin with, but you can see all those other boys had the talent.
Olsen isn't showing his talent, unfortunately.
In small doses, I can see what he can do.
The fact that you are telling me he is supposed to be cutting inside, creating and shooting isn't filling me with a lot of confidence, mate.
17 Mar 2026 11:14:15
Aso, again, let's get one thing clear, he is not, and I repeat, not playing as a 10.
If he is playing as a 10, he is worse as a 10 than a winger, because he is stuck out on the wing 99% of the time.
There is no guarantee he returns to form, so in no way should we be signing the guy.
I thought he was going to be a good signing, but sadly failed to deliver.
Aphe, stop using the Chris Burke-type rubbish, as that's you being disrespectful to Burke.
Everyone knows what you mean, but the problem is you are making excuses for him.
17 Mar 2026 11:15:15
Aph, I expect a professional footballer who is being quoted at £8m to do better than what he is doing at present. Yes, I understand he hadn't played a lot of football for months prior to joining on loan. I don't follow a lot of European football, so can you tell me, was he injured or not suited to the tactical directive?
17 Mar 2026 11:24:44
Penrith, I have never once said he is not suited to the tactical directive.
He was not injured. He just had players in front of him that he failed to dislodge.
Strom, can you please enlighten me as to where I have been disrespectful to Chris Burke?
If anything, I have been respectful to him by using him as a benchmark for those style of wingers.
As I said, and Angus has reiterated, he is a wide playmaker. He starts wide and drifts inside, as he did with the pass through to Moore on Sunday.
17 Mar 2026 11:25:04
His heat map for us this season has him absolutely hugging the line, not getting forward or inside. It's not great reading, Storm.
17 Mar 2026 11:26:57
Penrith, I could be wrong, but didn't his team use wingbacks? I'm sure that was Cerny's problem, saying that, I don't know if they change managers.
17 Mar 2026 11:29:41
That's a fair point, Rostosto, about them all being No10s. Even our Strikers prefer to play as 10s, so what's the point of a team of 10s with no width or anyone actually up front?
17 Mar 2026 11:44:02
I don't always agree with Souness Kaiser, but I remember him saying this drove him up the wall when he went to manage Benfica.
He said that he had a bunch of players who all wanted to play behind the strikers, and he wanted someone to actually take some responsibility and score goals.
We've got loads of that just now, and we aren't getting the ball in the box often enough as well.
17 Mar 2026 11:54:20
Playing as a wide 10. ? Oh my days. Mo, he's playing as a winger. Stop making excuses. We also have not played 2 up top every game he's played in. Everybody has established he's been very poor. Certainly not up to, as u put it, Burke standard.
17 Mar 2026 11:55:06
Kaiser, I think the 4-2-2-2 formation, which seems to be quoted as how we play, would suit those number 10s as they would sit inside and provide that box of 6 with the 2 strikers. However, I don't think we have those number 10s to play those AM roles.
Skov Olsen hugging the sidelines means he isn't naturally comfortable playing that inside role, and goes back to type.
So, is he not showing his talent because the system we are trying to play isn't working as it should? It would be the same for Gassama. Would we be better with a 4-3-3, which allows wingers to stay wide and either go past or cut inside on the underlap.
17 Mar 2026 11:59:40
Spot on, Paul!
Aph is basically saying we are stuck with this guy, though. We'll see.
17 Mar 2026 12:27:37
Why should he play in a way which doesn't appear to fit with the tactical directive.
Could think of about 30, 000 reasons.
17 Mar 2026 12:29:58
Angus, I'm genuinely confused by it all now. Skov Olsen's best 2 moments came from beating a man out on the wing and crossing it into Chermiti, who actually got into the box and scored, but we're not meant to hope to see that.
Instead, I need to try and get my head around playing 4 No10s. ? I'm out for now. Anyone up for a Tav or Butland debate? ?
17 Mar 2026 12:46:59
Kaiser, I am equally as confused. What I know for sure is Skov Olsen is that he sits wide. He then has the option to come inside and either shoot or pass. That is how he played and got lots of goals and assists with the clubs he was successful at. He does, however, have that ability to go on the outside as he did for the goals you mention, but I didn't think he is a natural winger who flies past FBs.
Hence the wide playmaker moniker. So a mixture of the goals you saw plus the type of delivery Raskin had on Sunday. But that explains what we are seeing.
So if this is still the case then 4-2-2-2 doesn't suit him at all nor Gassama.
Now on Tav, with a 4-2-2-2 it is perfectly suited to his overlapping runs. ?
17 Mar 2026 13:05:33
Rostosto, not sure how he would know if we're stuck with him or not. God help us if we do waste 8 mill on him.
17 Mar 2026 13:29:13
Was 4222 not the infamous John Barnes formation?
17 Mar 2026 13:35:27
Aphe, I understand you may have misunderstood my point on ASO. Yes, I stated he is a winger and I want him to take on his FB. Now, that doesn't mean he has to go flying down the wing and constantly whip balls into the box. He could cut inside and be Cernyesque by hitting a shot or slipping some balls into the box. But when we are playing Celtic and they have Scales at LB on a yellow card, I expect him to show initiative and take his man on to cause problems. What I don't expect from an expensive signing is for him to constantly pass the ball back or sidewards.
He is clearly two footed, so would constantly have his FB wondering which way he is going to go. The issue is he isn't showing too willing to even try, and is always playing within himself. That won't do at this club, especially if it's going to be a huge summer outlay, as fans will be immediately on his back (more so than now). He just doesn't show the heart or desire required to be a Rangers player imo, and his interview where he stated football is just a job to him has me questioning if he is even bothered at all.
17 Mar 2026 13:47:42
Paul, expect ridicule as Olsen will be a Rangers player in the summer as it's fact explained by ASA. ??
17 Mar 2026 14:46:15
Aphe, just my take on it. You have said Burke-type winger a few times now, and to me it comes across as disrespect. Olsen is not a wide playmaker, that is not a thing until you mentioned it, mate.
We need to stop making excuses, and you know I agree with you a lot, but this is not one of them. He is not playing as a 10 either, or someone needs to tell him, as he is always hugging the touch line.
17 Mar 2026 17:39:43
8 games to go, so surely Olsen should be judged at the end of the season, but, at the moment, the jury's out.
Established Danish international, and was excellent at Club Brugge, so. ?