30 Sep 2026 23:35:10
I just read a good article on Sky Sports about the foundations for both our Old Firm wins.
I remember having a conversation the other day with someone about our scouting and I said it was now different to what it had been previously as before it felt like we were just picking names out of a hat. I also said for years that mentality had to be a key focus when recruiting. Here is what the article said.
"Rangers were not only looking at players' attributes, but also how they'd fit in the dressing room, their injury history, trading value and so on. Things which in the past were not always prioritised but are now all part of the equation". "There has been significant work to alter Rangers' recruitment process since last summer, and while the early signs are positive".
Fitting in is all about character and mentality which is imperative and clearly McInnes recognised this.
As you's will know I have went on and on and on and on and on about two big strikers up top. I also said 433 doesn't work for us and I was told that Celtic play 433 and its worked for them. Here is what the article said.
"So what was the plan to end Celtic's Premiership stranglehold? Well, rather than trying to copy their Old Firm rivals' possession-based style of play, Rangers were focussing on physicality and speed. The view was that to beat Celtic, they couldn't be like Celtic - they had to work differently".
I found the article interesting because it does strike a cord with me because its highlights some of the change that I also felt was needed. Of course there is more to it but its worth a read folks.
01 Oct 2026 07:12:17
Enthusiasm is all good and well - but its not just Celtic we need to master in this league as we have been turned over in past by other squads who are physical and run at us. 🤔 - I truly have greater optimism than previous years but fully appreciate that its the many other teams in our league who have caused problems home and away - I will feel more content when/if we go on a decent run against these so called also rans - my powder is dry for time being 👍.
01 Oct 2026 09:55:57
100% Blue Floyd3. We need to pick up the silly points that we tend to drop against the rest. Particularly away from home.
01 Oct 2026 11:13:52
I think McInnes has already shown a willingness to change style and system to overcome different teams approaches to get results. And with a better squad it will only get better. A far better approach than the plan B is do plan A better philosophy that's failed us under previous managers.
01 Oct 2026 11:18:16
guys you talk about it as if this is new. even under SWS we dropped points against teams we should be beating week in week out. its a human flaw that means we don't try as hard against teams we expect to beat which isn't just a football thing. hence why underdogs can win against the favourites.
but yes let's hope we drop less than Celtic do then we have a fighting chance.
01 Oct 2026 12:40:16
Enthusiasm and work rate is all very well but we needed quality to beat Celtic and we had that in both those recent games . We should not underestimate them , they have quality players who aren't performing at the moment .
When they do they will blow away most of Scottish football and we need to do the same so that at worst the league comes down to the three remaining OF games.
01 Oct 2026 12:48:24
McInnes will change system for different opposition as we'll already seen, it's a fluid system into and out of position, as the manager said himself, a formation isn't a important park like some posters clearly think it is, in the game against Celtic at Ibrox, it was basically 334, some get rapped up in 442 when it certainly ain't, pay attention in game and what our players do and maybe you'd see that.
01 Oct 2026 12:54:12
Wslgers, Rangers have better quality now though, how many Celtic players have you got making it into our startup line up?
01 Oct 2026 13:01:03
I don't think anyone was wrapped up in 442, most of us saw penrice going into midfield and playing a high press, infact there was a thread the other day about how fluid McInnes 442 is so maybe if you had been paying attention you would have saw that.
The two up top has made a big difference. That must be difficult to swallow. If folk had really been paying attention maybe they wouldn't have backed every manager and every player to be quality over the last few years.
01 Oct 2026 13:10:17
🪃 Why would it be difficult to swallow, no sense once again.
01 Oct 2026 13:27:21
You said two up top was outdated. You also said that 433 was the way to go because it worked for Celtic. Everyone on here knows you were dead against the idea of two up top or a version of 442. Don't pretend that you weren't.
01 Oct 2026 13:41:44
All I've said 433 has won the last 15 leagues, but if our manager fancy playing 2 cf's I'm cool with that, but you kerp on ratting on about 442 when in actual fact it ain't 442.
01 Oct 2026 14:18:29
Although i would live to take mic out of mystar for the two strikers thing as i argued two strikers was the way to go he's right in my veiw they are not playinv as a traditional two with more of 4411 or unusual 3511 kind how we played when we had shota arverladze who often droped a bit deeper.
01 Oct 2026 14:22:38
Got to say concerned with Scotland manager handling of Curtis many thinks it vindicates his decision dropping him down with Curtis performance i think it proves the opposite that Curtis way too good for that level.
Also did anyone else not notice that there was no spl players playing as if totally ignoring Scottish league.
01 Oct 2026 14:23:19
Its two up top. Its how McInnes plays. One will drop at times, one will go wide at times. Its still two strikers up top.
01 Oct 2026 14:35:45
This only highlights McInnes' set up in and out of position.
01 Oct 2026 14:34:41
I'm happy with any winning team and any set up that wins games, but you're cutting up in a 442 because we're have a couple of cf playing.
01 Oct 2026 14:36:22
Just scroll past my posts.
01 Oct 2026 16:34:26
Even after the manager said we'd played 442 folk argued that we didn't. 🤷. There's many variations of it and it can be very fluid. Important thing is we're able to react and adapt when needed whether that is switching to a 3 at the back or a 4, 1 up top or 2. Whatever is needed to get results.
01 Oct 2026 17:28:31
I know Kaiser, but that's what you're up against.
01 Oct 2026 17:46:49
The manager plays an asymmetrical 4-4-2 , having parts on either side that are not the same size or shape, offering great flexibility. The system also offers itself to making triangles, isolating opposing defenders or loading certain areas of the pitch (for instance when operating an aggressive press).
The Penrice tactic against the other mob is a decent example, the movement of Minsu across the inside forward and wide area is another. Flexibility of movement makes the system work and we're now showing that. I've forgotten a few benefits of the system now, but I was coaching it more than 30 years ago.
01 Oct 2026 18:06:33
Great input, gyldne gut. 30 years ago and still as effective today.
01 Oct 2026 18:16:58
Correct Kasier, a very fluid system in and out of position.
01 Oct 2026 19:38:46
My Star , I'm not going to start praising Celtic players all I'm saying is that we should not write them off after two games in which we played better than any of us expected and they played worse . Maybe we do have better player than them now but we need to prove we can beat the rest and they have a track record of doing that .So far they have won all their games against the other teams and we have lost to Hibs and drawn with Dundee United .
Up until the two OF games we weren't sure that a lot of our players should be in the Rangers team so I'm not interested in the argument of who would make our team .
01 Oct 2026 20:52:14
Wslgers, no argument, just saying we have better quality now, hopefully we win the first trophy before the turn of the year, just newly read an article, top ten most valuable players in Scotland seven are Rangers players, that's a big turnaround, know what you're saying though, let's start winning.
01 Oct 2026 20:57:56
Mystar, if I'd have asked you 6 weeks ago how many Celtic players would get into the Rangers team, I bet your answer would have been very different to what it is now. Same group of players. And only an idiot would write Celtic off at this stage.
01 Oct 2026 23:33:25
Alloa, nobody is writing Celtic off, I'm saying we have more quality in our squad now.
And 6 weeks ago not one Celtic defender would get in my Rangers team, Johnston at a push, but he ain't getting in before Sterling right now, same with the keeper, not one Celtic cm would get in my midfield before Neil, I was thinking Raskin would be sold and none would get in before him either, I'm taking a couple of our cf's before any Celtic's.
02 Oct 2026 13:17:11
My Star , on current form you're right but a few weeks ago fans were wanting rid of Fernandez , Raskin , Neil , Gassama and Naderi , we even had some calling Minsu a flash in the pan after the Aberdeen game . Things change . I hold my hands up I thought that they had bought three better forwards than us in Hassan , Hogh and Duran but at the moment I wouldn't trade them for our forwards .I must say though I still rate Duran even after the last two games and I wouldn't mind a striker like him that can just smash in a shot from the edge of the box when we are in need .
Interesting when we talk about midfielders , I wasn't impressed by Baur but he is getting into the German team , which has shocked me .