Gribz

Ive often thought British league would be the better option but the issue is their is far too many clubs. Looking around Europe there is 2 or 3 division tops while Scotland has 4 divisions already plus England has the same with 20-22 teams in each. SPFL should get its own house in order first by throwing the current set up away and make a 16 or 18 top tier. A move down south would always be most appealing to both OF but they don't need us. No doubt about it we could sell out away allocation 10 fold. But I think the Atlantic League is far more likely - its globalisation. It wont be long before MLS sides are playing Europes elite also and with the money China are pumping into their game the club world cup championship will develop in the next decade. The Asia version of the champions league is a good standard yet you are having teams from Australia playing in Korea and Japan which is at least 8 hour flights - you are talking countries so far apart taking on each other - that will evolve into Europe soon enough.

If he is good enough he is old enough. Centre half is the priority but a winger wouldn't be a bad move, it could allow McKay to play more central.

Bringing a centre half in isn't looking too promising then. There is no way we can go 4 months with the current 3 we have. Im struggling to see why Hill came with such good references, he looked well off the pace on Friday night. Magic will need to wave his hat today to get something over the line.

Yeah that's the one. Havent seen or heard about him since his move, very strange one. As for Burke Ive never heard of him either, he isn't even in the national squad.

Couldn't believe this when I read it, Ive never heard of the guy yet he goes for 13M from the Championship to a German Side. Who is the young kid who went to Portugal and has a buy out clause of about 50M?? He hasn't kicked a ball since he went.

It MIGHT be the one game where playing all 3 (Halliday, Barton, Rossiter) is justified if we still go 4-3-3. But I agree with Frankie a 4-2-3-1 would probably suit us better at the moment until MW works our his favoured midfield. And 4-2-3-1 would mean changes as per my earlier post.

Next cup match is 20th Sept Vs QotS. 10 days after Celtic away.

What is the other competitive match before Celtic? Id ring the changes for Parkhead. Barton is lucky and I think got away without any damage so should make the game. At the moment Id play Barton with Halliday sitting with probably Forrester ahead of them in a diamond and 2 wider players - Mckay on the left and Tavernier on the right with Hodson stepping in at RB. Again it depends on Waghorn's fitness - he is a must if available.

MW is correct, we are still a new team and gelling. He just hasn't managed to get the right blend yet. Its no excuse for the first half performance. I disagree with his comment about Hill only getting 2 minutes notice though, subs should be prepared to come on from the warm up and first kick. We didn't start playing until we got the goal - and what a hit it was. Tavernier for me is a Premier League level wing back. Id be tempted to play him as a right winger and try Hodson at RB if the latter is a better defender. The tackle on Barton was horrible. I think he will get a few of them this season as players want to act the big man against him and are inferior to him. Barton is used to more time on the ball down south, its just shows the poor level of the Scottish game which is more like 5 a side, so he will have to adjust a bit. Kranjcar is good on the ball and can spray passes all day to perfection but when running he looks like he is towing a caravan. We really need more penetration in in the midfield to the final 3rd of the park, Holt will obviously boost that and Im thinking that's what Windass can also bring. The personnel bar 2 centre halves is fine, its all about getting the right blend. I hope the Senderos deal is concluded today, we are crying out for a real defender.

Must be heading towards older age but I find myself up at 4am most days but I will be up 1 hour earlier to watch this tonight and im looking forward to it. I think playing away from home suits us more at the moment as teams come to Ibrox and sit, at home there is more of a expectation on the opposition to attack and play more. Not sure of the team news in full but Im hoping there is a change in the middle of the park. Halliday did wonders last season for us but unfortunately will probably be the one to make way. I think Id go with this depending on availability: ____________________________Foderingham_______________________ Tavernier_____________Wilson____________Hill_____________Wallace ______________________Barton_________Rossiter___________________ ______________________________Kranjcar___________________________ ________Forrester_____________Garner________________McKay_____

Souness' game in this day in age would be completely different. Most of his challenges wouldn't be allowed despite him winning the ball. He would still manage to control a game and with pitches what they are now he would be a 30 million pound midfielder. He would be a leader and a captain still and probably get into any Premier League side. Some of the tackling in his day (not even that long ago when you think about it) was ultra solid but still clean, although there was a lot of bad ones, but the rules wouldn't allow it now. Imagine how good Maradona would be now with the carpet laid pitches and half tackles compared to when he got hacked non stop.

Overall the draw is good and balanced, it doesn't seem to favour the big boys anymore and there is two top teams in each group. Fair play to UEFA for once, with the Euro's and this CL they have opened up the tournaments more. Arsenal should finally be pleased and have to win that group. Spurs is a very even group. Leicester getting Porto is a tough draw but they have a great chance of 2nd. City are a banker for top 2 but getting Barca is interesting. Celtic have zero chance of top 2.

Bad result but Im not to bothered as Sunday football every week has its effect. West Ham have made 9 signings but its mostly been squad signings rather than straight in first teamers, that can be an issue. We needed a few of them to be first team improvements certainly in defence.

Whilst Adam has a point he does seem to be looking unfit and doesn't get in Stokes starting XI at the moment in the Premier League and is doing much more media work. That said he should be in the squad.

Agree with that. Said similar in another thread that what the management and board have done is phenomenal, what more else could they have done especially with personnel leaving over the summer. Some clubs find it difficult to ship one out in order to buy more but to improve a squad overhaul with 7 or 8 players is nothing short of fantastic.

Not when we are short in numbers in defence and he can potentially be first choice centre half. At 6ft 5 Im hoping Weir spends time with him in training. Crooks and Senderos at centre half is more appealing than Wilson and Kiernan for some reason.

Ive certainly been a Miller fan (not the beer) over the years. Second stint was by far the most effective though. At the moment his game has changed a lot due to age but he is still getting important goals and his experience, attitude and contribution is what is key right now. His composure for the goal on Saturday was good to see. He is has been this millennia's version of Gordon Durie - while not a prolific scorer he can offer a lot upfront.

Senderos is dragging on and that's never a good sign. Silence coming out of Ibrox is never a bad thing, deals tend to get done on the quiet. I would imagine MW has a few loan deals up his sleeve.

Financially it put them miles ahead until we can get back into the CL - which we will eventually. For the season it helps us. They are going to have 6 intense games playing their first XI which will take it out them and hopefully they get weekend hangovers.

So long as the players don't let the occasion get to them then at least a draw is achievable. By occasion I mean they don't freeze or snap in the wrong way. Its going to be important that Miller and Weir stress how big it will be and that they wont have seen anything like it. Performance wise we showed in the Semi final we can play them off the park, 2-2 that day flattered them. And Id say we have improved personnel since then, but playing at Parkhead is different to a neutral venue. But we have been in scenarios before when we have expected to get thumped there but came out trumps - two of Walters return games Big Ugo's goal and the Daniel Cousin / Pedro Mendes games spring to mind. Although the current situation cant be compared to them we are still going in as underdogs. They have everything to lose we should go there and have a go. If we can get a good centre half in before the game then I'll be in a confident mode.

Have to agree with that, I wouldn't mind seeing a Colin Hendry type defender, someone that will throw themselves infront of everything and just loves defending - its exactly what is missing. I understand MW wants to play football on the floor but keeping clean sheets is as important. As for who is out there - that's a tricky one. I guess MW will need to use his knowledge of the English 2nd and 3rd tier, im sure there is a few in those leagues.

I didn't previously think Strachan was anti Rangers but this squad almost proves he doesn't want to select Rangers players. McKay couldn't have been overlooked, bar Motherwell he has looked a different player at a different level. But Wallace is by far the best option at LB for the national team. I recall Davie Robertson in the 90s not getting nearly as much call ups as he should have also.

Marco Negri would have got there in a season and a half had he not disappeared! There is some unbelievable goals to games ratios in the early part of last century. That's something I always look for also. Highest doesn't always mean greatest. I heard a few on Talksport saying Rooney is Englands greatest ever goalscorer - I disagree, I say he their highest goalscorer. Jimmy Greaves got 44 in 57 games so that is a great record IMO.

I am flabbergasted anyone would boo this current team and management as things stand. Had we been 4-0 down without a point and out the league cup it may have been justified. But attitudes like this will drive Warburton away. The teams needs a bit of tweaking in midfield and once it clicks we will give a few teams a hiding. I think the work done in the transfer market in the short space of time is phenomenal, the management and board deserve a pat on the back. Considering loanees left, out of contract players left and people not pulling their weight and taking a wage like Templeton left. It put us down to the bare bones for a return to the top flight but if anyone had told us back in say April a few short months ago that Barton and Kranjcar (along with probably Hill who comes with a good CV) had signed along with Liverpools best U21 England International plus a striker on the fringes of the English Champions id have said Mike Ashley must have become a hero over night and opened his wallet.

I had to grow up with it for a while. Id probably say it can get worse there than Celtic. The hatred is bad. I took a few hits while growing up there. The worst one was being spat on when I was 15 by a guy in his 30s after a game at Pittodrie which Rangers had won thanks to a big Mark Hateley game. There used to be a band of Gers fans who sat in Section F of the main stand at Pittodrie as we could get tickets locally, coming out the ground was a nightmare.