Gribz

I think WS is looking at another striker as cover for Miller who seems to be carrying this skin splint injury, so he probably knows KM wont play 45 matches this season. Id give Lafferty a chance this season, I think he has ability but just needs to be mature and consistant. He did enough in the last 6 games of last season to earn a chance IMO. A front 3 of Lafferty, Miller and Naismith isnt to bad and if we are going to play a 4-3-3 with no winger hugging the touchline the signing 2 more strikers would make sense. That would give us the 3 mentioned, Velicka, Fleck and 2 more. Just means we are light in the cover for McCulloch, Edu and Davis.

Im guessing Broadfoot is there as a centre half. What position is Wallace from hearts?

Midweek Carling Cup games on down south at the same time. Boro lose 4 players and Cardiff dont have a keeper!

Yeah I was thinking it isnt a bad looking squad and we have options for 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and 4-5-1. Still silly playing a match 3 days before the season starts, it should have been a squad meet up. But if the players come through injury free then they do have another 90 mins of fitness under their belt. But we are drawn in a tough group again, Spain couldnt get much better at the moment and the Czechs are a good side. I dont like this 5 team group again, I feel its a disadvantage when others have 6 teams and there is 2 whipping boys. (Even though 1 set of results comes off from the 6 team group)

If this is the only free date then it should have been a squad meet up with a few games of golf and a friendly against a Scotland B team rather than going to Sweden.

5 million is an insult, he is easily worth 8 mill. He is a top professional. Selling Thomson made the midfield thin as it is, Davis going would be a massive blow. But I cant see it as if Fabregas was going to Barca I think he would have gone by now which wont start the knock on effect.

The only thing stopping me from backing 5/4 at the moment is the squad size. Lafferty, McCulloch and Miller all picked up knocks in Australia, Papac didnt travel. These things are going to happen all season and we still dont have the replacements. If we do sign a player or 2 i can see our odds shortening.

Cant work out why on earth there is an international match 3 days before the start of the season. McGregor recalled. 7 Gers players in total, there wont be anyone at Murray Park next week! A further 4 more former Gers players.

...and the Scottish Cup this coming season. It will put him 2nd in the all time figures of Rangers managers. He is level with William Wilton on 8 titles at the moment but 2nd in the all time total figures with 18 trophies. Would anyone deny he has been our 2nd best manager of all time?? At the same time he was also Assistant to Souness 7 trophies.

Singing another striker leans me to thinking WS will go with a 4-3-3 the same as we started against Blackburn and use Lafferty and Naismith as our wider guys and have Miller through the middle and perhaps Jelavic and any new striker as back up to Miller. I dont mind Naismith and Lafferty coming wider in a 4-3-3 as they dont have to play like natural wingers and dont have to hug the touch line. Naismith did well in the inside right position and with Davis and Edu running things in the middle the team had good shape. 3 signings who are capable of walking straight into the starting XI is still required though.

Aye i thought Bain would still be back but I was thinking any player would want to talk to WS or AM before signing. We have a friendly on wednesday before playing Newcastle next Saturday so the flight back must be straight after todays game but Ive done that flight 100 times (Sydney to Singapore to London/Paris/Ams) and its a 2 dayer so WS really needs to get down to Business ASAP.

Things are obviously going to be slowed down with everyone in australia, by the time they get back will be early next week and that leave about 11 or 12 days to get 3 players in. Im not confident deals can be done that quickly when other teams are going to be looking at our level of player with higher budgets. If we have to get a few in on loan then so be it. 3 loans are going to be better than going into a must win SPL season and CL with 15 players.

Yip agree with that. No point selling him unless every penny can be reinvested in the squad. If not having Bougherra makes us stronger and gives us a better chance of the title so id say keep him. I can see Weir and Webster being first pick in the centre with Bougherra playing right back and Whittaker providing width in the midfield, although I hope this isnt the case. Id rather see Bougherra start in the centre or even an option as a holding midfield (he can have those driving runs)

Yip but this year (last night) is fine to cheer Braga as we will get more TV money, but we need the others to have decent runs along with ourselves and make sure we win the title this season and qualify through next year.

Was thinking that. It was a bit of the unknown who can be more dangerous. Ajax only drew at home last night.

They would have been aswell playing in Sydney Harbour, the pitch was awful. Last weekends game was a cracker for a friendly but this wasnt much on the eye. not good to see Lafferty and McCulloch limp off.

Massive smile on my face, similar result to Strachan getting humped in his first CL game 5 years ago. Looking at their starting line up I was wondering who half of them are! The likes of Dundee Utd, Hibs and Hearts must think they will have a chance of a top 2 finish this season. Ive said all summer our starting XI is still far better than theirs and if we can get this 2 or 3 players in then we will be stronger over the season. So looking at their team for the upcoming season and after hearing them being linked with so many players: Zaluska - If he only managed to catch Dundee Utd's eye he cant be that good. Juarez - This mexican is a good player but is at the wrong club, he wont settle there. Hoiveld - Dont have a clue who this is. Samaras - Shite Brown - Broon! Cha du ri - Who?? Maloney - Used to be decent but has been poor for 3 years. Ledley - never seen him play. Ki - Who? Mulgrew - I really thought this guy would have helped them be a success in the Champions League :fish: Loovens - Doesnt have a patch on our centre halfs. There is nothing to fear at all from that team. They may have been active with links all summer but Davis, Edu and McCulloch would easily run that show against that line up. You do have to worry about the long term of Scottish football though. Them not making it into the group stages gives us extra TV cash but the SPL rankings is going to drop every year and maybe in 2 or 3 seasons the champions of the SPL will have to qualify for make the CL.

Cant remember the rules on putting links up but here is the live link to Aussie Fox TV to watch the game now. http://www.iraqgoals.net/10505-sydney-fc-vs-rangers-fc.html

Whilst its nice to see us looking at some potential moves Im wondering why we are after a few strikers. Jelavic and the african striker would be needed but I still think midfield / wingers is the first port of call.

Next game is tomorrow evening my time so mid morning for you chaps. I'll be watching it again and half tempted to fly down to Sydney for the weekend to see the final match.

Dan, when is the next 2 games? are you going along? The game was as good a friendly as Ive seen but I seem to remember we did the same in pre seasons before. We played attack minded stuff and with a bit of freedom yet when the season starts we go defensive. If we approach the SPL like we did yesterday we will hump teams left right and centre. We just need those 3 additional players to have the replacements when needed. Ive stated on here Im not a fan of Naismith but if he starts the season like he did yesterday then I'll be pleased. He didnt so much hug the touchline it was more of a inside right position. Lafferty was getting central aswell and his body language alone looked more mature. Its only 1 friendly match but the opposition was a mid table Premier League team...so much for us being on par with Championship sides these days.

Its not so much these 3 individuals, its more so that Celtic are capable of getting EPL players, even if its the likes of Robbie Keane on loan.

Finished 2-1. Good run out and good performance especially first half. Blackburn came back into it once we tired and they got their goal but we could have finished them if Miller had put away his pen. First XI look good but we need a stronger squad. 10 Subs were allowed in this game but we didnt have that. Fleck and Wylde came on and I think young Ross for Bougherra. Whittaker sat it out thru injury and Papac didnt travel due to an knee injury. Front 3 of Naismith, Lafferty and Miller did well, Davis strong in midfield and Edu had a good game. But we need 3 players ASAP to come and replace those who did well. 14,100 at the game. Table: AEK Athens 8 pts Rangers 5 pts Sydney 3 pts Blackburn 1 pt It is 3 pts for a win and 1 pt for each goal scored. AEK beat Sydeny 5-3 in first game.

2-1 but should have been 3-0. Good move between edu and Davis, Edu was bundled. Miller blasted penalty off the bar. Blackburn go down the park and get a soft pen and dunn converts. Wylde and Fleck on for Edu and Miller.