Gribz

I like the airhorn noise, it kinda gives it a world cup feeling....mind u I havent seen a game sober yet so I may change my mind tonight! Germany are looking good so far. I thought the Aussies could have given them a game but obviously not.

Todays Predictions: South Affreeka 1-1 Mexico France 2-1 Uruguay (Or 0-0 in the first game. 1-0 the French.)

http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=18446

The performance against Porto at Ibrox was awesome but that was about the last we saw of his best. He was good in Advocaats first 2 years but look at the players he played with!! He was also good along side De Boer and Arteta in 02-03. World Class? not for me. A lot of fans both Rangers and Celtic try to compare Ferguson with McStay, id rather compare him with Lambert who was easily better than McStay. Lambert was a player I rated very highly.

Im looking forward to this WC the most since 1998. Backed an outright winner - Holland 11/1 Not looked at group betting yet but cant see all 8 favourties winning their groups, there will be a surprise somewhere. I have a feeling Germany may be slow startes and finish runners up. If france drop the attitude i think they could easily reach the Quarters. What ever way you look at it there is a small fortune away to be thrown in Ladbrokes direction in the next few weeks. Quite fancy Van Persie for top scorer aswell. For a top scorer win you need a team who is capable of scoring 4 in one game and the Dutch are well capable of that. (So are others mind).

If he has no family member scottish nor born in Scotland then he shouldnt be allowed to play. International football is becoming like a transfer market. You get it everywhere with Eduardo being born in brazil but playing for Croatia, Viduka being born in Croatia but playing for australia, Deco being born in Brazil but playing for Portugal (and he recently stated he is going back to his homeland to play - Brazil??). I moved to England when I was 9 but have no english relatives, had I been a Rooney I could have played for england? But as Gav says no chance would I have wanted to. There has to be a line drawn somewhere on this.

Admin, can you make this a sticky please seen as the WC starts tomorrow?

Broadfoot is in the Ian Murray, Mo Ross, Alec Cleland catergory for standard i.e. a run of the mill SPL player. But we have went that far back Id be ok if he stayed as a back up player. He had some decent games at RB except when he attempts to take a throw in. One foul throw is ok but he had about 4 in one game once which was embarrassing. Bougherra staying for another year is my major hope. The guy is miles better than anyone else in the league and if Weir and Webster are fit then id even consider playing 3 at the back.

All 3 would be tremendous signings but I dont think we could afford any of them. Thats the difference a decade can make. Man City dropped to the 3rd tier of English football then became the worlds richest club. We went from being as good as any in the land to poaching debt ridden Portsmouths players who are surplus to requirements.

Seen as there is a strikers thread... Im a bit more concerned about our defence next season more so than the strikers. We have Miller, Lafferty, Velicka, Fleck and Naismith who can all play upfront and non are likely to leave. Granted the quality isnt the best its ever been but the numbers are ok. But with the futures of Bougherra, Wilson and Broadfoot not certain we should be on the look out for a centre half. Can Weir really perform another year? Will Webster be fit? (seems to have a jinx when pulling on the blue). If 2 of the 3 mentioned stay it solves a few things but if all 3 left we are in a mess. Papac can operate at centre half temporarily but if he does that leaves us without a LB following S Smith's departure. Whittaker can switch to LB but that means either Broadfoot (if he doesnt leave) or Little (who hasnt impressed) at RB.

Will the next official thread be as unofficial as this one???

Fabregas OUT. J Cole, M Arteta, S Ireland and M Schwartzer IN. Gooners Champs 2010/11

When something is official can someone start a new thread so I dont need to keep checking this storybook?

Cousin was brilliant when he wanted to be. On his last game at Parkhead he was unplayable for their defence and his goal was fantastic. Against Barca at Ibrox he played upfront on his own and I thought he was MOTM. Yet I remember a game against Falkirk away when a cardboard cut out would have been more effective. He wanted to be greedy to go down south and went to Hull. Despite the money the EPL can offer it still doesnt offer glamour which these players expect. As soon as a player like Cousin turns out for Hull and sees the more fashionable clubs like Spurs and Villa he would switch off.

That team for me is fine except Fleck in for naismith. And Buffel - he was one who got away! People will say where has he went now but i think it was bad luck. He was a cracking player on his day. He was fighting to get back in the team by playing in the reserves on cold winter nights yet still didnt get a recall to the first team. A lot of foreigners get slated for not making an effort. As for Lafferty and Miller up front in a 4-4-2, I dont mind that at all, I think they would work well. But I agree a 4 man midfield with no wingers lacks creativity. A 4-1-3-2 or 4-3-1-2 may work better with no wingers. ____________________McGregor_________________ Whittaker____ Bougherra_____Webster_______Papac _______Davis_________Thomson_______Edu_______ ______________________Fleck__________________ _______________Lafferty______Miller_____________ With that you can have Davis and Edu pushing forward also when possible.

Should have been Won 3 Drew 2 though. That 2-2 with dundee Utd was a freak score. It should have been 8-2.

I agree PLG may have been a bit arrogant but there is nothing wrong with that. Wenger and Ferguson are both arrogant and look how good they are!! I also think PLG did come with a long term plan but tried to get his methods over far too quickly and the players (especially the Scots) just didnt like it. For that early days he made enemies within rather than gain the respect he should have. From then on the team performances suffered.

There is plenty time to sign someone, I wouldnt want the club to sign someone for the sake of it, lets see what comes of the WC first. But to have Miller, Lafferty, Velicka, Fleck and Naismith (although I dont rate him one bit) available upfront at the moment says to me that strikers is not our weakest department. We have 3 central defenders (Bougherra, Broadfoot and Wilson) who could all leave so id be more concerned at the back. S Smith has already gone and if Papac covers at centre half we need a LB.

I dont think its unbelievable. Its maybe a good thing to get the officials to work more as a team. The only problem we have is the horrendous decisions being made throughout a season to every team. Laffertys challenge was a shocker.

I think Velicka does deserve a chance but this shouldnt stop us looking for a new signing and getting someone if the chance comes up. I'd have Velicka and Fleck upfron as a partnership over the mentioned names on other threads such as Lee Miller.

Might join you!

Nonsense. Do you think Weir could still be playing for Everton in the EPL today? Campbell fitted in perfect for Arsenal (one of Europes finest) last season without looking out of place, the only problem was the spotlight was on him and was expected to repeat his world class form on 2002. Campbell was a world class defender and would still walk into half the EPL's teams.

I disagree. Those 2 would stroll the SPL. Davie Weir has shown you dont need pace to still be a top player in the SPL yet Campbell isnt as slow as Weir. The SPL isnt going to attract the best in the world but those 2 are good enough. I think we are underestimating Lennon TBH, his run of 8 straight wins was good but he installed some morale back into the team. It was a bit like when WS came back after the PLG spell, we were the better side at the turn of the year. Celtic closed a big gap in the last 2 months of the season.

Kenny Deucher scored tons and tons of goals in the lower leagues of the SFL, does that make him a top striker?? He stepped up to the SPL and was barely heard of. And non of the bigger SPL clubs wanted to sign him. So if you think Boyd has seen and done it all in football your deluded. Fair play to Boyd he says he wants a new challenge - good to see some ambition by him. But he has everything to prove at his next level.

Gordon Durie was a good signing. Van Vossen is another who should have been a great signing.