Gribz

Nope, but Im not as short as Craig I thought you were a huge Boyd fan

Yip, Im the Lee McCulloch of that bunch! Cant play defence to save my life!

Id make quite a few changes: _________________Alexander_____________ Whittaker____Bougherra___Weir_______Papac Novo______Davis_______Thomson_____Beasley ____________Miller______Fleck_____________

Nope I dont think we are missing the BF of last season. If he was still playing to a level of 1998-2003 then the question wouldnt be needed as he would still be playing for us but he struggled last season. I think we are missing a manager who knows how to field decent players like Mendes, Davis, Thomson and Novo in the same team.

Fraser when WS had those players we were still awful in Europe bar 1 terrific season in 92/93 when we didnt really have any superstars. The rest of the time we played 3-5-2 in Europe with Craig Moore in midfield which almost ruined Moore's career - he used to get booed playing for rangers. It took Crystal Palace to sign him to realise he was a cracking centre half and Advocaat realised this.

Ive swayed back and forth on the WS argument but after 2 CL home results like that along with the recent awful domestic performances (3 x 0-0's and a painful win against St Johnstone) Id say surely his job has to be on the line and the board should be looking at it seriously. I dont know about others fans but I'm actually a bit worried about Hibs coming to Ibrox on Saturday as they are probably playing the best football in the SPL at the moment. Not since the mid 90s have we suffered embarrassing CL thumpings, but at least back then it was thumpings from Ajax and Juventus - 2 sides who won it in 95 and 96. Can anyone see seville or the Romanian's go on to finals this season? A good point was made on another thread about players being dragged down by WS. Whilst I wouldnt say this was individually its all down to the system WS attempt to play. If Gareth Southgate can get the sack last night for being 1 point off the top of the Championship after a win by the most loyal chairman in British Football then WS's current run has to be in question.

This season is strange in the EPL, Liverpool have lost 4 games already yet if they beat Man U in 2 weeks then they are still in the race. My 10/1 Arsenal bet is looking good, if they win their game in hand they are 1 point behind. Man U are lucky to be top, they should have never beaten Arsenal and were lucky against Sunderland. I think the London 2 of Arsenal and Chelsea will pull away. Spurs and Man City are doing well also but they will lose games eventually. Good start to the season though.

As much as i like to see Pool get beat but i had a draw on.

Not only that, where are the played hero's we used to have. In the 90s we have them on a weekly basis and couldnt make up our minds who was out fave Gers star! Now - I honestly can name a current Gers player who I could be nuts about!!

Following on from Cammy's couple of posts this week, I watched us struggle 3 points against Sj johnstone today and it sprang my mind back to a short 15 years ago. Just where are Rangers? I started attending Ibrox on a regular basis from 1994 as a young 15 yr old and witnessed an amazing team with a great win mentality including the immense talent of Brian Laudrup. One thing about that side until 1998 was the unrreal level of grit and belief and determination to win a game. There was seldom a lacklusture performance. We struggled in Europe - (for reasons that are worthy of another thread / discussion) but in the SPL Rangers were FEARED!!!!! Everyteam can to Ibrox and played 10 behind the ball (which is ironic because the fans used to slag that and repsected a side that came to play us) and we would win, then on the road we were still 'The Rangers'. Yet these days I have never witnesses so many SPL team going to Ibrox not only setting out with an attacking formation but believeing they can get a result. Personally for me - Rangers FC are sleeping! We are in sleeping mode! Whether that is down to the managers, players, directors, board, stadium, fans or a combination - how knows - but something isnt right when we play a CL game and we cant sell it out!!!!!!!! I was thinking earlier today about David Gold leaving Birmingham and trying to buy West Ham, what if he bought Rangers! Would that be the biggest investmant in history? If Rangers and Celtic got a move away from the SPL then the revenue we could pull would be ridiculous!!!! And would swing us into a new level! Something has to happen soon! We are tippoe-ing along too much and too many fans are getting frustrated!!! Rangers should go to St Johnstone and come away with a performance that was never in doubt! Nobody would say no to a 2-1 win but to scrape it and play like juniors is not acceptable! I remember just 10 years ago going to St Johnstone and winning 7-0 when Guivarch made his mark! Compare that to us now!!!

Correct Fraser we were pish - but we are still on top. The worst thing about my first sentance is I dont actually think we are pish - I think we just PLAY pish. I think if we had a manager who got those players 20% fitter and had an actual system to benefit the team then we would be crusing this league. At the moment if we are asking for a move to the EPL they would welcome both OF as we are both terrible to watch!!!! Why does WS not play to our strengths????????? Someone please explain that to me!!! Nacho Novo is by FAR our best impact player (and impact players dont just start on the bench) yet he doesnt get a game!!!

Was watching bits of this and Motherwell were on top!!! They are a good side.

And South Americans, I think they just get knackered after a game and the thought of a long haul right after a game makes them think 'fuck that' and they stay back to see family etc for a day or so.

Being a few days late is strange especially with no explaination. I travel quite a lot and know how easy it is to make the odd change of flight - Ive done so many a time, but its easy to pick your mobile out your pocket and let someone at the other end know.

I just spat my chilli con carne out reading the headline when entering the football lounge! :fish:

There was times in the summer where id forgotten about Edu. I agree he can be a key player. He brings a different kind of energy to the team that seems to spark up the midfield. I like the fact he is physical and can be a box to box type of player. If we could get 2 consistant wide men then having Edu and Thomson play together in the centre midfield would give us a solid look and thats without thinking about Davis. will definatly be a welcome back when he returns.

Who is Graham Gillespie BTW?

5 months ago I would have scoffed at the thought of my saying Im looking forward to Broadfoot being back. But he is one of those you need in your squad and is a better option for Centre back than McCulloch IMO.

Nice gesture, but I dont see why armed forces get singled out as hero's. There are surgeons and doctors etc saving people's lives on a daily basis and nurses wiping old granny's back sides for peanuts and i dont see them get much rewarding.

Yeah I know we have Ally as assistant manager and this is likely to groom him for the main job after WS but assistant manager is a bigger step up. We could have had McCoist in years ago as a striking coach. But the likes of Laudrup and albertz and now even Prso and blue through and through and could easy be scouting parts of Europe for young talent, not to mention the techinical gifts they could pass on our squad from the U16s to the first team.

I like the way Celtic go after their best player in the last 30 years as a coaching role yet we have never approached the likes of Laudrup, Albertz, De Boer, Goram, Wilkins, Gough, McCall etc for coaching / scouting roles.

I see your point but we are going backwards playing in the SPL at the moment. We are being held back. If the OF move to a Euro league or down south the potential for us would be ridiculous. The fact Cardiff, Swansea, wrexham and formerly Merthyr Tydvil played in the English leagues is the argument I have for us moving down south. Those teams were always in the lower tiers of the league but Cardiff and Swansea have advanced greatly recently and are probably easy on par with the OF for wages etc. The potential those clubs have now are huge and if Cardiff can get promoted they could become a big team in the Premier League.

Thomson, Mendes and Davis should be our first pick midfield trio IMO and they should be in a 4-3-3. Moving Davis on the right for one game then in the centre for the next can only make him inconsistant. Mendes has been better when given more of a free role. He started the OF game very well but went out the game once he got put into a more defensive holding role.

I wonder if it would be possible to keep a team in the Scottish leagues which would be made up of our reserves or U21's if that was allowed. Considering we have pulled our reserve team out of that league it would seem a good idea even if we had to start off in Div 3. That way we are still represented in Scotland and other clubs would still get to play the OF and it would be on a bit more of an even playing field. Im sure a reserve Rangers and Celtic team would still manage to pull a bit of a crowd in. One rule would have to be that the squad would be submitted before the season starts and there could be no first team players moving to the reserves during the season.

Russia v GERMANY DENMARK v Sweden Rep v Italy - draw tenner returned 230