Gribz

There are a few issues spliting the fans at the moment. Some are calling it a negative attitude yet some call it plain facts. The season has not even kicked off yet but this far we have looked very untidy in pre season and in our first competitive game of the season. On Tuesday we have a huge match against Kaunas to make it into the final qualifying round of the hugely important Champions League. I'm going to try and elaborate on a few topics that the fans have issues with. 1) Summers Signings In / Out: Plenty eyebrows have been raised because WS brough in 3 strikers and then concentrated on the defence when the midfield is the most obvious position needing filled. We have forked out near on 10 million on 4 players for upfront and defence yet we are reluctant to spend a penny on the midfield. We have recouped a small fee for Buffel and Sebo thus far. I still question the Buffel sale when all we needed to do was pay a fee of approx 400k which makes more sense than paying 3-4 million for another player of this type. Its ok bringing in strikers but so far none of the current forwards have left the club leaving us with a large forward line. There is still 28 days left of the transfer window so in no way can this topic be concluded yet although its imperative we sign some midfield players soon. 2) Style of football: Last season this was brought up on many occasions. Some want to see total football yet others are perfectly happy with a grinding 1-0 win as its winning that matters at the end of the day. For me a bit of both would be better. I dont expect 5-0 thumpings of teams every week with playing out of our skins, but with the level of SPL opposition we really should be seeing off teams by 3 or 4 goals on a more regular basis. Going away from home to the tougher teams is when we should be happy to grind out 1-0 wins. Some put direct blame on Walter Smith, but for me the dead wood has been there before he arrived. In McLeish's latter days most of PLG's matches we were dreadful to watch at times. Walter Smith hasnt changed much other than the fact we are very difficult to score against. Basically Walter sets out not to lose a match rather than win it. I think we are bit away from knowing our first choice XI and I actually think WS doesnt have that. He prefers to have maybe 14 players who will be shifted around in a few positions every week. 3) Loyality to players: Fans will never agree on team selection and we dont have any right to have a say in team selection - thats what the manager lifes and dies by, but we are certainly in our right to an opinion and currently a number on here picked out the Walter is very loyal to certain players. He was like this in his first reign also. You have to wonder is he happy to play safe or just to afraid to change things. Maybe its personality clashes with other players like the rumours suggest. But IMO that shouldnt come into, if a player is good enough he should be given a chance. Im not afraid to name names, but the likes of Broadfoot, Adam, Burke and Boyd will never be good enough for Rangers and having average run of the mill SPL players is a huge reason behind our lack of championships this decade. Johnny Foreigner doesnt hide from this aswell, we have had too many guys picking up a nice wage packet and not doing it on the park. 4) The threat of going Backwards: Despite last seasons run on all fronts where winning and not was a thin line, we are on the threat of moving backwards. The squad may look stronger in numbers than last year but the starting XI doesnt. I was hoping for 3 or 4 players who would come in and be definate starters but so far it seems our signings are no better than what we have. Add that to the fact if the unthinkable happens on Tuesday and we dont make the CL then we are in for a long season with not much incommings. Nothing has been decided yet and the season hasnt kicked off but the concern is there. 5) Board level: The main 2 issues here is the stadium and the lack of a ticket office at the club. Ibrox: Its still a fantastic arena but at 25+ years old the Copland, Govan and Broomloan are feeling a bit dated. When your inside them they feel it aswell compared to when you visit a modern new stadium. The rumours are for a super complex to be built, that would be fantastic but I for one wouldnt mind Ibrox just getting modernized and not to any great length. The insides of the stands could be developed along with the screens being taken out and replaced by seats bring the capacity up to near 60,000. It the roofs of those 3 stands could be raised a little and say 10 rows added then that would be fantastic also. Ticket Office: I find this embarrassing. A club who gets 50,000 people at every home match does not have a ticket office. I remember the mid 90s in my teens before I had a season ticket Id go along to Ibrox regularly and at times picked up tickets from the old ticket office across from the Copland stand. I would be in and out of the que within 5 minutes. Now we have a shed with 2 ladies handing out envelopes to 1000s of people and causing fans to miss there first competitve kick off of the season - horrendous stuff!! I can only say - Bring Back the ticket office!!! Feel free to add the other issues at the moment and as Gersnet always does we will debate them openly and maturely.

It only seems like yesterday I asked this question before the start of last season. IIRC my answers then were: SPL: to be challenging for the SPL during the split rather that out of it by Halloween. Scottish Cup: To win it as we hadn't since 2003 League Cup: At least the final Europe: Still in Europe after Christmas So going by that the team met my expectations. I was pretty realistic one year ago due to Walter coming in only 7 months prior and steadying the ship very well. That was stage 1 IMO and stage 2 was to get us back on the map challenging on all domestic fronts. Stage 2 gets a big tick which included a fantastic run to the UEFA cup final. We will probably look back in a few years and realise then how good that was. But I'm not going to dwell on last seasons postives and negatives, we've discussed that plentyful since May. For me stage 3 was always going to be the 08/09 season. And the target expectations for this season is hands down to win the SPL. We cant allow Celtic - an average Celtic at that - to go on an win the title 4 times in a row and 8 times since the turn of the millennium. So on four fronts: SPL: Champions Scottish Cup: Winners League Cup: At least the final Europe: Qualify for CL and still be in any european comp after Christmas I expect a lot of realistic fans to expect pretty much the same as myself.

Im going to be the 3rd person to agree fully on this thread. The quality of our team is well below expectations and this goes back to last season. People are stating its only pre season but our level of performances have been awful. Yet we'll go back to playing in the SPL and beating terrible teams like Kilmarnock, St Mirren etc etc and everyone will think everything is rosey in the garden. The options we have in midfield are terrible. Losing Barry Ferguson is a blow but in hindsight its a wake up call to the fact we need some better players in and cant (and shouldnt) have to rely in 1 player. I cant get my head round signing strikers without letting them go rather than bringing in midfielders. Id much rather have went for Varynen, Davis and Lovenkrands aswell as Madjid at the back. Those first 3 players would have given us something much different when going forward. EDIT: And for those who think stating the facts are wrong (being negative), please tell us who you expect to come into the team and start creating things for us. I know we have until the end of the month to sign a midfielder but by Tuesday it could all be to late in Europe, I bet quite a few are not totally confident about Tuesdays 2nd leg. WS should have sorted out the midfield in July.

The guy Burton OBrien seems to rate him and says he is capable of mazey runs from the back - thats our creative man probably sorted!! Anyone bought him in FM??? I get a good feeling about this signing though. I do think we'll see him in midfield a few times but it would be fantastic to see him make a partnership with Cuellar. That would leave Weir out and the need for another captain though. Maybe we will be going 3-5-2 after all!!! We've nothing to worry about at the back, we have: King Carlos, Captain Kirk, The Warrior.....Prince Papac?????....And of course The Shagger!

Lollipops and Cherryade I hope!!! As Pete says it is gash that its only available to UK viewers online. BBC

I see the sentiments also but first and foremost we are entitled to our negative opinions due to whats going on around. The team are screaming for a midfielder yet the manager buys strikers and defenders so it a natural reaction for fans to question this. On the park there hasnt been much to shout about early on (albeit after 4 friendlies and 1 competitive match) so once again people are naturally questioning the outlook. Off the park some big promises have been made and nothing has been announced, yet this goes hand in hand with amatuer things like people not getting tickets to get into the ground for kick off in our first big match of the season - Sorry but if anyone can be positive about that then I'll have some of what they are having.

Once Curbishley gets the boot and a big name manager comes in then we'll be up there. The thing is Curbs has 6 games to save his job plus he will know he HAS to get them up the league. I was concerned a few weeks back but im begining to turn the corner on them, I think they will be top 10 as we have a decent fixture list early on.

Superb draw if we get past Kaunas. TBH Kaunas are probably a better outfit than Aalborg.

Not sure about Blackburn TBH. Without Hughes they wont be as stubborn. I can Man City being in there and probably West Ham. I fancy Posrtmouth to be the surprise top 6 side. Harry is doing wonders down there.

Keane is a loss but rumours are Ashavin is on his way here!!! Decent signings from Mowbray. CL, here we come!!! I hope they sort there pitch first

I expect a few more signings. They just lack the stadium, but very impressive ambitions from Harry. Spent a bit but will still struggle Are you Tottenham in disguise!!! Some good signings though

Keane is the star signing so far but to challenge they need another 2 signings on par with this. I think they are far from finished shopping and will be stronger. Interestingly quiet from OT, but they dont need anyone. They lost a good keeper there, and havent added in numbers.

Down in numbers but still a huge squad and i expect more activity before 31st August. 2 quality signings though. Busy summer at Goodison then!!! Few good sigings Wee bit of EPL experience in but will still struggle

This will be interesting to see who looks improved more. They still lack a world class player IMO. If they hold onto Barry then they will be stronger, but they are still low in numbers. Will be interested to see how Ince does. Didnt know they signed Elmander, but they need more.

And the crazy amount of fixtures just keeps on coming!!! 1st - Liverpool (H) - Friendly 5th - FBK Kaunas (A) - CL qualifier 9th - Falkirk (A) - SPL 13th - Potential QL 3rd qualifier 16th - Hearts (H) - SPL 23rd - Aberdeen (A) - SPL 27th - Potential CL 3rd qualifier 31st - Celtic (A) - SPL

If Loovens is still a target then i would seem the bad news about Carlos being sold would be true. Again this would be another club decision for the money the same as Hutton as Cuellar come out and said he is happy to stay. I hope Ian is right that WS isnt finished in bringing players in, but my worry is qualifying for the CL and deadlines etc.

I'll have a bit of that once we sign 3 midfielders

Novo and Velicka would have been an interesting partnership.

Welcome to the club Madjid. Looks a decent defender but as someone said Sheff Wed and Charlton!! This one has certainly sprang out of nowhere. But if he and Carlos are first choice Im baffled as to what Dailly, Webster, Weir, Broadfoot and even Hemdani are doing there. With our squad you'd think the opposition goal was the half way line!! We have nothing in the attacking midfield sense.

I was at the game and IIRC it was pissing down before hand and my bus parked MILES from Ibrox. I had to drink a bottle of Merrydown cider on the way there to keep me warm

2 hours before kick off????!!!! What happens for people coming from a few hours drive away who get delayed in traffic or people who work until 5:30pm...etc etc

As Arnold says a thread on Murray and the other wrong things at RFC could go on all day. But its the small simple issues that should be addressed first like having a port-a-cabin for a ticket office with a support our size - its ridiculous. Ibrox is still a great place to go but it could be done with a few modern touch ups. The Govan, Broomloan and Copland are all 25 years old now and you get the feeling they are that age at times. If we got a new super stadium then great but giving Ibrox a bit of a facelift and rennovated plus ripping out the screens would be fine also.

Preciseley why we needed him on wed night, he would have probably conjoured (sp) something up from nothing in a big game when we needed it. Would you rather Adam, Dailly and McCulloch in that team, no of whom bring any forward edge to the team??

Velicka would have been the obvious choice for me. He impressed in pre season and is way ahead of everyone on fitness and sharpness.

I hope we get Inter Baku. Been there loads of times and as much as a tricky place to go the standard isnt great at all.