Gribz

Im not denying some of the foreigners have been absolute gash and part of the downfall, but we still won trophies up until 2 years ago. But half of the foreigners entered a split dressing room and were played in baffling positions. A few of them come in with good backgrounds but it we turned them into bad players. And the management have to take responsibility for their signings. But its not just the foreigners, its most of our signings whether foreign or Scottish. They are all just becoming a lower standard so the foreign v scottish argument goes out the window. Again, cant agree with this, its a combination of both. McLeish and Watson are Scottish, they are responsible for season 05/06 same as PLG is foreign and responsible for 06/07. Players like Gavin Rae and Ian Murray are Scottish while players like Sionko and Svensson are foreign. So for everyone to just turn round and say its purely the foreigners fault is way off. There has been 4 or 5 players who have stood out and carried Rangers in the last few years and made the difference between being 2nd and average - Ferguson, Hutton, Hemdani and Prso - a mixture of Scots and foreign. Its the STANDARD of player at fault and NOT there nationality. We all know how bad the standard of football in is Scotland and we are signing them. Christ Dunfermline got knocked out of europe by nobodies from Iceland or Latvia last year. (cant remember they were that bad) Gretna (now a SPL team) got thumped by Derry. Hearts were an embarrassment in Europe. Aberdeen have sold a regular player to Yeovil Town this year. (Is that the same standard to SPL?) I dont the the figure but about 1 out of 25 SPL players move to the EPL these days and they are probably foreign. I think it will be Smith and McCoist who get us competitive again or more to the point make an effort. Had the same group of players been under Le Guen then Im not so sure. They have installed morale and confidence into the team and bought players who know what playing for Rangers is all about.

He plays behind the strikers in the supposed Buffel role And can play left aswell. Id take Dyer for the Hammers in an instant if he is fit.

Yeah and buying SPL players has been our downfall to becoming average IMO. The Scottish game has went so far backwards in the last 10 years. The other SPL clubs cant ever compete in europe (we've seen that) yet we are buying there players. Just coz they do well in SPL matches against each other doesnt mean they can step up to the next level and put Rangers where we should be. Ive said it repeatedly - having 1 or 2 of the better SPL players is fine but having a team full means I expect the continued rank football we have seen over the last 2 years.

Agree we have to wait and hope Smith can gel a winning team. But Im not over confident or happy with spending 3.3 million on Naismith and Whittaker. We could / should surely have gotten better with that amount of money.

Aye heard that. He can play centre mid aswell once Faubert is fit. Id take Dyer if he is injury free. On his day he is a dangerous player but has far too much injuries..

I can see where Del Piero comes in, ive never seen him do anything spectacular

I was wondering about Novo the other day, I thought his contract was up this summer and was wondering why he was still featuring without signing. The wee man will have a part to play on the right IMO

I still think he will come good under Smith and im looking forward to his return. He will feel like a new player. He showed glipses of quality under Mcleish but was played well out position and we wont know what PLG was telling him to do. I think Smith and McCoist will see his talent and will get the best out of him. He has pace and skill and the ability to unlock defences with a pass and he can score aswell. He just needs to be played properly and he also has to be consistant in his own form.

By going with the replies it seems we are split about 50/50 on whether we can win the league or not. TBH its only Celtic we have to get the better of as Hearts are slipping back and wont mount a challenge like they could/should have done in the last 2 years. If we sort out our results against the bottom teams then we will be there or there abouts come the split. Celtic have shown they can nick the games they struggle in, this is what we have to start doing. There was 1 or 2 games towards the end of last season that should remind the players not to take the foot off the peddle until the 3 points in wrapped up. Cant fookin wait for the season to start. Only a few more weeks.

I cant believe its 6 months, im gutted. I was well looking forward to seeing this guy. And now that we sold Benayoun we are left with that plum Bowyer on the right. Him and Bellamy in the squad could make for a scrap or 2.

He's a good keeper, Rafa B just didnt like him for some reason.

Cassano??? I thought that about Essien aswell his first season but I thought he was Chelseas best player after Drogba last season. When they moved him into defence there midfield was nothing.

I would have thought it was Boyd until I read the word "ran" like a headless chicken :fish:

Its still Maradonas for me. He just looks more assured and more comfortable on the ball than Messi. Its a "tidier" looking goal. And I like Maradonas first turn in the move compared to Messi coming out between the 2 players.

Heskey must be another who is over rated

Thats the key point. If Naismith comes in, is that the end of the spending? For that kind of money i cant see us having that amount (or more) to throw on 1 player in this transfer window. IMO we should be keeping that money until the creative / right sided player is identified. Obviously if Buffel comes good that saves us looking and then we can go for the likes of Naismith.

Id still rather see 1.8 million being spent elsewhere on the pitch. I dont thnk we need Naismith especially if we are playing 4-2-3-1.

The thing with the cups is there is no reason why we shouldnt beat anyone infront of us including Celtic even though that game is a lottery at times. Surely if we are getting Ayr Utd, Falkirk, Motherwell etc in cups then a final place has to happen.

Have to say I cant agree with Seaman, I thought he was a great keeper. Michael Owen certainly springs to mind, I think he is utter gash but everyone seems to claim he is world class. EDIT: But it could be that boy Ali Dia who Souness signed for Southampton after he got a crank call saying he was George Weah's cousin. He came on the pitch for 10 mins and ran about like a headless chicken then got subbed :fish:

Just been checking some Scotland teams. He played at the right side of a back 3 with Hendry and Dailly and the odd game with that legend Paul Ritchie

Was wondering the same Juff until yesterday Ascender told me he was out until Spetember. As you also say Im still hoping he is our creative savour and I still think he can be especially if he plays behind the striker in the 4-2-3-1. Him, Sebo and Darcheville running at defences could put the shits into some defences.

Typical arrogant french twat. West Ham are a top 4 side in England

Not a good sign for the man or the Hammers. I hope its nothing serious.

I think its a positional thing with Ferguson. He is not an attacking midfielder but yet when he plays defensive he is dictating his own team mates moves and isnt that effective. Hemdani is much more effective sitting infront of the back 4. I havent seen much of Thomson but a lot are rating him and he could develop into a Stuart McCall type of player for us. Having Hemdani and Thomson can play together but then we need a creative player and Ferguson just isnt that.

Yeah Id go with that. Frankie mentioned maybe dropping Hemdani or Thomson so we could play a right sided player but the solution to keeping Hemdani and Thomson is to play 2 upfront and drop the 3rd centre mid man. If we go 4-4-2 then id go with your team but id still like to see Sebo or Novo play upfront with another striker so again Id drop Boyd. I just cant see WS dropping Ferguson or Boyd, they are absolute bankers to start everyweek. If he keeps this 4-2-3-1 formation then he should change the personell to this: ________________McGregor_____________ Hutton_____Weir_______Cuellar_____Smith __________Hemdani___Thomson__________ __Beasley_______Gow/Buffel______McCulloch _______________Darcheville________________