Rousseau

SSN: Goss to join Rangers on loan until end of the season.

I recall his name a couple of years ago as being a prospect. Not played much, though.

He sounds like an Allen signing, which I'm content with; young, versatile, brought up in the Man Utd academy, so he hopefully has a winning mentality. I'm content.

He's not a holding midfielder but that was where he was asked to play before. Playing front of McCrorie in a similar role to Holt is much better suited to him I think. But I agree he's not a 'front of the diamond' or whatever that advanced midfield/deep attacking position is called this week. We're stretched in midfield and we'll pick up more suspensions and injuries as the season goes on, having him back even as cover, like you say, isn't a bad thing.

No.10 -- it's been a No.10 for decades.

I think a box-to-box role would suit him; he has the energy and desire to get about and influence things.

He'll be a good squad player. He knows the club, and he'll be willing to play in any number of positions and do any number of jobs to help the team. I would hope he gets played in his better positions, but I hope even more so that we get better players for the first-team so we don't need to rely on him.

I'd like everyone back. MOH, Dodoo, Forrester etc. can all boast our squad depth, and give us options. We have a thread-bare squad. And get some more youngsters promoted, like Atekayi (?).

It was a strange deal -- in the sense that Halliday is not up to their level -- Qarabag were in the CL group stages and Gabala have reached the EL group stages for the last few years; Azerbeijan are progressing, and are higher than Scotland in the Coefficient.

I'm not really convinced of Murphy. He played 35 times last season, but only averaged 53 minutes per game which suggests he came on often or was replaced fairly quickly. In those 35 'appearances' he scored only 2 goals, assisting 3, in a promoted side; rather poor return. He may be a decent attacking option on the left, but I'm not convinced. He might do OK in Scotland, though: he's quick, tricky and direct.

Even Jones and Docherty -- the latter has not really been linked with us, but has been mentioned on Twitter -- have a question mark for me, on whether they can adapt to playing for a 'big' side. Seeing the clips of their goals and assists, they seem to occur when their respective teams break, and where there is a lot of space: when do we get that? I said the same about MOH at the time too.

I agree with the strategy of taking the cream of the crop from Scotland, but I'm reluctant to state, as some are quick to do, that 'these guys will improve our first-team'. Like Halliday, I think they'll be decent squad players, and provide depth in areas in which we're short.

I think he's still the NI Number Two -- he was doing it alongside his previous few jobs.

We'll concede a goal in the next game, we'll blame Wilson and demand his immediate transfer.

Fickle.

I think JohnMc needs his hole too...

I never knew much about him before he came to us, yet according to resident experts on here and other forums he was the man to takes us forward.

He did, surely?

His football was the way forward; his implementation of it, not so much.

He'd be a good attacking outlet on the left, which we desperately need.

I'm not sure I'd class him as a Premier League player, though: he's barely played any minutes this season.

I feel we are far too eager to get players off the books. They may not be of the quality we'd like in a Ranger, but they are our best players for now; we really shouldn't be selling them until we get some players in.

Happy New Year!

Half way through that second half I was thinking, 'this is not a fair game'. There weren't any horrendous decisions from the Referee, or awful challenges -- except perhaps Broonaldo on Holt -- but I just felt similar challenges seen us penalised, and they were not pulled up at all.

Gordon's save reminded me of Goram's against Van Honkedonk (I can't be bothered looking up the spelling!), but they didn't have Albertz (?) to score from the counter...

Candeias, McCrorie, Windass, Holt and Morelos all burst a gut out there.

Wilson was solid, winning tackles and composed on the ball. Bates was solid.

That should be the bare minimum every week!

Murtinho sets up not to lose.

That was a fight. If only Morelos could've taken one of those sitters... That first one seemed easier to score.

Gary Monk, why? He's never done anything to suggest he's a decent manager. Middlesborough were doing okay, but they've a big budget and should have been doing better than they were. Added to that most 'boro fans weren't happy with how the side was playing. Lastly their chairman and owner usually backs his managers.

His time at Leeds was a failure, again with a big budget, and he only got the Swansea job because they needed a caretaker.

I'll be honest and say, for me, it's a gut reaction; which in part comes from reading about his tactical approaches.

His record is not great, overall. However, he quit at Leeds after doing a decent job, because of the new Italian ownership. He was under-performing at 'boro, but it did come as a bit of a surprise; he needed more time. I don't understand how the Chairman can moan about style under Monk, then opt to appoint Pulis!? That boggles my mind. The latter two jobs had extenuating circumstances, for me. His Swansea time was good, but petered out.

I think he's well-steeped in a modern style, learning from Martinez, Laudrup (and Rodgers... ) etc. with his own defensive rigidity; he's developed the academic side of his knowledge after a bad early injury curtailed his career. He achieved a double over both Man Utd and Arsenal; and had Swansea doing well in Europe. I think he deserves a good job; a chance to develop a side. I'm not sure he'd get that time at Rangers, but I'm intrigued at the possibility of us going for someone like Monk.

Is it likely? Not really. Out of the names being bandies about, he's one of the few that I like the sound of.

He's been stalking me

Why would Laudrup be unrealistic? Im pretty sure his brother would have some sway in his thoughts.

 

I used to dislike (I refuse to used the word hate now unless its onions in sandwiches or smoking in restaurants) Warnock especially at Sheff Utd. But he is proven to be good. How he kept Rotherham up 2 seasons ago was amazing and he has had numerous great runs in the Championship. We are not at a level to compete where we want to be yet, I say Warnock would punch us right up a level.

 

All humans differ young man.....experience

I'd take him in a heartbeat, but, I don't know, I just feel he is outwith our grasp.

He probably would, but he seems like a short-term option. I think we need a long-term rebuild. He's not the answer. The football would be terrible, and he's more of a lower-league manager; his greatest successes were with smaller sides, punching above their weight, preferably with a bit of money behind them.

Yeah I dont see the Monk obsession right now, hasnt done a bad job but shouldnt be prepelled so high. Id have M Laudrup over him at Ibrox everyday of the week.

Every man and their Dog would prefer Laudrup to Monk. Laudrup is completely unrealistic, though. Monk could be an option... maybe.

It's amazing how we differ. Whereas you like him, I see Warnock as a complete NO, NO, NO, NO! While I see Monk as an interesting option.

I've often wondered what role Monk, who was a senior player, i I rc, played in the bulletting of Michael Laudrup. It appeared at the time that Monk was in the manager's chair before Laudrup had left the building.

I don't know enough about behind the scenes manoevres at Swansea, but I formed the impression, based on 2 + 2 =ing 4, that he was a man of whom one mightbe well advised to be wary.

I'm not aware of anything like that. It just seemed like a quick fix to me, at the time.

I wish the unfairness was taken out of Scottish football but give me the blood and guts football anyday. Ckuf that poofy Spanish football, not worth watching for tuppence. I have it on freeview and have never got past 15 minutes of it.

*Pete watching Spanish Football*