Rousseau

Far too early for Pena -- he's only played 10 minutes! The price tag was for his pedigree. It's just a case of getting him up to speed.

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Wasted... so far.

PC could have taken off one of our CB when he put Kranjcar on!, did we need to keep 4 at the back against Hearts who had not interest in coming out of their own half/box?

That's twice you've made that point (going to 3 at the back). You do realise if we did, we'd have fewer attackers on the pitch? It was a back 4, but Tavernier and Wallace were playing like wingers, so it was only 2 at the back.

I'd take Moult if we can get him for a pittance, but I agree he's not the answer. Similar to MOH: plays well against teams that don't park the bus.

Incidentally, anyone know where MOH was playing for St Johnstone? Is it wide, like with us, or as a forward? I always wanted to see him up top for us. I can't help but think his pace in between the lines - in Miller's position - could be effective. But, perhaps I'm blinded by his pace - what can he actually do with the ball when he gets it? For what I've seen with St Johnstone he goes on a mazey run until space opens up for him, which doesn't happen with us.

I don't think we know what we want. A few games ago Kranjcar was 'our best player', Dorrans was a player, Windass was 'unplayable', Miller 'does the job', 'we need Wallace back', Candeias was rapid, and now they are all pish? Even the formation-debate has gone full-circle; we wanted away from the 4-3-3 because it wasn't working and we didn't have the players for it. Now the 4-4-2 is not working because we don't have 'control'? We were crying out for crosses into the box, and now that we have them we don't want them? The same thing happens with any player that has been out for any length of time: we hang our hopes on them. I don't think we know what we want; besides winning - and I don't think any of us know what it will take, because we've never been in a situation like this.

I thought we controlled that game; both in terms of possession and territory, and our defensive stability is very good - something that wouldn't have happened under MW. We are missing a bit of creativity from midfield. I think Pena is the player - in the sense that he seems to be that box-to-box type - but he's not ready. I've not been too fussed about Walker, and yesterday didn't change my mind, however we didn't allow him or Hearts into the game. We need someone to beat a player, and take up positions between the lines. Walker has the pace and dynamism for it, and can take a shot.

I thought Windass was our main attacking option, until he got injured - really sore one. He was ripping that FB to shreads. I wanted us to take advantage of his yellow card, but as Windass was struggling, we didn't actually have anyone else on the bench to run at the kid - Dodoo wasn't on the bench was he?

The positive for me was we dominated that game. And, it was pleasing to see Hardie get a run out - good movement and he knows where the goal is!

And Garner as well has a couple for Ipswich. O'Halloran now has 2 for St Johnstone - I could never have seen him scoring a goal for us like the solo effort he got last week. There must be something about the special pressure of playing for Rangers; never used to believe it but now I'm starting to think again.

The pressure, certainly, but the game situations are different as well: teams always play at 200% against us and give us little space.

Have we beaten a so called top team under Pedro yet?

I suspect you'll change your definition of a "top team" if anyone ventures an answer...

You are right: perhaps, we can't do more than that than actually hit the target? It was relentless pressure without the cutting edge. Unfortunately, that's not good enough. I always laugh at the Tottenham meme going around, about how the only thing they've achieved over the last few season, despite having a very good side, is 'put pressure on'. Pressure is not enough; we need to start scoring against these amateurs.

We need more attacking options; outwith Hardie and an unfit Pena, who's left? Hopefully we see some action towards the end of the transfer window.

We can't do any more than that, than actually score; the game was played on their 18-yard line.

Waghorn has 4 goals from 4 shots

Jeff Stelling on SSN couldn't believe they got him for £1M!

That's McKay, MOH and Waghorn scored...

We've been quite comfortable, I think. Controlled the game, created a few good chances, and restricted them to very few. We've just not taken them.

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Bizarre to see Barca go so far down yet write them off at their pearl. Messi is still the best player on the planet and without a summer tournament this year he will probably be awesome this season.

They've not looked themselves for a couple of years; the MSN trio have papered over the cracks IMO, and now they've lost that.

Couldnt post earlier, but think the issue is sorted now.

 

I think Real will walk the league this season, there seems like there is problems at Nou camp... Yay!

 

The one thing thats wrong with la liga is the share of money, Barca and Real could be in deep trouble if the other clubs started to get their fair share of TV money. Valencia and Atletico have done wonders over the years to compete.

Fixed that second sentence for you.

I agree with you: Real look ahead of Barcelona, something we've not seen is a decade or so. The money situation in Spain is mental!

I have replied twice to this...

 

Admin...???

Are you mixing up the titles? There are three 'previews' for the three leagues.

I prefer Italian football to German or Spanish, simply because of the impressive tactical dimension. It has generally been a competitive league, albeit outside Juventus over the last few years, but this season looks really competitive.

Napoli are a fantastic footballing side; Roma are always there or there about; Lazio have steadily improved, beating Juventus in the SuperCopa; Inter should be better after appointing Spalletti; and Milan have really opened the chequebook after new ownership and have built an impressive side.

Cannot wait!

I think Bruce keeps getting jobs because he has got a team promoted 4 times, and kept Wigan and Sunderland in the PL. He's not the best manager in the country but he gets results. I do think his influence and ability is waning though, as newer manager introduce newer ideas.

Could Pena not play the Windass role? I think I read he was a box-to-box midfielder; he could do a job there.

I think that is unfair on Waghorn. He almost invariably, with us, was stuck on the right side of a front 3 - when was he likely to be attacking the near post in that situation ? When were we ever actually throwing crosses into the box anyway ? Almost never, we tried to play through teams even at the edge of the area.

 

I personally don't see why people preferred Garner over Waghorn. Garner was of headless chicken variety and, despite being played as the striker (to Waghorn's inside forward position) still conspired to score fewer goals than Waghorn last season.....

Can't argue with any of that. I just felt Garner was more suited to PC's way of playing and could have stepped up this year.

Hoffenheim were the better side, but squandered a host of glorious opportunities. Liverpool were not that great but professional and took their chances - a wonder free-kick and a lucky deflection! It's Liverpool's to lose now, and I don't see it.

There are some within the Rangers Academy that would never touc Cathro with a barge pole. "A complete dick" is one reference I heard first hand....

 

Whilst at Dundee Utd if his team won it was "we beat Rangers and results are very important" but whenever his team would lose it would be "we are all about development".

 

I heard he was a decent coach but was being fast tracked and gaining an unwarranted reputation. The word luck was used a fair few times.

Fast-tracked? Perhaps at the beginning -- resentment maybe? -- but it looks to me like he's done his time, at least as a coach. He's got no experience of Management, except Hearts, which was too much too soon.

I wanted to keep Garner, but Waghorn I wasn't too fussed about. However, Waghorn's goal was from a cross and him getting in front of his man at the near post - when did he ever do that for us!? He always seemed to be waiting for the ball with us.

There was an article I read not too long ago that suggested that one of the problems with Scottish coaches is that they're generally players that go straight into management, with a player mentality. The best young managers from Germany and Holland are not allowed to go straight into a top flight job; they have to work with the youngsters, developing their craft. Nagelsman was fast-tracked, but he worked wonders at a youth side (Hoffenheim U20s maybe?); same with Guardiola. I think Bergkamp has been with an AJax youth side for 8 years.

We (Scottish Clubs) generally get ex-players that know nothing, or very little, about the tactical side of the game, coming straight from playing. The players that they develop in turn know very little, or its variations on a theme -- 'get stuck in!'.

Cathro is probably the best young scottish coach around, but has no real experience of management. He really needs to develop his ideas with an U20s side -- I wouldn't mind Rangers giving him a role.