Rousseau

I can see Aguero and Sanchez leaving Man City and Arsenal respectively this summer, one of them to Chelsea would be freighting although both will likely go to Spain. I also think Conte will bring in one of his Italian defenders which will make them even better at the back.

I was thinking about that the other day: imagine a front line of Costa (when he's at peak), Hazard and Sanchez at Chelsea! Sanchez does look frustrated at Arsenal.

Toral had a good game, and Hyndman was good in the DM role, aside from getting pushed off the ball gifting them a chance, and Senderos was quite good too, aside from him and Hill going for the same ball but that should be erased through experience in playing together.

are you guys serious? we played for no more than 40 minutes the rest was absolutely rank. We werent unlucky, we should have been 2 down at halftime our finishing was the same standard it always is, shit.

 

good night think i will call it quits when Rangers fans accept that nonsense as a decent standard,flatter to deceive at best.

It's not good enough, but we played well in spells -- particularly the 2nd-half -- and IMO didn't deserve to loose. I agree with the finishing. If we are even a little more clinical that game is an easy win -- even conceding the 2 goals we should have conceded.

Easy write-up this round.

Compo gets 1 point for the Correct Result, with Compo, Whosthedado and Barebear gaining 1 point for the Correct Number of Rangers Goals.

Yorkie Bear gets 2 points for Wallace as FGS.

And finally, Compo gets 3 points for the Correct Score -- unfortunate not to get another 2 points but had the wrong Full-Back as FGS!

Latest Standings:

A week-by-week tally of scores can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-uQa9LP4du35rep3iUemqtj2NihPxHUuAGJFhz2WW0I

I don't think we are good for spells at all - I think we flatter to deceive.

 

Other than Tavernier I am struggling to give anyone pass marks.

They're few and far between I'll admit, but I think 5-10 minutes here and there we've played some nice football, creating good openings. Again, we're not hitting the target.

I don't know why we can't hit the target? We create some good openings -- not enough, but decent openings -- but can't take advantage of them. Tavernier, Garner and Toral all deserved goals.

Dross for spells then quite good for spells, it's so inconsistent. Add to that the fact we can't hit the target and it is depressing.

Twitter is hilarious: moan if Halliday, Kiernan play, then moan when they're not. MW is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

Rangers 2 - 0 Ross County

FGS Garner

As much as I've been critical of Halliday over the last few games -- control, awareness etc all been poor -- I don't see him being dropped. He is OK, just not brilliant in that DM role. I'm not sure who we would replace him with? Rossiter and Barton were both bought to play that role, but neither have worked so we'll need to make do with Halliday for now.

The whole squad needs improved and upgraded. It is average, but to be fair we've done well with an average squad. Unfortunately, it's going to take more than a window or two to upgrade it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but going into the season both Barton and Rossiter looked like very good upgrades. It just wasn't to be.

That's your preview published, Coop!

MW is very defensive -- hard not to be after that result and all the so-called journalists baying for blood -- but he's not wrong.

2 points please Rousseau.

See post no.25. Thanks

Oops! Sorry Yb, I'll get that done. It wasn't my usual routine after that result...

Update: That's your 2 points added.

This is the second game against Hearts where I've not bothered to input all the data... depressing. But, there were some points picked up.

Pete and Gribz gained 1 point for the Correct Number of Rangers Goals.

boabie, cooponthewing, forlanssister and Bearman gain 2 points for Hyndman as FGS.

Latest Standings:

A week-by-week tally of scores can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-uQa9LP4du35rep3iUemqtj2NihPxHUuAGJFhz2WW0I

There are some decent players still available as free agents... Michael Essien anyone ? At 34 would still be worthwhile. Raul Mereiles at 32 ? Martin Caceres who is only 29 for the CB position ??

Good players, but I suspect their wages would be beyond us. There should be some freebies within our budget, surely?

Hearts 1 - 2 Rangers

FGS Miller

I think Zelalem's better than MLS level, and I still think he'll play for a better/bigger club than Venlo as he's got the natural ability; his physique is letting him down, but at 20 it will hopefully come.

We've played quite well, considering. Halliday is a real liability though; touch, awareness and passing have been non-existent.

I like the patient build-up. Not many chances but I like the movement and control.

I'm impressed by Toral and Hyndman; they occupy good positions and their movement creates space.

He's just said it was a justified red card.

Yes, I edited my post: credit where it's due.

Funny how Walker's trying to justify that challenge.

Roon ye!

Edit: Actually he did concede that it was a red too. Credit where it's due.

Pretty obvious red, but my words those commentators were creaming their pants at that; couldn't contain themselves.

Halliday's touch and awareness have been awful so far; he's not reliable at CDM.

Fair enough, BH, you were right. I thought he would make it -- albeit not any time soon with his physique, but in the future.

Good chance we can now get him permanently!

Oxford would be an exciting signing, and I suppose it's an example of what MW was saying about getting to a stage where the bigger clubs trust us enough to loan us their best young talent. At the level we play guys of Oxford's calibre should bring an improvement to the squad.

However, I would prefer to see permanent signings; loans, no matter how much of a boost they give, are only short-term. I'm not going to complain about quality young talent, though. January is also a very difficult month in which to do business.

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