Rousseau

FAST FACTS: Rangers’ 5-1 victory at Recreation Park in August was their biggest ever league victory over Alloa, either home or away, beating the previous best, 2-0, achieved in 1922. Rangers’ last victory over Alloa at Ibrox, came in the Scottish Cup in 2012 when Gers beat the Wasps, then in a higher division , 7-0 with Dean Shiels and Barrie McKay both grabbing doubles. Last season, Alloa left with a point on both league visits to Ibrox. Of Rangers’ five league goals against Alloa last season, only one, scored by Nicky Law in the 1-0 win at Recreation Park in January, came in the first half. Contrastingly, four of the five strikes at the same venue earlier this season came before the interval Jimmy Simpson (1947/48) is the only player to have managed Alloa since the war having previously played for Rangers. Alex Totten (1980/82) was in also charge of Alloa before a spell as an assistant to Jock Wallace at Ibrox (1983/86). Alloa changed their stadium’s name from Recreation Park to the Indodrill Stadium prior to their last league meeting with Rangers on September 20, 2014. Alloa are known as the Wasps due to the yellow and black colours that they first wore over 100 years ago. A new club badge was launched in 2010 with a modern-looking comic insect. Alloa were formed in 1878 and were originally known as Clackmannan County. That moniker lasted for one season and they then became the Alloa Association Football Club before they became Alloa Athletic in 1883. Archie McPherson was the manager of Alloa for 10 years from 1959. No, not that one, but a former defender who played at Rangers, Liverpool, Sheffield United and Falkirk and who went by the nickname ‘Curly’ http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/opposition-focus-alloa-5/

MARK WARBURTON has made three changes for his side to take on Alloa in the final home match of the season this afternoon. From the side which lost 3-2 to Hibernian on Wednesday, in come Gedion Zelalem, Nicky Clark and Billy King. They play in place of Kenny Miller, Michael O’Halloran and Dominic Ball. That means it’s the familiar back five of Wes Foderingham in goals, James Tavernier, Rob Kiernan, Danny Wilson and Captain Lee Wallace. In midfield, Andy Halliday will sit with Jason Holt and Gedion Zelalem in front of him, while up front, Barrie McKay and Billy King play either side of Nicky Clark. On the bench, Cammy Bell returns having been missing for Wednesday’s game due to inflammation in his knee, and yet again there is a place for youngster Liam Burt. The game promises to be a special occasion with more than 50,000 packed into Ibrox this afternoon to see Lee Wallace lift the Championship title after the final whistle. RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Kiernan, Wilson, Wallace; Halliday, Holt, Zelalem; McKay, Clark, King. SUBS: Bell, Ball, Law, Shiels, Miller, O’Halloran, Burt. http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/three-changes-gers-2/

Where has the Pienaar rumour came from? (I like these transfer rumour round-up threads you do. Thanks dB!)

Barcelona use a purely zonal-marking system -- no man-marking at all. Although they have one of the smallest sides in europe, they tend to have good aerial players at the back: Pique, Mascherano, Busquets etc. As offensive as they were, they had big Puyol chaperoning the defence for years! I'm starting to think O'Halloran may be better central. His asset is his pace, so one would think a wing spot would be good for him, but his passing and movement is not up to scratch. If he was central he could use his pace in-behind, and to push the opposition defenders back; like Aguero does -- albeit nowhere near his quality! Like I said, I don't think he's quite 'in-tune' with his team-mates yet. Hopefully it will come with time. He does need to push on.

Although I agree a centre-half would be beneficial, I think a strong, destroyer-type defensive-midfielder would go a long way to solving many of our problems -- unfortunately, he has to be able to pass too with us, which makes it tricky. Ball has done well and shown glimpses of what he can bring, but he is only 20 years-old, so we can hardly expect him to 'take command'!

I'm delighted he's finally coming good. I thought he was a real prospect when I first saw him in the third division; he was doing the same things as he is now, albeit not as successfully. He's a modern european-type player, technical rather than physical, which could easily have been overlooked in Scotland for a more physical player -- almost did with McCoist! He's the model. If we can produce more players, or develop and encourage more technical players, we'll be creating a good foundation for the future. The last player (recently -- relatively recently) -- there might have been others that I'm omitting -- I thought was a real prospect was John Fleck. I think his game was more technical than the norm up here, and it was wasted as a result.

I agree the centre-backs deserve criticism this season, and perhaps we do need better quality. It's unfortunate though. Kiernan exemplifies the situation for me: when he's on top-form, I think he can be sublime; positioning, ball control, distribution and tackling and general defending are all good, and very good in places. However, it's not consistent enough. For me it's the inconsistency that is the most frustrating: it's there, the ability, but we don't see it enough.

We dominated from start to finish -- outwith a 5-minute spell here and there -- but we really lacked penetration. We struggled to created chances through slow play in the final-third. We gifted them 3 goals -- quite literally 'gifted' them, or at leat 2 of them -- the third was poor defending. We seem to be using a mix of zonal- and man-marking at the corners. There is a line of 3 players on the 6-yard box defending the space, then the rest man-mark. A mix is probably the best way to go, but it's not working a the minute: we concede for too easily from set-pieces -- although a lot of that is down to having several smaller players. The zonal-players deal with the ball well enough (as in prevented a header on goal), but I don't know how Gunnarsson managed to get free at the back post? Foderingham has just 'boobed'. I thought it was hilarious that the home-fans kept jeering with anticipation every time a ball was passed back to him. He's fluffed an easy catch, yes, but he was impeccable with the ball at his feet; Control was good, distribution was good, and he invariably found his man. It was just one of those things with the catch. He rarely makes a mistake with his feet. I'm really disappointed in O'Halloran: he's not confident enough to create angles with a pass -- and tends to pass backwards as a result -- and then when he tries to use his pace on the outside, either he loses the ball to the defender or wiggles through only to fail to pick out any player in blue with a cross. He's got the raw ability, but I don't think he's quite in-tune with our way of playing yet.

Mmm... McCrorie instead of Bell as back-up 'keeper? Bell looks to be surplus to requirements. Strong side. Surprised to see Ball start, but it is a 'big' game; we need that defensive 'steel' in the middle of the park.

RANGERS: Foderingham, Tavernier, Kiernan, Wilson, Wallce, Ball, Halliday, Holt, O’Halloran, Miller, McKay Subs: McCrorie, Burt, King, Law, Shiels, Clark, Zelalem http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/one-change-hibs/

I must admit, I'd still take him if he was let go as I think he is a good player and would fit into our team well. I wouldn't offer them any money, though!

They should have taken the opportunity to re-structure once we had been demoted.

A meme almost as old as the internet itself, but it still makes me chuckle. "Mein Fuhrer, [they] pumped us after extra time and penalties..." Magic.

I'm gutted.

I'm gutted.

Ah - more complex than I remember. So, we're glad it happened (Cromwell), but also glad it didn't continue?

He certainly has many flaws, physique and work-rate being first among them, but he has the raw talent and technical ability. The former can be taught and/or will come with time, the latter cannot. I'd be delighted to get him back next year. Even if he is just a squad player, he gives us control in the middle of the park.

I think we'd be Cavaliers would we not? Roundheads were Republican.

Our strategy and philosophy is superior to anything in Scottish football -- and all but the best in Britain too -- at the moment; if we can add to it by acquiring better quality players, then we'll do well and go far. I agree we out-sung them also. The only thing I heard them shout/sing was 'boo'; witty...

I've retweeted a few of those 'ye ragin' mate?' Foderingham tweets. Brilliant. That pic of him was made for it. Immature, but hey ho...

Ha! The Rangers site is struggling to deal with the traffic.

Their two giants in the middle of the park look tidy.

Every time a Rangers player stepped up to take a penalty, I was not confident. To see Zelalem step up was terrifying, but fair play, it was a perfect penalty. Even Law took his well. Tav got carried away.

I meant how can a pundit highlight Tierney and McGinn and not mention McKay. You're correct, though.

I agree. It's sad. There should be objectivity when it comes to pundits etc.