General Rant....

[Super_Ally 0]

I'd argue that Hutton has been our best defender in the last 2 games...

 

Unfortunatley appears too late for him already, he's set for the Mo Ross treatment.

 

As you say far more experienced players have been worse than him recently yet he's always one of the first to get it in the neck. Very sad.

[Danny 0]

I'd argue that Hutton has been our best defender in the last 2 games...

 

You have every right to your opinion. That is all I will say in rebuttal.

[Guest bobby]

I wasnt having a go at P L G i just through that in to

see who would bite

[Frankie 8,662]

You have every right to your opinion. That is all I will say in rebuttal.

 

Well, I don't think any of the other players have been better than him. Svensson certainly hasn't; J-Rod was partly to blame for yesterday's goal and wee Stevie Smith wasn't as effective yesterday as he has been previously.

 

Hutton certainly hasn't been outstanding by any manner of means and like all of our defenders his distribution has been woeful at times. At the same time though he certainly hasn't deserved the abuse from some quarters either.

 

I'm quite happy with him at right back at the moment and the more games he plays the quicker he can regain the form he had when we first broke into the side. Then he looked fitter, stronger, more confident and won a few MoM awards.

 

If he doesn't progress as he should then I'll be the first person to ask for PLG to drop him but so far he has done anything to warrant that.

[Danny 0]

Well, I don't think any of the other players have been better than him. Svensson certainly hasn't; J-Rod was partly to blame for yesterday's goal and wee Stevie Smith wasn't as effective yesterday as he has been previously.

 

Hutton certainly hasn't been outstanding by any manner of means and like all of our defenders his distribution has been woeful at times. At the same time though he certainly hasn't deserved the abuse from some quarters either.

 

I'm quite happy with him at right back at the moment and the more games he plays the quicker he can regain the form he had when we first broke into the side. Then he looked fitter, stronger, more confident and won a few MoM awards.

 

If he doesn't progress as he should then I'll be the first person to ask for PLG to drop him but so far he has done anything to warrant that.

 

Other than being so average it's painful. He's been back from injury for a very long time and hasn't given any sign he's ever going to get any better than the absolute mediocrity he's been at since his return. Occasionally he has given glimpses of a slightly better performance, but overall he's nowhere near Rangers class and you're the first and only person I've seen to support his current inclusion in the side on merit, rather than because we simply have no other option.

 

Right back is a position which horrendously badly needs strengthened - Hutton is never going to be the answer to that slot.

[Frankie 8,662]

Every single one of our players was painfully average last season under a painfully average manager.

 

Hutton, at least had a bit of an excuse, returning from that horror leg break in late October to a team which was already awful. I certainly agree he didn't have a great season last year due to niggling injuries and an overall lack of consistency and fitness but he was still only 21 years old.

 

Yes, he's hardly the world's best right back either but he's as much right to get a chance under PLG as any other player who was there before PLG started and showed an element of potential.

 

His form before his leg break was very good and I remember lots of praise at the time. I think given our shortage in that area Hutton not only deserves our ongoing support but the chance to regain that impressive form of 2004/05.

 

I think the continual criticism of Hutton is incredibly harsh and over the last 2 or 3 games he's done pretty well and so IS on the side on merit. And I know I'm not the only one who thinks that.

[Danny 0]

Every single one of our players was painfully average last season under a painfully average manager.

 

Hutton, at least had a bit of an excuse, returning from that horror leg break in late October to a team which was already awful. I certainly agree he didn't have a great season last year due to niggling injuries and an overall lack of consistency and fitness but he was still only 21 years old.

 

Yes, he's hardly the world's best right back either but he's as much right to get a chance under PLG as any other player who was there before PLG started and showed an element of potential.

 

Maybe he has the right to have a chance, but do you honestly feel he's vindicated it? I don't. My heart sinks when I see him on the ball - I just know he's either going to lose it or punt it forward aimlessly. He's not a player I have any faith in to get any better. Don't get me wrong, I continuously support him and would never get on his back as I would any other Rangers player, but I know deep down he doesn't cut it - his performances have done nothing to alter that opinion.

 

His form before his leg break was very good and I remember lots of praise at the time. I think given our shortage in that area Hutton not only deserves our ongoing support but the chance to regain that impressive form of 2004/05.

 

I think the continual criticism of Hutton is incredibly harsh and over the last 2 or 3 games he's done pretty well and so IS on the side on merit. And I know I'm not the only one who thinks that.

 

Well you're the only person I know of who has any kind of praise for the way he's playing - this is not meant to disrespect your opinion as less valid, just calling it as I've found it. Hutton continues to be so mediocre it's untrue. I seriously ain't seeing the same thing you are.

[Frankie 8,662]

Well can you tell me what he's been doing wrong this season?

 

Defensively he's been our most sound player this term. Offensively, he's been less effective and his distribution has to improve but generally he's done OK and has arguably been our best defender. Would you say Svensson, J-Rod and Smith should be dropped as well since they've not done any better?

 

I remember the away Villareal game of last year. Hutton started slowly and gave the ball away too easily a few times in the first 20mins. After that he settled into a game and basically kept Riquelme quiet enough that he was eventually subbed. That's what he's capable of and that's what PLG obviously sees in him.

 

The slight inconsistency he suffers from is worrying but understandable given his overall lack of experience and that fact he's not had a real proper run of over 15 games to fully settle into the side and regain his confidence.

 

So far this season he's done pretty well. Not outstanding but enough to keep his place and be given the chance to develop further.

 

Now if you can show me why he's been so poor (so far you haven't) then I might concede a bit of ground. The criticism he's received just for the odd misplaced pass is not merited and I think as a support, we'd be better served backing him instead of waiting on his next error just to say 'I told you so'!

[Danny 0]

Well can you tell me what he's been doing wrong this season?

 

Defensively he's been our most sound player this term. Offensively, he's been less effective and his distribution has to improve but generally he's done OK and has arguably been our best defender. Would you say Svensson, J-Rod and Smith should be dropped as well since they've not done any better?

 

I don't think any of them should be dropped - Rod's been decent, Svensson's had a rocky start and needs time, and Smith has been sound. Hutton is our only option at right back other than Lowing.

 

I remember the away Villareal game of last year. Hutton started slowly and gave the ball away too easily a few times in the first 20mins. After that he settled into a game and basically kept Riquelme quiet enough that he was eventually subbed. That's what he's capable of and that's what PLG obviously sees in him.

 

Hutton was an absolute bombscare in that game. He became less bad as the game progressed as opposed to improving. Next to Marv in Cyprus it was one of the worst defensive performances from a Rangers player I can remember. I utterly disagree he kept Riquelme quiet - as I recall Riquelme looked every inch a multi million pound player that night. A total artist.

 

The slight inconsistency he suffers from is worrying but understandable given his overall lack of experience and that fact he's not had a real proper run of over 15 games to fully settle into the side and regain his confidence.

 

So far this season he's done pretty well. Not outstanding but enough to keep his place and be given the chance to develop further.

 

Now if you can show me why he's been so poor (so far you haven't) then I might concede a bit of ground. The criticism he's received just for the odd misplaced pass is not merited and I think as a support, we'd be better served backing him instead of waiting on his next error just to say 'I told you so'!

 

A full back is supposed to defend stoutly and move forward with gusto. Hutton does neither of these. He timidly receives the ball in his own half and either aimlessly punts it forward or tries a cute pass. He then considers turning back and giving it to a centre back. Completely aimless and it is going nowhere.

 

He doesn't have any conviction on the ball - any solid opposition to him and he loses the ball.

 

Compare him with Smith who looks focused, determined, solid on the ball and has drive to go forward.

 

I think it summed him up yesterday when he picked the ball up before it even went out, and ended up being a handball against him.

 

When was the last time he attempted a cross?

 

I have nothing against the boy personally, I just see nothing in his play to suggest he's got a real future at Rangers. I believe he is in because we have no alternatives.

[stewarty 2,060]

Lets not forget that PLG has basically only been working with the squad for around 2 months - as said previously, Rome wasn't built in a day. We were always going to take a while to settle given all the changes to the playing and coaching staff. I feel it comes down to PLG learning the Scottish game - yes, he'll get us playing fast flowing attacking football but sometimes he'll have to adopt one of Big Eck's mantras and 'win ugly'. And the only way that can happen is by playing games. Lets wait until the first 9 games have been played until we properly assess the beginnings of PLG's reign.