Whittaker: The Agony and The Agony

[craig 5,199]

 

The only theory I have is his confidence dipped because he knew no matter how he played, Broadfoot would be given his place when fit. And knowing you're fairly disposable isn't really the best material for a player to 'feed' off.

 

Could it not equally be that his form suffered because Broadfoot was injured and no matter how Whittaker performed he wasnt going to get dropped until Broadfoot wass back from injury, at least until then ?

[pete 2,499]

I can't believe any of the above scenario's the fact is he lost confidence in himself. He is not a good one on one defender at the best of times, that is the problem

[gisabeer 409]

I can't believe any of the above scenario's the fact is he lost confidence in himself. He is not a good one on one defender at the best of times, that is the problem

 

 

Like most in our team i think Whittaker has become a victim of walter smiths negative tactics. He has been slowly ground down over time and we are left with the shell of a player who could have been. Steve davis was on the same road but has now come on to a rich vain of form due to the introduction of more positive players like novo and beadsley. Changes that were forced on smith due to injury i may add. Suddenly we are a more flowing and attacking team and are taking the game to the opposition rather than trying to cancel their tactics out.

 

Smiths tactics have over the last few years drained the life out of quite a few of our squad to the point that they have little or no value in the transfer market. He didnt ask them to be creative or use individual skill and guile, just defend and get behind the ball.

 

Whittaker wont be the last victim of Smiths style of play.

[wabashcannonball 0]

Like most in our team i think Whittaker has become a victim of walter smiths negative tactics. He has been slowly ground down over time and we are left with the shell of a player who could have been. Steve davis was on the same road but has now come on to a rich vain of form due to the introduction of more positive players like novo and beadsley. Changes that were forced on smith due to injury i may add. Suddenly we are a more flowing and attacking team and are taking the game to the opposition rather than trying to cancel their tactics out.

 

Smiths tactics have over the last few years drained the life out of quite a few of our squad to the point that they have little or no value in the transfer market. He didnt ask them to be creative or use individual skill and guile, just defend and get behind the ball.

 

Whittaker wont be the last victim of Smiths style of play.

 

Seasons greetings gisabeer, what a very sensible, truthful and lucid post.

[calscot 0]

Like most in our team i think Whittaker has become a victim of walter smiths negative tactics. He has been slowly ground down over time and we are left with the shell of a player who could have been. Steve davis was on the same road but has now come on to a rich vain of form due to the introduction of more positive players like novo and beadsley. Changes that were forced on smith due to injury i may add. Suddenly we are a more flowing and attacking team and are taking the game to the opposition rather than trying to cancel their tactics out.

 

Smiths tactics have over the last few years drained the life out of quite a few of our squad to the point that they have little or no value in the transfer market. He didnt ask them to be creative or use individual skill and guile, just defend and get behind the ball.

 

Whittaker wont be the last victim of Smiths style of play.

 

I don't think this theory works for the other two right backs under Smith's development: Hutton went from a target of the boo boys to 9M player under Smith, Broadfoot has also improved and playing well. Ironically, the biggest criticism of Whittaker is that he defends badly and so could do with being asked to get behind the ball more and defend better. I just don't get it.

 

Which other defenders have been ruined by Smith or lost all value? Cuellar? Bougherra? Weir? Papac? Wilson?

 

Getting defenders to defend and get behind the ball seems like a good thing to me and none of the above have suffered for it.

 

I love the way that Walter is seen as some kind of ruiner of players and teams, so can only do anything good by accident. The guy must be incredibly accident prone...

[craig 5,199]

Like most in our team i think Whittaker has become a victim of walter smiths negative tactics. He has been slowly ground down over time and we are left with the shell of a player who could have been. Steve davis was on the same road but has now come on to a rich vain of form due to the introduction of more positive players like novo and beadsley. Changes that were forced on smith due to injury i may add. Suddenly we are a more flowing and attacking team and are taking the game to the opposition rather than trying to cancel their tactics out.

 

Smiths tactics have over the last few years drained the life out of quite a few of our squad to the point that they have little or no value in the transfer market. He didnt ask them to be creative or use individual skill and guile, just defend and get behind the ball.

 

Whittaker wont be the last victim of Smiths style of play.

 

Gisa, what is it to be ? Is Whittaker to be a victim of Smith's tactics or is Whittaker a duffer ? In the above post you blame Smith for all that is bad with Whittaker yet in post #2 on this thread you said he is a duffer and you have "never been a fan" which suggests you have never considered him a good enough player even prior to joining Rangers.

 

I dont mean to be facetious but at times it really does seem that all you want to do is take a circumstance (in this case Whittaker's bad form) and use it as a stick to beat Smith with, regardless of whether it is his fault or not.

 

Since WS has come back to Rangers the team has won a title, been robbed due to fixture congestion in his other full season, won the SC twice, won the league cup and beaten finalists and made the UEFA Cup final (dont bore me with "our tactics embarrassed me" because for every one of you that says that there are likely thousands who were simply happy to be in a Euro final in our lifetime).

 

Some may criticise the tactics but the way we have been playing of late simply suggests that we have the players to play some very attractive football - IMO it is a combination of managerial failings AND players failings that we havent ben playing that way earlier in the season. But it is churlish to complain about that when we are 4 points clear in the SPL.

 

Some may suggest, as you have, that Smith got lucky by being forced to play Novo and Beasley but that simply isnt the case - he could easily have played Naismith or Lafferty or Fleck or Whittaker at LM and RM. He had plenty of options but some of us would prefer to think that Walter Smith never gets it right by being tactically aware and simply "gets lucky". Well, with the number of trophies he has brought us since he returned and the UEFA run will do this bear just nicely thanks.

 

Do I think WS is the man to take us forward ? Different question for a different thread

[Whosthedado 1,685]

Steven Whittaker is not Rangers class :fish: I bloody hate that saying! What exactly does it mean!! Anyway Broadfoot has done nothing wrong since his return so should therefore keep his place for the forseeable future

[Danny 0]

Steven Whittaker is not Rangers class :fish: I bloody hate that saying! What exactly does it mean!!

 

These days it seems to mean a player who would probably have been good enough for the 9IAR team. Which means quite an eclectic mix of ability tbh...

 

Anyway Broadfoot has done nothing wrong since his return so should therefore keep his place for the forseeable future

 

Agreed. He looks a different player, leaner, sharper, and more agile. Still as slow as a day in Bar L mind you. Is done for pace by most.

[Danny 0]

Could it not equally be that his form suffered because Broadfoot was injured and no matter how Whittaker performed he wasnt going to get dropped until Broadfoot wass back from injury, at least until then ?

 

Not sure, because Broadfoot got injured and Whittaker's introduction led to a very rich vein of form from him till the end of last season. It's this year alone he's been horrible.

[Super_Ally 0]

Agreed. He looks a different player, leaner, sharper, and more agile. Still as slow as a day in Bar L mind you. Is done for pace by most.

 

Don't agree with this at all. Complete nonsense. He may not be the fastest, but "done for pace by most"? Handles McGeady well whose biggest strength is explosive acceleration.