The Summer 2023 Rangers Transfer Window Rumours and Deals - Thread

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[Sutton_blows_goats 5,345]

Stoke were at it offering only a loan and covering half Davies wages. Must have mistaken the football club with the charity foundation.

[Bill 13,717]

I might be in a minority of one on this but, while he wouldn't be my first choice, I also wouldn't hesitate to throw a starting shirt to Ben Davies if I had to.

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[RANGERRAB 3,678]

Our defence is a worry. All we’ve done is let Helander go & replace him with 35 year old Balogen. And bring in Dujon Sterling who’s a RB and won’t get a game

Doesnt look like strengthening to me

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,752]

8 hours ago, Bill said:

I might be in a minority of one on this but, while he wouldn't be my first choice, I also wouldn't hesitate to throw a starting shirt to Ben Davies if I had to.

I agree Bill. His Rangers career seems to be have been defined by some high profile mistakes in certain games but on the whole he's been quite steady. I think he's more than capable of coming in and doing a job on the left side of our defence IMO. Especially against SPL fodder. 

[Sutton_blows_goats 5,345]

Can’t beat Jota for a header and constantly injured. Agree looks steady enough for the games v the diddy teams though.

 

Still disappointed we couldn’t move him on. Hoped we could recoup our money for Ridvan who looks like another crock.

 

We need to do better due diligence on these guys before spending big money on them.

 

Heard Dowell has a knee injury again..

[der Berliner 3,747]

Recruitment was carried out to remove our attacking problems, IF we use more true strikers up front. Last season we de facto continued to try to get past Scottish defences with one central striker and sided-attacker, who usually did not come up with enough goals and/or assists to make this a viable system. We did this a few times over the years and only changed the quality of the players. The results, as you can see in the trophy room, remained the same.

 

Now, so far this season, Matondo (22) stepped into a more prominent role and has become about as efficient as Kent. Lots of effort and running, little end product. Same with Lammers, who is more of a centre forward though. Sima (22)  has come to the right wing (though he has almost played as often as a centre-forward). Dessers is a straight hardy centre-forward as well, so we replaced Morelos and Colak (whom we could easily have kept, IMHO) with two strikers who should be given time as anyone else. Some hit the ground running, others don't. (That said, the way our front line is changed every other game does not help.) Added to them in the attacking roles we have Danilo and Roofe as strikers, the latter can play on either wing (and, especially when fit, is heavily under-used), plus Lawrence and Wright as wingers. Cantwell has been this season's stand-out so far, the bright spark of our creative play. With Lowry gone, letting Hagi go as well might come back to haunt us. Raskin (22) will play further up field with Jack and/or Lundstram behind him, Cifuentes probably too. These two chaps are relatively new to the Scottish game and our demands, we can but hope that they strike a quick understanding with the other new boys. As you can read above, Bears can become fickle rather quickly. The jury is very much out on Dowell, who has so far not really convinced me ... but I'll give them all some time.

 

The main spot of bother remains the defence. Ridvan suffered an injury at the most inopportune moment, so we remain with our old warhorses Tavernier and Barisic at fullback, with but Devine as a true back-up. Davies might play left-back, Balogun on the right. They would be rather traditional fullbacks though, which is, pending on the opposition, not a bad thing. I'm not exactly sure what has happened to Davies, who did not perform that badly last season - at least not any worse than the others. For some reason, with some players (e.g. Davies) the support seems to remember their errors more vividly than with others, Goldson attempted an OG last weekend (neat header past the post) and succeeded in midweek, while watching de Jong outjump him and his colleagues to score. IMHO, the only centre-half who clad himself in any glory this season is Souttar, Goldson has one good game in five, the rest hardly plays.

 

The gaffer has/had his favourites for certain positions (Kent, Tavernier, Goldson) and we'll hardly ever know whether the "second row" players will be better, if given a chance. Unless injured, I doubt that we will see much change with regard to Goldson being a first pick. That said, every now and then, we should try three at the back to avoid another PSV disaster. Here's a list of freebie defenders still out there. Jerome Boateng, anyone?

 

Butland is an able replacement for McGregor, wonder what will happen to McLaughlin now.

 

Biggest hope is that we change tactics according to the task at hand with players best suited for the role required.

 

Here's our team by position.

Edited September 2, 2023 by der Berliner

[ranger_syntax 4,330]

Is Morelos still a free agent?

[WorthingBear91 157]

14 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

Is Morelos still a free agent?

Yes fenerbahce backed out of the deal as they thought he had an aggressive personality.