Stick Or Twist?

[CammyF 7,986]

With the 3rd Old Firm derby galloping over the horizon, our thoughts turn to the formation and personnel that Walter Smith and his staff will deploy against the auld enemy. Would it be overly dramatic to say that the outcome of this game could shape our short to medium term destiny? After losing the last Old Firm game at Ibrox, many pundits as well as Rangers supporters, myself included, claimed that the league was over and Rangers would labour to the conclusion of the season that would see Celtc warp up their forth consecutive SPL title. In fairness, we have laboured, but luckily and thankfully, so have Celtc. If our worst fears are realised on Sunday, will they be as generous in the remainder of the season? Whilst Rangers are fragile both on and off the pitch at the moment, it could be argued that Celtc are just as fragile on the pitch.

 

So, will Walter and his staff ââ?¬Ë?stickââ?¬â?¢ or ââ?¬Ë?twistââ?¬â?¢ on Sunday? Will they be happy to return from Torbett Towers undefeated which would see us, at worse, 2 points behind with a relatively easy (on paper) run of games ahead of us? Or will he, like the vast majority of us would advocate, go for the jugular and attack Celtc and expose their glaring weaknesses? Off course, by ââ?¬Ë?twistingââ?¬â?¢, we give Celtc the opportunity to win the game and take a 5 point lead. However, even by ââ?¬Ë?stickingââ?¬â?¢ and playing safe, we could also lose the game (a dodgy refereeing decision, a deflected shot, an individual error etc). There is also the unknown factor of the ââ?¬Ë?Walters unexpected player(s) selectionââ?¬â?¢ to consider and throw into the equation. Unluckily for us, we donââ?¬â?¢t have a Daniel Cousin clicking his heels at Murray Park looking to impress EPL suitors.

 

There is also the advantage that everyone believes that Walter Smith will ââ?¬Ë?stickââ?¬â?¢ and go negatively into the game with a 4-5-1 formation that will include, say Lee McCulloch playing the role he did successfully recently at Pittodrie. Now, by rights, McCulloch shouldnââ?¬â?¢t get anywhere near the starting eleven, but Walter has a history (recently) of the unexpected in these fixtures. As stated above, Celtc are fragile at the moment and have obvious weaknesses that we have exposed in the past. Their defence is strong, but static. They will swallow up a ââ?¬Ë?high-ballââ?¬â?¢ game but will not enjoy playing in a ââ?¬Ë?football gameââ?¬â?¢. Get the ball down, get the ball into wide areas and play in and around their immobile defence. Celtc have good forward thinking players, but get them going backwards and working in their own half and in their own area, you not only nullify their threat, you make them uncomfortable.

 

So, will Walter play a ââ?¬Ë?bluffââ?¬â?¢ and go 4-4-2 with genuine width in the team and two mobile forwards who can get the ball down and attack their back line? Or will he go for the double bluff and play 4-5-1 with Miller or Lafferty as a lone striker? Given that he started 4-5-1 in the recent friendly with AC Milan indicates that he is tempted to start with this formation with Lafferty up top with Miller and Fleck supporting from the wide areas with Ferguson, Mendes and Davis (or more likely McCulloch) in the midfield.

 

Either way, this game may not determine our short to medium term destiny, but if we are defeated, I canââ?¬â?¢t see Celtc being as generous and wasting another five point gap in the title run in. We must leave Torbett Towers on Sunday afternoon with at least a share of the spoils to remain in contention in the SPL title race. If we defeat Celtc, I would say that we would be in prime position in the title race. So Walter, ââ?¬Ë?stickââ?¬â?¢ or twistââ?¬â?¢?, as long as we donââ?¬â?¢t go bust - in more ways than one.

 

Cammy F -

[Super_Ally 0]

Walter will almost certainly "stick".

 

If we manage to rob them of the 3 points it will be in spite of a negative approach, not because of a defensive outlook.

[H1ndy 0]

deof needs to twist. we need to win this game but knowing Smith he will stick and play 451

[Gribz 846]

I think he will stick, i cant see him thinking about defeat so that will be enough to make him go defensive.

 

I also cant see him going 4-4-2 with wide players as Celtic are likely to pack the central midfield with Robson, Hartley and whoever else plays centre mid for them. BUT IF we had Ferguson on top of his game with Mendes then those 2 would be enough to handle that along with Davis on the right and Fleck on the left.

 

But I can see a McCulloch or Edu coming in for this game, but if he goes with Davis aswell then that means Mendes, Ferguson, Davis and McCulloch/Edu all playing which is very narrow.

 

Murray Park will be a interesting place this week to see what is being tried out.

[Super_Ally 0]

Celtic's results since the last OF:

 

Celtic 2-2 Dundee Utd

Aberdeen 4-2 Celtic

Celtic 3-1 Hibs

Celtic p0-0 Dundee Utd (League cup)

ICT 0-0 Celtic

Celtix 2-1 Queen's Park (Scottish cup)

 

If that's not a reason to "twist" I don't know what is?

[Frankie 8,552]

Take the game to Celtic - go 4-4-2 and get at them!

[Tannochsidebear 2,405]

I really wish Walter would concentrate on playing our best 11 in our best formation.

 

Unfortunately he has proven time and time again that when it comes to big games we are far more concerned with countering the opposition formation and tactics than letting them worry about us.

 

Please, just for this once, tell yourself that they are in poor form and will be more worried about us than we need to be about them, and play an attacking formation to score goals.

 

5 in midfield with Boyd on the bench and I will scream.

[ian1964 10,720]

What a game to win................imagine the feeling after we give them another skelping in the piggery,c'mon Walter redeem yourself.............well a little bit anyway!!!!

[gisabeer 409]

I really wish Walter would concentrate on playing our best 11 in our best formation.

 

Unfortunately he has proven time and time again that when it comes to big games we are far more concerned with countering the opposition formation and tactics than letting them worry about us.

 

Please, just for this once, tell yourself that they are in poor form and will be more worried about us than we need to be about them, and play an attacking formation to score goals.

 

5 in midfield with Boyd on the bench and I will scream.

 

Walter Smith has never, does not and will never know his best eleven.

 

And as far as the Celtic game goes you can bet your mortgage that he will go for saftey first.

 

 

mainflyer came away with a cracking statement in another post.

 

being so afraid to lose that you are unable to win is not what we need or want at Rangers.

 

This sums up our manager to a tee. Over cautious bordering on gutless.

 

I fear our managers tactics more than i fear the oppositions these days.

 

Smith is our worst enemy and the sooner he finds a spine or grows a pair of gonads the better.

 

if he doesnt yet another mediocre septic team will win yet another eague that they dont deserve.

[UCF2008 0]

I really wish Walter would concentrate on playing our best 11 in our best formation.

 

The trouble is that if he WAS playing the best 11, he would probably NEED to play 5 in midfield because that's where we're strongest.

 

I think if we were to try and decide our best 11 between us all, opinion would be divided to say the least. We've got some good options in the squad ATM, but some players are better suited to specific games than others.

 

Therefore I'd say in his defence that it's impossible for him to pick a starting 11 that gets a unanimous vote of approval, as a significant amount of supporters will always disagree with his choice.