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I would have given the award to Neil Warnock. Thirty-three days of pure joy, facilitating the journey for the Dandies to arrive in the Championship. Neil should be able to sit down, feet up in the Dunoon Rangers supporters club with the award sitting proudly on the bar.

And speaking of tomorrow, I'd throw Wright in there again. Sometimes people need quality around them to reach their own next level. We hardly played Ridvan for any longer spell and soon people started to bemoan his lack of quality, height, you name it. Now, having get a hatful of games under his belt, no-one wants Borna back. I am not saying that Wright is another Ridvan, but play him with the quality people we field now, and he may very well deliver more than Lammers, or Matondo. He was working his socks off and had some really good moments while he was on, so send him out there at Dens and see what happens. IMHO, we could easily spare us one CM/DM over there and put one more attacker on and lay the game to rest early on. We have to manage our squad for the next few weeks, given all the injuries, so utilize it according to the opposition.

At one point during the game Diamonde was the only Rangers player in the midfield surrounded by 2 banks of 4 Benfica players ahead and behind him and he looked, quite rightly, terrified and of course lost the ball. He was isolated as the only man standing on a number of occasions last night and I certainly wouldn't blame him for struggling at times.

What a day. Wolves v Coventry, Wales v Italy, a bit of Ireland v Scotland, Manchester City v Newcastle and now France v England. Best of all, Mrs 7 is working so peace to watch it all.

Ridvan has played the equivalent of 5 games more.

I'd like to see Barasic play tomorrow as Ridvan look absolutely shattered on Thursday. So much so, he attempted a long throw into the box and it landed at his feet. He also look mentally drained - the short corner routine was comical and he continually gave the ball away. Telling that the guy who sits next to me who is a big fan of Ridvan said at half-time "if Barasic had put in that performance, he'd have been crucified". Ridvan isn't the only one looking mentally and physically drained - Goldson, Lawrence, Dio, Lundstram, Dessers, to name a few all look like they could do with a rest / break. The players coming back from injury (Matando, Cantwell, Roofe and Raskin) have shown in the little playing time they have had that they are short of minutes. Whilst the team requires wholesale changes, I'm certain PC will ask the same tired, injured players to go again for 90 more minutes before the international break. He is in a catch 22 situation tomorrow. Dropping points playing tired players and drop points he'll receive criticism. Make wholesale changes and drop points, he'll receive criticism. Tomorrow is the most important game of the season in my humble opinion and I don't envy PC his job of getting the ballance right with his team selection. Basically tomorrow is a case of win and win at all / any cost and hope that we get more players back after the international break Long winded way of saying I think that the team needs freshened up but think PC will ask the tired players to go again one more time. No right or wrong answer but our season might rest on tomorrow's game.

I agree. I would keep Wright but not Matondo for his injury record and the money he is on.

That's possibly inevitable given he never gets to benefit from a run in the team. I'll be surprised if Scott Wright is at Rangers after the summer transfer window and it's likely he'll never be more than he is now. But Matondo costs us an arm and a leg every week and is here fore years if he chooses ... and he's consistently woeful to boot. Scott comes from the small village I live in so perhaps I'm a wee bit biased. When he scored that cup final goal I thought the same as you ... he might just be a squad player but he'll have that moment forever.

One of the most surprising except maybe Southampton, Wimbledon, Sunderland and Birmingham City. So not all that surprising really.

That's a decent option because Dessers isn't the answer

Obviously, so fresh legs might be useful.

The one thing more difficult to measure is Ridvan's energy compared to Barisic, although that probably isn't a factor considering how shattered Ridvan looked the other night.

If only they could be combined into one left back 😀

In theory I agree but Roofe is just coming back from injury and is lacking in sharpness. I'd go with Silva and play Wright and McCausland wide if they are fit.

The Coventry against Spurs must have been one of the best finals ever back in the 80s

0.25 to 0.22 xA per 90, with Barisic shading it.

It says above that Barisic has 3 assists to Ridvan's 1. (I was just pointing out the xA from Ridvan is pretty good - he can't score the goals for them). The stats would agree there's not much between them - if we ignore the style difference. That's fair. The criticism of Barisic can be over the top. I personally prefer Ridvan: the fact that the stats show he's in-line with Barisic - if I'm being harsh - at only 22 years old, suggests to me he must be first choice. (I'd revise that if we sign someone else.)

The mentality and attitude of the two LBs is the main difference. Stick with Ridvan.

Stats: Ridvan is better in the creativity department (even if his chances created have not been taken - 3.5 xA!). Barisic is better defensively - although Ridvan is a better front-foot defender (possession won in final third and interception). The biggest difference is the 10 years between them! That alone suggests Ridvan should be the priority - IMO.

That's you opinion, and you're entitled to it. It does however remind me of a story Jim Denny told. When he was a sub in an old firm game he was told to go and warm up. He did but went and warmed up at the Celtic end. When he returned to the bench he was asked why. He simply said, I get less abuse off them. Barasic isn't anywhere near as bad as some Rangers fans attempt to make him out, and he isn't near as good as others make him out. In fact, him and Ridvan are much of a muchness. However, I do believe the stats will show Barasic offers more assists and in my opinion, he's our only full back that can take a decent / dangerous corner. His time at Rangers is coming to an end, hopefully Ridvan's is as well.

If Ridvan had dropped 2 acid and wore a dress for the match, I'd still have him playing before Barisic.

In the quarter finals, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2, Coventry City 3. Coventry led 1-0 until the last ten minutes. Wolves scored twice and packed their defence but lost two goals in added time. Lesson: do your defending in the opponents’ half, not your own.

Yes I think so.

The media fawned over Dick Advocaat until they discovered that he wasn’t going to fawn over them and possibly worse, was going to be very successful.

Common sense. Well said.

That's a fair comment that could equally be applied almost everywhere in the first team squad but we don't have the finances to fix every weakness. If we did, we'd already have the title wrapped up and be in the business end of the CL. Philippe Clement will only be able to shore up the worst of it.

Precisely. Barisic has shown time and again how fragile his attitude can be. He has occasionally been an asset but inevitably then sinks into some slough of despond again. I suspect this weakness of character is exactly why the manager has demoted him to the bench. At least Yilmaz shows signs of being a fighter, as I think PC recently described him.

Aye, but don't tell him that 😀

I think your dad could be right.

I doubt many would argue with that 👍

Aye that's fair, I think I trust Matondo to finish a wee bit more than I do Wright. The problem I have with Wright is that there is clearly a talented player in him and we see that in glimpses in matches (as we did last night for the Dessers chance) but he just can't seem to consistently produce these moments. He'll leave with moments for Rangers that we'd all dream to have though so I'll wish him no ill will when he does eventually go. We'll always have 'Hampden Scott' and hopefully that's what the boy will be remembered for.

I can't remember the last time I didn't feel uneasy when the opposition took a corner kick.

not worth the paper it was written on, click bait nonsense