craig

No we wouldn't - we would have been thrown out for fielding an ineligible player (BF). I know what you are saying thought, the formation today was the formation we need to have all the time... 4-4-2 is still the way to go (though I, like Gribz, like the 3-5-2) but you HAVE to have 2 players up front if you are going to use Boyd. I think with the formation that was put out today we would definitely have had a better chance of going through.

Leeds have been plucking off points of late too though Jon. Although Leeds are bottom they are only 3 points off Southend - this is a MUST win for both teams so with the pressure on both of them it is a hard one to call. I think I would stay away from betting on that game completely.

Leeds will get at least a point this weekend

You might have to change your screenname I agree, the guy is quality. He says he wishes he had come to Rangers earlier in his career - Dado.... the feeling is mutual !

AZ Alkmaar vs Werder Bremen Bayer Levekusen vs Osasuna Sevilla vs Tottenham Espanyol vs Benfica

Sadly, I agree. If not then he would have been playing more than a bit part role in the last few IMPORTANT games (Osasuna twice, Celtic and Hibs were huge games for us). Aside from BF big Dado is the only player who has any type of creativity (Hemdani has the potential but seems to be stifled). I think the big man is done !

I have Koevermans in my Gers team on FM '07 - not a bad striker, scores his fair share of goals

But Cammy, you posted in another thread how you can "only beat what is put in front of you". PLG beat what was put in front of him, so IMO yes he did it well. The thing that you have to remember is that even if they weren't playing well under PLG against Euro opposition the team still got the job done. Under WS they haven't. One win in 4 games, and I am pretty sure that Hapoel aren't any better than some of the teams you mention above.

No idea - but the Americans have been doing this for a couple of seasons. Is a nonsense IMO. Gribz... Re the point scoring and teams holding out for a penalty I would think that the way they would operate it would be similar to NHL (Ice Hockey). If you lose in 90 mins, zero points If you win in 90 mins, 3 points If you win after pens, 2 points If you lose after pens, 1 point I think that this should minimise the leagues becoming a farce. I am obviously guessing though - but this would make most sense. Makes no sense to me that you get 0 points for getting beat in a pen shoot-out but a team that wins that pen shoot out gets 3 !

The big problem is that he bought Thomson for 2 mill and is now trying to force a formation around him. If that was all he was going to do he should just have spent the 2 mill on a decent striker and stuck with BF, Hemdani and Rae as his 3 CM's (obviously no need to squeeze a formation from that 3 as Rae would be a non-starter !).

Doesnt make ANY sense to waste TWO subs after 20 mins ! He is likely looking to contain them and hit on the break - probably won't work though.

Just been confirmed that Rae is the only change from the team vs Celtic. I don't see where the creativity is going to come from - could be a long night

Platini's plans for UEFA and the European leagues. This could have an impact and even things up a bit (although linking wages to turnover doesn't help even things up given the TV revenues for the larger nations). From Sporting Life http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/07/03/14/SOCCER_Platini_Nightlead.html UEFA president Michel Platini has spelt out his plans for a new era in European football including a proposal for 'play-offs' for Champions League qualification. Platini is proposing a new final qualifying round where there could be play-off-style matches, where the lowest-placed qualifiers from England, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Portugal would play against each other. The current system works on seeding, meaning clubs from the major leagues usually avoid each other in the final qualifying round and have easier games against smaller teams. Platini said: "It's not about disturbing England, Italy or Spain, but about finding a good balance. "My problem is that the two English, Spanish and Italian teams in the final qualifying round do not play against each other, they play against smaller teams. "Perhaps the teams from the bigger countries, who have four and three qualifying teams, should play against each other. "We want to add some of the other countries to the competition and to do that we have take some of the others away. I'm not sure that the fourth clubs from Spain, Italy and England are more important than the champions of Poland, the Czech Republic and Denmark." Platini's other ideas, revealed in a media briefing in London, include: Establishing a UEFA strategic committee where UEFA, the European leagues, the clubs and the players' union FIFPro would each have an equal voice in deciding changes in European club football. Banning players going on loan to teams playing in the same competitions as the club that owns them. Preventing European clubs from signing players who are still owned by agents or companies - as happened with West Ham and the Argentinian players Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. Having tougher penalties for players who damage the image of the game by becoming involved in unsavoury incidents such as mass brawls. Backing the introduction of a rule where clubs can only spend a percentage of their turnover on player wages and transfers. Encouraging referees to abandon matches where there is overt racist abuse. The Champions League proposal will be one of the first issues dealt with by the new strategic committee. The committee has to be ratified by a special UEFA Congress on May 27, but if approved it will include three voices from English football - Football Association chairman and UEFA vice-president Geoff Thompson, Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon. Four clubs have been voted in as representatives by the European Club Forum - Chelsea, AC Milan, Barcelona and Ajax, - and Platini's backing for the strategic committee will give Kenyon a powerful voice in European football. In relation to changing the rules on loan players, Platini added: "If a player is on loan at one club it is logical for me that he is excluded in playing in the same competition as the club who owns him. "He should not be able to play in the same league as his own club." The issue has grabbed public attention in relation to Chelsea's connection with Brazilian defender Alex, who is currently at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. The clubs could face each other in the Champions League semi-final but Chelsea say there are no eligibility issues because the player is not on loan at PSV, merely that they have an option to sign him. Proposed changes to the Champions League are set to be debated at the strategic committee's meeting in Monaco in August, before being voted on by UEFA's executive committee the following month. Any changes to the format would not come into force until the 2009-10 season.

Was it not just players playing in European leagues ?

Yeah I have a World Subscription Ian - got the home leg free, not sure about this one, haven't checked as I likely won't get to see it (taking the Mrs and young un to the airport !)

Even Mark Brown would have been a good shout would he not ? At least pre-signing with the Tims (nothing against them - oh, ok I do - but he was playing well for ICT). The only way I could see the Everton keeper being included is if he is a young kid and is being taken along for experience - but you could also apply that to Brown or Smith. Re the midfield, who are the holding/defensive midfielders in there ? They all look to me like players that like to go forward. I saw Whittaker live on the opening day of the season (I know I cant or shouldnt base judgement on one game) but he was awful ! The way Hutton is playing just now I would have brought him into the squad. Haven't seen enough of the others to pass judgement either.

Well done Alan McGregor Who else would get in as 4th keeper ? And what age is the Everton keeper ? I don't think Kevin Thomson has done well enough to warrant a place to be honest, but surely he is better than Severin or Teale ?? That forward line wouldn't put much fear in my Sunday pub team's defence let alone Georgia

Nah, of course that didn't happen...... ohhhh, wait a minute, it did but it was a Rangers supporter disguising himself as a Tim ! You won't hear a thing about it in the media...

You should be able to buy it for $10 on the official site Gribz

Well done Alex McLeish........

Looks ugly

Agreed Mike - his quality as a player is beyond doubt, fantastic player.

At least you turned up for your cyber pint

He never got the chance to prove it at Ibrox though. So it is unfair to judge one way or the other. Right now though we need more of a WS than a PLG.

Not trying to score points at all Gribz, and certainly no spite. Do all replies have to be great now do they ? WS will play McGregor tomorrow, no doubt about it - and rightly so in my opinion. I don't care if Klos is on 100k a week - he hasnt played for 2 years, comes in and plays ONE game and all of a sudden he should be a starter ? McGregor has done little to warrant being dropped, so why drop him ? Simply so another player gets to earn his wages ? Not for me - but again we agree to disagree.