der Berliner
-
Posts
22,991 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
13
Posts posted by der Berliner
-
-
3 minutes ago, Scott7 said:
Anyone in mind?
Stop keeping me away from the upcoming transfer rumours thread!
(Nope, I saw that they kept Bayern at bay last week, having more shot on target in Munich. There must be some potential over there.)
1 -
... well, a pre-arranged friendly to ease the way of a promising Kopenhagen player's move to Ibrox in January?
Always the optimist!
0 -
Due to lack of a match thread ...
Referee - William Collum
Assistants - Calum Spence and Jonathan Bell
Fourth Official - Euan Anderson
Video Assistant Referee - Steven McLean
Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Gary Hilland
Missing - Steven Davis (knee), Zak Lovelace (muscle), Nicolas Raskin (ankle), Ryan Jack (muscle)
Live on - Sports Football and Rangers TV
1 -
33 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:
I’d take sima over Sakala every day of the week. I still have nightmares over his cup game sitters v them last season. Abysmal.
He was not alone that day ... and we've seen others doing the same. Still remember that blind backpass of our captain in the OF game that lead to a goal and killed any of our slim hopes that season.
I'd take Sakala over Lammers every day of the week. (And I hope this means that Lammers will score a hatful in December now ... )
1 -
Trial and error, Part 34: Sima.
Our problem for the best part of a decade has been trying to play through a packed defence with a single striker, hoping that the attacking midfield would join in with 10-15 goals per player. Plus the odd from the wing-back. Year after year, season after season, we've seen that the simple adaptation of the rest of the teams in Scotland (bar one) to that system has effectively nullified the one striker and stopped the wing-attackers too. Even Ribery - Madzukic - Robben would have struggled with that 7 to 8 men defence trash. We clock up 15 to 30 shot in nearly every game, but score on average 1 or 2, sometimes but rarely 4. Usually when the opposition tires late on and/or gives away penalties.
It is clear as day that this current system only works if you a) have the players who succeed in it and b) play an opposition that is not out to stop you from playing any football or simply swamps your three attackers.
Beale tried to load the attacking third this season, but instead of setting up a 4-5 player attack block, we dabbled on, tested this or that combination and failed. It simply cannot be that we toil on for half a decade or more against the same style of players and tactics and don't change it.
So ... no Sima as the lone striker, but keep him on the wing, McCausland/Wright on the other, and put Danilo and Dessers/Roofe through the middle. Cantwell or Lawrence behind them.
3 -
IMHO, we are still somewhat shell-shocked from that Champions League disaster of last season, alongside with the ails of the last few seasons: players who are at best average Rangers standard or simply cannot show a consistency required; players who live on a diet of glories past and odd successes now (namely our captain), a tactic that simply does not fit with the players we have ... and the games we play in Scotland. Added to that are coaches and managers who simply won't change things even if you can clearly see that things aren't working. The system simply isn't running, so change it!
While Beale looked very much out of his depth (and on hindsight, not really unexpected for me), but at times you do wonder how little those decision centers at the top know about football.
Kent had run his race for us. A penalty assist merchant for Europe, that was a good left-winger, but not the goal-threat required for a 4-3-3. That he left for free was essentially just the icing on the cake. Truth be told, none of the players we have signed since the advent of Gerrard have been. After a certainly bright start, Morelos went steadily down the hill and remained there. Bad management and/or tactics? Who knows?
Letting Colak leave - who, bar the injury period, remained a goal threat and pest to defenders throughout - was (no hindsight argument here) criminal. You simply can't rely on two newcomers with a half decent record and "potential" to step in and produce. Has that really ever worked with foreigners?
Next stop Sakala. He had many critics, but was at long last a striker-come winger who started to assist and score when and where it matters. Winger-like scoring perhaps, but he was always there, always willing, always threatening. Now, we got Sima, who, very winger-like, blows hot and cold. Again a chap who had to get used to the game in Scotland ... and while at times you wonder whether we could afford this quality man, the next game you know why Brighton sent him on loan.
As with any of our new attackers, people certainly need time to adapt - the cardinal sin of this season might well be that we essentially replaced the whole attacking department (aside from Wright and the ghost which goes by the name of Roofe) with new players. Might have worked out, but everyone knew from the off that when it comes to Rangers this decade, "might" usually backfires.
Similarly criminal was sending Hagi and Lowry out on loan for no reason whatsoever. It left us with only Cantwell (of the same "spark quality") and he promptly got injured. McCausland is a winger, not a replacement for Cantwell.
Cantwell ... is a flair player who does things which are unexpected, sees passes that others don't (which may be too much for some of his fellow players on the park these days) and shoots himself as well. Yet, we play him out of position and wonder that he does what he does best elsewhere. If we have creative "gems" like him, why waste them on the wing? And get angry about it? IMHO, even an off-form Cantwell shows more creativity than Lammers, Lundstram, Cifuentes and Co. combined. He is not THE answer, but part of an answer. Raskin and him in the creative slots, a DM (Lundstram or Jack) behind them, should work most of the time.
Final nail in Beale's coffin for me was leaving Ridvan and Balogun out of the EL squad. He left us with a top-heavy team that has no real cohesion, too many people that are more like hopefuls than tried players, and a makeshift defense of veterans past their sell-by date (Goldson, Tavernier, Barisic). The latter can do their job at Premiership level most of the time, but as the last couple of seasons have shown, are hardly the standard we require. Souttar is the only brighter spark there, Davies a bit of a conundrum, and Balogun solid, reliable, but getting on too. Ridvan is more of a wing-back than a fullback, well made for a 3-4-3 where his defensive duties are lesser than normal. Still, we demand our fullbacks to go forward and deliver, as it is the trademark of a 4-2-3-1, and neither side's veterans are doing the wing-role to this standard. Or one we require now.
It is still howling at a high level. These players are not bad, our centre-halfs are not dross every other week because they get caught in a couple of games. It happens all the times elsewhere too. Sometimes it is necessary to take a step back from the weekly hysteria about the odd goal lost and take the whole picture in. That said, we are toiling on ever since Warburton, essentially papering over cracks in the system by testing better players there with some degree of success. Our benchmark are the Yahoos, who, thanks to our failures, bask in CL money season after season and spent money on enough quality to keep us and the rest at bay. Add to that a rather serious sequence of injuries to lots of our best players (no excuse, just a fact) through the years.
So ... up comes the festive period with a host of games and a new manager who has to figure out how to get this side going. One just hopes that his trial-and-error period in Scotland is the shortest ever. The pessimist in me has locked up the optimist in the basement, for the latter's own health.
2 -
Mostly sub-standard, some willing but unable, and a tactic (once more) for the drain. Subs? Well, Lammers was at his ineffectual best, yet we hook Cantwell, who wasn't playing where he should be.
Two strikers on the bench, Cifuentes effectively doing nothing, and we just soldier on.
Tavernier at his average best, no assist or penalty to paper over another mediocre performance.
Looking at the fixture and injury list, December could become a dire month indeed.
1 -
Referee - Rohit Saggi (NOR)
Assistants - Morgen Jensen (NOR) and Anders Olav Dale (NOR)
Fourth Official - Kai Erik Steen (NOR)
Video Assistant Referee - Dennis Higler (NED)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Pol van Boekel (NED)
Missing - Steven Davis (knee), Zak Lovelace (muscle), Nicolas Raskin (ankle), Connor Goldson (suspended), Ryan Jack (muscle), Scott Wright (muscle); Ridvan Yilmaz, Kieran Dowell, Leon Balogun (not in EL-squad)
Live on - TNT Sports 3 UK
1 -
Only 5 weeks till the transfer window opens ...
4 -
12 hours ago, CammyF said:
Someone who is fit to play in the majority of games would be a great start.
Since Borna played ahead of him, and injuries of various degrees can happen to any player at any time, that's not really an argument against Ridvan as a player? You can have luck with people like Kent or Tavernier, who virtually don't receive an injury for half a decade, while others like Helander (with no real great injury background) or Hagi get their knees etc. done and miss lots of game time. Sometimes you wonder what would have happened to Devine or Zukowksi et al, had Tavernier wrecked his cruciate knee ligaments. Some striker would have taken the penalties and increased his value, no doubt.
It is rather interesting to see some injured players getting worse over time, while certain never-injured ones get some sort of irreplaceable value. So far, e.g. I haven't missed Kent.
0 -
2 hours ago, CammyF said:
Left back is a problem position for Clement - Borna coming to the end of his Rangers career and Ridvan not what we need.
What do we need instead of Ridvan then?
1 -
Could have been more, should have been, but three points in the bag and that pitch behind us for a few months.
Nothing against Livingston, but that pitch and those players do not belong into our league. That angle of the sun in the second half was pretty aweful.
0 -
20 minutes ago, Rousseau said:
Todd likes a wee fight, eh?
Said that when he signed. Got a bit of a nasty streak in him and is prone to a yellow card. Only 7 in 16 games this season ...
0 -
What sort of dross do they breed nowadays in Scotland? 6 ft 6, 90 kilo and falls like a "wet bag"? A touch on the neck, and you'd think a pole-axe had struck?
3 -
I'd give Roofe a chance as long as he's fit, TBH.
0 -
Just now, RANGERRAB said:
Absolutely. Who’s on VAR?
Referee - Steven McLean
Assistants - David McGeachie and Colin Drummond
Fourth Official - Colin Steven
Video Assistant Referee - Steven Kirkland
Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Gary Hilland
0 -
McCausland's looking good, three good shots, a goal chopped off and caused a penalty. Sima is working hard, yet, of late little comes of it. Dessers does his job well enough, we don't want to risk Danilo (or Roofe) on that surface after all. Lawrence with some really intelligent play and a fine pass to Dessers for the goal.
Hardly ever seen a game where two of your own players deny you goals via foul play or off-side, and then you miss a penalty on top of that.
Should be 4 or 5-0 by now, but it has been one way traffic so far and there is little evidence that this won't continue. That said, this surface and their kick'n hope style ...
0 -
Wouldn't have risked Lawrence on that surface. Dessers ahead of Danilo exactly for that reason.
Let's see how McCausland copes with a first start.
0 -
That was passion all round, a bit too much kick and rush, but it worked. Should have been two or four more, so it became a bit more "interesting" near the end than it had to be.
Defense looks far more solid now, Jack and Lundstram cleared and controlled the midfield, the latter possibly running out of steam. McCausland - in this atmosphere - with a couple of sublime passes, him and Cantwell will be a joy to behold if fit and ready.
Sima, just like Lammers, trying (mayb over-trying) without much impact tonight, I reckon that either would have been hooked earlier if Wright had been fit. Good to see Lawrence back on the park and Roofe on the bench.
Butland rock solid!
Somehow, Clement got Beale's attack department sorted, and they play with one another and not alongside one another.
1 -
1 minute ago, SykseyBear said:
Got away with that there. So many poor performances. Phils first poor performance. As poor a half of football that 2nd there as we've ever seen at Ibrox under anyone in any era. It was shocking.
The Lammers joke is done. Finished. Enough is enough. He's pathetic.
That said, it's a win. And a wins a win!
Go a way!
3 -
That was super-solid. Especially pleased for Wright, but we showed up well from the off, a bit unlucky in front of goals, but IMHO the result was hardly in doubt. Hearts' first goal against us since 1996 had to come from the spot, but we might well have had 3 or 4 more.
Well done to Clement and his men, though at time you wonder whether these are the same players who never really got going earlier in the season. Yet, let's look to the future, the past is gone anyway.
1 -
1 minute ago, Blue Moon said:
I don't go to Hampden any more but to be subjected to Michael Stewart in commentary is criminal.
Volume reduced to 1 after noting that.
1 -
Essentially much like we played in the second half against Dundee, only that the ball hasn't ended up in the net as often. Hearts are more dangerous than Dundee, but have been on the back foot all half. We need to be a touch more clinical ...
0 -
He's on 108 senior goals (115 assists). So that means half of all his goals have come from the spot, in roughly 390 senior games. Borna's on 15 (72 assists) in 316 games.
1
The Winter 2023/24 Rangers Transfer Window Rumours and Deals - Thread
in Rangers Chat
Posted · Edited by der Berliner
The Winter 2023/24 Rangers Transfer Window Rumours and Deals - Thread
LINK to a rumour source
TM is the TransferMarkt stats side for that player
SIGNED in Winter 2023/24:
Fabio Silva (21) - ST, Wolverhampton Wanderers, contract till 2026 - LINK - TM - DONE DEAL loan till summer 2024 (29/12/2023)
Mohamed Diomande (22) - CM, Ivory Coast, FC Nordsjaelland, contract till 12/2024 - TM - TM stats - LINK - DONE LOAN till end of season with obligation to buy
GONE in Winter 2023/24
Sam Lammers - on-loan to Utrecht till end of season - LINK
RETURN in Winter 2023/24
RUMOURS:
IN – Ben Godfrey (25) - CH, Everton, contract till 2025 – LINK - TM
IN - Connor Barron (21) - CM, Aberdeen, contract till 2024 - TM - LINK
IN - Lennon Miller (17) - MF, Motherwell, contract till 2025 - TM - LINK
IN - Noah Mbamba (18) - DM, Belgium, Bayer Leverkusen, contract till 2028 - TM - LINK (NB: signed for them for 100k, Jan 2023)
IN - Frederik Oppgard (21) - LB, Norway, PSV Eindhoven, contract till 6/2025 - TM - LINK (see Wagner above)
IN - Million Manhoef (21) - RW (LM/LB), Netherlands, Vitesse Arnhem, contract till 2025 - TM - LINK (various)
IN - Emmanuel Dennis (24) -ST, Nigeria, Nottingham Forest, contract till 2025 - TM - TMstats - LINK
IN - Scott McKenna (27) - CB, Scotland, Nottingham Forest, contract till 2024 - TM - TMstats - LINK (see Dennis above)
IN - Gijs Smal (26) - LB, Netherlands, Twente Enschede, contract till 2024 - TM - TM-stats - LINK
IN - Jefte (20) - LB, Brazil, Fluminense - on loan at APOEL Nicosia, contract till 2026 - TM - TM stats - LINK
Oscar Cortes (21) - AM, RC Lens, Colombia, contract till 2028 - TM - TM Stats - LINK
OUT - Ridvan Yilmaz - LINK - though Clement said that no decision has been taken on any player right now
OUT - Cyrill Dessers - see Ridvan
OUT - Kieran Dowell - see Ridvan
OUT - Leon King - loan move in January - LINK
OUT - Ridvan Yilmaz - Hellas Verona - LINK (see Smal above)
Loan deal to permanent deal - Abdallah Sima - LINK
CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
NON-STARTERS:
IN - Bojan Miovski (Aberdeen)
IN - Kai Wagner (26) - LB, German, Philadelphia Union, contract till 12/2023 - TM - LINK - signed new deal in USAland
OUT -
SQUAD as of 24 / 05 / 2023
Squad listed in order of remaining length of contract & primary position
Full squad list at Transfermarkt
Squad by primary and optional position at Transfermarkt
Goal:
Robby McCrorie (25) - contract 6/2025
Jon McLaughlin (36) - contract 6/2024
Kieran Wright (23) – contract till 6/2023
Jack Butland (30) - contract till 2027
Defence
James Tavernier (31) – RB - contract 6/2024
Borna Barisic (31) - LB - contract 6/2024
Leon Balogun (35) - CH - contract 6/2024
Leon King (19) - CH - contract 6/2024
Adam Devine (20) RB – contract 6/2025
Connor Goldson (30) - CH - contract 6/2026
John Souttar (27) - CH - contract 6/2026
Ben Davies (28) - CH - contract 6/2026
Ridvan Yilmaz (22) - LB - contract 6/2027
Dujon Sterling (24) - CB - contract till 2027
Midfield
Steven Davis (38) – CM - contract 6/2023 - retired 25/01/2024
Mohamed Diomande (22) - contract till 2024+
Ryan Jack (31) – CM - contract 6/2024
John Lundstram (29) - CM - contract 6/2024
Abdallah Sima (22) - RW/ST - contract till 2024 (season long loan)
Tom Lawrence (28) - LW - contract 2025
Thompson Ishaka (18) - LW - contract till 202x
Scott Wright (26) - LW/AM - contract 6/2025
Alex Lowry (19) - AM - contract 6/2025
Rabbi Matondo (23) - RW - contract 2025
Nicolas Raskin (22) – CM – contract 202x
Todd Cantwell (25) – AM – contract 6/202x
Kieran Dowell (26) - AM - contract till 2027
Jose Cifuentes (24) - CM - contract till 6/2027
Ross McCausland (20) – RW – contract till 2027
Strikers
Fabio Silva (21) - ST - contract till 2024
Kemar Roofe (30) - ST - contract 6/2024
Cyriel Dessers (28) - ST - contract till 2027
Danilo Pereira da Silva (24) - ST - contract till 2027
Coaching Staff
Check out the club's home page
Academy / B Side
-> https://www.Rangers.co.uk/article/academy-restructure/4skGYIfqugwK1CvGZUHFH0
GONE - ...
Women's Side
-> https://rangers.co.uk/teams/ladies-senior/
OUT ON LOAN
Sam Lammers (26) - ST - contract till 2027 -> Utrecht till end of season
Alex Lowry () - AM - Hearts till end of season - loan cancelled January 2024
Iannis Hagi () - AM - Alaves till end of season (no January option)