der Berliner

We do not have the players to play 4-2-3-1, no matter how fluid we try to be. And haven't had them for the best part of a decade.

Not really ... if you pick the players that play for that system. What we do right now is ... 4-2-3-1 - 2 centre-halfs ... who have to carry the bulk of any balls over the top by the opposition AS WELL AS much of the creative play from the back The current folk there do their best, but are far from excellent and often have to cover for the advancing fullbacks, leaving gaps in the middle. If the opposition send less than 4 chap into attack, we often have problems. - 2 "wingbacks" who are supposed to play the winger-role more often than not, but are leaving lots of empty spaces on either side if caught up field ... which happens quite often against the Parked Bus Union. Tav got and gets his head out of the nose by delivering the odd perfect cross or corner per game which results into a goal, or scores a penalty or free-kick (as seemingly no-one else was/is allowed to take these). His defensive work can be excellent or shocking, usually some of both per game. Ridvan and Jefte are clearly more attack-minded and capable than most fullbacks we had on that side, and not shy of a good shot. One has injury problems, the other needs a month or two more to settle into the delicacies of the Scottish game. - 2 defensive midfielders (which is one too many against most Scottish teams) who are supposed to fill spaces left by the wingbacks or centre-halfs doing the aforementioned job, to break up play, start the build up from the back and, if possible, run into spaces in the centre of attack, screening the penalty area etc.. IMHO, Barron, Diomande, and Sterling can all do this job, the best in those roles were Davis and Jack, the former for his build-up play, the latter for his defensive work. The three prime boys for the role can sure do it, these last few seasons showed, though, that we need more people in the attacking third, not at the back or in the middle. We toiled and laboured in midfield, instead of putting pressure on the defensive walls. MAYBE, given the power of Barron and Sterling, as well as the possibility of sending Diomande into a more forward role, this system will work better this season. But I stand by my point that we do not need to DMs most of the time. -3 offensive midfielders / attackers / forwards looks nice on paper, but these people have to deliver if we play with but one natural striker. We try our luck with people who can play all slots of the front line, yet, only Sima showed any real promise. The rest is far too erratic or score-shy to make this system work. What we look forward too now is Cerny, Matondo, Cortes, and McCausland finding a rich vein of goalscoring form, as well as Bajrami, Lawrence, Dowell, as well as Hagi and Lowry chipping in with a few. Yet, when you look at these names, you wonder how three of those will be able to do this in every given game against 7 to 8 defenders? -1 striker ... you see, Dessers is in many ways the new Morelos. The sole saviour up top who essentially has to score from every other chance against packed defences, or we stare at low-score or no-score games. The whole idea of 3 attacking midfielders and 1 striker is fine and modern in games where you play an opposition that plays open football. That is not the case in Scotland, and has not been the case for the best part of a decade. I have no idea how the Scum lines up, but it doesn't matter, as they obviously have the quality needed in these positions to put any other Scottish team to the sword. Every system needs both the players for it, as well as an opposition you can use it against. What we need, no matter the numbers on the system sheet, is another striker who can support our centre forward where we need it most.

On a sidenote, has Gillespie actually signed up? There was some furore and now all has died down ...

Well, just plain ironic banter. THEY usually park the bus and lob high balls to send their strikers running, hoping for a corner or free-kick along the way. Targetting weak fullbacks has been added. Only one of our DMs in recent years was able to do his job properly, Ryan Jack, and we continually lost him due to injuries or freak red cards. The rest was usually running all over the place, as were Diomande and Barron for the best part of the season so far ... though Barron has been better at that lately. This season's problem, is - once more - that we have a new manager and a team in transition. The last two or three transitions lasted too long, tactics weren't adapted, and whole seasons were lost. Injuries etc. aside. It is only 4 games played, though. And while all the dirge-singers will be in full swing now, no-one knows how the season will eventually unfold. Given the transfer window, optimism will sure look somewhat different. As I said above, any new boy will know what is required, and hopefully they all show up from now on.

Unless there is a reset in the mindset of our management, i.e. how to play football in Scotland, we are essentially in for another toil. The stubbornness we show since Warburton is bordering on lunacy by now. We have about half a dozen players who need to settle - again - and an OF game at their den is probably the worst place to start. Alas, this was not unexpected, so there is no need to cry louder than necessary. There's along season ahead.

The place to be today ...

85' Tessel Middag sends a curling effort but hits the cross bar. Heading into the final stages of the game at Foundation Park. Dundee United 0 - 9 Rangers 90' Tessel Middag A perfect strike from the edge of the box which finds the back of the net. Dundee United 0 - 10 Rangers

52' Rangers are awarded a free kick on the edge of the Dundee United box following the foul on Katie Lizzie Arnot delivers to the back post to find Laura Berry but the effort goes just wide. Dundee United 0 - 7 Rangers 57' Change for Rangers ON: Rio Hardy OFF: Katie Wilkinson Dundee United 0 - 7 Rangers 60' Tess sends a powerful effort from the edge of the box but it was well saved by Rennie. Dundee United 0 - 7 Rangers 65' Rio Hardy Brogan Hay sends a perfect deliver into Rio who is able to tap it into the back of Rennie's goal. Dundee United 0 - 8 Rangers 71' Change for Rangers ON: Camille Lafaix OFF: Lizzie Arnot Dundee United 0 - 8 Rangers 75' A lovely through ball from Rio Hardy to Laura Berry. Berry quickly turns and sends a powerful strike but Rennie is able to hold. Dundee United 0 - 8 Rangers 79' Laura Berry - Go on Laura!! Eilidh Austin sends a great ball into Dundee United's box to find Laura Berry waiting at the back post and fires the strike into the bottom corner. Dundee United 0 - 9 Rangers

1' What a start at Foundation Park Laura Berry does well to advance down the right flank before finding Katie Wilkinson who awaits in Dundee United's box and smashes it into Rennie's net. Dundee United 0 - 1 Rangers 6' Another goal at Foundation Park. An own-goal from the visitors. Dundee United 0 - 2 Rangers 15' Mia McAulay sent a dangerous ball across Dundee United's goal and looked to connect with Laura Berry but Dundee's defence was able to hold. 16' Kirsty Howat - what a goal! Kirsty Howat powerful finish from within the box to further strengthen our lead. Dundee United 0 - 3 Rangers 23' Go on Laura! A lovely delivery from Mia McAulay to pick out Laura Berry who waits in the box and her powerful effort lands in the back of Rennie's net. Dundee United 0 - 4 Rangers 28' BERRY! A fantastic long-range effort from Lizzie Arnot finds Laura Berry and sends a powerful strike into Rennie who initially tips the ball away but falls into Dundee United's net. Dundee United 0 - 5 Rangers 37' Wilkinson A lovely ball through the middle of the park from Laura Berry who picks out the advancing Katie Wilkinson. She takes a touch to compose then fires the strike low beyond the keeper. Dundee United 0 - 6 Rangers 41' A third hat-trick for Wilkinson Kirsty Howat sends a great ball into Katie Wilkinson who awaits in Dundee United box. Her powerful strike fires the beyond Rennie. Dundee United 0 - 7 Rangers Half-Time at Foundation Park. A great first half in Dundee Dundee United 0 - 7 Rangers

Looks like the link to the Rangers Women twitter blew the board. So once again, have "fun" today, I won't indulge in any sado-masochistics from the Scumhut, much like last season. The Ladies' game against the Arabs is up and running here. 2-0 up after

Your voice will lead to the saint you need To escape a tragic fate Hoist up those sales that you can count the days Until our ship sails home, me boys ...

I know about as much of Bundesliga players or teams as your average Gersnetter. Jan Schöppner (i.e. Schoeppner for those lacking a good keyboard) - TM stats ... looks like a decent CM/DM, who got promoted with Heidenheim a year or so ago. The only good thing that I know of him (and that's about anything I know about him) is that they beat St. Pauli in their den last week. Nothing in the German news just yet. Sidenote: he supposedly earns Euro 480k per year at Heidenheim Sidenote 2: his contract is up next summer ...

A few interesting names still on the freebie lists for forwards / centre-forwards, and attacking midfielders. That is, people we can still sign after tomorrow.

... which does not exactly exclude us. He left us in August under Beale, Clement arrived in October. But hey, nothing against a cool, if unwanted saga.

Can someone wind this week forward to next Monday please? Maybe I'll watch the highlights of the Scumhut-game, if it wasn't a disaster. The last OFs alone have been brutal to watch, for one reason or another, but this week seems to put the icing on the cake ...

Last season, same time, Hagi and Lowry away on loan, Cantwell wrecked by Maeda. This season, all three effectively not there either. Very strange stuff.

Interesting is the reply ... M.R. Leiser (Mark) @MLeiser 28 Min. Buying shares from existing owners = £0 investment in the club; it's just a change of ownership to people who sound like they have zero historical, family, social, or religious ties to the club. Their valuation means nothing.

While they may not be ideal people, my understanding is that all current major stakeholder in our club are actually supporters, right? And one of the guidelines they set for our future is that no hazardous affairs shall taint our well-being?

Maybe, but I wouldn't put too much emphasis on this. What is super-obvious to us (as we deal with it 24/7) is not necessarily obvious to outsiders. What they do is just clever business ... and truth be told, we have done similar and would do similar as well.

Butland Sterling - Souttar - Pröpper Tavernier - Diomande - Barron - Jefte Cerny - Dessers - Matondo They will try to overrun us and will probably have much possession too. We need a solid defense, a cleaner in Barron, and a creative-cleaner in Diomande. Those three at the back give Tav and Jefte the opportunity to hit on the counter, when we have possession of the ball. Lawrence will most likely play, but he's that sort of Rolls Royce in midfield that can do neat things with the ball, but in the high-intensity of an Old Firm, I doubt he gets the time and space that he requires.

The problem with Hagi and Cantwell is that people know our stance and their stance. They can just sit out this week and make a last ditch super-low-key bid that we might be willing or simply have to accept. The whole transfer business has turned ugly over the last decade, and we have been on the receiving end of some of the worst scenarios of it.

He has said that he doesn't want to go to Romania.

I never even noticed that they played a tournament with men ... ... yet, as expected, we suddenly get a name mentioned and linked from outside of nowhere. As frustrating as the long wait in between is.

... like Sima!

I'd rather asked who wrote Jefte's birth certificate. This lad doesn't look like 20.