calscot

A very well put thought... excellent read and I totally agree.

That may be true, but can you really see them getting a start in the team even if they are fully fit? Ehiogu is now way down the pecking order, he was a stop gap that needed an 18 month contract to get him to sign. Burke is too fragile and inconsistent - even more so since his inflated new contract after protracted negotiations; but he has surely now been displaced by Whittaker, who is now backed up by McCulloch, who in turn has his place on the left then taken up by Beasley? Rangers have tried to move Buffel on a couple of times and with his poor work ethic, can you really see him working himself into Smith's plans with the size of the squad and the results we're getting? If he gets back to full fitness, I can see him getting a few substitute appearances - to put him in the shop window. He's still a player we should be able to get over 1M for and I'm sure Walter would prefer the money. Of the three, I would say only Burke has a slim chance of redeeming himself, although I wouldn't bet on it. I fancy the other two to be gone by the end of the season, if not in January.

PS Walter may not know what his best team is but I think this shows what he thinks his best 18 man squad is.

I thought that too but gave him the benefit of the doubt. Stevie Smith also has a question mark as he has yet to play under Smith due to a very prolonged injury. Graeme Smith and Gow are very much bit part players for the moment but having just signed are obviously there to boost the squad numbers when the inevitable Rangers injury crisis looms it's ugly head again. Take those away and we have a definite core of 18 players, who if fit, will pretty much pick themselves for the squad for Europe. At home three of them obviously have to sit in the stand to make way for the under 21's.

Looks to me that the days are numbered for Ehiogu, Murray, Burke, Buffel and Sebo, none of whom look to have won a place in Walter's plans. That leaves a favoured nucleus of 22 players: MacGregor Carroll Smith Hutton Broadfoot Wier Cueller Webster Papac Smith Whitaker McCulloch Ferguson Hemdani Thomson Beasley Adam Novo Boyd Gow Darchelville Cousin

A lot has been said about Walter Smith now having a much bigger squad compared to Paul Le Guen's last season; however, I disagree. It seems to me that 14 players have left since the start of last season, and 14 have arrived, keeping the numbers constant. The massive difference is in the quality and experience of the players. Out --- Letizi Klos Bardsley Ricksen Rodriguez Svensson Ponroy Sionko Rae Clement N'Diaye Martin Prso Stanger In -- Carroll Smith Braodfoot Wier Webster Cueller Ehiogu Whitaker Thomson Gow McCulloch Beasley Darcheville Cousin Stayed ------ MacGregor Hutton Papac Murray Smith NOvo Burke Ferguson Hemdani Adam Sebo Boyd Buffel Looking at those that stayed, there are 13 players who play reasonably often enough to consider them first team players; therefore, Walter has had just over a 50% turnover in first team playing staff. That amount can reasonably be expected to significantly change the fortunes of the team and when you think what Walter did with 3 changes in January (not counting Webster who didn't play), you have to wonder what he can do now with what he could call his own team. The amazing 100% start to this season looks to be an excellent appetizer for the main course to come, with the players able to shut up shop and force a win while still not gelling with each other and then score 7 in a game when the jelly is starting to set. To further dwell in our improvement it's interesting to look at the teams you could make up with the players which Smith, Le Guen and McLiesh have latterly brought in, as well as a team made up from the Rangers youth ranks (including a few older ones for experience). Smith ----- Carroll Braodfoot Wier Cueller Webster Whitaker Thomson McCulloch Beasley Darcheville Cousin Le Guen ------- Letizi Bardsley Svensson Ponroy Papac Sionko Clement N'Diaye Martin Sebo Stanger McLeish ------- Wattereus Rodriguez Andrews Kyrgiakos Murray Novo Hemdani Buffel Rae Prso Boyd Murray Park ----------- MacGregor Hutton Pressley McLean Smith Burke Ferguson Hughes Adam MacCormack MacLean To me Smith's team look by far the best, with Le Guen's looking by far the worst. That in itself suggests we should have a much better season this year; especially since Smith's squad includes some of the best players that he didn't sign - MacGregor, Hutton, Papac, Smith, Burke, Hemdani, Ferguson, Adam, Novo, and Boyd. What is also apparent, is that Smith is also a huge managerial improvement over both Le Guen and McLeish.

Glad they had this game but isn't that what the reserve league is for?

I think they might lose 2-1 in Moscow and scrape a last minute 1-0 win at home to go through on the away goals rule. Advocaat's team Zenit are looking good but it's incredibly close in the top six.

I said Lazio and Benfica would have hard games.

Those that want total football right now have very unrealistic expectations. We've been pretty rubbish for two years now so I'm 100% happy with building from the back. It's not pretty but it's effective and that's what we need right now. At least our wins looked inevitable - well the clean sheets did anyway. We are building massive confidence at the back and that gives the forwards less fear of taking a risk or two in the opponents half. It's only a matter of time before we start playing better football in the other half of the pitch. I remember the start of two seasons ago, when Eck was getting the results but the team were awful in all departments and looked like they could lose goals and games at any time. Changed days indeed. I remember the start of last season when PLG's team looked like they could play football but couldn't win a string of games and perpetually let in silly goals. Changed days indeed. Out of the last three seasons, this start is by far the best - so much so, that it is incomparable.

I know what you mean, Wija. How can you be offside receiving a pass that goes backwards? Sorry, but a linesman who doesn't know the simplest aspects of rules should be sacked. I think he might have been showing off that he seen Novo coming back from an offside position and was too chuffed with himself to think about the rules properly. Linesmen live to put their flags up. That broke down a bit of pressure we were having at the time. We should also have had a corner from Cousin's drive which their goalie helped over the bar.

I agree, but maybe they could have cheered the Rangers players off before booing the cheating Serbs.

Le Guen was a strange one, he must have been the only man in Scotland that thought the defence didn't need strengthening in January... I think his ego got the better of him; perhaps his time at Rangers will teach him some humility which will be useful in his later career.

PS And I don't think Gordon is THAT much better.

I think he's a very good keeper who is doing fantastic behind our best defence for a long time. He's not quite top drawer goalie but then if we'd paid 9M for one of those, we wouldn't have a team. Basically, he's probably the best we can afford.

After how poor Boumsong was for Newcastle, I'm not sure if EPL teams would risk that kind of money again. If we were offered 8M for Cuellar now, I wouldn't want it. Our defence is incredibly solid at the moment and he would be far too difficult to replace. We've made a major investment in the team already, I think we need to run with it and do everything to keep our best players.

Still don't understand why the likes of Sebo don't get a game. A few goals might get his confidence up. Our reserve team should REALLY be something like: Caroll/Smith Whitaker/Murray Webster Ehiogu Smith Burke Furman Buffel Adam Sebo Gow If they are fit enough. The young guys can play in their age group related leagues. Getting stuffed by a probably older team from the likes of St Mirren is hardly going to breed a winning mentality.

PS You've also got to forgive him for the very careful tactics in this must win tie. We can save our attacking formations for the home games in the CL proper when the financial risk is gone and losing away goals is not so crucial.

You got to admire Walter's interviewing technique, he's a pleasure to listen to. He totally acknowledges any obvious weakness while talking up the positive aspects. He's also very respectful and dignified, realising that the ultimate end user of his comments, are his own club's fans. He's several classes above the likes of the sarcastic Strachan, and Paul Tight Lips Guen as well as exasperating excuses Eck.

Fergie's performance should be mitigated with the fact he was very closely marshalled. They obviously seen him as the main danger man. His passes were poor as he didn't seem to twig that we were playing deep while they were pushing up, therefore over the top balls from midfield meant straight to goalkeeper or offside. Broadfoot did have a nervy start and looked like a weak link; however, he needs time to settle into a bigger club with more pressure, so lets hope we give him a proper chance instead of picking on him. Cuellar is an early candidate for player of the year, he's a great find, if PLG had spotted him he might have kept his job - but looking forward, I'm pretty happy so far with WS.

Great read and great message.

Once it went to penalties against Dutch opposition it must have been a foregone conclusion. Well done lads.

Darch is playing ok but not quite setting the heather alight.

Trouble with Murray is who would take him on his wage? Sebo is in the same boat. Buffel can't be sold till he's fit AND actually playing AND on a bit of form - and then do we want to sell him? Can't see him going till January at the earliest. If only he had gone to Germany before his injury... Burke's on an inflated wage now, we should have let him go - which was my attitude at the time of his contract talks. Another one difficult to move on. Novo should be given another contract - a modest one - 8K a week?

Still don't see how a 30 year old striker who hates his club and fans and the fans hate him, and the fact he hardly scores, could be worth over £1M. He should be free considering those circumstances. Ah well, on the points scoring front, it takes our gross spending above Celtic's.