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Boyd must be complimented himself for the work he has been doing recently, and that is coming from one of his biggest critics. He certainly has improved his all round game.

I'm getting a bit worried about these central midfield injuries & it's making me wonder what our options are. With Thomson out again, Mendes still out & Edu only just getting to the stage where he 'might' be coming back in, I'm wondering where the cover is. Walter certainly doesn't have the players to go with 3 central midfielders that we're familiar with, but does he have others there who could step in if need be? I'm thinking of Bougherra & maybe Whittaker as possible options for central midfield if 'push comes to shove'. Bougherra could be a good defensive central midfielder if McCulloch had to suffer an injury or suspension & Whittaker could be an option to replace Davis if he had to be deliberately taken out with a dirty tackle & left injured. Obviously there's the youngsters as well. What do you think?

How bad is Thomsons injury and when are we likely to see Pedro again? Pedro has a place at the WC to fight for so we could be doing with his drive and skill right now.

http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/No-need-for-World-Cup.5917513.jp

Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson believes the chasing pack will be nowhere near the Old Firm by the end of the season. More...

Well thank god that is over , some times you just have to call a spade a spade or in this case a poor side , a ......... poor side , but what could have been . The reality is that investment in players is a necessity irrespective of which team you support , obviously Real Madrid dont really need players as badly as us but to attempt to get result's with this squad is just a pipe dream in my opinion . We have a very good keeper , a 40 year old center half, and another who will probably be sold in January, two back's that have proved they can do a job when playing to a certain style of play , the midfield has been awful , Thomson was rushed back not just for Europe but domestically as well , Davies grafts without too much end result , McCulloch is well McCulloch and Mendes posted missing though that's maybe unfair after he got injured . Up front our only real goalscorer isn't trusted whilst we rely on a guy who can run all day with no end result , we have no wingers therefore no width , therefore no supply to the striker . BUT can we do better , well if we had a striker who can hold the ball up to allow the midfield to join the attack then maybe , if we had a midfield that was mobile enough to allow the defence to move closer and therefore further up the park to squeeze the game , and if that defence had the belief that they had a midfield that wasn't going to get played through at every opposition attack then maybe . But a hell of a lot of chaanges must be made , first thing is to win this league at all costs , the midfield must be addressed , with creativity and width a necessity and a system of play to allow us to actually attack other teams and put them on the back foot , christ it isn't rocket science if you let a team pass and move without getting tackled you are in trouble , no teams like being turned and playing facing their own goal , we have done it in the past and it works. Hopefully things will improve , that's about all I can hope for and I will accept any type of footall right now from now till may if we win this league

Struggling to find that extra Christmas gift for the one you love? What do you get for the man (or woman) in your life that has everything associated with the World's most successful club? Books, clothes, strips, programmes, photos and general memorabilia - we've all got them; which means there isn't a great deal of items around that are totally unique or which can be personalised to our own favourite Rangers moment. Step forward George Thomson and the 'Art of Rangers'! http://www.theartofrangers.co.uk As you can see from this superb artist's new website, George has a range of items available to fans interested in very special Rangers art. From classic images of Ibrox Stadium, to the playing legends we all know and love; in the galleries of his site George has captured the very essence of the club we love. Incredibly George can tailor any Rangers moment or image to your exact needs so feel free to get in touch now. Every painting costs just �£200! About the artist George Thomson was born in 1970 and had sold his first painting by the age of 14. He went straight into a design studio with the local Council on leaving school at 16. Geo started working as a freelance artist in his early 20s whist also gaining a degree in Graphic Design in the process. By the age of 30 he had successfully set up a thriving business as a chalkboard artist, but always keen to progress his artistic skills, moved into the area of contemporary pop art. Starting off with movies and music he soon found his passion was for sport. For the last several years he has specialised in mostly football and MMA, working closely with the stars of both. This year alone he has raised over �£10,000 for the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, by donating 5 of his High Profile Commissions for auction. With the history, characters, passion and presence of Glasgow Rangers, he feels he has finally found his calling; saying "Every new Rangers painting represents a wee bit of history, from the old guys like Hubbard and Simpson, through the '72 team, then 9IAR to the present day. We all have our special Rangers moments and helping relive them via my paintings, makes it all worth while."

I've lifted this from RM because it's an honest summary after today's defeat in Aberdeen by a Bear who attended & it sums up a lot of what I'm thinking myself:- Beaten by a make-shift Mark McGhee side – our embarrassing away form continues Written by Muff "Only 4 goals scored away from home in the league this season - a truely shocking stat! Doesn’t help when Walter Smith has a tactical nightmare once again, the players fail to turn up, and cannot hit a barn door. So today, the manager started with Kevin Thomson, Kenny Miller and Madjid Bougherra on the bench . Steven Whittaker, David Weir, Kyle Lafferty and Lee McCulloch kept their place. In midfield, not one player was in their proper position, and Kyle Lafferty partnered Kris Boyd. We are told by the manager that David Weir would not be able to play three games in a week, yet he starts today, with Madjid Bougherra on the bench? Steven Whittaker continues to get a game, whilst Madjid Bougherra is on the bench, along with Andrew Little (who the manager think’s can play right back), and Jordan McMillan is nowhere to be seen – 17 minutes gone, and once again Whittaker fails to close down, and we are 1-0 down. It happens EVERY WEEK! Why does he continue to get a game, whilst better players are left out? Lee McCulloch kept his place in the team, whilst Kevin Thomson sat on the bench? Both had terrible games against Stuttgart, but the two previous matches – St. Mirren and Kilmarnock, Thomson was the better of the two, and played not too bad. Lee McCulloch had a complete and utter nightmare today, and was eventually hooked – yet will still start the next game. Our central midfield pairing was Lee McCulloch and Steven Naismith – what fucking idiot came up with that one? The both of them are simply not good enough. They got in each others way, failed to look for the ball, gave away fouls – well McCulloch did, because Naismith was too scared to put the boot in....they hid – bunch of fucking fairies. Steven Davis failed to show up, he was absolutely hopeless, and his inconsistacy is a major problem. Did he complete a pass today? John Fleck, who impressed in a central role the other week was shunted out onto the left, where he is completely wasted, and one of the worst partnerships in Scotland, was tried out once again, and completely failed. Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller had been linking up well in the league, yet Miller found himself on the bench? Kyle Lafferty would be better in a circus, because he certainly aint a football player. The least said about him, McCulloch and Naismith, the better. Kenny Miller did well when he came on, the typical Nacho Novo substitution was a joke, and Kris Boyd and Danny Wilson played well, Boyd especially, but he has to take his chances in these so-called bigger games. For the first 35 minutes of the 1st half, we were terrible. Second best, couldn’t win a tackle, couldn’t hold on to possession, and couldn’t find one of our own players. Our set pieces and delivery are a complete and utter disgrace, and clearly not worked on. It took us the best part of 35 minutes to get going, which is unacceptable. A side with no pace, balance, width, creativity....too many players lacking the very basics, too many schoolboy errors! Absolutely no drive, passion, commitment, ability, leaderhip or fight. Better 2nd half, and there was only one team on the park, but that doesn’t matter when you fail to take your chances. Yet again, that bead rhattling bastard, Craig Thomson fails to give Rangers a penalty, yes he should be slated for it, but we had more than enough chances to put them away. Today we had enough chances to win 2 games, and we didn’t take any of them. Anyone blaming Kyle Lafferty obviously doesn’t have a clue, or has not played football! Kris Boyd went for goal, he got it horribly wrong, and the ball came to Lafferty at about 100mph, whilst on the rise. Even Edin Dzeko would have struggled to convert that! Kris Boyd made some good chances for himself, and didn’t take them, the one in the 2nd half especially. Lee McCulloch had a good opportunity but failed to get it on target, Kenny Miller had a few snap shots, and missed the target, and both Boyd, and Papac missed chances at the end. Our pathetic run at Pittodrie under Walter Smith continues, our players continually fail to repay both the management and fans, and the management team had yet another howler – tactically inept, a dinosaur, and his two puppets, who don’t have a clue! An all round poor performance from everyone, and they are dragging us down even further. Another chance to put the pressure on one of the worst celtc sides EVER, and yet again we fail. I hope the players enjoy tonight, because I certainly won’t, not that they give a shit."

I ask the question because it is now clear that the Unirea result was not some kind of freak result, but rather what we should have expected. I've been thinking about who is expendable and who we need to keep hold of for the time being. By 'good enough' I mean at the Euro level, not the woeful SPL standard. Being ruthless I can only say the following are indispensable: McGregor, Wilson, Papac, Davis, Mendes, Boyd and Fleck. So - we need a right back, a centre half to replace Weir and two wide midfielders. Everybody else in the squad is just not up to standard. IMO only those 7 are good enough to from the core of our team. It gives me no pleasure to write off Thomson and Lafferty for instance, but what is needed now is a cool, hard look. I have not even mentioned who would fetch a good transfer fee, because for me that is another matter entirely. I am just talking about what we should do with a clean slate.

I only caught the second half but I have to say that Thompson looked about 6 yards off the pace. He had the physical presence of a 70 year old. there is no way he was match fit. Why the hell was he in the team?

Here we go again!!! by Matthew Lindsay FORMER Rangers boss Alex McLeish is lining up a �£3million bid to lure Ibrox midfielder Steven Davis to Birmingham City in the January transfer window. And if no new buyer is found for the crisis-hit Gers soon then McLeish, who has also been linked with moves for Celtic duo Scott Brown and Aiden McGeady, will definitely get his man. McLeish has been handed a bumper �£40m war chest by new Birmingham owner Carson Yeung in order to safeguard the St Andrews club's place in the lucrative Barclays Premier League. And Big Eck has identified Northern Ireland captain Davis as the perfect man to help boost his promoted team's bid for top-flight survival down in England. advertisement The Scot would like to reunite Davis with Barry Ferguson - the pair teamed up last season as Rangers landed the Scottish title - in the Birmingham boiler room. He would like them to replace his ageing duo Lee Bowyer and Lee Carsley. Despite claims that Lloyds Bank is not, as manager Walter Smith has suggested, running Rangers, no denial has been made of reports the entire first-team squad at Ibrox will be put up for sale if no new owner is found. And unless South Africa-based Scottish multi-millionaire Dave King, or another interested party, can seize control then Davis will go as part of a bid to drive down debts that are estimated at �£30 million. Former Aston Villa man Davis signed for Rangers from Fulham for �£3m at the start of last season after a successful loan spell in Glasgow. But Rangers could be forced to sell one of their prized assets to make a payment on their crippling debt unless a new investor rides to their rescue. Despite a spate of injuries at the moment, Gers manager Smith is well covered in Davis's position with Maurice Edu, Pedro Mendes and Kevin Thomson all at his disposal. McLeish is also reported to be eyeing a double raid on Celtic for Scotland central midfielder Brown and Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady in the January transfer window for a joint fee of around �£12 million. Elsewhere, Smith has had his spirits lifted as he prepares for a difficult away game at Dundee United on Sunday with the return of Kirk Broadfoot to first-team training at Murray Park. The full-back cum centre-half has been sidelined with a foot injury since the League Cup Final against Celtic last March. His fellow long-term-crock Edu is set to join him in training next week. Rangers Player of the Year Madjid Bougherra will not be involved on Sunday, but could come back in the Champions League rematch with Unirea Urziceni in Romania on Wednesday. Lee McCulloch, who sustained a thigh injury in the 1-1 draw against Hibs last Saturday, is also making good progress. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2533621.0.0.php

Tuesday night - KO 7.45pm; Live on BBC Radio Scotland 810MW Having dropped another two points against Hibernian in the SPL at the weekend, Rangers travel to Dundee twice in the space of a week to try and get their season back on track. First off is a trip to Dens Park to face current Division 1 leaders Dundee with a backdrop of financial uncertainty surrounding our club. The manager, board of directors and bank have all had their say on the issue with clear as mud perhaps the only conclusion the support can reach at this stage. However, business must continue on the park asunder! As such Walter Smith will be looking to take the issue off the minds of his players and the fans with a solid performance and victory in the League Cup. Early news from the Rangers camp suggests changes will be afoot in the first XI which should add even more interest to a game where the fans will be expecting progression to the semi-finals. First off in defence, it has been confirmed that Danny Wilson will make his debut at centre-half. The left-footed youngster should partner Sasa Papac in central defence with Davie Weir perhaps being rested. Depending on this, Steven Smith and Steven Whittaker are likely to be the full backs in front of an ever impressive Allan McGregor who seems to be at the top of his game once more. In midfield the manager's hand will be forced with a plethora of injuries affecting his choice of personnel. Thomson, McCulloch, Mendes and Edu all remain injured so central midfield may see an unfamiliar face deputise - be it John Fleck, Jamie Ness or Andrew Shinnie. On the flanks Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith will most probably retain their places with both looking to achieve more consistency of performance during matches. Up front, Kenny Miller's continuing injury problems may see him rested which should allow Nacho Novo to return to the starting XI alongside Kris Boyd who was impressive leading the line against Hibs. Other options for the manager may be Lafferty up front with Beasley or Rothen played in the deeper, left-sided role. Certainly goals are hard to come by for Rangers right now, so these positional decisions are hugely important as we try to improve our form and results. One thing is for sure, with few defensive options in terms of the midfield, we can expect another exciting match with chances for both teams. It is up to our players to show further increased commitment whole taking the chances required to win what will be a difficult match and a tough venue. Possible team (4-4-2): :sw: :wilson: :sp: :ss: :sn: :sd: :jf: :kl: :kb: :nn: Prediction: Dundee 1 - 2 Rangers

RANGERS manager Walter Smith last night admitted bankers are now running the club as the full extent of its financial predicament began to career into view. Donald Muir's appointment to the club's board as a non-executive director at the behest of HBOS, now owned by Lloyds Banking Group, nine days ago appears to have been the point when control of Rangers' affairs was removed from the club's hands. Muir is a specialist in assisting ailing companies and officially joined the Rangers board to help them in their "strategic business interests". Both chairman Alastair Johnston and chief executive Martin Bain had previously denied the banks were closing in since owner David Murray stepped down as chairman on 26 August, but Smith spoke freely last night of the new reality he described as "obvious to everyone". It comes at the end of a week in which Murray's company, Murray International Holdings, announced it would be delaying publishing of its accounts for six months. This has been interpreted by some in the business community as a step taken to prevent scrutiny of just how incapable it is of propping up Rangers with the club's debts rising above the Ã?£30 million mark. And it comes at the end of a week in which Rangers suffered their most humiliating defeat in 53 years competing in Europe with their 4-1 thumping by Romanians Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League "As far as I am aware that is the situation," said Smith when asked about reports the bank was in control of the club at his post-match conference following his side's 1-1 draw with Hibernian. "David Murray stepped down and they've placed a representative of the bank on the board. "It is obviously not a good situation. It is not a situation anybody wants the club to be in. It's been up for sale for a while. It's not the bank's fault. If the bank had to take over in the circumstances they have, they are not going to invest in a football club. I think Rangers have been fairly honest about their situation. The players at the club have been on sale since January. We haven't bought a player for... in this transfer window, that will be 18 months. I'm very surprised anyone can't work out the situation. These circumstances have been here for quite a while now. And, despite some headlines, I've never complained about it and I'm not complaining about it now. I'm just saying it is a fact, and a fact of life that a lot of companies throughout the world are having a struggle at the present minute. When David Murray stepped away from the club I felt that was a bad thing for Rangers in the sense that he's tried as hard as he could over 20 years to invest in the club. Now we don't have that situation. So the quicker that gets cleared up, the better it will be." It is Murray who is responsible for running up liabilities he patently now cannot meet ââ?¬â?? a fact some have blamed on the economic downturn. Yet there were plenty of alarm bells when he allowed Smith to become the country's biggest spending manager on his return in 2007, before reacting to the 2008 Champions League qualifying exit by sanctioning an Ã?£8m spend on players that produced a Ã?£3m "hole" in the club's budget that effectively led to the entire squad being put up for sale only six months later. The club has, in effect, been for sale for four years but despite a number of reports of potential buyers, none has been found. Yesterday there were suggestions that board member Dave King, who invested Ã?£25m in the club in 2000, and another unnamed group were considering lodging an offer within the week but these were dismissed by sources at the club. Smith said he was unaware of any possible sale. "I'm not involved in that aspect, you'd need to ask others if there was anything like that," he said. The implications for Smith's bid to retain the title will only emerge over time, but the fact the bankers have decided to exert control can only increase the likelihood there will be a demand for Rangers to cash in on Madjid Bougherra, their most valuable playing asset, in January. Already, with injuries to the Algerian and to Pedro Mendes, Kevin Thomson and Lee McCulloch, who came off yesterday, Rangers are running low on senior players. Smith conceded this was a process that was likely to accelerate and could only be offset by promoting from within. "It is maybe not the proper time to be blooding these boys (such as Andrew Little and Danny Wilson] but I don't think we are going to have much option shortly," said Smith. Rangers' financial meltdown must also place question marks against Smith's own future. His present contract expires in only eight weeks, as does that of assistant Ally McCoist and first-team coach Kenny McDowall. As yet the three have not been offered extensions. However, it is believed that if a new buyer was found that wanted to retain his services he would be keen on staying. Failure to see eye-to-eye with new regime has Smith talking himself towards exit door LONG-suffering Rangers fans are seeing their beloved club up for sale and seemingly rudderless, with Sir David Murray gone from the scene and a chairman who resides in the USA. Now they may be about to lose their talismanic manager. Walter Smith may even be gone in the next week or two, after his comments last night which confirmed that he has no money to spend and no control over the purse strings at Ibrox. Instead, the bankers have taken over. In the world of football finance, banks do not expose themselves to customer dissatisfaction by placing directors on a board ââ?¬â?? new director Donald Muir has no formal links to Lloyds Banking Group, for instance. They do not need to do that. Lloyds ââ?¬â?? a group which has no great track record in football sponsorship ââ?¬â?? simply dictates how Rangers spend the bank's money. Or in this case, not spend it. And it is Lloyds' money that Rangers spend. When it took over the crippled HBOS, it inherited Rangers' debts, probably north of Ã?£30 million, and any potential buyer will be saddled with that debt right away. With the benefit of hindsight, everyone who thought the Murray era would end sweetly and that there would be a swift transfer to a rich new owner was looking at the situation through rose-tinted glasses. When a businessman as powerful as Murray moves out of any company, the reverberations are long and loud and highly transformational. Lots of players have gone as a side-effect of Murray's withdrawal. Now it may be Smith's turn. There is more than one coat on a shoogly nail at Ibrox. Persistent rumours have surrounded chief executive Martin Bain, with Gordon McKie, chief executive of the Scottish Rugby Union, touted as a possible replacement should Bain, too, decide that the end of the Murray era is time to pursue new opportunities. But Smith's departure would be colossal for the club. Alex McLeish admitted he left Ibrox in 2006 because Sir David Murray would not fund new signings. So could Smith do a McLeish? The trouble for Smith is that he eats, breathes and sleeps Rangers. Cut him and he would bleed royal blue. But how long can he go on in the humiliating position for a Rangers manager of not being able to decide who he can buy and sell? How long will a proud man take being told what to do by a bank manager? Smith may even now be planning his exit strategy ââ?¬â?? a term financiers understand ââ?¬â?? and indeed, it may even be under way. Or else why speak out as he did last night? The fans, who are always kept in the dark, may like to ask other questions. Exactly who is in the frame to buy Rangers? If there are no buyers, what happens next? What support will Lloyds continue to give? Will there be money to buy the new players the club desperately needs? It should make for an interesting AGM, and this time no one can call for Murray to go, because he already has. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport/Uncertainty-grips-Ibrox.5764251.jp

Kevin Thomson has apparently picked up a shoulder injury in training. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2533066.0.kevin_thomson_adds_to_rangers_injury_woes.php

We’ve all done it. In fact we see it on football forums across the World Wide Web at least once every season, often once the dirty business of the transfer window is concluded (or not in Rangers case this season). On every Rangers forum, a bear will start a thread comparing the relative merits of our starting XI and squad with our rivals. In the two-horse race that is the SPL, this really means only our enemy from the East End. It occurs to a lesser degree every time we discuss the next upcoming fixture. Whilst football is not played out on paper we are all guilty, to a certain extent, of pretending it is. We assess the merits of our squad. We compare our players with those of our rivals and mostly come to the opinion that we are the far superior team. Based on our team’s performances since Smith’s return, that is a difficult position to argue against. That is, until this season. Craig wrote an excellent piece discussing the various merits of the two squads. Unsurprisingly, Craig drew the conclusion that we were blessed with greater quality. Reigning Champions, who although we had not strengthened had not been greatly weakened it terms of quality. Celtic was a team in transition if not turmoil. Second best and losing the key players that had kept them just about hanging on to our coat tails. They have replaced those first picks with arguably inferior quality players. Just under a quarter of the way into the season, Craig's analysis stacks up fairly well. After an impressive Old Firm victory saw us close an early gap on Celtic, we regained top spot in the SPL with another victory in Perth. But it is only really down to a stumbling start to the season from Celtic. A start that has seen them pick up just 2 wins in their opening 8 home games in all competitions. This is no better highlighted than by the fact that Celtic had what was a relatively straightforward home game against Motherwell this weekend to maintain their position at the top. As we’ve seen, though, football is played on a large rectangle of grass and not on paper or on a webpage. Motherwell would abhor the thought that they were merely lambs to the slaughter and so it proved as they gained a creditable point away from home. Much like comparing Celtic’s starting XI to Motherwell’s, on paper Rangers are more than a match for anyone in the SPL, including our less illustrious rivals. Yet we have yet to demonstrate this dominance in any game of note this season. Sandwiching a creditable draw in Stuttgart, we went on a run of goalless draws against the dross of the SPL and threw in a narrow victory over Queen of the South. At Fir Park, Rugby Park and at home to Aberdeen, as well as in travelling to Palmerston we continually failed to show our superiority in class and footballing ability. Weekend after weekend, game after game, 45 minutes in Germany aside, we failed to demonstrate the quality of a football team that could spend millions on Steve Davis (Ã?£3mil), Pedro Mendes (Ã?£3mil) and Madjid Bougherra (Ã?£2.5mil). Whilst we are blessed with household names and international and former English Premiership stars, the likes of Aberdeen or Kilmarnock field players who would be anonymous in their own neighbourhood and earn a fraction of our players wage packet. Previous Rangers teams have gained from winning championships and trophies. It has developed a sense of invulnerability. A belief they can win against the odds and had many an opponent defeated before they entered the field of play. Look at the NIAR teams for a real strength of character and a winning mentality fostered on past successes. So why are our current squad so brittle? Why do they lack that strength of belief in their own ability? They are champions and should play with the confidence and swagger that brings. Of gravest concern is the midfield. Steve Davis is an international footballer and former premiership star of immense experience, even for his relatively modest years. He has demonstrated his superiority to the best of the rest in this country before as he ran the show in an Old Firm match in which he scored the vital winner. So why is he part of a midfield dominated by the part-timers of Queen of the South or the less celebrated SPL sides? Pedro Mendes, like Davis is an international star; recently helping Portugal get their World Cup campaign back on track in guiding them to the play offs. He has also played in a Champions League winning side. Yet the occasional deft flick and long range strike is barely acceptable from the most talented and experienced midfielder at Murray Park and in Scotland. What too of Kevin Thomson? Admittedly he is still regaining match sharpness. Perhaps that can account for his rash sending off in his first game back. In all truth he was probably rushed back due to suspensions and a dwindling squad. Can it still excuse an inability to execute the basics several matches later? Like Davis he has performed a starring role, complete with obligatory winning goal in an Old Firm game. In fact, we have won every derby encounter the former Hibs star has contested. If he is more than a match for the most difficult opposition we can face domestically, where does this ability go when facing the lesser lights of Scottish football? The term "Paper Champion" has a few connotations or meanings. It identifies a Champion who is merely a place holder. Someone who is the title holder in name, but really the sporting fraternity know they are not deserving and are waiting for a competitor of true champion quality to emerge and assume the mantle. Last season, few would argue, Walter Smith’s Rangers confirmed their place as the dominant force in Scottish football. On paper, we are in our own league. The Hibs, Hearts and Celtic cannot compete. Last season, this was certainly true. When the fixture calendar rolled round to Old Firm day or a contest with the capital clubs, more often than not our players demonstrated their greater quality that was evident on paper. But this season I am left asking myself if that gap in ability between ourselves and our challengers is really there? Was it an illusion? Are we merely paper champions? If my analysis of the relative strengths of SPL sides is worth anything and we really are the most talented group of players it is time we started proving it on match days. No more turning up and relying on a few star performers to save the skins of lazy players who believe they have made it and no longer think they have to work for victory against your Falkirks, St Johnstones and Hibernians. Starting this week I want to see a Rangers side filled with the quality of true champions and not the recent paper champions.

McGregor Whittaker Weir Bougherra (if fit) Papac Novo Thomson Mendes Naismith Boyd Miller Maybe not radical enough in changes for some. But that's the strongest line up available imo. Drop Rothen and Davis. Keep Lafferty away til he's fit and actually demonstrates some of this amazing talent I have yet to see. Bring back in our star player assuming he is fit. Play our best striker. Our best forward. I know some think there's a distinction. But there's not. Forward or Striker? Semantics. Boyd can be crap. But then mostly so are the rest of them so we'll stick with the one who is most likely to win us a game. Because all the running about in the world has not produced a positive result agains the better opposition Boyd is not deemed good enough to play against. More might get dropped with viable options.

It's incredibly difficult not to criticise individuals after so many bad performances. However, we are losing games as a team so it's important that when we look back, we examine the team itself - as well as ask why AN Other refuses to build a sweat.... As such, for me, most of the team's problems are coming from the midfield. No matter who we have played in there this season, the problems are evident - both in terms of allowing runners from opposition teams to cause our defence problems (and this make them sit even deeper) and in terms of not supporting the attack (often only one player) to help maintain possession up front. Of course the other parts of the team need to take the blame as well. Our defence was woeful last night and our attack have been that inconsistent, I don't think we've played the same partnership in two successive games yet. The manager also needs to have a long look in the mirror when he appears unable to motivate or mould his players into providing better performances. However, it is the midfield - the most crucial part of any team IMO - that is letting us down. Even worse for us, this part of the team contains our most expensive players - both in initial outlay and wage. Jerome Rothen - Unable to get a game for an average PSG team because of lack of pace, fitness and attitude problems. Yet seems to appear right across our midfield in a variety of games without any dangerous contribution whatsoever. Steven Davis - �£3million player who absolutely refuses to get involved in the physical nature of the Scottish game. Fair enough if he was actually getting forward but passes backwards more often than Barry Ferguson while absolving himself of responsibility by hiding at right back to allow Whittaker to get forward. Pedro Mendes - Another �£3million player who flatters to deceive. However, with absolutely no outlet to pass to (other than defenders) I'm starting to understand why he's so ineffectual. Our forwards can't control a ball and are easily marked out of games - when we actually play two of them that is. Is it any wonder that his centre-halves seem to be a better option? Kevin Thomson - Just back from (another) long term knee injury so his lack of form can be accounted for - to a degree. Constantly giving the ball away, failing to read the game and poor decision-making isn't affected by injury though. Must do better! Lee McCulloch - Probably our best midfielder this season which says it all about the above. However, his lack of mobility and pace would only cause us more problems in the long run. Not the answer. Steven Naismith - Started the season brightly enough but is wasted on the left of a 5-man midfield. Must play off the striker in a free role to benefit the team. In saying that, he's another player only too willing to hide on the flank when the tough gets going. So there we have it. Six players - all costing �£2million+ and/or with large wages failing the team, the manager, the fans and themselves with under-performance. Worst thing is we have little or no-one to replace them with. Beasley, Fleck, Novo, Ness, Shinnie and Edu all have their pros and cons but I don't think any of us can say with authority they'd bring an improvement. However, that is not a reason NOT to make the change. Edu may not yet be fit but the other names mentioned must be called upon when the current incumbents refuse to or appear incapable of raising their game against even the most average of oppositions. If our midfield doesn't start functioning then our chances of success are minimal.

There's plenty of talk on here about whether the management should stay or go, so I thought I'd give my opinion on our main players who regularly get starts when they're fit for action. It's a brutally honest assessment that would need investment in new players if/when we have the money, as well as some youth being given a chance. I'll simplify this down to 2 lists - STAY & GO STAY Bougherra - Our best defender & a definite keeper, but we won't keep him. Papac - Our 2nd best defender & worth keeping. Davis - Our best midfielder & worth keeping despite his current form. Mendes - Our 2nd best midfielder & worth keeping despite his current form.. Edu - Haven't seen enough of him yet, but worth keeping based on what we've seen. Boyd - Our best goal scorer & worth keeping for his goals alone. Naismith - Still young, but probably our best all-round striking talent at the moment. Needs to start scoring goals. Novo - Great impact striker that almost always causes problems for defenses when brought on. Worth keeping imo. Fleck - Needs to be given a chance in attack/up front because he is not a winger. GO Weir - Once very good, but has no pace, no agility, poor distribution. Time to go. Broadfoot - Could be kept as back up cover, but we need better quality. Whittaker - Good player, but not a good right back. Prone to lapses of concentration/fuck ups & gives the ball away in dangerous areas constantly. McCulloch - Good enough for a poor Rangers side, but not good enough for a good one. Get rid of him. Thomson - Proving to be injury prone & appears very slow coming back to form on return from injury. If he's not back to top form by January, I wouldn't be disappointed to see an offer accepted. Rothen - Has a mountain to climb if he wants to earn a contract here. As it stands he'll be going back to PSG at the end of his loan. Beasley - Showed signs of real talent, but now totally out of the picture & is as good as gone now anyway. At least we only payed around �£750k for him. Lafferty - I'd bite anyone's hand off that was offering anything over 65% of what we paid for him. Miller - Poor ball control, shot shy, has proven to be an asset on the odd occasion that he turns up. How such a brutal footballer can show the occasional sign of genius is beyond me. Not worth keeping though. It's a sad indication of the state of football in our country that this guy has been & continues to be the national team's 1st choice striker. I think that about sums up what I think about our current team. It needs rebuilt. So what does everyone else think?

Anyone else think we're suffering from this? Had a quick glance at our lineups this season and unless I'm missing something.. we've had 12 games so far this season and not once have we named the same starting XI up front. Our goalkeeper and back 4 pretty much picks itself without injury or suspension creeping in. It's from then on we get problems. We've got 3 decent central midfielders on their day in Mendes, Davis and Thomson, not including Edu when he returns. As for the wide positions.. Naismith isn't a natural there, nor is Novo, but both have been played there. The position they are both naturals for is where the problem comes in for me. We need to select any 2 (or 1..) from a pool of Miller, Boyd, Naismith, Lafferty (and people say our squad is too small..) Our inability to select a strike partnership is a huge hinderance which no one is picking up on. For a while last season it looked like Boyd/Miller.. but now it's different every week. The constant change makes it nigh-on impossible for a partnership and understanding to grow and from the individuals standpoint takes away the chance to go on a run of 3-4 games of getting goals consistently, thus breeding confidence. I think it's time to play 2 up top consistently, and for Walter to decide which is his best partnership and stick with it for 4-5 games and let the understanding grow.. if that happens, I think we'll see a huge benefit.

Just heard rangers to sign chevaton from man utd in january till end of may on loan . rangers to call back andy webster in december from loan at dundee utd as they need cover for bougherra who will be at africa nations cup rangers have sounded out a �£5million pound investment from wwe (yes the wrestling) for advertisement during the home games for 3 years . that cash will go towards new deals for walter+backroom, kris boyd, nacho, kevin thomson, broadfoot. rangers will try and sign players for free in jan on pre contracts ( i would like them to go for rosicky of arsenal sure hes a bit old but still a very good player ) but wages could prove stumbling block i can see rangers buying 1 or 2 players most likely defenders with davie weir (hopefuly) retiring and bougherra (players says this his last year at club)leaving in the summer after world cup when his price multiplies . rangers may also sign alan hutton back from spurs with alan mcgregor going the opposite way . quite interesting

I think the kindest words that can be used to describe our early season form is ââ?¬Ë?erraticââ?¬â?¢ both on the domestic front and in Europe. There have been a few highs (2nd half against Stuttgart, first half against Seville, victory at Tynecastle and our recent OF victory) but these have been outweighed with negatives. We have failed to win another away game since that memorable victory in Edinburgh and have failed to score against Motherwell, Killie and Aberdeen. Thankfully we managed to get back on track against Celtc and earned a well deserved 3 points to close the gap to one point when most feared that weââ?¬â?¢d fall 7 points behind. It isnââ?¬â?¢t only the results that are worrying, some of the performances have raised alarming questions regarding the quality of our squad, especially once we have injuries and suspensions. There are also credible concerns regarding our discipline after receiving three red cards in our opening three SPL away games. In saying that, it could be argued that all three decisions were incorrect (however, it can as easily be argued that all three were correct depending on your interpretation of the rules). We continue to have a sound defensive base to build upon with us ensuring that goals against are at a premium and its undeniable that we are hard to break down (unless your Seville!). It is further forward we are appearing to struggle. Our midfield is constantly being chopped and changed and none of our strikers have set the heather on fire so far this season. It can be argued that they are being starved of their usual quality service as our creative players have been limited with injuries and suspensions. Hopefully this is improving as we are slowly but surely getting most of our players match fit and ready for action. The only exceptions are long-term absentees Kirk Broadfoot and Mo Edu. With all due respect to Kirk is exclusion from the squad whilst being missed, in my opinion, it is the enforced absence of Mo Edu that has hampered us this season. This is an extraordinary admission from myself as when I first heard we had signed the young American for Ã?£2.6M I believed it was money thrown away. The early sightings of the slight American hardly filled me with confidence but when injuries forced our management team to unwrap the cotton wool from the youngster and throw him into the title race, I quickly realised that we had a very promising prospect on our hands. For one so young he appears to be able to read games very well. His slightness hides a physical presence that he is able to channel correctly. His game also allows others around him to play with a freedom. Not one single player can take any extra credit or glory for overhauling Celtc last season but Mo Edu can be proud of his contribution in the nail-biting finale to the season. This included a brillaint OF debut where Mo helped Rangers to a 1-0 victory over Celtc at Ibrox. His energy in that game was outstanding as was his general performance. I was looking forward to Mo taking this form and confidence into the new season but the knock he took in the final game of season was more serious than first imagined and we were informed that heââ?¬â?¢d be missing for a prolonged period. As said above I believe that this has had an impact on our early season form especially given the fact the Kevin Thomson is also just coming back from serious injury. It is encouraging to hear that Edu is on the road to recovery and I for one canââ?¬â?¢t wait until he makes his comeback into the Rangers starting 11. Cammy F

mcgregor whittaker weir bougherra papac davis mendes thomson miller lafferty naismith subs alexander wilson rothen shinnie novo fleck boyd

Celtic defender Glenn Loovens has lost his appeal against a one-match ban for his challenge on Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu last season. The 25-year-old Dutchman will now miss Saturday's Scottish Premier League match at home to Motherwell. Loovens had appeared before the Scottish Football Association appeals panel on Thursday to state his case. He had caught Edu with his studs after making a clearance during Celtic's 1-0 defeat by Rangers on 9 May. Referee Craig Thomson, in the headlines for not awarding Celtic an Old Firm penalty at the weekend, missed the incident but referred it to the SFA's review panel after watching television footage. The one-game ban was announced in August, but the Dutch international's challenge allowed him to play in the opening league game of the season at Aberdeen and he has since been waiting for an appeal date to be set. Celtic assistant manager Mark Venus last month accused the SFA of lacking professionalism over the delay in organising the hearing. Loovens said at the time of the review panel's involvement: "I really don't know what all the fuss is about. "I'm a hard player but also fair. "I just went in for the ball and at some point my leg had to come down to land on the ground. "Edu went off for treatment and I spoke to him as soon as he came back on. I said sorry, asked if he was okay and he told me he was fine." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8291288.stm

To the majority of fans of club football the weekend�s set aside in the fixture calendar for international competition prove no more than an unwelcome irritation. This early into a new season few wish to see their team�s momentum interrupted World Cup qualifiers or friendlies, whilst others do not wish to wait two weeks to see their heroes arrest a run of poor results. With Scotland failing to secure second spot in group 9 and thus not having to concern ourselves with the makeup of the play-offs for a place on the plane to South Africa a friendly fixture the other side of the globe was not going to whet the appetite. That goes for the players as well as the fans, with Scotland�s few players of genuine quality declining the call-up due to injuries, whether real or imagined. Given Rangers last competitive fixture was a home victory in another bruising Old Firm encounter you would imagine that a break in the season is the last thing Walter Smith and the players would want. However, whilst we secured the three points last time out, it would be difficult to argue that we were building up a head of steam on the domestic front with our 3 previous league encounters ending goalless. The hard-fought Old Firm victory merely reduced the deficit to 1 point. It has been a false-start to the season so far, but hopefully the break in club football will allow us to regroup and return to SPL action with real purpose. The threadbare nature of the first team squad is often on the lips of fans, players and journalists around the country. We cannot afford to be missing too many key players as we simply don�t have the reinforcements. Kevin Thomson was perhaps rushed back into the first team thanks to injuries and suspensions wish has led to him suffering a reaction to the lack of proper recuperation. It was no surprise when the young midfielder was withdrawn from the Scotland squad that travelled to Japan. A couple of weeks training and recovering at Murray Park should allow Rangers to reintroduce him to the first team at full fitness. Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller started the Old Firm encounter in ominous form if in unfamiliar roles as the Boyd turned provider for Miller�s deadly finishing on the day. It was therefore disappointing to see Boyd removed from the action before half time after a clash of heads left the big Ayrshire-man with an eye-socket injury. Boyd could be out for as much as four weeks, but with Boyd having removed himself from International consideration it is fortunate that two of those weeks fall during the international break. Kyle Lafferty�s return against Celtic should help soften the blow of Boydie�s injury lay off. Worryingly, Lafferty was forced to withdraw from the Northern Ireland squad to face the Czech Rep. with a chest infection but I would expect that should not keep him out of the Rangers squad to face St. Johnstone in our next fixture. However, some of our key men are away on international duty and as Rangers fans we will all be concerned about the condition they return in. Pedro Mendes found himself back in the engine room for Portugal as they won handsomely over Hungary to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Star man Madjid Bougherra is away with Algeria whilst Whittaker again filled the right back role for Scotland. We will all be hoping that these key players along with our other internationals return unscathed. Before the Old Firm victory 7 days ago, the squad were misfiring; the midfield could not dictate the play whilst the forwards could not hurt the opposition feeding off the meagre scraps their team mates provided resulting in three disappointing goalless draws. At least the miserly defence were keeping the opposition out at the other end. Closing the gap at the top to just one point was essential, even this early in the season as we could not afford to slip 7 points behind if we are to retain our title. However, the two-week break between SPL matches will allow the management team to examine our performances and pin point our deficiencies before communicating this with the players. Even in spite of the absent international stars it is vital that Smith, McCoist and McDowall use this break productively to get the team firing again and iron-out the issues that saw us slump 4 points behind in the title race after a solid if unspectacular start to the season. No disrespect to St Johnstone but the club could not have handpicked a better game in which to test if the players can deliver an improved commitment and coherence.

Hearts defender Craig Thomson is named Clydesdale Bank Young Player of the Month for September. More...