No replacement for Barry

[johnnyk 158]

WALTER SMITH has bluntly warned Rangers fans not to expect any new signings to replace Barry Ferguson. The 31-year-old completed his �£1m move to Premiership new boys Birmingham City on Friday, freeing up some �£25,000 a week in wages, but Smith confirmed last night that the Ibrox club are still in no position to bring in a replacement.

 

"We'll not be bringing anybody in as it stands at the present moment," Smith said. "The transfer doesn't allow us anything like that. The chairman has spoken about the financial aspect. It's just something we have to adjust to. We've said we'd have to sell players before we can buy so we have to wait until a situation arises before we can make any judgment on bringing anyone in."

 

One such eventuality which could free up funds for the Rangers manager would be a sizeable bid from either Bordeaux or Wigan Athletic for Madjid Bougherra, but despite fevered speculation in certain newspapers, Smith has heard nothing.

 

"No-one has been in touch with us about Bougherra," Smith said. "I've seen a denial from their president, and I've seen another paper quoting him as being interested, so even he doesn't seem to know. But no-one has talked to us, which would normally be the first port of call."

 

Ferguson's return to the Premiership four years after he left Blackburn for Govan is as neat a resolution as possible to the conundrum caused by the "boozegate" row and the final 12 months of the player's contract. Smith admitted last night his departure was the "best thing" for everybody, and tipped the player to be a success south of the border.

 

"I think it is the best thing for both parties, taking into consideration everything that happened last season plus the fact he's coming into the last season of his contract anyway," Smith said. "He's a good player though, of course he'll do well. He's had the experience already although the last time he went to Blackburn he was hampered by a serious injury. But that shouldn't hide the fact he did well down there, anyone who saw him play at that time will tell you that. It's not another world of football. He's a good player and he can go and play in it."

 

Who knows, maybe new signings are overrated in any case. With Celtic having already spent �£3.8m on Marc-Antoine Fortune, Smith would no doubt prefer to have a massive transfer kitty at his disposal this summer, but the Rangers manager still managed to speak convincingly of his hopes that the sense of continuity and new-found confidence around the younger members of his squad after last season's SPL title win can help them hit the ground running. Wheeling and dealing did Rangers few favours last season as they crashed out of Europe to Kaunas.

 

"We have a younger group - Steven Whittaker and Kevin Thomson are typical of them - who are starting to meet the demands of playing," Smith said. "They are starting now to gain the necessary experience to impose themselves in games and I am hoping that can happen with a number of the younger ones like Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith. They have won a championship there and we have not lost a lot of players who played in that group last year. I would hope with the better level of experience that will help them greatly."

 

The same sense of evolution rather than revolution applies to the even younger elements of the team, namely John Fleck, who Smith feels has made further progress since last season. "I would hope that John Fleck would step a little bit further forward," he said. "We are still talking about a young lad, but he got a bit of experience last season and like the rest of them I am hoping he can gain a bit of confidence from that. So although we might not have new players at the start of the season I think we have certainly got a group who will look forward to starting the season and hope that quite a number of them are coming into what I would look upon as the best spells of their careers."

 

Having said all this, whoever picked Rangers' first home opponents of the pre-season clearly does a wicked line in black humour. Manchester City will arrive at Ibrox in early August having lavished �£85m of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan's money on a combination of Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry and Emmanuel Adebayor, with millions more on the table for Joleon Lescott or even John Terry. "They may have two or three other signings by the time we play," Smith says, only half-joking.

 

While the collapse of the Setanta deal, and stillbirth of the Old Firm TV plan didn't do Rangers' finances much good, Manchester City's wealth is above and beyond such mundane matters. "This goes beyond TV money in England," Smith said. "This is about wealthy individuals putting money in and the Premiership giving them the profile they want. They're obviously buying an awful lot of players and having a push at breaking into England's top four clubs. It'll be interesting to see how that goes. If you look at the clubs at that level just now, they're all solid enough clubs, there's a steadiness about them.

 

"Mark Hughes did exceptionally well at Blackburn but people need to have the patience to allow a team to settle in," he added. "It's okay to buy a number of players, as he will do between now and the end of August, but they have to have time to gel and become a team. I think we will see them pushing to get into the top four - whether they get there or not is another thing. I think we might end up with five teams at the top. It's not quite as easy as saying We'll spend a lot of money and get there' but football has shown that if teams are well run and spend a lot of money, then they'll get a level of success."

 

While Manchester City are collecting players, Rangers can't get rid of them quickly enough. Ferguson's departure, coupled with those of Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly may have freed up a total of �£50,000 a week, but with Charlie Adam prevaricating over a proposed move to Blackpool, the club are still three or four players heavy to reach the chairman's stated target of a slimline 20-strong first team pool plus youngsters. Having benefited from their depth of squad at the tail end of the previous campaign, Smith hopes that he won't be left too light when the injuries and suspensions kick in.

 

So will the squad be big enough? "It depends how many leave," Smith says. For the moment at least, the player movement at Rangers will remain one-way traffic.

 

http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootball/display.var.2520783.0.0.php

[ascender 352]

I don't think there's any need to replace Fergie, so don't have a problem with that. We do still have a couple of problem-positions that need filling though.

[H1ndy 0]

yeh agreed we dont need to replace him. if there a position to be filled its gotta be a left mid. id be happy with only brunt signing fingers crossed

[craig 5,195]

Yep, I dont think too many fans expected Fergie to be replaced and given we have Mendes, Davis, Thomson, Edu - we are covered in central midfield anyway.

 

I know most believe that left mid is our problem position but I really do feel we are under-estimating the need for a CB. Weir is BEYOND his twilight and, although we could use Broadfoot or McCulloch, or even Danny Wilson, at CB beside Bougherra (assuming Bougherra stays) I feel we need to add a CB more than we need a left mid.

 

At left mid we still have Adam, McCulloch (god no), Fleck, Naismith, Beasley - all of whom can play - just sadly none of which played exceptionally in the position last year.

 

I think we are more bereft of options at CB than LM.

[Gribz 743]

yeh agreed we dont need to replace him. if there a position to be filled its gotta be a left mid. id be happy with only brunt signing fingers crossed

 

Id say we need right mid filled. Davis has been there out of position and Novo would probably be our other option there.

 

If we go 4-4-2 then we need to decide who will be first pick on each side and stick with them. For too long we have had chopping and changed - especially on the left.

 

Personally I think 4-3-3 could be the current answer and we put Thomson, Mendes and Davis in the midfield.

[H1ndy 0]

i like the idea of a 4-3-3 but i think that a little to attacking for walter and doubt it would happen.

 

i think we have the personal for this but again it comes down to walter n what he wants to play normally 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 defensive.

id love us to adopt an attacking formation and go flying out the traps trying to play sum decent footie.

 

too many times last year we let teams domitnate us and sitting back, to me its boring and very frustrating watching

[craig 5,195]

What about a diamond 4-4-2 ?

 

We could go with something like :

 

----------------Alexander----------------

 

Whittaker----Weir-----Bougherra----Papac

 

----------------Thomson----------------

 

---------Davis-----------Mendes---------

 

-----------------Fleck-------------------

 

---------Boyd*-----------AN Other*-------

 

* - Boyd is our best goalscorer, no doubt. But I also think that Lafferty could be a fantastic player for us this coming season. Miller, if fit, has a contribution to make and Novo deserves more starts. So up front the pairin could be pretty much anyone. I think my starting front 2 would be Boyd and Lafferty.

 

Thomson would be well suited to playing the holding role (but being given opportunity to interchange with either Davis or Mendes to allow Thomson to break past the forwards - which I think he is very effective at).

 

It also means that Fleck gets a run in one of his preferred positions of playing in behind the strikers, but also allows him to break past the front two as well (he has the pace to do it), and he can do Boyd's running.

 

On top of that, if Fleck is having an off game then Davis or Mendes can fill that role with Edu replacing Fleck.

 

With Thomson playing the holding role you could allow your full backs licence to get forward knowing that Thomson will be there to cover - another role I think Thomson does very well is that he gets himself into positions which allow him to hold up the forward movement of opponent's possession - so him slowing down the opposition allows his full back the time to get back after a forward foray.

If Fleck isn't playing too well

 

Fleck's position could easily be taken by Mendes

[Super_Ally 0]

I like the look of that Craig.

 

Whittaker definitely has the ability to play like a real wing back and Papac has shown an improved ability to get forward, but perhaps isn't good enough at it and that would be the one main weakness imo, in addition to ensuring midfielders drop in and provide support to the fullbacks when necessary.

[Gribz 743]

Thats not a bad shout Craig and it can easily be reshuffled with Mendes or Davis going into the role you have Fleck.

 

I agree RE Lafferty, I can see him being key next season. He certainly came onto a game when he was played upfront rather than on the left.

 

Also agree RE Novo and Miller. Novo must get more starts as he is the one player than will guarantee 110% in every game and he has the ability to make a difference. Miller can offer something also with his mobility and pace.

 

The only thing about a diamond 4-4-2 is we are relying on the full backs for width. Whittaker gets forward but he tends to wonder anywhere. Papac doesnt venture into the final 3rd much.

Edited July 20, 2009 by Gribz

[craig 5,195]

I think Papac not venturing forward wouldnt be too bad a thing to be honest. It means Whittaker becomes that roving full back and Papac gives stability at the back or plugging the fact we are narrow in the midfield by pushing slightly forward.

 

However, there were signs last season that Papac was becoming more prepared to get forward - he scored once or twice and also hit the post (against Aberdeen I think) - so he has been getting forward a bit.

 

Even if Whittaker does get forward into places he shouldnt be (I didnt see that BTW - I felt he got forward from the RB spot and did cut-in but that doesnt mean he is just blindly going forward and finding himself at the LM spot) then Thomson can cover till he gets back.

 

Whittaker looks like he has very decent stamina so he will be able to get up and down the flank all day and, so long as Thomson holds up the opposition, we effectively have about 6 players attacking the opposition (Whittaker, Davis, Mendes, Fleck, Boyd, AN Other).

 

That is an attacking formaion for sure, if played right.

 

Only problem is being over-run in midfield, but Thomson can step up up to a regular midfield slot to assist and Fleck can drop off and squeeze the space for the opposition midfielders.