Rangers Relinquish League Responsibilities at Rugby Park

[Super_Ally 0]

When I turned on ESPN this Saturday, the first Rangers game broadcast by the American Network that puts Sky�s coverage to shame, I was shocked and pleased in equal measure by the starting line up Smith had chosen to tackle Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

 

Since Smith and his management team have returned to the club I have at times been frustrated by his unwillingness to utilise his full squad. It can be argued that at the end of the 2007/8 season as we battled on four fronts to win silverware that had Smith been willing to utilise the full benefit of his large squad we may not have come up just short in our assault on the title. I may be being a little unfair Walter and his deputies as hitherto before unseen backlog of fixtures is what ultimately cost us the league crown. However, it still stands that at times he has been reticent to rotate his squad and gain the benefits of fringe players who are fresh, fully fit and eager to contribute.

 

So as posters in the main forum will have noted, prior to kick off, I was pleased to note the changes made from what was an excellent point earned in Germany. Kris Boyd, who prior to this weekend�s game had a scoring record of more than a goal a game against his former employers, returned to the starting line up as a toiling Kenny Miller made way. Davie Weir returned to the first XI and with Bougherra suspended it was vital our captain was fit with few other options for the centre-back position. I had assumed the veteran defenders experience would coach McCulloch through another game in his new defensive role.

 

In came Fleck and Novo as Thomson and Rothen dropped to the bench. There could be little complaints about the formation and line up the manager had selected for this latest fixture. A willingness to freshen up the first team and attacking intent in abundance. We had pace and trickery in wide areas from Fleck, Novo and Naismith. Mendes was partnered in the centre by the diminutive Ulsterman Steve Davis, moved in from the right flank where he is able to have more influence on proceedings. With Scotland�s deadliest marksman feeding off this supply on-loan Celtic keeper Mark Brown must have been expecting a far more difficult afternoon than he endured.

 

However, as the draw in Stuttgart highlighted, defying popular opinion of so called experts and bookmakers, football is played out on the field not on paper. Despite the supposed gulf in class, despite the abundance of attacking quality available to Rangers, we rarely troubled the Kilmarnock goal. Yesterday was not a game for the neutrals. Had I not such a deep emotional attachment to my football team, I might not have been watching until fulltime. It was the kind of contest where you would not open your curtains had it been played out in your back garden.

 

Time and again I have argued from the position of football fanatic, not customer. I am not terribly interested in the so-called product so long as positive results are being obtained. Where that argument falls short and where those who wish to be entertained as well victorious are hard to argue against is after a fixture like Saturday�s. A poor performance married with a poor result that saw Celtic usurp our position atop the league table. Fortunately with fixtures against Aberdeen and Celtic next up on league duty we have ample opportunity to make amends and return to our rightful position at the summit. Before that of course we have a Co-op cup fixture with Queen of the South and our first Home Champions League game against La Liga cracks Sevilla.

 

A worrying trend in an inability to motivate ourselves from the first whistle has continued into the new season. Away in Germany we can be forgiven for having to survive a first half onslaught. Stuttgart, as the home team, were under pressure to take maximum points as results achieved at home so often determine the outcome of the Champions League group stage. The German outfit are also blessed with greater financial clout and therefore individual star quality. At half time Smith was able to galvanise his team and they produced a second half performance worthy of the Rangers to take an excellent point on the road.

 

There are no excuses for not being able to take the game to a vastly inferior Kilmarnock team. Much like we have managed to do on our European travels under Smith and McCoist, Killie managed to produce a team performance to outfox a team with greater resources and quality. Like we have shown in our march to Manchester, a good team ethic can defeat superior opposition. We, therefore, no better than anyone that approaching any fixture with the right mental attitude is vital if we are to avoid dropping silly points as we mount our title challenge.

 

I put last week�s drab draw with Motherwell down as a one off. It is rare any team can complete a perfect season. Rangers have managed it just once in our history. But if we have serious ambitions of retaining our league title and extending our world record to 53 titles we cannot afford to put together a string of dropped points.

 

I had hoped the 0-0 draw at Fir Park would serve as sufficient motivation to approach our league fixtures with the correct mindset. It was disappointing therefore that we would again drop points in the very next fixture. Last weekend we were fortunate that our errors were not punished by Celtic as they could not take advantage of our slip up. We were not likely to get away with it two weeks running. Perhaps this weekend�s disappointment was a result of a Champions League hangover. If that is the case it is a worrying scenario for the season ahead with a minimum of 5 more Champions League fixtures to be negotiated.

 

We are all aware of the importance of competing at Europe�s top table. This summer�s transfer window was a bit of non-event as far as Rangers were concerned. Imagine the disaster that may have unfolded had we not guaranteed Champions League participation. Star players such as Bougherra and Davis may no longer be plying their trade at Ibrox. We therefore understand the importance of ensuring we retain our league title and are entered into the draw in Monaco next summer. It is essential then that Walter Smith gets this first half malaise drilled out of our players. Queen of the South are up next at Palmerston this midweek and I expect them to be on the end of a Rangers backlash. There are many players with a lot to prove ahead of vital fixtures with Aberdeen and Sevilla. Kris Boyd, Pedro Mendes and Kenny Miller have flattered to deceive so far this season. They are all seasoned and experience pro�s and their performances should be helping guys like John Fleck and a now injury free Steven Naismith to settle into the team.

 

I am unsure as to whether we should stick with Miller and Boyd and hope that what should be a formality of a fixture will allow them to play their way into form, or drop them to the bench and hope that that serves as the motivation to find their form from the first whistle.

[Bluedell 5,329]

There could be little complaints about the formation and line up the manager had selected for this latest fixture.

 

I will always complain if we go with Boyd upfront on his own.

[Super_Ally 0]

I will always complain if we go with Boyd upfront on his own.

 

True to your word. :box:

 

I'll make my riposte tomorrow.

[Bluedell 5,329]

True to your word. :box:

 

Good article. Shame about the title though......

[Frankie 8,145]

That spectacular title alliteration really attracted me to the thread...

 

I was actually the same opinion as S_A when I seen the team. I was happy with freshening up the side and was comfortable enough that Boyd would be supported by several attacking players behind him - even if I did feel Novo or Naismith would be tasked with playing alongside (or in front of him) more often than not.

 

Unfortunately this didn't happen:

 

1. Our team were far too lazy so the support didn't happen.

2. Our midfield were dreadful so we couldn't get decent service to Boyd in order to retain the ball in dangerous areas.

3. Boyd wasn't/isn't good enough to be able to keep the ball long enough to allow the support to arrive.

4. Killie were 100x stronger physically than our team which we couldn't match. Without a Lafferty or Velicka we were easily muscled out of the game in an attacking sense. We certainly lack options in that regard so I'm worried other teams will have taken note.

 

To conclude I can't say I'm happy with the starting XI (even in retrospect) but I do question the management team's ability to motivate the players and to challenge them when performances are unacceptable.

 

Bad attitudes and poor commitment isn't a new thing with regard to several of our players. The problem is, they get away with it because we have no genuine replacements in reserve.

[Super_Ally 0]

I will always complain if we go with Boyd upfront on his own.

 

Just to echo some of Frankie's points (somewhat).

 

I was pleased to see the starting line up as I thought Walter was learning from previous years, particularly in consideration of our smaller squad this year, that he must use his squad to the full extent.

 

A match at Rugby Park against a Killie side short on form and who have only beat the Old Firm a combined 4 times since the inception of the current SPL format was surely ideal opportunity to ring the changes.

 

I had envisioned a midfield consisting of Premiership quality like Davis and Mendes could dominate their Killie counterparts allowing Naismith and Novo to play up closer to Boyd and that rather than having no strike partners as a lone forward he would in fact have two.

 

Our midfield did not control the game. Novo and Naismith did not get up with Boyd and left him isolated. And Boyd himself didn't turn up. It may be hard to blame Boyd solely though as we went for a forward feted for playing the lone striker role with wildly different attributes in pace and workrate and yet we were equally as ineffectual. That suggests that there was something more wrong with the line up than merely Boyd as the target man. It didn't matter the forward or his attributes, we were still very poor.

 

As Frankie also mentions, it appears this is down to an attitude problem as their is no reason why Davis, Mendes and Fleck, supported by Novo and Naismith should not have been running riot over Killie.

 

I had hoped Motherwell would be the kick up the arse needed to make our players realise they have to turn up 100% to winning the battle before they can try and win the game and not just expect the opposition to roll over. Surely two such performances and a rocket up the arse from Walter will make them realise it now.

[bmck 117]

That spectacular title alliteration really attracted me to the thread...

 

me as well. like beowolf or one of the other old english poems, or pound's the seafarer.

 

oh, great piece as well.

[calscot 0]

Yeah, suffering media scribes superbly surpassed by SuperAlly again.