Notable underperformers...

[Danny 0]

Thought I'd start a nice wee negative thread

 

Without any doubt, there are some players in our team who are currently somewhat below their abilities, guys who are so gigantically out of form that it's worth a bit of a sob. Whether the formation is wrong, the morale is on the floor, the finances in disarray...these professionals being paid at least 10K a week are not doing the business in the way we know they can. Who are they?

 

Lafferty: The biggest offender this season so far. I had lunar hopes for this guy after his emergence particularly in the 2-2 draw against Hearts at Ibrox last season, when he enjoyed a rare foray in the striker position and simply ran riot. Held the ball up with ease, beat men like they weren't there, scored a clinical goal, and looked every inch a 3.5M striker. His injury at half time was tragic, and his absence a major reason we conceded 2 in the second half - because instead of him holding the ball up at the Hearts end, they started pressing our backline and we caved in.

This match showed what he could do, as did his display this season for Norn Iron, ironically again forced off during half time with an injury. For us? Abysmal - a shell of his capacity. Whether it's being played mostly out of position on the sideline as a pseudo winger, or some psychological effect of the divegate ban I don't entirely know, but Lafferty is quite some way off the potential we saw in him fleetingly last year.

 

Thomson: I didn't buy into the Kevin Thomson Future Captain and Demigod Hype like many supporters did, but I do know that his pre-injury displays far outway his current contributions by a 14 tonne weight. The fact his name is almost never mentioned in tv commentary, the fact that his only meaningful impact on games seems to be rash tackles and yellow cards and the fact he makes no creative spark tick on the pitch at all suggests his injury may just have permanently damaged him like Mols' did. This is not to say the 2 players are comparible, but pre-injury Thomson, while over-rated imo, was still substantially better than the anonymous makeweight masquerading under his name these days.

 

Miller: Without an open play goal since the Dead Sea merely had a bad cold, Miller is really struggling for inspiration, form and composure. He was never the most classy of strikers, but seemed to have the backbone to take the big chances when they came. Look at Parkhead and Easter Road last season. He seemed the perfect man to fill the lone striker boots of Cousin in the CL - especially in light of his national displays in the same position. But that match for Scotland against Holland where he did everything but score seems to have been the catalyst for his latest bout of meagre form. He is quite an inconsistent chap Miller - when he's good he's really great, but when he's not on fire he struggles with his entire game. Wasn't able to get a goal in the CL, struggling in the SPL, and generally below what we know he can do.

 

Davis: Nothing new here, is fantastic between July and November, average at best between November and March, then hits form after that till the end of the season. Same old Davis.

 

Bougherra: What's become of the second half of last season's fantastic defender? This season he's poor at the back, getting caught out all the time, failing to cover gaps and generally looking thoroughly uninterested. He admits himself he was slow to start last year, admitting he didn't click till January, but after that till the summer he was, I concede, fantastic. This year, beginning with his appalling displays at the Emirates, he's been a shell of his old self, so much so Wilson must be gutted to have been dropped in favour of him.

 

Weir: Understandable this one, and maybe a bit unfair on the part of yours truly, but Weir has been absolutely horrible this year. I considered him our best stopper last year, in light of a consistent overall season. But this year he's been completely dire - getting way to close to strikers half the time, letting them turn him easily, before fouling them. Yeah, he has a football brain, but I think the body gave up by about the end of last year. Sorry to use the excuse, but he's too old and shouldn't be playing anymore. Because he's not good enough now.

 

Naismith: We were all delighted at his emergence in the summer, but since the season's got going in earnest I have to say what serious contribution has Naismith made? He's looked promising in glimpses, patchy periods of hope, but overall he's made next to no impact this season. He is absolutely not the boy wonder we hoped we'd see when he had a very good pre-season. There's potential there, but I'm not seeing much of it being realised at the moment.

 

Rothen: Whatever happened to this guy!? After a virtuoso display in Germany where he looked every inch the left sided Beckham label he's been lumbered with, he has faded into nothing. And not even faded - he seemed to receive all the blame for our defeat in Unirea because he's the only guy who featured that night who hasn't featured for a single minute since then. Swine flu? He denies it - just a cold he says. Rothen has been bizarrely cast out from first team affairs, while we know he's capable of much more than he's been given the chance to show. You don't play 15 times for a strong French national side if you're not much cop.

 

Comments/agreements/angry objections welcome

[Gribz 743]

Agreed with most of Dannys comments, I'll add to the same players:

 

Lafferty: Strange one as he seemed to play very well with N Ireland recently until an injury. WS isnt doing him favours playing him wide. He just cant play that role at all and makes him look nothing like a footballer. Needs to firstly shake off all injuries, get match fit then have a run of games upfront through the middle.

 

Thomson: Agreed with Thomson. Ive never seen the fasination about him especially about being captain. I thought he was a decent holding midfielder who can put in a good tackle here and there but he still has lots of improving to do. I suppose its amazing how many fans see different things from different players but thats what makes it so good. But unless he up's his game by 5 fold then Edu and Mendes should walk back in to the midfield.

 

Miller: Have to say Im a fan of KM. I like his work rate and pace and he is probably a good touch away from being a proper good striker and maybe needs to do a bit of work on his finishing. He has been hot and cold this season but when on form he has taken his goals away well.

 

Davis: Same boat as Lafferty for me - being played out of position hampers him. There was one game last year away to Inverness where he started the game poorly on the right, but when Burke came on to play wider than him he moved inside of a midfield 5 and looked the part. No doubt he has quality and he maybe suffering from playing with McCulloch and Thomson in midfield.

 

Bougherra: For me he just wants a move. Shame, as he will be yet another who leaves only to regret it as he wont find his feet so easily at a big club IMO. Still our best player at the moment and thought he did very well at Falkirk last weekend. Id like to see him play midfield or RB to give us an attacking sense.

 

Weir: Should be being used sparingly this season as it could affect him and the defence later on in the season. Been a breath of fresh air since signing but we should be looking at a long term partnership.

 

Naismith: Worse than Thomson for me. Ive never seen anything of this guy that suggests he is capable for playing for Rangers. I dont even know what his best position is (if he has one). Id rather see Lee McCulloch move to his natural striker position than play Naismith.

 

Rothen: Makes Capucho look a success. BUT I give some foreign players the benefit of the doubt that maybe their style of play with techinical ability isnt suited to the SPL. Id say Mendes gets hampered by that.

 

I also think some players should be praised a bit rather than just looking on the doom and gloom.

 

McGregor: Was fortunate to be first pick at the start of the season but has proved himself as Scotlands top stopper. Would be able to walk into the EPL IMO. They say keepers win you points over a season - non more so that at Falkirk last week where he had 2 terrific stops and the 2nd led to our 2nd goal.

 

Wilson: Came in and looked like he has played over 50 games for Rangers. Dont want to put too much praise or pressure on the lad but certainly a shining light at Ibrox at the moment.

 

Boyd: As Boyd's biggest critic Ive been impressed by him lately albeit against poorer opposition. I just hope its not a repeat of Ricksen and Lovenkrands upping their game when contracts are needing re-newed, but I cant see it as Boyd is too much of a Rangers man - I just think he is maturing. His 2 finishes last week were clinical even though he didnt do that much else in the game. Needs to keep it up though and he still wouldnt be my first pick against tougher opposition, but against bread and butter SPL teams like Falkirk, St Johnstone, Kilmarnock etc he must start.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Gribz

[wabashcannonball 0]

It does not get much more negative than this.

 

"Since Rangers reached the first ever group stages in 1992, Scotland’s representatives have only encountered sporadically heartening campaigns, and the results of Walter Smith’s side this season represent a nadir. This Group G points total of two is the lowest of any British side in the competition’s history and Rangers are the first Scottish or English team to lose all three homes games in the group stages."

[Frankie 8,151]

Don't disagree with much in the opening post but I do think you've been harsh on Weir who has had a decent season again for me. As always not our most glamorous player but I can't remember him having any out right bad games and he has helped Wilson settle into the team also.

 

One important to make is that we're not a team of individuals either. Every player has their faults and it is exactly because we're unable to play as a team (at the least as a team of defence/midfield/forward units), that we're struggling. Ergo, while most of the players mentioned are well worthy of criticism, several others have not been good enough.

 

Finally, one must acknowledge the manager's hand in all this. Too many players have been moved around, dropped and played out of position too often which has contributed to their inconsistency and obvious lack of confidence. Only Lee McCulloch can say he's done reasonably OK in an unfamiliar role of central midfield but others have clearly suffered.

[calscot 0]

It does not get much more negative than this.

 

"Since Rangers reached the first ever group stages in 1992, Scotland�s representatives have only encountered sporadically heartening campaigns, and the results of Walter Smith�s side this season represent a nadir. This Group G points total of two is the lowest of any British side in the competition�s history and Rangers are the first Scottish or English team to lose all three homes games in the group stages."

 

I think it's grossly unfair to compare us with the top 4 in England... especially when you consider Liverpool in comparison to their wealth, could be classed as a worse disaster - unless they go on to win the Europa cup. But I suppose considering their competition, that should be no harder than us for winning the League Cup.

 

Could be a blessing for them.

[Danny 0]

Don't disagree with much in the opening post but I do think you've been harsh on Weir who has had a decent season again for me. As always not our most glamorous player but I can't remember him having any out right bad games and he has helped Wilson settle into the team also.

 

Wilson's class, with or without Weir tbh. I accept I've been a touch harsh on him, as it's not his fault he's been so mediocre - he simply shouldn't be there now.

 

One important to make is that we're not a team of individuals either. Every player has their faults and it is exactly because we're unable to play as a team (at the least as a team of defence/midfield/forward units), that we're struggling. Ergo, while most of the players mentioned are well worthy of criticism, several others have not been good enough.

 

Finally, one must acknowledge the manager's hand in all this. Too many players have been moved around, dropped and played out of position too often which has contributed to their inconsistency and obvious lack of confidence. Only Lee McCulloch can say he's done reasonably OK in an unfamiliar role of central midfield but others have clearly suffered.

 

I wouldn't deny Walter's failures. As you'll remember a thread I started a long time ago - 'Walter's Lost it'. It was a tad premature, but I do believe it was prophetic and it's been getting truer and truer in subtle measures.

[Totti 0]

Pretty much the whole squad minus Wilson and maybe McGregor. Can't really fault Boyd's domestic goals either.

 

/topic

 

PS - You thought Miller was the perfect man to lead us in attack to replace Cousin? Had you seen him play before? It's quite amusing watching a player take about 17 touches to get control of the ball before it bounces out of play. Never had a player looked so out of depth in the champions league. A very erratic player who for every good performance puts in 5 terrible ones. But hey, he runs around a lot and that seems to keep Scottish football fans happy.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Totti

[Totti 0]

I think it's grossly unfair to compare us with the top 4 in England... especially when you consider Liverpool in comparison to their wealth, could be classed as a worse disaster - unless they go on to win the Europa cup. But I suppose considering their competition, that should be no harder than us for winning the League Cup.

 

Could be a blessing for them.

You should get a job as a Labour spin doctor or something. If Rangers were relegated you'd try and come up with some bullshit excuse that nobody is interested in reading.

[calscot 0]

You should get a job as a Labour spin doctor or something. If Rangers were relegated you'd try and come up with some bullshit excuse that nobody is interested in reading.

 

Do you really think this is some kind of useful post or is my "spin doctoring" so amazing you can't find even the slightest rebuttal to any of my points? You seem to have chickened out of the debate as usual and only seem capable of mud slinging.

 

Maybe you should try to actually expand on why you don't agree with me and maybe make a compelling case...

 

Just hitting out at people who don't agree with you isn't a very healthy attitude.

[craig 5,199]

Cal, a simple rebuttal is that you saw the comparison to the EPL teams but completely looked beyond the fact that our points total is the lowest ANY British team has had in the CL. So ignoring the top 4 in the EPL our points total is the worst any SCOTTISH team has had too.

 

There is no need to compare to the EPL to prove we were utter dross in the CL this year.

 

If you just look at the 6 games we were poor over the piece.

 

Stuttgart away - crap first half, decent 2nd half

Seville home - decent 1st half, imploded 2nd half

Unirea home - pretty poor throughout

Unirea away - not a particularly good performance either

Stuttgart home - 90 minutes of torture

Seville away - 1 shot at goal all game says it all

 

So in 6 games (12 halves) of football we played half decent in 2 halves and even being charitable most wouldn't say as much as 4. That is crap in anyone's terms.

 

We dont need to compare to the EPL teams to see that. But it looks to me that you conveniently picked up on the EPL comparison and completely ignored that the statement also compared us to SPL teams.