Excellent Article in Today's Herald RE: Smith and Our Form

[Frankie 8,181]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/whether-by-accident-or-design-walter-smith-seems-to-have-hit-on-the-perfect-shape-for-rangers-but-will-he-remain-bold-at-celtic-park-and-easter-road-1.993668

 

 

 

If we are to reach for one quality that defines Walter Smith�s approach to management, the influence that lies at its core, we might say it is pragmatism.

 

At least in the sense that he will encounter any set of circumstances with a view to claiming them for his own means, of possessing them.

 

In trying to account for the sudden shift in potency, in expression of purpose, in sheer presence, of this Rangers team, the manager talks of events, those factors that surround things and shape them. So it was that injuries prompted him to play DaMarcus Beasley and Nacho Novo on the flanks in recent weeks; in effect he felt compelled to recast his team into one containing two wide attackers and two central strikers.

 

There is, of course, a deep distrust of hubris in Smith; in that soft voice that hardens gruffly round the edges he strives, always, to portray football as a simple game, one in which you do what you can, when you can. But then there is always another way, so we can know that he has embraced this alteration, this particular transformation, because he considers it the most effective way of applying his command.

 

In the aftermath of losing 1-0 at Pittodrie last month, he said quite firmly that his team was lacking, that it was without that type of player on the wing who carries a hint of danger. Rangers were also sluggish, with a kind of dolefulness to their thinking that allowed Aberdeen to immediately and urgently assert their intent.

 

Since then, Smith�s side have won four consecutive league games and their play has been stripped to an essential forcefulness. Rangers close opponents down further up the field, they seek a higher tempo, they are more direct in their ambition, and so the pace and trickery of Beasley, and the endless industry of Novo and Kenny Miller, is revealed as a solution. Individually, they represent so much of the spirit of Rangers� approach, by bringing a vigour to bear, by establishing their vitality.

 

At that moment when the very nature of Rangers� season was balancing on the edge, when the Champions League campaign had exposed the flaws of a squad that has not been refreshed by new signings, Smith addressed the failings he saw most plainly. This coincided with Beasley�s return to full fitness, to a conspicuous brightness in training, to positioning Novo on the left, despite him being a centre-forward at heart.

 

It is a balance, of sorts, with Steven Davis allowed greater influence in central midfield and Miller straining defenders with his aggressive pressing. Suddenly it seems simple, so clear no doubt that the question arises as to why it has taken until December for Rangers to make sense of their qualities. But Smith has little time for reflection.

 

Not on the brink of three matches in seven days against the three teams gathered just behind Rangers in the league table. As they prepare to face Hibernian at Easter Road, Dundee United at Ibrox and Celtic at Parkhead ââ?¬â?? matches that Smith acknowledges will set the tone for the rest of the season ââ?¬â?? the wonder is how true the manager will stay to this conversion of style.

 

At Ibrox, it will still feel comfortable to line up so assertively that at times the team is playing 4-2-4, but at Easter Road and Celtic Park there will be the temptation to introduce a little caution. And so we return to the thing that shapes Smith�s manner, his pragmatism.

 

Rangers have been imposing themselves on opponents, as evidenced by a run of five successive league games at Ibrox in which they have scored in the opening 10 minutes. Against a Hibs team that is still coming to terms with a season that has brought them to within five points of the league leaders, and a Celtic side fraught with defensive anxieties, the reasonable view might be to exert some pressure, to push at those places that seem most vulnerable.

 

With Kevin Thomson�s calf injury likely to rule him out of this critical run of games, Maurice Edu�s return to fitness is timely. The American played for all 80 minutes of a bounce match against Partick Thistle yesterday and he provides a dynamic alternative to Lee McCulloch as a partner to Davis in midfield. The only other options would be to play both McCulloch and Edu and drop Beasley or Novo to accommodate the more defensively minded Davis on the flank, or drop Boyd and play Novo and Beasley either side of a midfield five, with Miller up front on his own.

 

Yet we come round to that pragmatism again, the dry sense of logic that counters against disruption. Rangers have begun to feel the surge of that one commodity managers consider the most significant of all values, however vague its reasoning: momentum. It is not just four successive league wins that we should consider, but the scope of them, the certainty of 15 goals scored and only two conceded, of an emphatic performance at Tannadice, of the sense of a team that has come to terms with the best of itself.

 

Rangers are in a place where everything suddenly seems possible again.

 

Smith will do whatever he can to keep them there.

[Frankie 8,181]

Have said before that I think Smith is a percentages manager.

 

Not sure if he's a gambling man but if he were he wouldn't be someone who goes after bets with high odds but an even-money backer.

 

In his second spell at the club especially Smith is aware of what needs to be done. The SPL (and the qualification for the CL that goes with it) is paramount and in a new era where the Old Firm are no longer to be feared by one and all, he realises that sometimes we'll need to be less adventurous than the fans would like. Hence, the dour 4-5-1's or the 4-4-2 with Miller playing deep to link the play which keeps games tight and our midfield strong enough to avoid problems with the more physical and/or pacey teams full of younger players with points to prove.

 

One can also see that, unlike us excitable supporters, Smith doesn't panic when we drop points. Even during games, you won't see a raft of substitutions to alter a game significantly because Smith trusts his men (and his tactics) to break down teams eventually. Of course that doesn't always work and we're then quite within our rights to question and criticise. One could argue that it is only after the fans (aided by the likes of Gough and Hateley) took umbrage that the players got their finger out!

 

Of course, I still doubt many fans would see Walter Smith as their ideal manager. Even our recent good form and more exciting attacking play has come out of alleged enforced change as opposed to the manager altering his outlook. As such, Smith's critics will remain abundant and vocal - and quite rightly so.

 

However, we'd all do well to remember that, despite a fair amount of financial restrictions over the last 18 months, we remain competitive and remain Scotland's best team. Perhaps the lack of money available to the manager is a good thing as his transfer record is hardly a glorious one. Perhaps having to actually manage the players available to him instead of buying his way out of trouble suits Smith's nature better than he even realises.

 

What is for certain is that the finishing line is still 6 months away. Do we opt for a high-risk strategy of constantly changing our team or do we maintain the status quo of a settled XI complimented with one or two changes dependent on injuries?

 

Place your bets gentlemen...

[craig 5,199]

I honestly cant believe we are even considering a change in personnel OR formation.

 

I don't buy the 4-4-2 becomes 4-2-4 with Novo and Beasley - both of those players in their run in the team have actually done a very good job at tracking back. At one point on Saturday I recall Novo starting in the Motherwell half out on our left hand side and, seeing danger, ended up at right back to cover.

 

We should be forcing teams to fear US, not the other way round. With our recent run of form, results and scorelines Hibs really should be shitting themselves. If we alter formation what message does that send ? To me it says "we have been playing well, scoring at will, winning comfortably - but because you guys are 5 points behind us let us alter our formation because we are worried about what you will do" - that would be nothing short of a huge motivational boost for Hibs.

 

Screw that, we have been doing well and both Novo and Beasley have been doing well - I would stick with the formation and personnel, even if we lose the game I would still be saying it is the right thing to do.

[ian1964 10,436]

I don't think we should change our formation or personel,especially for the Hivs game,in fact for any of our games including the MOPES game,the way we are playing these teams will be shitting it from us,if we continue on this form our guys will RAPE the MOPES

[stewarty 1,877]

If Smith changes things for any of the games it will be the Old Firm one although I hope not as we can really expose their defensive frailties.

[gisabeer 409]

So it was that injuries prompted him to play DaMarcus Beasley and Nacho Novo on the flanks in recent weeks; in effect he felt compelled to recast his team into one containing two wide attackers and two central strikers.

 

Same thing happened last season. he was forced to use boyd and Novo in the run in last seasn due to injuries. Smith is no tactical genius. Circumstance and good fortune play a much bigger part than hed care to admit.

[andy steel 0]

Of course, I still doubt many fans would see Walter Smith as their ideal manager.

 

<outraged>

 

Well, I do!