Danny Wilson and Rob Kiernan get Rangers pass marks so far...

[ian1964 10,411]

...but they will get even better with time says Ibrox legend Brown.

 

THE evidence put forward by the prosecution left the defence with a considerable case to answer.

 

But Danny Wilson and Rob Kiernan should not have been under question according to Rangers legend John Brown.

 

The post-mortem into Rangers’ defeat to St Johnstone last week was forensic as many witnesses had their say and gave their verdict on the first defeat of the campaign for Mark Warburton’s side.

 

There were doubts raised over the manager’s attacking approach, criticism directed towards his Light Blues back line and claims that the loss was conclusive proof Rangers are not yet good enough to compete in the Premiership.

 

The performances of Wilson and Kiernan, the men who have been at the heart of Rangers’ rear guard for most of the campaign, came under the microscope as the goals that handed the Saints a 3-1 win were conceded far too easily.

 

It was, in Rangers’ twelfth outing, their first, and remains their only, defeat this term as they recovered to keep a clean sheet and see off Morton on Sunday.

 

And Bomber believes the Wilson and Kiernan pairing will benefit from more minutes together and go on to be a reliable duo for the Light Blues.

 

“A lot of people were critical of them after the St Johnstone game,” he told SportTimes.

 

“But you have to remember they are only a few games into a new partnership in a new team.

 

“It takes time to gel. I think they have done very well overall and some people are getting carried away by the St Johnstone result.

 

“They are still learning, they are getting to know each other as a partnership together and with the goalkeeper and the midfield players. It is about getting an understanding.

 

“Up to now, they both get pass marks and they will want to keep improving.

 

“It is virtually a brand new team. It is not as if it is two new defenders coming into a team that has been playing together for years.

 

“Overall they have done very well. They have handled the Championship and have a number of clean sheets.

 

“It is work in progress and the more games they play together the better they will become.”

 

Boss Warburton was irked by some of the comment and coverage directed towards his side in the aftermath of the League Cup loss last week but turned the negatives into a positive as Rangers returned to winning ways at Cappielow.

 

The way in which Rangers play, with full-backs James Tavernier and Lee Wallace bombing forward and the midfield trio looking to play quick, incisive and attacking football can leave Wilson, Kiernan and keeper Wes Foderingham exposed at times.

 

The 4-3-3 system places significant emphasis on the holding midfield role, one which Andy Halliday has performed with aplomb thus far.

 

And Brown insists there has to be a collective effort to ensure Rangers are able to avoid losing more of the same kind of goals as their defence has been split open too easily on occasion this term.

 

He said: “In my day, the main importance was the guy playing behind you, the guy beside you and the guy in front of you. Everyone needs to understand each other.

 

“It is not just about the central defenders, it is about the team, their shape and how they defend without the ball.

 

“I would say if one full-back is pushing on, the other should hold back and provide cover but when you have two attacking, you need more than the holding midfielder there.

 

“You need another midfield player to be covering the spine of the team.

 

“It is great that the full-backs are getting forward and scoring goals but you always run the risk of conceding.

 

“That is where the two central defenders and the holding midfielder need to be really solid.

 

“The priority for the defence has to be to keep a clean sheet. That is what they are paid for.”

 

There may still be questions being asked over how solid and reliable Rangers are at the back, and how they will fare should they face Premiership opposition again this season, but any weakness is unlikely to prove costly in the coming months.

 

Warburton’s side will host Falkirk this weekend aiming to extend their league winning streak to nine matches and open up a twelve point advantage in the Championship standings.

 

The chasing pack have a considerable task on their hands to reel Rangers in and prevent them from strolling to title success at the second time of asking.

 

And nine-in-a-row legend Brown reckons it is mission impossible as Warburton’s side look to clinch the crown sooner rather than later.

 

Bomber said: “I said after the early games to a few people that I fancied Rangers to win the league comfortably, by 20 plus points.

 

“They will win the majority of their games because the style they play is too much for the majority of teams in the Championship.

 

“In the winter months, you might see a difference. But the way the manager has got them playing, they are going to win a lot of games this season and other teams will struggle to catch them. Round about February, they could be winning the league.

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/13792693.Danny_Wilson_and_Rob_Kiernan_get_Rangers_pass_marks_so_far__but_they_will_get_even_better_with_time_says_Ibrox_legend_Brown/

[der Berliner 3,245]

Echoes what most "realistic" people have been saying so far. The one point that we apparently miss thus far is a defensive midfielder that covers the two CHs as well, if they are drawn to the sides. Not least in the winter months, where silky footbal will probably not exactly be high on the agenda any more.

[gisabeer 409]

I dont rate wilson all that much. Weir made him look a better player than he actually was before he went to liverpool and is now getting found out. We conceed to many easy goals and will get punished on a regular basis by better teams if we continue to defend in the same manner.

[buster. 4,808]

One thing that doesn't seem to be mentioned regards the way the team is set-up is the positive effect that it has had on the general supporter experience and cashflow for the football club at a time of need. Rarely does a new management team and squad deliver so quickly and in such a rounded way for a football club.

 

You play what is front of you and at present we are in the Championship and set-up to win games of football by scoring more goals than the opposition (it's working) and to entertain (it's working). Regardless of what has been said regards Cups, our only real priority is to win the Championship and return to the top tier. At this point, the management team will look again at what is front of them and tailor the playing squad / set-up accordingly.

Edited September 30, 2015 by buster.

[Tannochsidebear 2,306]

I see the Evening Times has a very loose definition of "Legend". For me Brown comes nowhere near that status. There was a reason he was the only uncapped player in the 9IAR team, and that is because, without Gough, he actually wasnt all that good IMO. Yes, if a forward needed "sorting out" Brown would be first up, but he was the weak link by far in a very good team.

 

I dont have a problem with what he says in the article, as most of it has already been covered by Gersnet in recent days, although we are now 13 games into the season and we should be seeing some sort of partnership forming by now, and Wilson for me is getting worse, not better.

[Bearman 9]

Bet the opposition strikers 'wobbled' when they saw him running out the tunnel.

[Bruno55 0]

Bit hard on bomber after all he was in Walters all time rangers team and when we beat the sheep on the last day of the season he shouldn't have been playing because of a serious injury but pulling that famous Jersey on does wonders for you, by the way he ended up on crutches at the end...he'll be a legend in that era for me..

[the gunslinger 3,366]

I really rated brown. Very undervalued

[Bruno55 0]

Bomber played 278 times and scored 18 times...