elderslieblue 0 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=hannover-hangover%26method=full%26objectid=19471782%26siteid=66633-name_page.html Didny see the match so I'll reserve comment. :yawn: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,182 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 We did OK generally. Nevertheless, I fee; friendlies are a chance to experiment and I still feel that we're often too defensive in our outlook. While I'm reasonably happy with Thomson and Hemdani in the holding roles, it's imperative their defensive nature is complimented by players who can cause problems offensively and support Boyd. Beasley did OK but Burke was awful. Ferguson couldn't really get into the game and drifted further back with every passing minute. Essentially, that stifled Thomson who up until half-time was our best midfielder. This meant we were one man down in an attacking sense. As such, Smith has to decide quickly whether or not to continue with Ferguson in the offensive central role or go with Gow (until Buffel is fit at least). Similarly, we need a right-sided player who can work with the attacking nature of Hutton and cause genuine problems. This also may mean we need to drop one of Hemdani/Thomson which isn't an easy decision either. To conclude, the fact we have a CL qualifier coming up against one of 2 average (but reasonably dangerous teams) tells us why we played the usual 4-2-3-1. Hannover are probably better than Zeta or Kaunas but we coped easily enough with their attack. I think that was the aim - to test our defence as opposed to our attack away from home. I'd like to think that after a few more games (Ajax and Chelsea especially) our level of performance will increase enough to be sound defensively but also have enough firepower and creativity to score the goals we will require in 2 weeks time. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 As such, Smith has to decide quickly whether or not to continue with Ferguson in the offensive central role or go with Gow (until Buffel is fit at least). Similarly, we need a right-sided player who can work with the attacking nature of Hutton and cause genuine problems. This also may mean we need to drop one of Hemdani/Thomson which isn't an easy decision either. A lot of Rangers fans would love to see WS drop Ferguson because lets face it, he's been average for us since he returned from Blackburn. He turned into a wee stubborn boy when PLG stood upto him and in the end came out on top. Has WS the balls to drop him? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascender 352 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 I'd like to see us go 4-4-2 with the following line-up. _____________________McGregor____________________ Hutton_______Weir/Webster______Cuellar_________Smith ____________________Thomson______________________ Beasley_____________Hemdani______________McCulloch ______________Boyd___________D'Archeville__________ A few of those players are easily changed out for others and if WS does want to play with Boyd up top and someone playing behind him, he could go for Gow or Buffel or Fergie. Which brings us to Fergie. I've picked that midfield on the basis of performances over the last while and the potential I've seen in Thomson. At the moment, when Fergie plays, he's basically acting as another defensive midfielder, not an attacking one. Without dragging up all the stuff that happened last season, he does seem determined that everything should go through him and he wants to come deep at every opportunity. Which as Frankie says, clearly affected Thomson last night. Even last season when playing in that second striker role, apart from the one match at Ibrox in the UEFA Cup where he ran riot, it was the same old story. Which just screws up the formation completely. At the moment I just think Fergie has a lot to prove and shouldn't be getting picked every week if he continues to turn in average displays. I think Hemdani is more naturally gifted and is very comfortable on the ball, so we should be giving him a chance of more freedom to express himself and see what he can do. I think Thomson could develop in to a great defensive midfielder for us if he's given a chance and I still think he could go on to become a better player than Scott Brown. We're playing most of our football in the SPL and for that I think we should be playing an attacking 4-4-2 with one defensive midfielder. Not three. But WS will not drop Fergie, nor it seems Hemdani. Which then makes me think that he's using this formation to make sure he can play all three of them. Or he drops Thomson, which I think would be a mistake. I think Gazza summed it up perfectly, I don't think WS has the balls to drop Fergie. And that's nothing personal against BF, its just an honest appraisal going on his performances. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Is Webster fit again? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascender 352 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Is Webster fit again? I think so, or at least he's training again. I'm assuming he's the natural successor to Weir. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 I'd like to see us go 4-4-2 with the following line-up. _____________________McGregor____________________ Hutton_______Weir/Webster______Cuellar_________Smith ____________________Thomson______________________ Beasley_____________Hemdani______________McCulloch ______________Boyd___________D'Archeville__________ A few of those players are easily changed out for others and if WS does want to play with Boyd up top and someone playing behind him, he could go for Gow or Buffel or Fergie. Which brings us to Fergie. I've picked that midfield on the basis of performances over the last while and the potential I've seen in Thomson. At the moment, when Fergie plays, he's basically acting as another defensive midfielder, not an attacking one. Without dragging up all the stuff that happened last season, he does seem determined that everything should go through him and he wants to come deep at every opportunity. Which as Frankie says, clearly affected Thomson last night. Even last season when playing in that second striker role, apart from the one match at Ibrox in the UEFA Cup where he ran riot, it was the same old story. Which just screws up the formation completely. At the moment I just think Fergie has a lot to prove and shouldn't be getting picked every week if he continues to turn in average displays. I think Hemdani is more naturally gifted and is very comfortable on the ball, so we should be giving him a chance of more freedom to express himself and see what he can do. I think Thomson could develop in to a great defensive midfielder for us if he's given a chance and I still think he could go on to become a better player than Scott Brown. We're playing most of our football in the SPL and for that I think we should be playing an attacking 4-4-2 with one defensive midfielder. Not three. But WS will not drop Fergie, nor it seems Hemdani. Which then makes me think that he's using this formation to make sure he can play all three of them. Or he drops Thomson, which I think would be a mistake. I think Gazza summed it up perfectly, I don't think WS has the balls to drop Fergie. And that's nothing personal against BF, its just an honest appraisal going on his performances. Yeah Id go with that. Frankie mentioned maybe dropping Hemdani or Thomson so we could play a right sided player but the solution to keeping Hemdani and Thomson is to play 2 upfront and drop the 3rd centre mid man. If we go 4-4-2 then id go with your team but id still like to see Sebo or Novo play upfront with another striker so again Id drop Boyd. I just cant see WS dropping Ferguson or Boyd, they are absolute bankers to start everyweek. If he keeps this 4-2-3-1 formation then he should change the personell to this: ________________McGregor_____________ Hutton_____Weir_______Cuellar_____Smith __________Hemdani___Thomson__________ __Beasley_______Gow/Buffel______McCulloch _______________Darcheville________________ 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascender 352 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 The strange thing is though that whereas Boyd makes some sort of telling contribution every week, there's been large spells of last season where Ferguson is just a passenger. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailio 0 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 A lot of Rangers fans would love to see WS drop Ferguson because lets face it, he's been average for us since he returned from Blackburn. He turned into a wee stubborn boy when PLG stood upto him and in the end came out on top. Has WS the balls to drop him? I can't understand why people suddenly want WS to drop BF. After PLG left he was arguably our best and most consistent player last season. IMO he has nothing to prove and players such as Thomson and the new signings still have a lot to do before they can even be considered before BF 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 BF was our best performer after PLG left? Sorry got to disagree. BF now thinks he has the run of Rangers FC. Hopefully WS can put him in his place. The guy is to big for his own average sized boots. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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