Our first XI, who would you pick?

[ascender 352]

I can't believe our squad now. I genuinely cannot believe how many options we have for the first time in what seems like 5 years or so? Its going to be very interesting to see what our first XI is like in a few weeks time, so what would your lineup be?

 

How about this for starters?

 

___________________Mcgregor____________________

 

 

Hutton__________Cuellar_____Weir___________Papac

 

 

Whittaker_____Thomson_____Ferguson______McCulloch

 

 

_____________Naismith________Cousin_____________

 

 

But then I've left out JCD, Boyd & Hemdani. Not to mention Novo our supersub. Who don't make a bad bench to choose from, do they?

[craig 5,199]

Controversial I know.... although Gribz will possibly agree with me.... but right now I think with Stevie Smith out injured there is good reason to play a 3-5-2 (at least at Ibrox).

 

I would go with the following team - with the 2 wide midfielders (Whittaker & McCulloch) obviously dropping as wing backs when we don't have the ball. The number of times Hutton gets pulled inside he may as well be playing CB anyway :fish:

 

_________________McGregor_________________

 

_______Hutton______Cuellar______Weir________

 

Whittaker____Thomson____Ferguson____McCulloch

 

__________________Naismith_________________

 

____________JCD/Boyd________Cousin_________

[Jon 0]

I like the look of that team Craig.

 

I just cant see how anyone can leave out Boyd though.

 

Definitely the first time in years that we have come anywhere close to be ina postion to argue/debate over our strongest XI.

 

Funny thing in one of the papers after Tuesdays game was a list of the XI that were left out and how they would beat PLG's starting XI this time last season...

[juffery 0]

I have no fucking idea. We've got too many players!!!!!! Probably go with Craigs line-up with JCD alongside Cousin. I know Boyd scores but I've been really really impressedwith the Darche and think he'll link up well with Cousin.

[craig 5,199]

I have no fucking idea. We've got too many players!!!!!! Probably go with Craigs line-up with JCD alongside Cousin. I know Boyd scores but I've been really really impressedwith the Darche and think he'll link up well with Cousin.

 

Prior to yesterday I wouldn't have agreed with you Juff - but after watching Boyd and Cousin together, then watching the impact JCD had on the team, I felt that Boyd and Cousin played too similarly and that JCD, upon his arrival, immediately lifted the team and increased the tempo considerably.

 

So in my team where I had JCD/Boyd I think I would now have Boyd/Cousin with JCD being the guaranteed starter.

 

JCD and his directness really impressed me.

 

One thing about the options we have that is impressive, at least to me, is that we can change the players without changing the tactics - eg being that we could go with a pairing of JCD and Boyd one game and then Novo and Cousin another - those pairings would be similar in style, which means tactics can remain the same.

[CammyF 6,806]

Has to be 4-4-2 for domestic games ;

 

McGregor

 

Hutton

Weir

CC

Papac

 

Whitty

Thommo

Fergie

McCulloch

 

JCD

Cousin

 

For Europe and 'tough' domestic away games the 4-5-1

 

McGregor

 

Hutton

Weir

CC

Papac

 

Whitty

Thommo

Hendami

Fergie

McCulloch / Beasley (as DMB gives you added pace)

 

JCD or Cousin - both seem equally well equipted to play the lone striker role

 

One thing that has really pleased me is that most of our signings can play in several positions. Faye can play midfield of denfence, McCulloch can play midfield or upfront, Beasley can play wide left or right, Naismith can play wide, through the middle or off the front (ditto Gow) - we have GENUINE options for the first time since the first to 50 season.

 

Another positive is that we have signed players who genuinely seem to want to play for Rangers, and I am counting the 'foriegn' players in that as well. CC, JCD, Cousin, Faye etc have all said positive things about signing and playing for Rangers and Cousin and JCD are playing with niggles / injuries.

 

WS has also signed Rangers fans in players like Carrol, McCulloch, Gow, Naismith and Whitty all of whom have spoken of their joy and desire to play for Rangers.

 

We have a squad that is giving everything for us at the moment and as fans that is all we can ask for and long may that continue. If we can add a little sparkle to that, it may be a very successful season.

 

Cammy F

[craig 5,199]

I just don't buy needing 4 defenders when playing at Ibrox though Cammy. Look at yesterday, Gretna played with one guy up front and never really made too much of an effort to get support to him - so you end up with 4 defenders marking one player - unneccessary IMO.

 

When you add to that the engine that Whittaker and McCulloch seem to have then can play as wing-backs when we don't have the ball and midfielders when we do have the ball - and I think we also can utilise the additional man in midfield by having a creative player in there which is what we have been missing.

 

The other thing you find in playing the 4-4-2 at Ibrox (except against better teams) is that the other team flood the midfield with 5 players - so with a 4-4-2 your midfield get very little time on the ball so you end up playing the ball back-to-front.

 

All about opinions but I think playing 4 at the back against a team playing 4-5-1 and where their "5" aren't supporting the "1" is wasting a player at the back when he could be further forward.

 

I have no doubts WS won't go with my formation, but I still think it would be more effective against teams who come to defend.

 

I agree about the versatility - that is very pleasing and it actually makes our squad look a LOT bigger than it is (and it is big anyway) and means we should easily be able to cover injuries and suspensions.

 

Also agree about the spirit in the squad - they want to play for the team, they know there is competition for places so want to play well all the time.

 

I think right now we have a strong, if unspectacular, squad and if we can keep that together for a few years then the transfer funds available for the next couple of seasons can be spent on that little touch of quality with a better player who costs more.

 

WS knew this pre-season needed a complete overhaul of the squad and therefore we needed quantity as much as quality - we can only be pleasantly surprised at how we seem to have also got a bit of quality with that quantity !

[CammyF 6,806]

Craig, all about opinions, but 4-4-2 has delivered us 3 very easy and convincing victories at Ibrox so far - scoring plenty of goals and Falkirk apart, concending very few.... OK the oppo hasn't been the greatest, but against teams like Hearts, Hibs, AFC, Craptic, Killie etc who will offer more at Ibrox, and IMO 4-4-2 is the strongest formation that we have.

 

3-5-2 isn't set up for attacking football IMO - it stagnates teams as the wide men feel they have to defend rather that attack. in a 4-4-2 especially when you have only 1 forward to mark, both full backs have liecence to bomb forward (as Hutton does brilliantly as does Papac but less so - if that makes sense).

 

The formation I'd like to see WS try at home more often is 4-3-3. We have the players for this and against teams playing defensively, it streches them more then 4-4-2 or 3-5-2.

 

As we are a new team and have new players bedding in, in fully expect WS to (rightly) play it safe and play to our strengths. That means making us hard to score against and playing solid - rigid 4-4-2 (or 4-5-1). Over time, he may revert to other formations.

 

Oh, and I don't think we can argue over the results delivered by these formations and tactics so far

 

Cammy F

[craig 5,199]

Cammy, the scoreline yesterday may have suggested an easy win but had it not been for a deflected free-kick we would have struggled - we were bereft of ideas prior to that deflected goal - I don't think it was as easy as it sounds - would have been interesting to see what would have happened had that free kick not gone in. We never looked in danger of losing a goal but our midfield toiled IMO.

 

I agree in a sense about what you say in a 3-5-2 seeming more defensive - but both Whittaker and McCulloch have great engines to do the job of both attacking and defending, then you have able subs in Novo, Naismith, DMB.

 

Agreed Re Hutton - easily the best RB in the country (can't be many better in the UK actually, the way he is playing), disagree Re Papac based on what I saw yesterday - thought he was terrible yesterday (poor distribution, offered little support to DMB, played some poor balls which could have caused trouble) - quicker Stevie Smith is back the better !!

 

I couldnt agree more that WS is RIGHT in playing it safe with a new team and after the recent barren seasons !

 

The results cannot be argued against, tactics I am not so sure - which is strange to say when you have a 100% record after 5 games.

 

One thing we CAN agree on is how amazing it is that we stand here with a 100% record and are still debating our best team and formation - this time last year there was no debate because the first 11 picked itself, and it was a very poor comparison to this season's.

 

I am highly impressed with the spirit WS has instilled in his squad, they all WANT to play for the Gers and they are all pulling for each other - they seem to have that togetherness that the 9IAR team had.

 

Long may it continue.

[juffery 0]

Going back to Mike's original point - our best team - surely Stevie Smith has to be in it actually. Once he's back fit he'll be a cracking player. Totallyspoiled for choices I really don't envy Walter his job!!