Rangers 4 : 0 St Mirren - Player Ratings and MoM Poll

[Frankie 8,136]

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=586&Itemid=1

 

MoM - Whittaker

[stewarty 1,876]

Dont disagree with any of those from what I saw. The Sunday Herald is even suggesting that Whittaker is in with a shout of being left back for Scotland given his recent performances and the fact that Burley was at the game yesterday.

[stewarty 1,876]

http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shmatchreports/display.var.1997304.0.talent_show.php

 

GEORGE BURLEY is starting with a completely clean slate as the new Scotland manager and he could have filled a notebook full of first impressions here. On his first day of active service he took a seat high in Ibrox's Bill Struth Stand, from which vantage point he had a view of nine current Scottish internationalists as well as a player who made a persuasive case for becoming a tenth. Naturally enough all of them were in Rangers colours on a day in which the leaders moved seven points clear at the top of the SPL, with a game more played than second placed Celtic.

 

Burley did not have much of a contest to take in - St Mirren conceded three goals and had Will Haining sent off in ten first half minutes - but he could enjoy Barry Ferguson and Alan Hutton's assured performances while Allan McGregor, Davie Weir, Charlie Adam and substitutes Lee McCulloch and Steven Naismith were all satisfactory. Kris Boyd and Chris Burke scored a goal each but their wastefulness at other times will not have gone unnoticed.

 

Steven Whittaker has never played for Scotland but Burley will this week name a squad for a February get-together and yesterday the former Hibs man may have played his way into it. Walter Smith paid �£2 million for Whittaker and he has taken his time to adapt to life at Rangers. His form faded after a promising start and he was not helped by being nudged around from right midfield to left-back. It was in the latter position that he impressed yesterday, however, galloping forward to menace St Mirren and producing accomplished finishes to score with his left foot and then his right.

 

Scotland have Gary Naysmith and Jay McEveley as their left-back options but injuries and inexperience respectively count against them and the path is clear for an alternative to emerge. "It is everyone's dream to play for Scotland," Whittaker said last night. "If George is looking for a left-back then obviously I would be more than happy to play there." Meanwhile Rangers' forgotten young left-back, Stevie Smith, is due to play for the reserves at Dumbarton tomorrow.

advertisement

 

Rangers manager Walter Smith poured cold water on speculation that he wanted to bring Wigan striker Marcus Bent on loan on the basis that the forward had already played for two teams (Charlton and Wigan) this term and Fifa legislation forbids players from being signed by three different clubs in a single season. Daniel Cousin is currently unable to complete a �£3 million move to Fulham because of the same rule, although Rangers are confident that his single, 20-minute substitute appearance for Lens will mean a Fulham appeal would receive the FA's support, paving the way for the transfer to go ahead. Smith admitted he was hopeful of signing a squad goalkeeper before the transfer window closes on Thursday evening, with Grzegorz Szamotulski said to be on his way when his Dundee United contract expires this week.

 

Rangers could have played most of yesterday's game with no-one in goal. What began as a promising match was quickly suffocated. The plug was pulled on St Mirren in a catastrophic ten minutes in the first half in which they lost three goals and a player. Their bright opening period, in which they pressed Rangers and forced a couple of saves out of Allan McGregor from a Billy Mehmet header and firm low shot, proved to be utterly misleading.

 

They conceded a cheap goal the first time Rangers threatened as Ferguson's measured cross sailed over Boyd's head to the back post and Burke, who brought it down and buried a finish for his first goal since Smith's first game back in charge a year ago. Boyd somehow headed over with the goal yawning before him but quickly redeemed himself by rifling in Rangers' second goal after a cute pass from the busy and effective Jean-Claude Darcheville.

 

By then St Mirren were looking at the remainder of the afternoon with a sense of dread. Will Haining had been booked for a foul on Darcheville and was heading for trouble as soon as he decided to motor across and address a Hutton run. Hutton was too quick for him and Haining sent him sprawling. It was a red card after just half an hour. St Mirren manager Gus McPherson had his head in his hands and later said he felt Haining would not have been booked for the first incident had Darcheville not reacted as if badly hurt. "It was a nothing challenge that resulted in a yellow card."

 

Their flurry of punishment wasn't over yet. Whittaker emulated his colleague at full-back, Hutton, by advancing to the St Mirren box and, having taken possession, drove a low, angled shot through the defence and inside the far post. At that moment one thought would have occurred to the St Mirren supporters in the ground: just how painful is this going to get? From then on it was damage limitation although there was only one further crack of the whip, when Whittaker scored again deep into the second half.

 

He cut inside and hit a firm shot high into the top corner. The goal bore an aplomb otherwise absent from Whittaker's team-mates as they misplaced, mis-hit or scuffed a series of scoring chances during a dominant but untroubled second half performance. Boyd could have had another hat-trick to go with his midweek one against East Stirlingshire while a calmer finish would have given Burke a goal instead of the derision he received for sending the ball screaming past the far post into the Copland Road stand. By then the Rangers support was grumbling and bored.

 

Rangers substitutes: Naismith for Darcheville 63, McCulloch for Adam 71, Novo for Burke 78 Not used: G Smith, Broadfoot, Furman, Fleck Booked: Cuellar 22 St Mirren substitutes: Kean for Mehmet 64, McGinn for Murray 73, Burke for Dorman 86 Not used: Howard, Dargo, Miranda, McCay Booked: Haining 18, 30 Sent off: Haining 30 Referee: M. Tumilty Att: 49,198

[Gribz 743]

Whittaker had a shocking start when he was playing RM but is doing a fine job at LB. Plus we have S Smith to return so it bares well for us.

 

And as for Scotland we could end up having most of the team of Bears. McGregor would be first pick ahead of Gordon at the moment IMO. Gordon has made quite a few errors since going down there but he is playing infront of a shockingly shite defence, and he has still pulled off a few good saves. But McGregor has nipped ahead of him IMO.

 

Hutton has made the RB place his own.

Weir will probably make the team despite being 37, and who knows what Webster will offer.

[Whosthedado 1,481]

It has to be Whittaker yesterday, took his goals well. I reckon its a little bit too early to start talking about a Scotland Cap but when you see the other options why not? Once Mr S Smith gets back fit there is going to be good competition for both both full back positions.

[otis 0]

If Whittaker can keep this form up then i don't see why he can't be a regular in the Scotland squad. Outstanding yesterday and his took both his goals really well.

[alanmidd 0]

Didn't think Ferguson was worthy of an 8. Too often he slowed the game down when St Mirren were looking ragged

[ascender 352]

Whittaker has always looked surprisingly skillful with the ball at his feet, but he just looked like he needed a wee break or maybe time to settle. Hopefully this is the start of a long run in the first team for him.

[Gazza_8 233]

I nmever knew until last night that the St Midden boy who got sent off yesterday is shegging Michelle Marsh. Jammy wee basturt! On yersell son.