Post Kaunas discontent - One fans fears realised

[Super_Ally 0]

The pervading feeling of negativity is not merely a knee-jerk reaction to a quite shambolic early European exit. The humbling result allied to two woeful performances is merely confirmation of a many of my views.

 

I wish there was a ââ?¬Å?first and foremostââ?¬Â, but there are that many pressing issues it is hard to know where to begin. I will merely discuss them as they come to me so apologies for a lack of structure or any incoherencies.

 

Striking options

 

So onto my biggest gripe, Kenny Miller, or perhaps to look at it another way Kris Boyd. One is our best striker, the other a footballing impostor who has swindled a living from a game he has no ability to play. One is lauded for his willing running and always giving his all, when many a more gifted player are derided for a similar attitude with cries of ââ?¬Å?any man in the stand could offer the sameââ?¬Â and possibly more. Miller is a more fancied Nacho Novo despite the former being an inferior player. The both give 100%, they both never stop running. But Novo benefits from being a luckier player and crucially, as a striker, providing a genuine goal threat. Be that scoring himself, as several important European strikes last year proved, or turning provider as he did tonight. Indeed contrast his performance tonight with Millerââ?¬â?¢s. Novo looked dangerous every time he got the ball, although all too infrequently considering the success he was having and set up Thomson for his strike.

 

For his part, in the opening quarter, Miller was offside twice, missed a couple of chances but had a couple of nice touches. He then disappeared until about the last twenty when he had a nice run before putting a tame cross near the keeper.

 

Millerââ?¬â?¢s inclusion ahead of Boyd is frankly baffling to me. In fact any other striker in the squad should be picked ahead of Miller. Those who support him and deride Boyd, including the manager, have it arse about face. They talk of Millerââ?¬â?¢s willing running to create chances for other players and Boydââ?¬â?¢s inability to do this. But their criticism is misplaced. Why do we insist on having goal-shy strikers to set up midfielders instead of the other way round. When did football become so ââ?¬Å?cleverââ?¬Â and complicated. In any case we donââ?¬â?¢t have any Gerrardââ?¬â?¢s or Scholesââ?¬â?¢ in our team to be the goal scoring midfielder. Why donââ?¬â?¢t we do something novel and have the other nine outfield players doing their job, and the goalscorer doing his? Since we donââ?¬â?¢t have the attacking midfield to feed off of Millerââ?¬â?¢s expert link play (no laughing at the back) how about we look at building a team to feed one of our few plus points in the game; an out and out goalscorer?

 

(On a related note what is Pat Nevin�s agenda with the co-commentary virtual blowjob he was giving Miller. Why was he patronising the viewing public with ridiculous claims of an outstanding performance from the largely anonymous player? And this behaviour was not limited to Nevin, just best exemplified by him).

An impotent midfield

 

It is my experience that those fans who communicate on message boards do so to confirm their own misguided views on the game and then patronise the non-internet obsessed fan on his views because kingbilly1690 agrees with him. It is this kind of clique forming, mutual ass licking behaviour that lead the internet uber fans to come to the opinion that we are a better team without Barry Ferguson, albeit this is not so much a gripe with this website.

 

To anyone else it is plainly obvious that when Barry plays, the team plays better, even if Barry is having a stinker. Often it is worth it playing the captain for his influence alone. However this leads us onto another issue. With Barry out 3-4 months who will we bring in, and with tonight�s disaster, can we bring anyone in? Of the rest of the midfield only Thomson is really worth keeping with maybe McCulloch and Adam as squad players, although this is Adam�s last season of good grace as a relative youngster.

 

Christian Dailly

 

Joint with Miller for first player I would like to see kicked out the door. Between the pair of them they pretty much cost us the tie. Dailly�s errors though were more glaring due to him playing further back. Continuously gave away silly fouls, can barely find a team mate and his laughable control gave away the corner for the second. When you consider it was his foul that lead to the freekick for the first it�s hard to see how he gets a game. And yet the management would have you believe he�s in the side for his experience. Don�t make me laugh, played like a youth player tonight. This idea of experience makes me laugh though. Being older does not necessarily make you a better player. If your extra experience is experience of being crap and costing your team regularly, what use is that?

 

Walter�s Army

 

The painfully bad sequel to Dad�s Army. Why this unbending loyalty to older players regardless of ability, particularly those from his time as Scotland manager, who routinely let him down. Miller and Dailly as discussed and to a far, far lesser degree; Weir. I actually have nothing to criticise Weir as of yet, although when I do, I know he will still be a first name on the team sheet for the manager.

 

A regretful admission

 

Iâ��m a student ,still, who works part time and am not well paid. I have to think long and hard about where I spend my money. When I turn up at Ibrox I do my best for Rangers, I join in the songs, I applaud the team, I will them on. I never boo a player, I never boo the team off the pitch. I try not to let a negative utterance leave my mouth at the game. Unfortunately with the growing costs of living and following football, I now have to really consider if I can attend when I cannot guarantee the stewards of the club do the same. Clearly Mr Murray does not appear to, but now I wonder if Walter Smith does. I can no longer afford a season ticket or the time off of work to make use of one anyway. But even if I could, or have the opportunity to attend individual games, can I justify �£20-30 to watch Rangers when the manger wont even pick his best players available. Watching the laughable performances of Miller and Dailly just is not worth that amount of my money and I cannot see myself being at ibrox to watch these two jokers rip off the fans and the club. I actually find it painful to watch my team with these two on the field. If we get beat and play badly but have put out our best available XI then, yes, I'm not happy. But I can bear it. Right now I really, really struggle.

[fraser54 0]

I will read this with a roll and sausage, with some apple juice in the morning.

 

Too much to read and take in while still in a mood

 

Looking forward to reading it though, should be a good read

[Frankie 8,150]

Same here...

 

Will give this fine post the attention it deserves in the morning.

 

Suffice to say our manager should hold the can for tonight's debacle but our players are imposters.

[Guest bluenose1303]

Could`nt wait till tomorrow.

 

Great post - could not agree more on all points

[craig 5,195]

Great post S_A - agree entirely.

 

WS is being found out for his loyalty as he did in his first tenure.

 

I thought that us losing the league last season was due to a lack of creativity - when the pressure isn't on you usually score goals and create chances. However when the pressure IS on and you don't have flair players you struggle more.

 

Now, none of us are privy to the transfer dealings but I fail to see how we could buy Lafferty for near 4 mill BEFORE we plug the lack of flair in the midfield.

 

Of course, maybe WS still has funds and is waiting for that flair player - but surely we shouldn't have been gambling with our Euro future in this way !!

 

Ohhhh, and another thing, I happen to think that this all started with the sale of Alan Hutton. The short termism of taking the cash from that sale IMO cost us the league which, in turn, has cost us our Euro place and 10 mill.

 

Depressing times indeed - almost glad to be living abroad right now.... Except there is a big Tim contingent in Bermuda !

[Gers4Life 0]

sorry state of affairs to be in before our own league campaign gets under way, something needs to be done quickly! to stop the rot before it ruins our entire season!!!

[Frankie 8,150]

Mate:

 

Another superb post - along with Beattie's thread.

 

The supporters' loyalty has been questions for a number of years now and it becomes clearer with every passing day, the club is not being run as deserved it to be.

 

We need to start again.

[Wija 0]

Not much to disagree with... if anything TBH.

[alexscottislegend 2,064]

Well done Super Ally. I'm feeling as low and angry as ever I've done , but you've managed to somehow articulate everything that is wrong with our (still) beloved club right now. I wish it could be reproduced as a giant banner to be flown in full view of the Rangers dugout.

[Gribz 743]

Those who support him and deride Boyd, including the manager, have it arse about face

 

This is the only bit i disagree with, there is no way Boyd would make a difference. The only difference would be Boyd doing less running.

 

We dont have Scholes or Gerrard so thats even more a case to play a runner to do chasing than not. You know only too well our tactics are high balls and Cousin is the only striker ive seen on our books who knows what to do when he gets it.