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Most Rangers fans face a bit of a quandary when it comes to our defensive line up. Whilst Weir currently forms our strongest available centre back partnership with summer signing Madjid Bougherra. However it is suggested that playing the veteran Scot leads to some of our troubles against better quality opposition.

 

Due to Weir's advancing years, whatever pace he once had is beginning to dessert him. Weir was never an exceptionally fast player. But with his reading of the game he was not often exposed for a lack of pace.

 

Weir has performed admirably for the club since Walter Smith brought him back upto Scotland and can be proud of his performances for the club. He formed a water-tight back line with Cuellar and has struck up an excellent understanding with Bougherra already. However many fans have questioned whether his lack of pace causes a back line to sit too deep and invite pressure onto our defence.

 

However Saturday's game at Hamilton exposed another potential issue for our defenders. Hamilton forward Offiong gave both Weir and Bougherra a torrid time with his strength. Every high ball played upto Offiong stuck. Any ball chest or head height was won by Offiong and played off to a team mate. Fortunately Hamilton didn't have the squad to take advantage. Unusually for Weir, who normally relishes the physical battle, and Bougherra who looks like a big strong centre back, they just could not match him for strength. I was actually relieved and a little confused when billy Reid decided to withdraw him when he'd had so much success in the first half.

 

It reminded me a lot of a game in the past few seasons when we played Hearts and the centre backs, I believe they were Weir and Cuellar, again just could not compete in the physical battle. He ran amok and it's not the only such incident. Kenny Deuchar won a move to MLS football off the back of a a bustling centre forward performance against us were he bruised our defence all game and managed to get on the score sheet.

 

Whilst many are worried about David Weir, his lack of pace and who his successor is I think we also need to look at why our back line struggles so much against big bruising centre forwards? With the game in Scotland being very much a physical battle you have to match the work rate and commitment of the opposition before your superior tecchnical and tactical ability can win through.

 

It is also worrying when you look at the forward options available to Celtic, the only other contenders for the league title. Samaras, Hesselink and even Killen are all big guys. And whilst none of them should unduly worry us, if Strachan identifies this potential weakness in our team and lines his team up appropriately we may find ourselves struggling in the OF games.

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I don't think Weir has lost any pace since he signed for us,he just never has had any pace. I think Weir is a major part in settling in first Cuellar and now Bougherra, just ask them,and to be fair to Weir I think he has been an excellent signing and can still continue to do a good job for us, however I also think we should be looking for a replacement for him long term,but for me he will do for this season as we do not have European football only the domestic competitions to contest and he can certainly hold his own there.

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I did try to state that he never was that fast. Just pointing out that as you age you will lose a bit as well. Maybe didn't make that very clear.

 

I also agree that with no European football and therefore few quality sides to compete with this season Weir will do fine. Obviously we need to look for his long term successor though, be that Broadfoot, Webster or a new signing.

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When you think what Davie Weir has done since arriving at Rangers and compare it with the seemingly endless line of chancers we have been in the habit of signing, I think we should stand as a man and applaud the guy. He may be getting on and he may not have great pace but he certainly has done a job for Rangers. What more can we ever ask of a player? We do need to be lining up his replacement but Davie Weir is one of the few signings in recent years that even I would never argue with.

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Weir should be a squad player only used as a last resort. Rangers should have a better, younger and fitter guy partnering Bougherra than Weir. Don't get me wrong, he's been terrific for us and I don't blame him for anything, I blame WS for the fact that he should've signed a younger player to take Weirs place.

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Didn't mean this to come across as an attack on Weir.

 

Think he's been and excellent signing and would still play for Scotland if it was up to me.

 

The real issue is this problem we seem to have in dealing with a traditional British style centre forward.

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Didn't mean this to come across as an attack on Weir.

 

Think he's been and excellent signing and would still play for Scotland if it was up to me.

 

The real issue is this problem we seem to have in dealing with a traditional British style centre forward.

 

And I certainly didn't intend to infer you were attacking Weir - sorry - I actually agree entirely with your main point but it's worth remembering that the Weir Bougherra partnership is actually still in its infancy.

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I don't think Weir has lost any pace since he signed for us,he just never has had any pace. I think Weir is a major part in settling in first Cuellar and now Bougherra, just ask them,and to be fair to Weir I think he has been an excellent signing and can still continue to do a good job for us, however I also think we should be looking for a replacement for him long term,but for me he will do for this season as we do not have European football only the domestic competitions to contest and he can certainly hold his own there.

 

 

walters got it covered. hes training lee mcculloch as a centre half:eek:

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