Kevin Thomson - Out for Rest of Season?

[Frankie 8,183]

That's the good thing about playing a diamond - all 4 players can interchange if required.

 

Unfortunately, it does mean we're restricted width-wise and if an opposition team plays 5 in midfield, it can get congested at times.

[Super_Ally 0]

Though only Davis has shown any real ability to play wide (on the right) and even he doesn't convince many.

 

Could end up to congested in the middle to allow cohesive attacking football and as is the theme of this thread the big worry is lack of width.

[Frankie 8,183]

Just remembered that every time Thomson has played in an Old Firm game we won. Any time he missed the game, we lost.

 

Shows exactly what we miss when he doesn't play. That extra bit of bite will have to come from Edu IMO.

[John Barr 0]

That's the good thing about playing a diamond - all 4 players can interchange if required.

 

Unfortunately, it does mean we're restricted width-wise and if an opposition team plays 5 in midfield, it can get congested at times.

 

Yeah good point.

 

With the Celtic game coming up though it's imperative that Smith gets Thomson's replacement right.

 

I wouldn't change from a diamond, i've supported this system for years and waited patiently for Rangers to employ it and now we can see the benefits.

 

Against Dundee utd you could see the amount of ball retention and the way we were playing higher up the field with the ball in possession as oppossed to last year where the midfield would often wait till the opposition got to the final third before seriously trying to win the ball back.

 

Smith knows this is the system for Rangers but he has to make sure Thomsons replacement is a good one.

 

I really liked the look of Edu when he was on and i hope he gets a chance.

[pete 2,499]

Rightly or wrongly there is only one person who will get the nod from Smith and that is BF. I prefer to keep the width rather than have a diamond with 4 defensive midfielder's or play-makers. It would be an option with attacking wing-backs but we are short of them.

[Super_Ally 0]

8 months out according to the Official Site

[johnnyk 158]

Nightmare for him and us, get well soon KT we will certainly miss you..........

[John Barr 0]

Rightly or wrongly there is only one person who will get the nod from Smith and that is BF. I prefer to keep the width rather than have a diamond with 4 defensive midfielder's or play-makers. It would be an option with attacking wing-backs but we are short of them.

 

I don't think wing backs works for Rangers somehow.

 

Smith has tried it a few times but i can't remember any succesful attempts.

[pete 2,499]

I don't think wing backs works for Rangers somehow.

 

Smith has tried it a few times but i can't remember any successful attempts.

 

I am not so sure, the danger Alan Hutton brought was one of the reasons we failed to win the league last year when he left imo.

If you do not have good attacking wing-backs then your diamond shape will be like running into a brick wall and simple to defend against. With no danger on the wing the full-backs can play 10-15 yards further inside and cut off the channels. That is why our best games last year was when Hutton or Burke were on form imo.