Naismith and Madjid play today in fiendly

[ascender 352]

I think we all said on here during the summer that WS seemed to be signing the wrong players in terms of the positions we needed cover for. Its depressing to see so many players being played out of position with many more simply not being given a chance to show what they can do at all.

[Gribz 743]

Good summary Craig, but was Edu really signed for 2.5 million??? I didnt know we paid that for him!!!

 

In todays current climate he spend 7 million on Velicka, Edu and Lafferty with that latter only getting a game yet he is being ruined. He looks like he couldnt skin a potato on the wing!

 

The team needs freshing up. Id rather see Davis being pushed into a more natural postion then bringing in a flair player or two to the starting line up - Aaron, Fleck, Novo

 

Yet I expect Naismith to be brought straight back in after a long injury - and it will take him 1-2 months to get up to speed, something we cant afford to do too much! Naismith is a player i had a bit of hope for but his career never really took off and id put him behind Aaron and Fleck.

[UCF2008 0]

Now, when you look at it the money we received for Cuellar went on his replacement (Bougherra) and Mendes. IIRC we had signed Miller, Velicka, Edu and Lafferty prior to selling Cuellar.

 

Bougherra was brought in almost two weeks before Cuellar 'decided' to jump ship. The Cuellar money (and then some) was spent on Mendes, Davis and Edu.

 

I agree with you that some areas of the team still need strengthening, especially left mid. As for LB & RB, we've had Whittaker and Smith (more so) left on the sidelines while 2 CB's have kept their places in the team. I think the 4 CB approach is mainly down to tactics, somewhat like the Italians did (still didn't work and they had better players) in the Euros IIRC. So we don't really need a replacement for Weir. I don't know who would be the best option from what we've got to replace him. I don't think Walter does either.

 

Personally, I don't mind players playing out of position as long as they do a job. For the most part that's been the case and the players in question were brought in with that versatility in mind. At the moment we've got far too big a squad (plus wage bill) and trimming is what it really needs. If Darcheville is joined by Dailly, McCulloch, Gow and Hemdani in the January sales then that would be a good start.

[UCF2008 0]

The team needs freshing up. Id rather see Davis being pushed into a more natural postion then bringing in a flair player or two to the starting line up - Aaron, Fleck, Novo

 

Are you suggesting we should go back to the 4-5-1 Gribz?

 

The main problem I see with that is who do we play up front? Miller is never going to score enough goals to win us the league and even the 'new improved' Boyd probably still isn't lone striker material.

 

Or do you think we should drop Mendes, who IMO has been our best player so far this season?

[chilledbear 16]

I think the size of the squad is a big factor why Smith doesn't play youngsters. He disagrees with the under 21 rule, so he would rather have older more experienced (earning higher wages) players on the bench,than young reserves. Having said that, IF, we can get rid of the deadwood, then we might see if I am correct.

[UCF2008 0]

Having said that a front 3 of Miller, Boyd and Novo could be a solution, but then we'll just get criticised even more for lack of natural width.

[ian1964 10,457]

Rangers are looking to fast-track �£2 million front man Steven Naismith back into the first team as they attempt to rescue their faltering SPL title challenge.

 

Manager Walter Smith is set to give the player a surprise place in the squad heading north to face Inverness Caledonian Thistle this weekend after he came through a 90-minute game at Murray Park yesterday.

 

Smith believes Naismith, who has been sidelined for eight months following cruciate knee-ligament surgery, could be the answer to his left-midfield problem position.

 

He made his playing comeback when he scored against St Mirren before the Reserve League winter shutdown, but he has now been pushed on with further specially-arranged matches against Hamilton Accies and St Johnstone, thanks to the Ibrox club's undersoil-heated training pitch.

 

Now Smith looks set to name Naismith in the squad that travels north at the weekend for the live Setanta showdown with Caley Thistle on Sunday lunchtime.

 

Rangers have deployed a number of players on the left of midfield since the season began without great success - Nacho Novo, Kyle Lafferty, DaMarcus Beasley, Charlie Adam and Lee McCulloch all failing to make the position their own.

 

Spanish teenager Aaron Niguez was even given a run as a substitute against Hamilton in the position.

 

Naismith, 22, looked impressive in the role last season and was poised to face Fiorentina in the UEFA Cup semi-final when he was injured in the Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone.

 

He faced the Perth club again yesterday and played the whole 90 minutes in a punishing central-midfield role as goals from Andrius Velicka, Lafferty and Aaron gave a strong Rangers side a 3-1 win, although McCulloch took a knock.

 

Boss Smith told the club website yesterday that his players must respond to the seven-point title deficit - and show the hallmark of champions displayed by Celtic.

 

'Obviously, in terms of the league, we have a lot to do in the second half of the season,' he said. 'We know the importance of trying to win all the remaining games. There is an added edge that we have reached the halfway stage of the season and we are seven points behind Celtic - which isn't what anyone wanted.

 

'We know we have to put together a really good run if we are to get ourselves back into the championship race. Credit to Celtic for showing their pride and determination in being champions to get them through a period when they've maybe not played their best football. We have not shown that edge. We have to develop that mentality.'

 

Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra was initially scheduled to play as well yesterday, but wasn't risked in the bitter cold because of his niggling thigh injury and remains doubtful for the trip north.

 

Rangers, meanwhile, won't let Novo leave Ibrox on the cheap. He is contracted until the summer of 2010 - and is not available on a Bosman deal next June as Deportivo La Coruna seem to believe.

 

Novo's two goals for a Galician regional select impressed the Deportivo president but he is still to speak to his coach about any potential bid.

 

Forgotten man Alan Gow was last night weighing up a �£250,000 permanent move to Blackpool.

[Gribz 743]

Are you suggesting we should go back to the 4-5-1 Gribz?

 

The main problem I see with that is who do we play up front? Miller is never going to score enough goals to win us the league and even the 'new improved' Boyd probably still isn't lone striker material.

 

Or do you think we should drop Mendes, who IMO has been our best player so far this season?

 

Id rather see us go 4-3-3 with Davis being pushed in a bit and having a 3 man forward line. Or alternatively id look at 3-5-2 but as long as our players are not out of position - not to promising with WS record. But we play 4 centre halfs as it is anyway so why not take 1 away.

 

Something along the lines of:

 

____________________McGregor_________________

 

_________Bougherra_____Weir_____Papac_________

 

_____________Davis_________Ferguson___________

 

____Novo_____________Mendes___________Aaron__

 

______________Miller__________Boyd_____________

[craig 5,199]

Bougherra was brought in almost two weeks before Cuellar 'decided' to jump ship. The Cuellar money (and then some) was spent on Mendes, Davis and Edu.

 

I agree with you that some areas of the team still need strengthening, especially left mid. As for LB & RB, we've had Whittaker and Smith (more so) left on the sidelines while 2 CB's have kept their places in the team. I think the 4 CB approach is mainly down to tactics, somewhat like the Italians did (still didn't work and they had better players) in the Euros IIRC. So we don't really need a replacement for Weir. I don't know who would be the best option from what we've got to replace him. I don't think Walter does either.

 

Personally, I don't mind players playing out of position as long as they do a job. For the most part that's been the case and the players in question were brought in with that versatility in mind. At the moment we've got far too big a squad (plus wage bill) and trimming is what it really needs. If Darcheville is joined by Dailly, McCulloch, Gow and Hemdani in the January sales then that would be a good start.

 

 

Cheers for clearing up the timing of Bougherra's signing. Not convinced though that he wasnt always being lined up as a "replacement" - the fact Cuellar was missing despite McCoist saying he was fit will have me sceptical for a long time.

 

Whittaker will never convince me that he is a decent enough full-back. He doesn't convince me one bit and, in fact, I would rather plat Broadfoot there. Smith has been injured and whilst Papac is playing out of position he has done a decent job so it is difficult to bring Smith back in. But I too would rather see Smith start to get games for match fitness - if he isnt injured get him back in !

 

Playing players out of position makes no sense to me unless you have injuries and suspensions to contend with. Spending 3 million on Davis to then play him at RM was stupidity in my opinion. Regardless of the fact that he is doign a decent job there it isnt his natural position and given we had BF, KT and PM there was little chance of him getting a game at CM. Worse still, then spending 2.5 million on Edu makes even LESS sense (Yes Gribz, it was 2.5 million for him !!).

 

Even after Cuellar went Smith didnt buy another CB so knew full well he would be going with Weir for at least 6 months. And the other CB's he had he was using at full-back so what happens if they become required at CB ? You are left short at full back as all the money spent in close season was on either central midfielders or strikers.

 

Versatility is fine but, for the most part, should mean that they are squad players (unless they quite obviously are better than what we have - but seriously, which of our "versatile" players do we think should be first choices ??). When do you dont have a ton of money to spend it is beneficial to have versatile players as they can cover a few different positions and you only pay one wage.

 

But WS spent a ton of money on players and many of them dont even get a game. Of the players I mentioned in my first post I think there were 8 players and 5 of them getting a game, one of those is playing out of position and looking like a pub team player (Lafferty)whilst another one is playing out of position too (Davis). So we spent about 18 million on those 8 players and only 3 of them playing in their natural position. Personally I would have preferred we spent 3 million each on 6 players who would have played their natural position and probably enhanced the team.