craig 5,195 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 It's not as if we're blessed with lots of choice but I just don't see a better alternative that Naismith and Boyd up front. Lafferty will not provide chances for Boyd and hasn't shown much evidence of taking the chances he gets himself - albeit he's seldom been played in his natural position. Boyd won't make chances for himself but he will take them if they're made for him. Naismith can play wider and will hit the bye line. Given we don't have midfielders of fullbacks who will provide attacking width and given Novo's injury, I feel we must have Naismith on from the start. If Naismith can provide a bit of width he will also open up space for Fleck to move forward into, which is another must. I would go with Naismith too. He can pull wide, is direct, creative and would be a handful for their static back line. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,329 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Personally, I don't think Naismith's performances have been that good that I would want him starting on Sunday. He's still got a bit to go before that. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexscottislegend 2,059 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Aaron or Beasley??? Yeh, but I can't see Aaron or Beasley up front with Boyd - unless you're thinking pull in Fleck and put one of those two out wide. O.K. but Walter won't go for it - I feel it in my bones. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Im talking about LA Galaxy, his move there was purely for money and fame. If it was a long term thing to bring in US soccer than why is he desperate to get away and join Milan. I thought the LA Galaxy move was more for the location than the money or fame. And even then that was mainly pressure from the wife... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineflyer 0 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Personally, I don't think Naismith's performances have been that good that I would want him starting on Sunday. He's still got a bit to go before that. Yes, and I agree - but in the end you can only pick from the players you have at hand. Nothing is ideal at ibrox any more. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineflyer 0 Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Each to their own but I personally dont give a shit who any of our players have previously played for, even THEM. If they have the ability and talent and application then I have no problem that they played for that lot. I am just not sure Miller has the above 3 traits (he has the application IMO though). Everything is compromised. Now we can't even profess to dislike our rivals in case we endanger our reasonableness. Personally, I wouldn't sign anyone who has played for sellick. What a sorry pass when Rangers fans see one of their players in a sellick shirt and are moved to see it as something to reflect their pc credentials. Spew. Funny how we can write about our admiration for committed Rangers men of the past - Bobby Shearer, Harold Davis, george Young, Tiger Shaw, etc, etc but we shun their commitment ourselves. Watered down supporters. Victorian? If that label does it then I'll grasp it with both hands. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,411 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 By Andrew Dickson LEE McCULLOCH knows there's every chance Rangers will revert to a 4-5-1 formation at Celtic on Sunday - and says Kris Boyd CAN play as the lone striker. Kris Boyd celebrates a goal with Lee McCullochThe club's leading scorer has been used more often by manager Walter Smith this term and has already started more games than he did in the whole of last season. But if the Light Blues revert from their usual 4-4-2 system to something more cautious, Boyd is the man many will expect to drop out of the starting XI. The 25-year-old has spoken in the past of his preference to play alongside another forward as he feels he struggles performing on his own up front. Yet McCulloch insists he's the ideal option for Smith if he chooses to put an extra man in midfield and field just one attacker. With 23 goals so far, nobody in Scotland comes close to matching Boyd's strike rate of one goal for almost every Gers start he has made. For that reason, utility man McCulloch is confident giving the former Kilmarnock attacker the support he needs from the middle of the park can pay off. He said: "There are a lot of candidates for the role if we only play with one up front at Celtic and we saw Kyle Lafferty get his chance in the friendly with AC Milan last week. "But he's not the only one and you've got guys such as Andrius Velicka, Kenny Miller and Boydy vying for places too. "In my opinion, Kris can play up front on his own but it's down to whoever the manager chooses and that's what counts most. "He'll go with the player he feels is our most in-form striker at the time and we'll have to wait and see who that is. Kris Boyd, Rangers"I certainly feel Boydy can do a job as a single striker and maybe it's up to us, his team-mates, to convince him of that. "He's a guy who has a lot of confidence - that's for sure - but he has said in the past that he doesn't feel he can play up front on his own and that he needs someone beside him. "He prefers having a strike partner but if we have five men in midfield behind him, there'll be plenty of support there. "Kris is such a natural finisher that he'll still get chances with that number of people around him. "I don't pick the team and it's not for me to say who should play. That's the manager's decision but Boydy is certainly capable." 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurlock 0 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I saw what I hope was just a momentary trial against AC Milan last week, a bl00dy 4-5-1 which we used to scrape our way all the way to the UEFA cup final. I sincerely hope that Walter doesn't plan that against them on Sunday. I hope he remembers the 4-4-2 which saw us tank them 4-2 on their own pitch earlier in the season. Now there are arguments on who will start up front or on the left. If he feels Fleck isn't ready for the pressure of an old firm just yet then will he deploy Lafferty, McCulloch or Beasley on the left, or:- McGregor Broadfoot Bougherra Weir Papac Davis or Naismith Mendes Fergie Davis or Naismith Miller Boyd I thought Naisy had a great game against Milan and tracked back well too. Now Davis is our obvious choice on the right with Novo being out injured so could Naisy be the surprise famous Old Firm draft which Walter usually surprises us with at the last minute ?? Could Davis perhaps do a shift on the left midfield to accomodate Naisy on the right ?? Interesting scenario, would of course love to see the young Fleck torment Hinkel to death but do we really know what's going on in Walter's mind and isn't it nice to have a number of options on the left if needed, let's not forget Charlie Adam hasn't technically left the club yet and Kevin Thomson is still to return from injury. When have we had so much choice in a squad for the left flank ? Other teams must be a tad jealous ! With regards to the Kenny Miller argument, I think his work-rate is second to none, he may not score twice there like he did earlier in the season but if he sets up Boyd, then so be it !!!! MON THE TEDDY BEARS !!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CammyF 6,779 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Everything is compromised. Now we can't even profess to dislike our rivals in case we endanger our reasonableness. Personally, I wouldn't sign anyone who has played for sellick. What a sorry pass when Rangers fans see one of their players in a sellick shirt and are moved to see it as something to reflect their pc credentials. Spew. Funny how we can write about our admiration for committed Rangers men of the past - Bobby Shearer, Harold Davis, george Young, Tiger Shaw, etc, etc but we shun their commitment ourselves. Watered down supporters. Victorian? If that label does it then I'll grasp it with both hands. Good job you weren't around in the early years of Rangers FC when Rangers and Celtc traded players on a regular basis :fish: See what you are saying, but if any player can improve the team then he has to be considered. Has Kenny Miller improved our team? That is another arguement for another day. Just a little off-topic question, would you welcome an ex-Celtc fan into our ranks if they saw the light and dropped all interest in the hooped horrors and chose the 'bright-side'? Cammy F 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,195 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Everything is compromised. Now we can't even profess to dislike our rivals in case we endanger our reasonableness. Personally, I wouldn't sign anyone who has played for sellick. What a sorry pass when Rangers fans see one of their players in a sellick shirt and are moved to see it as something to reflect their pc credentials. Spew. Funny how we can write about our admiration for committed Rangers men of the past - Bobby Shearer, Harold Davis, george Young, Tiger Shaw, etc, etc but we shun their commitment ourselves. Watered down supporters. Victorian? If that label does it then I'll grasp it with both hands. Obviously your prerogative to feel that way MF. However, please dont suggest that I am in some way being PC. It is a straight forward solution for me. I am a football fan and my team is Rangers. That means, quite simply, I want the best players at my club. And if that means that he has previously played for them, then so be it. But please dont call it being politically correct when it simply isnt. If Kaka had played for them, had cost them 100 million, saw out his contract, wanted to sign for us for free and was still the best player in the world then I make absolutely no apology for wanting him at our club. The benefits to us would be endless. 1) we get the best player in the world 2) he has cost US nothing 3) he cost them 100 million and they recovered NOTHING in outgoing transfer fee. Kenny Miller is a world removed from Kaka but the premise remains for me that I want the best players at my club. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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