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The Rangers FC Thread - Season 07/08


Frankie

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Oh well. That as they say is that.

Totally disappointed with the shambles of us this window and especially today carry on of throwing all our egg's into the one basket with the big Italian.

There will be serious questions needing answered if we dont win the league this season because this window has seen us weaken our first 11 a lot while Celtic have added to the squad (not saying there players are good enough, time will tell)

Smith has been made look a fool with his quote of "big teams dont want to sell their best players" or something to that effect.

Well Smith, you've sold the best player we've had so far this season. If the money was needed we could have at least signed a deal to allow Hutton to move in the summer.

To say I'm annoyed is a little bit of an understatement.

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Not really sure what to make of that window- disappointed about Hutton going but in truth, that sort of money for a player who about 18 months ago we couldnt have got £8 for is good business commenrcially if not in the footballing sense.

Unsure if the big Italian would have been the answer especially if Cousin is staying. I looked at Carraciola's record and while it is fair enough in the lower leagues, he doesnt seem to have raised his game in the top leagues and I would rather we had a striker who can score goals aginst the big teams than score bucketloads against the small teams.

Davis looks OK and it must help that he is a genuine supporter who presumably is going to try his guts out to earn a permanenet deal in the summer and not just pick up his wages on the bench.

Looking back it is better to have some cash in the bank for the summer, when better players are usually more easily available, than to squander most of it on panic signings who are no better than we have at the moment.

As Frankie says, we are still good enough to win this league and the lack of signings should not be an excuse this time.

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Originally posted by jimbo22:

Totally disappointed with the shambles of us this window and especially today carry on of throwing all our egg's into the one basket with the big Italian.

Why?

Walter has consistently said he is happy enough with the squad and would only bring in players who would add to the first team. Hence the Italian was the one player he thought could do so and so rightly made that a priority.

We certainly didn't need to make a bunch of panic buys like some, and I'm glad we didn't resort to doing so.

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Originally posted by Gudge:

bit of an anti climax that

I'd rather Robson signed for us tbh, don't know why we never made a bid, whether he would sign for us with the competition we have in midfield is another matter though

My dad knows his dad from football, and the Robsons's are all huge Rangers fans. Im sure he would have preferred a move here.

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We've got a pretty decent squad when you think about it and strength in depth in almost every position on the pitch.

Goalkeepers

Allan McGregor, Neil Alexander, Graeme Smith

Full Backs

Steven Whittaker, Steven Smith

Centre Backs

Carlos Cuellar, David Weir, Andy Webster, Sasa Papac, Kirk Broadfoot, Christian Dailly

Central Midfielders

Barry Ferguson, Kevin Thomson, Brahim Hemdani, Steve Davis, Amdy Faye

Attacking Midfielders

Lee McCulloch, Chris Burke, Thomas Buffel, Charlie Adam, Alan Gow, DaMarcus Beasley*

Forwards

Daniel Cousin, Jean-Claude Darcheville, Kris Boyd, Steven Naismith, Nacho Novo

* Injured

With some promising youngsters doing well like John Fleck, Steven Lennon, Dean Furman, Georgos Efrem and Isa Bagci and the versatility of some of our current players who can fill in various positions well if required then I don't think there is much to worry about and we've certainly got a squad good enough to win the title.

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We certainly have a squad that will see us through to the end of the season. Will be interesting to see what the plans for the summer are.

The problem will be that we are still competing in four competitions, any amount of injuries and we will be under pressure.

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So, with us in the League Cup Final we can't play Motherwell that weekend, so that is yet another game that is going to have to be rearranged icon_biggrin.gif

SAT 02 FEB: Hibernian (A) - Scottish Cup

WED 06 FEB: INTERNATIONALS

SAT 09 FEB: Falkirk (H) - SPL

WED 13 FEB: Panathinaikos - UEFA Cup

SUN 17 FEB: Kilmarnock (A) - SPL

WED 20 FEB: Panathinaikos - UEFA Cup

SUN 24 FEB: Gretna (H) - SPL

WED 27 FEB: Hearts (A) - SPL

SAT 01 MAR: Aberdeen (H) - SPL

THU 06 MAR: Free / Werder Bremen or Braga (H) - UEFA Cup

SAT 08 MAR: Free / Scottish Cup 6th Round

WED 12 MAR: Free / Werder Bremen or Braga (H) - UEFA Cup

SUN 16 MAR: Aberdeen/Dundee Utd (N) - League Cup Final

WED 19 MAR: Free

SAT 22 MAR: Hibernian (H) - SPL

WED 26 MAR: INTERNATIONALS

SAT 29 MAR: Celtic (H) - SPL

WED 02 APR: Free / UEFA Cup QF

SAT 05 APR: Dundee Utd (A) - SPL

WED 09 APR: Free / UEFA Cup QF

SAT 12 APR: Free / Scottish Cup Semi Final

Still to be scheduled: St Mirren (A) - SPL, Celtic (A) - SPL, Motherwell (A) - SPL

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If the squad is good enough - and it is - why do we have to buy? I don't get this obsession modern day fans have that you MUST spend spend spend in every transfer window. We have the current best team in the country, it's not as if anyone else has signed Pele or something. Yes selling Hutton was a blow in many ways, but lets face it £9M is a hell of a lot of money.

We are possibly short in the full back areas, whoever not having gone out and panic bought like has happened in the last few windows might just be a good thing as it might just left some youths get a wee chance now and then, which to my mind is more important than just buying for the sake of it.

In other words, stop greetin Jimbo icon_razz.gif

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We are possibly short in the full back areas, whoever not having gone out and panic bought like has happened in the last few windows might just be a good thing as it might just left some youths get a wee chance now and then, which to my mind is more important than just buying for the sake of it.

I doubt the youths are going to get much of a chance unless the title is wrapped up early. Evening Times are reporting that Dailly will play at right back on Sunday as Whittaker is injured icon_biggrin.gif

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I'm pleased we did not purchase anyone.

Would seem like a panic buy, last resort type thing.

We can now concentrate on brining in targets for the summer, hopefully we will have retained most of the hutton money, along with the cash from the Cousin deal if it goes through!

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If there was a quality player available who would improve the squad, then sure we try and sign him. Really don't think that Italian bloke was up to much and glad Brecia took him tbh.

Daily at right back icon_frown.gif But then who is available from the youths anyway, and considering Walter has never been keen on playing youths it's not a surprise. However, should injuries/suspensions pile up with our hectic schedule he may just be forced to do so. I like Walter a lot, but sometimes I wish we had a more adventurous manager.

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We've got Lowing and McMillan from the youths who could play there. Not sure if Lowing is still injured though as McMillan had been playing for the reserves recently.

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not exactly the best situation, but I'd rather have Dailly than Ugo near defence icon_biggrin.gif

and the Davis loan signing hopefully ensures Faye stays away icon_cool.gif not going to make any proclaimations or anything, but I'm very happy wee Gord doesn't understand the word "central defence" and thinks by buying more strikers you can fix that problem icon14.gif

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Originally posted by Peacemaker7:

If there was a quality player available who would improve the squad, then sure we try and sign him.

The January transfer window generally isn't the time to do that.

I said at the outset of the window I'd be happy for the squad to remain the same, and if Hutton had stayed and with the addition of Davis, I'd have rated it an excellent window for us.

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I'm not overly worried by the lack of action in the transfer window.

Davis is an adidtion that will add to the squad and hopefully keep fatty Adam out of the team.

Alexander and Dailly just keep the squad tickng over.

My only real concern is with the loss of Cousin, but then if we can keep JCD fit(Big if!) we should be ok.

With guys like Gow and Buffel still to comein if needs be, i think we are in a good position.

There is a good consistancy about the side and Whittaker is pretty similar to Hutton in the attacking fullback role so it should keep us ticking over, we also have Smith and Webster to return.

As has been said, Januray is not the time to do big buisness. From now till summer Wattie & Co need to get scouting to add real quality to the side. We have a squad now we must add genuine first team quality.

I think the league will be comming home this year.

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Our relative success this year has been mainly built on stability. WS has only made changes when forced to really, so there was little chance he was going to bring in 5 or 6 new faces in case it might disrupt things. No real need to either I guess, £9m in the bank or not.

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was waiting for the inevitable, Celtic will play Hibernian or Rangers - surprise actually

first half was fine, looked like only one team in it however in the 2nd half Hibs started getting into it and I don't think we'd have been able to say anything if they had actually won the game - Fletcher giving Weir a nightmare with his pace and we were toothless in attack from about 60 minutes onwards, even with Boyd/JCD on

McGregor did deserve to go, but it did look minimal contact although last man usually is a red and he had no complaints, Alexander getting a shot then. Anyway, our great refs/linesmen showing their great form with a few never offside decisions and the Naismith pen decison, but we're used to it though icon14.gif

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Don't see where they can fit in this replay before the next round is meant to be played. It will be an even bigger problem if we get through in the UEFA.

WED 06 FEB: INTERNATIONALS

SAT 09 FEB: Falkirk (H) - SPL

WED 13 FEB: Panathinaikos - UEFA Cup

SUN 17 FEB: Kilmarnock (A) - SPL

THU 21 FEB: Panathinaikos - UEFA Cup

SUN 24 FEB: Gretna (H) - SPL

WED 27 FEB: Hearts (A) - SPL

SAT 01 MAR: Aberdeen (H) - SPL

THU 06 MAR: Free / Werder Bremen or Braga (H) - UEFA Cup

SAT 08 MAR: Free / Partick/Livingston (H) - Scottish Cup 6th Round

WED 12 MAR: Free / Werder Bremen or Braga (H) - UEFA Cup

SUN 16 MAR: Aberdeen/Dundee Utd (N) - League Cup Final

WED 19 MAR: Free

SAT 22 MAR: Hibernian (H) - SPL

WED 26 MAR: INTERNATIONALS

SAT 29 MAR: Celtic (H) - SPL

WED 02 APR: Free / UEFA Cup QF

SAT 05 APR: Dundee Utd (A) - SPL

WED 09 APR: Free / UEFA Cup QF

SAT 12 APR: Free / Scottish Cup Semi Final

Still to be scheduled: Hibernian (H) - Scottish Cup, St Mirren (A) - SPL, Celtic (A) - SPL, Motherwell (A) - SPL

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Bit disappointed not to have put you out there, happy to still be in the cup.

You deserved a pen in the first minute.

How on earth were there only 2 mins injury time? 3 minutes for 6 subs, 1-2 minutes while Kerr was done, 2 minutes for McCann/Naismith head knock, 3 minutes or so for sending off and then free kick stuff.

Ridiculous.

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seems people are saying that Hibs and us might play during the week possibly - wouldn't leave a lot of time for ticket sales, but we are short on midweeks icon_wink.gif

only thing we could do is cut away the midweek SPL game against Hearts and stick the Hibs replay in there, but then that's another game to add to the backlog

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Originally posted by TM:

seems people are saying that Hibs and us might play during the week possibly - wouldn't leave a lot of time for ticket sales, but we are short on midweeks icon_wink.gif

only thing we could do is cut away the midweek SPL game against Hearts and stick the Hibs replay in there, but then that's another game to add to the backlog

was that possibility not rejected by SFA/SFL?

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Sounded a great game, had it on the radio.

Waiting to see that McGregor and I don’t mean the sending off….Concerned that if he keeps pulling in performances like that we could get a hefty offer 7-9Mil from down south.

Its it just me or does anyone else think the cups are being done more Ally than Walter, just a thought.

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I don't think we'd get near that for him and I do consider him average compared to keepers like Goram, Klos and Niemi in the past. However, on the other side of the city, the papers are quoting prices like £12m for Boruc and I wouldn't consider McGregor any lower in quality than Boruc is icon14.gif

McGregor is prone to the odd mistakes mostly when it's shots hit and he doesn't hold them or crosses, but Boruc is pretty much similar? Boruc has played well in the CL and yup that is true, but so did McGregor for us this year, saved us on plenty of occasions and is still developing. Boruc probably looks better because his defence is worse than the one we have, although going on Weir's performances against pace today I'm not really sure if that is a correct statement icon_frown.gif

So, I'm agreeing with the idea of money, but if others are quoting higher for ones of the same quality, then why should we actually aim lower? McGregor would probably be the Scotland No1 but for Craig Gordon who moved to the Premiership for £7m (£9m if clauses are activated) icon_cool.gif

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Quite difficult to value to McGregor actually.

He's been very reliable over the last 18 months since finally getting his chance at Rangers but lacks the European and/or international experience of the likes of Boruc and Gordon. However, there's no doubt that since McGregor has made the Number 1 jersey his own, his form has been as good (if not better) than the names mentioned previously.

Ergo, if Boruc is worth £12million and Gordon £9million, McGregor's empirical value is certainly approaching those. Moreover, Gordon hasn't been as much a success at Sunderland as many of us thought so if McGregor continues his form, he may well get his chance in the Scotland team which would subsequently increase his value in line with the 'going rate'.

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