So what did that friendly tell you?

[RDFM 3,809]

On the subject of struggling to get players in, I'm sure I heard that our first two choices for centre backs were Ricardo Espinosa (now at Middlesborough) and Eitan Tibi (signed a new contract)

[kingtom80 166]

      

           they were a class above us,and showed us up in most departments.

[centenarystand 2,227]

48 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

He was OK but still cost us some silly goals. There's got to be a Cuellar or Bougherra type out there even if it costs us 2-3 million. I don't admit to watching a lot of football apart from Rangers and Chelsea games but what I do see there's guys in leagues in countries like Russia, Ukraine, Poland etc that can tackle and mark.

Your right and id love to see a Cuellar or Bougherra type myself however iv'e lost faith in the board even spending 2 million on a player, i hope im proved wrong in this thats why id even settle for a  defender who will attack the ball. Im at my wits end with this defence as iv'e said in other threads if this was sorted we have the building of a very good team bearing in mind we are  still are at an early stage.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

It tells me that the English premier league where money is no object is considerably better than the Scottish one where every pound is a prisoner ... also we really need to get the defence sorted out

[BILLYBOY50 1,638]

agree  with everything said but I also think we need a poacher we are missing far too many chances and it's nothing new it's been like this for quite a while now.

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

Every team in the Premiership will have a pretty good idea of how we will be set up to play and of the intent to grab as much possession of the ball as we can.   Home and away the approach will be identical.  

They all know that after about 60 mins we will begin the substitution process regardless of how the game is going (barring having to rejig for any sendings off or injuries before 60 mins).  

They will suspect our CB pairing - whichever pairing is selected - is very capable of switching off or not dealing with direct pacey players and of not being really commanding in dealing with crosses into the box.  

They will suspect that the full backs are dangerous when attacking and are goal threats.....but are far less convincing in defending so opportunity to exploit them with pacey tricky wingers. 

They will know that despite the attacking pressure we are capable of exerting the transfer of goal scoring chances into actual goals has tons of room for improvement - so they may feel they that we will create but struggle to score enough.

The trick for many Premiership teams will be simply to defend well and to make the most of the counter-attack opportunities and to really pressure us at set pieces.  

I guess MW and DW will know all of that and a great deal more.  They will know full well where we are vulnerable to losing goals and why.  They will know full well that the rate of conversion of goal scoring chances into actual goals will have to rise quite substantially in the Premiership.    They will know that getting to 55 means defending a whole lot better than we saw in the latter part of last season and evidence in the friendly did not suggest much cause for optimism there.    They will know that having interchangeable 7s, 8s, 10s, and 11s is all fine and flexible but that does not necessarily translate into scoring enough goals.  The absence of any comment or discussion by MW about acquiring a goal scorer to replace Miller is puzzling.   Goals win games as does avoiding losing goals.   In both cases we are short of capable players.    Trying to win 55 without adding a much more capable CB and a recognised and capable goal scorer will be a very tall order.  Without such additions MW may say he will not 'panic' (I think that was the term he used recently on RTV).    But the very fact that he can refer to such a term indicates that the longer we go without making quality additions at CB and CF the harder the task he and the squad have for 55 this season.   IMO its time for DK and the Board to find some transfer cash if they want to improve the opportunity to get 55 this coming season.  

[sammy cox 664]

48 minutes ago, Reformation Bear said:

Every team in the Premiership will have a pretty good idea of how we will be set up to play and of the intent to grab as much possession of the ball as we can.   Home and away the approach will be identical.  

They all know that after about 60 mins we will begin the substitution process regardless of how the game is going (barring having to rejig for any sendings off or injuries before 60 mins).  

They will suspect our CB pairing - whichever pairing is selected - is very capable of switching off or not dealing with direct pacey players and of not being really commanding in dealing with crosses into the box.  

They will suspect that the full backs are dangerous when attacking and are goal threats.....but are far less convincing in defending so opportunity to exploit them with pacey tricky wingers. 

They will know that despite the attacking pressure we are capable of exerting the transfer of goal scoring chances into actual goals has tons of room for improvement - so they may feel they that we will create but struggle to score enough.

The trick for many Premiership teams will be simply to defend well and to make the most of the counter-attack opportunities and to really pressure us at set pieces.  

I guess MW and DW will know all of that and a great deal more.  They will know full well where we are vulnerable to losing goals and why.  They will know full well that the rate of conversion of goal scoring chances into actual goals will have to rise quite substantially in the Premiership.    They will know that getting to 55 means defending a whole lot better than we saw in the latter part of last season and evidence in the friendly did not suggest much cause for optimism there.    They will know that having interchangeable 7s, 8s, 10s, and 11s is all fine and flexible but that does not necessarily translate into scoring enough goals.  The absence of any comment or discussion by MW about acquiring a goal scorer to replace Miller is puzzling.   Goals win games as does avoiding losing goals.   In both cases we are short of capable players.    Trying to win 55 without adding a much more capable CB and a recognised and capable goal scorer will be a very tall order.  Without such additions MW may say he will not 'panic' (I think that was the term he used recently on RTV).    But the very fact that he can refer to such a term indicates that the longer we go without making quality additions at CB and CF the harder the task he and the squad have for 55 this season.   IMO its time for DK and the Board to find some transfer cash if they want to improve the opportunity to get 55 this coming season.  

Well if MW is not panicking then neither will I and I dont see any reason for anyone else to panic either before a ball is kicked in the league campaign. His reference to not panicking was to do with his statement that IF they don't get the targets they are looking for he won't be panicking.

[danger ranger 922]

7 hours ago, Thermopylae said:

It tells me that the English premier league where money is no object is considerably better than the Scottish one where every pound is a prisoner ... also we really need to get the defence sorted out

Listened to Mick McCarthy on talksport today, he said the price of buying a top player for the championship is now £10 million with a big wage, it was also said the championship is the fifth richest league in the world!.

[DrLaudrup 4,606]

I have some concerns although we are far better than last season. Our midfield signings have been excellent and we probably have the best midfield in the league.  

At the end of the season we were lacking in three areas....a DM, a defender and proper 30+ goal striker.

In spite of everyone we have brought in, we have not addressed the striking or defensive issues adequately. I think Dodoo may be useful and MOH looks far better but Dodoo is unproven so will hold judgement. In pre-season we still miss far too many chances for our possession. Defensively, Hill is clearly not the answer. He lacks pace and will not play every week. Consequently Kiernan and Wilson know they are still first pick which is not where we needed to be. There needs to be a clear challenge to one or both of them, particularly Kiernan who I think is weaker of the two. We really need a strong centre back or we will concede too easily against top half SPL sides.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

15 hours ago, danger ranger said:

Listened to Mick McCarthy on talksport today, he said the price of buying a top player for the championship is now £10 million with a big wage, it was also said the championship is the fifth richest league in the world!.

It's incredible isn't it ... they were saying on Clyde the other night that Bobby Charlton's first game for Man U was a 5-1 hammering by Dundee at Dens and that's the way football was when it wasn't all about money. You could build a good team and it wouldn't be be broken up by clubs swimming in big TV money right away 

[danger ranger 922]

2 hours ago, Thermopylae said:

It's incredible isn't it ... they were saying on Clyde the other night that Bobby Charlton's first game for Man U was a 5-1 hammering by Dundee at Dens and that's the way football was when it wasn't all about money. You could build a good team and it wouldn't be be broken up by clubs swimming in big TV money right away 

The worry for Rangers is promising players like Rossiter and possibly Dodoo will be away next year if they excel up here, Rossiter was quoted as a £8 million player and good strikers don't come cheap either. We need another good CB and a good box striker but at todays prices and wages we are always going to have to bring in the right  balance between sell on and experienced Bosman's to compete.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

21 hours ago, danger ranger said:

The worry for Rangers is promising players like Rossiter and possibly Dodoo will be away next year if they excel up here, Rossiter was quoted as a £8 million player and good strikers don't come cheap either. We need another good CB and a good box striker but at todays prices and wages we are always going to have to bring in the right  balance between sell on and experienced Bosman's to compete.

I think it was Walter who said the worst thing you can be in present day football is a big club in a small country and it's spot on 

[delamonty 992]

@ReformationBear Perfectly summed up imho

[danger ranger 922]

Ross Mc Cormack moves to Aston Villa for £12 million, It would be a miracle to land even a half decent player and will probably have to settle for the dross left over at the end of the signing window. Hopefully a decent player is overlooked.

[harlands plater 16,975]

On 2 August 2016 at 6:19 PM, danger ranger said:

The worry for Rangers is promising players like Rossiter and possibly Dodoo will be away next year if they excel up here, Rossiter was quoted as a £8 million player and good strikers don't come cheap either. We need another good CB and a good box striker but at todays prices and wages we are always going to have to bring in the right  balance between sell on and experienced Bosman's to compete.

Still surprised we managed to get Rossiter, there's no doubt the boy is a player.  I know he would have had cost an English club more money, maybe his injury record prevented any of them from taking a gamble on him.