***the Official Rangers V Alloa Match Thread***

[port_bear 86]

Mate it's Alloa ffs.

The same Alloa who have taken how many points off us this season?

[Gaz52 11,837]

4/1 for a draw..

[port_bear 86]

4/1 for a draw..

I'd be happy with a 1-0 win and actually keep a clean sheet at home for a change.

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

The modern day game has evolved and the traditional two striker set up has been replaced with one finisher (in our case Boyd) supported by 3 pacey, attack minded midfielders. For me the likes of Walsh and Templeton fit that profile and in the absence of Vuckic I believe Shiels is our next best No.10 in the "second striker" position just in front of two sitting midfielders.

If we get the service to Boyd and provide him with enough support then only having one recognised striker won't matter.

Agreed We've played in a similar formation this year, with Clark or Miller dropping deep off Boyd but we never play it the correct way, we use Boyd as a target man and ask the forward players to get around him and get onto knock downs, rather than asking the creative players to get on the ball and start attacks and create things for our strikers. Boys isn't a target man, he relies on two pacey wider men getting beyond him and cutting balls back to him or slipping him in one on one.

We have the attacking options to play 3 in behind the main striker, providing those three are either Shiels, Temps, Vuckic or Walsh. Gallagher could possibly play it, but I think he'd prefer a role along the front.

[The Godfather 71,868]

The same Alloa who have taken how many points off us this season?

Jesus, all I was saying as it shows how much we have fucked this up by not being able to play two forwards against the worst teams in Scotland.

I've said many times we need to play with 2 wide men and someone behind the striker but that's because we can't win games with 2 forwards playing which is a fucking disgrace in the second tier with the squad we have.

You understand now Jose?

[Jack The Flipper 5,936]

I think this shows how awful a team we are now. Those contemplating formations, players and tactics - we should be able to beat a team like this without using any tactics. We give these teams too much respect. Were have our balls gone? We used to have a huge pair of hairy sweaty orbs dangling down for all to see, so much so teams stood off of us and we had stupid possession and a stupid amount of shots at goal. Not now. These shitty wee teams will be saying, don't worry lads it's only rangers.

Sickening.

[port_bear 86]

Agreed We've played in a similar formation this year, with Clark or Miller dropping deep off Boyd but we never play it the correct way, we use Boyd as a target man and ask the forward players to get around him and get onto knock downs, rather than asking the creative players to get on the ball and start attacks and create things for our strikers. Boys isn't a target man, he relies on two pacey wider men getting beyond him and cutting balls back to him or slipping him in one on one.

We have the attacking options to play 3 in behind the main striker, providing those three are either Shiels, Temps, Vuckic or Walsh. Gallagher could possibly play it, but I think he'd prefer a role along the front.

Spot on chief !!

Both Ally and the McClown after him were set in their long balls ways looking for either Boyd or Daly to play with their backs to goal winning headers and knock downs from long diagonal passes .... IT DOESN'T WORK !!

Boyd at Kilmarnock last season was told do one thing, stay in and around the penalty box and do what he does best. Hopefullly McCall will do the same and put the onus on the suporting midfield to start the attacks (as they should be doing) and creating the chances for the big man to put away.

[Jack The Flipper 5,936]

Spot on chief !!

Both Ally and the McClown after him were set in their long balls ways looking for either Boyd or Daly to play with their backs to goal winning headers and knock downs from long diagonal passes .... IT DOESN'T WORK !!

Boyd at Kilmarnock last season was told do one thing, stay in and around the penalty box and do what he does best. Hopefullly McCall will do the same and put the onus on the suporting midfield to start the attacks (as they should be doing) and creating the chances for the big man to put away.

Boyd is finished, he's had the most simple of chances and failed to even hit the target a lot of the times.

[The Godfather 71,868]

I think this shows how awful a team we are now. Those contemplating formations, players and tactics - we should be able to beat a team like this without using any tactics. We give these teams too much respect. Were have our balls gone? We used to have a huge pair of hairy sweaty orbs dangling down for all to see, so much so teams stood off of us and we had stupid possession and a stupid amount of shots at goal. Not now. These shitty wee teams will be saying, don't worry lads it's only rangers.

Sickening.

Spot on mate.

We are a fucking mess of a club just now,

[The Godfather 71,868]

Boyd is finished, he's had the most simple of chances and failed to even hit the target a lot of the times.

Agreed.

He's missed sitters all season, drop the guy and go with someone else who won't choke in front of goal.

[j1mgg 3,766]

I would rather we went all out and lost, than play like we did on Saturday and draw.

[port_bear 86]

Jesus, all I was saying as it shows how much we have fucked this up by not being able to play two forwards against the worst teams in Scotland.

I've said many times we need to play with 2 wide men and someone behind the striker but that's because we can't win games with 2 forwards playing which is a fucking disgrace in the second tier with the squad we have.

You understand now Jose?

I understood what you meant from the start !!

However just because you are the superior team doesnt mean you have to automatically play TWO strikers as to somehow demonstrate that superiority and furthermore by playing two strikers doesnt guarantee your team any more goals.

Many top teams have proven that playing 3 supporting attacking midfielders behind the striker is far more productive than the traditional and rigid 4-4-2 !!

Regards,

Pep !

[Muz333 359]

I guess by lately you mean for the last 3 years?

I was going to put that when I made the post. However I chose to turn a blind eye to the past couple of seasons.

[Jack The Flipper 5,936]

Agreed.

He's missed sitters all season, drop the guy and go with someone else who won't choke in front of goal.

No idea why Gallacher's not been given a chance tbh. Whenever I saw him he was full of energy, was fast, good touch, perhaps not the most skillful, but looked dangerous. He's clearly well built to mix it with bigger defenders as well. Before his loan deal I thought he was one of the few that would be a stick on for starting matches, never materialised.

[Clemdog 39,389]

Agreed.

He's missed sitters all season, drop the guy and go with someone else who won't choke in front of goal.

It's so infuriating when you hear pundits who hardly watch our games, pushing the myth, that Boyd isn't scoring because the chances aren't being created anymore.

It's absolute baloney. He's missed plenty of chances, more so than I can remember any of our other strikers.

From what I can tell he's come in, not applied himself and slipped right back into a comfort zone. Thus he's about a mile off the pace, the guy is more likely to completely miss the ball than hit the target right now. There's no way that's solely down to confidence.

[CoplandStandBear 995]

That miss Boyd had against Raith Rovers in the cup at about 90 minutes was the last straw. The time is up for him and he needs to leave in the summer.

[The Godfather 71,868]

It's so infuriating when you hear pundits who hardly watch our games, pushing the myth, that Boyd isn't scoring because the chances aren't being created anymore.

It's absolute baloney. He's missed plenty of chances, more so than I can remember any of our other strikers.

From what I can tell he's come in, not applied himself and slipped right back into a comfort zone. Thus he's about a mile off the pace, the guy is more likely to completely miss the ball than hit the target right now. There's no way that's solely down to confidence.

He's been given plenty of chances from what I have seen this season, his sharpness that we saw last season at Killie simply isn't there now and I have no idea why that is the case.

We have tried playing him back into form but again that's not working.

[port_bear 86]

Boyd is finished, he's had the most simple of chances and failed to even hit the target a lot of the times.

You see a striker on the scrap heap whilst I see a frustrated player being asked to play in a manner that does not suit his style of play.

Look back when Boyd was scoring week in week out for us and you will see he missed just as many chances as he scored (if not more). The difference being that back then his goals contributed to our winning games masking the fact that he spurned countless other chances. These days we are NOT creating anywhere near the number of chances and we aren't winning games so every chance missed is being scruitenised.

[Jack The Flipper 5,936]

That miss Boyd had against Raith Rovers in the cup at about 90 minutes was the last straw. The time is up for him and he needs to leave in the summer.

He should never have been re-signed. I along with many others knew it would be a huge mistake, given our limited knowledge we were proven to be right. McCoist was proven to be wrong once again. You'd have hoped he'd have known better.

[GersInCanada 7,775]

If we are to get promotion this season - and I don't think we will - then Stuart has to make drastic changes as Ally's legacy are nowhere near good enough.

[Dutchy 1,200]

I've just been reading what McCall and his attitude against all the other teams we'll be playing in the run up to the play-offs and I have to say I'm more and more encouraged by what he has to say. of course, it's only words, but the style of words have even changed and instead of praising all the other team, he's talking about what we should be doing. He also implies that there will be more youngsters getting a game. Some thing we should have started in the 4th tier, so all in all, maybe he can get them playing in a different, winning manner. Here's hoping.

I'll go for a 2-0 tonight and hope there is more youth on the park. They'll make mistakes, but they'll also try harder than the charlatans that have been playing for us recently.

[Jack The Flipper 5,936]

You see a striker on the scrap heap whilst I see a frustrated player being asked to play in a manner that does not suit his style of play.

Look back when Boyd was scoring week in week out for us and you will see he missed just as many chances as he scored (if not more). The difference being that back then his goals contributed to our winning games masking the fact that he spurned countless other chances. These days we are NOT creating anywhere near the number of chances and we aren't winning games so every chance missed is being scruitenised.

How many chances can we afford to scuff over the crossbar to enable boydy to start scoring again? I say given our current predicament - none. We need to take our chances not have someone converting 1/7 of them. Therefore boyd shouldn't be accommodated.

[The Godfather 71,868]

Blaming the system or coaching for Boyds failures is laughable.

When the player can't score chances that most would fail to miss then it's entirely that players fault.

Boyds finished.

[port_bear 86]

How many chances can we afford to scuff over the crossbar to enable boydy to start scoring again? I say given our current predicament - none. We need to take our chances not have someone converting 1/7 of them. Therefore boyd shouldn't be accommodated.

And replace him with whom?

Clark? missed more chances this season than any of our strikers.

Miller? should have stayed in Canada, legs have gone, touch is well, he hasnt got one.

Daly? Total waste of whatever it is we are peying him a week, just a big clogger using his overweight frame to out muscle defenders (to poor effect)

[port_bear 86]

Blaming the system or coaching for Boyds failures is laughable.

Two managers have walked this season because there is a clear problem with both the coaching and the system.