Ibrox_Nights

The main thing that baffles me is that in a squad off that size, and I didn't even think it was that big until you pointed it out, is that with all those players we recently had David Healy as our only fit striker. Sometimes a club has a massive injury crisis and things like this can happen, but that isn't the case with us. We had Jelavic and Lafferty unavailable and young Hemmings injured. That is two injuries, I don't include Naismith because he's not an out and out striker even though he was constantly saving our arse early in the Season, and we were fortunate Fleck stepped up to the plate and Davis had his best game in months. Two main recognized strikers and a young lad we acquired from the dizzy heights of Tamworth who anytime I see him feature I wonder what the fuss is about. When the summer window shut, I said at the time that I couldn't believe we hadn't brought in another striker, coupled to the fact we brought in Ortiz, Bedoya, McKay and the like. We have been very fortunate that Jelavic, even though not looking at his best this Season, has remained fit because even a half interested Jelavic is miles ahead of what else we have upfront. (Again I don't include Naismith in that) The fact we had so few recognized strikers and nobody bar Hemmings in the youths to step up should have meant we got at least someone in, even a proven SPL goal scorer, the likes of which we seem to be going after now would have been preferable to nobody.

There are two or three names on your second list there that I would move to the first one, however, that is another argument, anyway... Some young guys on the first list who obviously need to be kept as they have either looked good when they have played and haven't let us down, or haven't even had any sort of first team opportunity yet. Ness, albeit seemingly made of glass obviously has to be given time to try and shake his injury jinx off because a blind man could see that he's got natural talent and technique in abundance when fit and on form. I sometimes wonder where we would be now if it hadn't been for the likes of Davie and I'd also be loathed to call him dead wood after all he has done for our club, however, when you analyze who has been ahead of him this Season then it's very unlikely he'll be a First Team pick again. Also think McMillan should be getting a chance, though that is more a personal opinion as I think he is twice the player Broadfoot is with the ball and when going forward.

34 players, Christ, it's no wonder Whyte is on about reducing the wage bill. I take it though this includes the likes of the young Naismith?

Dear God, can we have someone from Arsenal Women instead of Squillaci if we have to return Bartley.

Since Healy has come into the team, the most impressive thing for me has been his link-up play. Jelavic looked delighted with some of it, Aluko's play as well, against Arbroath. Saying that, as much as I like the guy, some of his finishing has been horrendous and for someone considered as a poacher type striker, his goal scoring record anywhere he has played over the years is average to poor. I'd be happy with him contributing and getting games along side Jelavic, however, if the big man leaves and Healy is expected to fire us to the title then there are going to be a lot of very unhappy Bears.

Zinedine who? Chuffed for the guy and Ally's reaction is priceless

Seems Roy has undergone some kind of conversion, due to hardly even knowing or being bothered about Allan not much less than a week ago. Now he appears to be the best thing since sliced bread.

When PLG arrived amid all the great hope for the future, if you'd have said really the only one thing remaining from his (albiet) short-lived tenure was Sasa, you'd have been carted. Been a great servant for the club and in more recent years it'll be hard for me to think of a player I'll be more sorry to see go, or one I'll remember fonder. Glad he's at Ibrox for a bit longer!

Feel genuinely privileged to have watched Brian Laudrup play for the team I love. IMO the best ever player to play for Rangers. Certainly the best foreign player ever to play in Scotland - the Swede who played for that lot can go and raffle himself. The player I wished I had seen in the flesh isn't a Rangers player. I have always followed Serie A and wished I had seen Roberto Donadoni play. Certainly one of the most underrated but influential wingers / wide midfielders. Everyone thought his days were up when Lentini arrived for what was back then an absolutely massive transfer fee, however, through a combination of factors he forced his way back into one of the best teams ever made the position his own again, resulting in Lentini barely getting more than a few months then a seat on the Milan bench.

I once read, perhaps on here I can't remember, that it was Ally who had made sure he was retained by the club when he may have been one of the youngsters heading for the exit doors at Ibrox. As to how true that is, I do not know. I think Ally, whether it be because it is his first Season in charge or not, is tending to pick the experience 99 times out of 100. While Broadfoot isn't the most technically gifted player you'll ever see, on his day he is a solid option I suppose and played a fairly big role in our recent title successes. I think that may explain Ally's reluctance to either play youngsters regularly, or play less tried and tested players in their natural positions. See Papac CM etc. The positions in the squad of the three midfielders Ally brought in does still baffle me though, I have to say. While a Rangers player plays for my team I shall always support them. It doesn't matter if I don't rate them as a player or as a person, when they cross that line I'll always give them my backing. That said, I can see where people come from when they see players like McCulloch being shoe horned into the team and we play dire football. Conversely, when they drop out for whatever reason, we start playing a much better passing game and stop trying to play American Football. Being honest, I'm not a real fan of a back 3 and wing backs, however, given our lack of genuine skilled natural wingers (save Aluko) and the players we currently have when everyone is fit in our squad, I think that some kind of 5-3-2 could be a really useful and interesting formation for us if the tactics were correct.

Didn't know him personally, though far too many good Bears have gone recently. R.I.P to all the Bears who have been taken too soon.

Before we signed Aluko we had such little width and if say Jig and Edu are in the centre of our midfield then our full backs providing width and giving us options is essential IMO. In that case, if we are talking between Whittaker and Broadfoot then it would have to be SW as Broadfoot going forward is more often than not a train wreck and more often than not results in a high punt up the park when he gets anywhere near the half way line. That said, anytime I have seen Jordan McMillan play, which granted in the flesh has been limited to a couple of occasions, he hasn't done anything to suggest he should be denied a run in the first team. I know people will say that he has been at the club this long, then why hasn't he played more games, however, I'd suggest that can be turned round to thinking with the youngsters we have released over the years who have been quite tidy players, he must be quite highly rated to still be here and apparently looking to sign another contract. It doesn't of course help that one of the players you are up against for your position happens to be the one who has just negotiated a big wage rise when signing a new deal. Even a very, very off form Whittaker this season it has been shown won't be dropped. Ally obviously is not prepared for a flagship player on a massive wage (all relative for us these days) to sit on the bench while he gives McMillan a run of games. I still think Whittaker’s contract was a huge error and set a bad precedent. Least of all for the fact that given our current financial state, he’d be nowhere near the top of my list of players who I’d think deserves that kind of contract.

To be fair mate, I could put a cross onto the head of my strikers once in a blue moon! I'm amazed for someone who has quite a fair bit of technical ability how many times he fails to even get his crosses past the first man. There are games he gets himself into great positions and his delivery is absolutely dire. Never good to see any Rangers player injured though, regardless of whether or not I'm a fan of his or agree with the ludicrous contract he is on. Hopefully they are both back in contention for the title run in.

Yup I'd prefer the Championship for him, but what are they, 2nd in the league? Never a bad thing for a player like him looking to be included in an already winning side.

Good move for all parties once again it would appear. On a side note, Hutton's already had his period at a First Division Scottish club, time he went South if he is to go on another loan to see how he performs at a better level, if he has ambitions to ever be a first team regular at Rangers.

If Fleck is given a run in the team now then he hopefully won´t be too much of a loss, however, he's been the only player since Naismith was injured to actually link our midfield and attack. In the short amount of time he played he actually supported our striker and ran his arse off to get in the box, rest of our midfield, save very few ocassions this season, take note! Good luck Thomas

If asked, I wouldn't have said we had scored so many more than that lot in a couple of those Seasons! Good read that mate

Happy New Year to everyone, best wishes to all for 2012!

Leaving aside the debate about whether Ortiz is any good or not, (which if played in his proper position and given a bit of time I believe he would be) ...whoever it was that scouted / recommended him as a winger and to be played on either wing should never again be let loose on a scouting mission for Forfar, let alone Glasgow Rangers.

If he were to go to Blackpool, then playing under Holloway at a decent level could be just what he needs. May well be beneficial for all parties. Also, good to hear about Naismith. I thought at the time he would be a massive loss and he has been. One player doesn't make a team, however, when you have nobody to come in capable of doing what he does for us, the absence of that player can make a huge difference to the team. Fine to say others can step up, pity we have no other player capable of linking out midfield to attack. Well, at least any player who can get a starting place.

That is the annoying bit for me. Give him a run in the team and see if he can improve our woeful midfield, it isn't a monumental task as this is one of the worst I've ever seen in all my years watching my team. Do we see him everyday in training? No, clearly not, but he must be absolute mince if he can't show enough there to merit being ahead of Bartley or McCulloch when they are played in CM. If that is the case, which I don't believe it is, then why did we track him and sign him in the first place. The whole situation is bizarre and I genuinely feel for the guy.

Added to that mate, in about his only full competitive run out, he was played at LM and seemed to be expected to give us width, which isn't supposed to be his main position. You'd know better than most of us if that's the case, which is certainly looked. We've hardly seen him at CM which he's meant to favor. I was very impressed with him against Liverpool; yes I know a friendly, but still looked neat on the ball.

As much as I like Sasa at LB, if McKay isn't good enough to dislodge him, Bartley or McCulloch from midfield; all of whom are about as useful there as a chocolate fireguard, then why was he even signed in the first place. There are SPL midfielders earning a tenth to a twentieth of what our players are on making us look like idiots this season, controlling and dominating us. 60% possession to the away team at Ibrox, give us peace. I'm not expecting Pirlo, but I refuse to believe he couldn't come in and help us with retaining possession for more than four passes and make us able to actually play the ball through midfield.

World class or not, I look at him on our team sheet and never have a worry or concern. He's pulled us out the shit on more than one occasion. Conversely I look at our midfield at times this season and die a little inside. He has had a couple of howlers this season, even the likes of Valdes etc. mentioned, have the odd clanger. McGregor has saved our arses and saved us dropping quite a few more points this season than we have already. He is never going to be a commanding GK, however, considering Ally's seeming penchant for the 'get it into the box' how do we know he's not under instruction to be lumping the ball up the park. He is certainly contributing far more than others currently robbing a wage from us a present, even players on a purported 20K In short, he's the least of our increasingly long list of problems.

Correct! The irony is, however, that I keep seeing people saying that we don't need another midfielder or that we already have loads of midfielders when we are linked with someone. Well that really isn't the point if they can bring even an ounce of steel or creativity to ours as it is absolutely woeful. It's also a bit ironic that at the moment we probably have the largest selection of players to play in midfield we have had for years and yet, as others have alluded to, this is one of the worst midfields I have ever witnessed in all my years watching us. The fact we have about seven players who can play in CM makes little difference if they are all seemingly incapable of creating anything.