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***PreMatch Analysis***


nvager

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St. Johnstone vs Rangers at McDiarmid Park, Perth, on Saturday, October 17, 2009, Kick-Off 12:30 pm.

We now find ourselves one point behind Celtic with 15 points from 7 games and equal with them on goal difference at +8 goals. This is the result of a great Old Firm victory the Sunday before last. We must press on from this and put Celtic under pressure by going on a winning run. Three points are a must on Saturday as Celtic play Motherwell at home and kick-off after our game is finished. Let them play under pressure knowing we beat St. Johnstone.

Thankfully this weekend we will have more players fit. McCulloch, Bougherra, Thomson and Lafferty should return, but K Boyd will miss out through injury.

What will Walter do? I think he will play the standard defence with McCulloch Davis and Mendes in the middle and a front three of Lafferty, Miller and Naismith in a loose 4-3-3, which can become a 4-5-1 or a 4-4-2 as required. He may also decide to give Rothen, Fleck or Beasley a start and rest Mendes, but I somehow do not think so. Thomson could play in lieu of McCulloch or may play as well as McCulloch but who would he replace?

Whittaker in my opinion has been very average defensively, but yet if he is injured, who will replace him in this game? Bougherra to fullback and McCulloch

to centreback? We are thin for defensive cover until Broadfoot and Edu return.

The fact is that we must get a fast start like we did against Celtic and not let this St. Johnstone team gain in confidence. We saw what can happen at Motherwell when we let opponents dictate a game and we cannot afford a repeat of that performance.

My team would be McGregor, Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac, Davis, McCulloch, Mendes, Naismith, Lafferty and Miller.

I think we will win, but by a single goal. My prediction is St. Johnstone 1 - 2 Rangers.

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I think this will be a tough match, and St. Johnstone will set out defensively and will be hard to break down. I agree we'll win, but it will be close.

McInnes will have them well up for this one and we better match their enthusiasm.

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You have to look at it from their point of view as well and since we're the SPL champions, there's no bigger scalp they could take in Scottish football. In other words, it's the first SPL home game for St Johnstone against us & they won't be looking to draw the match, they'll be looking to win it. From a tactical point of view, we can hopefully make that something we can exploit and walk away with 3 points.

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We have played only 2 good halves all year so far. Hearts & Stuttgart. With Boydy injured, then hopefully we'll see Big Kyle get the nod -- and with Rothen's crossing ability, we'll see if Lafferty can capitalize.

I expect a comfortable win -- and what could be the beginning of the Naismith/Lafferty era at Ibrox. I also expect Mendes to have a big match. Full of confidence after his national side recall.

St. Johnstone 0- 2 Rangers.

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We have played only 2 good halves all year so far. Hearts & Stuttgart. With Boydy injured, then hopefully we'll see Big Kyle get the nod -- and with Rothen's crossing ability, we'll see if Lafferty can capitalize.

I expect a comfortable win -- and what could be the beginning of the Naismith/Lafferty era at Ibrox. I also expect Mendes to have a big match. Full of confidence after his national side recall.

St. Johnstone 0- 2 Rangers.

I hope you are right. I see a very hard match with us winning by a single goal. Prefer to win by 3 or 4 all the same.

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