Rangers v Hearts

[Johnny Dangerously 7,562]

We will win.

[OneDavidCooper 2,505]

No doubt in my mind that Hearts and Hibs will both be very competitive. Anyone expecting another walkover season from us has learned nothing from the past 2 years.

If the likes of Law continue with their limp wristed, soft arsed, I'll turn it on when I want to attitude we will suffer the consequences.

[Rickshaw77 287]

Hearts were the best of the bottom sides in the SPL last season even though they got relegated. Hammered Killie 5-0.

Hearts had a not bad start and decent finish to the season but everything in-between was dire from them.

Losing 3 out of 4 games to Killie.

Losing 7-0 to "Them"

Losing a cup semi while being 2-1 up against 9 men in the 94th minute.

Partick,Killie,Dundee utd and Motherwell all put 4 goals past them in games last season.

[Gillete 1,338]

Black

Wallace

Templeton

Zaliukas

All ex jambos

[Adoniram 1,919]

My worry is not so much that we will be beaten but that we will struggle yet again to break down opposing teams.

McCoist plays without a recognised playmaker in the middle. We pass the ball too often across the middle of the park in between booting it up the park.

We have no real creativity on the right as Foster is a bombscare going forward and defending.

On the left most teams know this is where we tend to base most of our attacks and will counter it accordingly.

McCoist simply will not line his team up to the strengths of the players he has to choose from. It's about not getting beat. That is the uppermost thought in his mind when he sets his team up against so called stronger opposition.

[JCDBigBear 10,828]

My worry isn't Hearts, my worry is McCoist!

[North Rd 2,860]

My worry is not so much that we will be beaten but that we will struggle yet again to break down opposing teams.

McCoist plays without a recognised playmaker in the middle. We pass the ball too often across the middle of the park in between booting it up the park.

We have no real creativity on the right as Foster is a bombscare going forward and defending.

On the left most teams know this is where we tend to base most of our attacks and will counter it accordingly.

McCoist simply will not line his team up to the strengths of the players he has to choose from. It's about not getting beat. That is the uppermost thought in his mind when he sets his team up against so called stronger opposition.

TBH everytime i watch them i get more pissed off with ally & co.

[Adoniram 1,919]

TBH everytime i watch them i get more pissed off with ally & co.

He sees it and he's not daft but like Smith before him he will not change this negative attitude. McCulloch will play most games as will Black and Law. McLeod will be vying for the left midfield position with the likes of Templeton, Shiels and Aird. McKay and Crawford won't get a look in and young Gallagher will be lucky to get 10 mins here and there stuck out on the right wing.

3 years in and you can read McCoist like a book. And if we can do it so can the opposition.

It will be another year of grinding out turgid results.

[Copland bear 7,966]

We will pump Hearts at Ibrox by at least 2, but if at Tynecastle then I would be happy with a draw.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Decent OP subject about squad depth derailed yet again by a few 'Ally Oot' Brigade!

[Adoniram 1,919]

Decent OP subject about squad depth derailed yet again by a few 'Ally Oot' Brigade!

Not derailed at all. You don't like it don't whinge.

[OneDavidCooper 2,505]

Decent OP subject about squad depth derailed yet again by a few 'Ally Oot' Brigade!

How has it been derailed? Any analysis of squad strength will invariably raise a debate about the manager who assembled it.

I'd have thought that was obvious to anyone.

[Bothwellbear 1,392]

To be fair Hearts have brought in some good players this summer and we will need to be careful against them. Arrogance is not going to win us this league. Just because we are Rangers does not mean we will automatically win this thing. I think we will win the league but are going to get a serious challenge from Hearts. Hibs... not so much.

[gmcf 34,265]

What I think has been overlooked in our Championship title tilt this season is squad depth, everyone is talking about Miller and Boyd etc, but what makes a Championship winning team is what happens in the cold winter months when players pick up knocks.

A Rangers v Hearts line-up might look something like...

Rangers:

--------------------Bell------------------------

Foster----McGregor----Zaliukas-----Wallace

Aird----Black-----Law--------Templeton

-----------Boyd------Miller-------------------

Hearts:

----------------Alexander--------------------

Paterson---Ozturk---Wilson---McHattie

--------------Gomis---Buaben------------

Walker---------Keatings-----Nicholson--------

-----------------Sow------------------------

2nd XI

Rangers:

--------------Simonsen-------------------

Faure------Mohsni---McCulloch--Smith

Peralta--Hutton----McLeod----McKay

--------------Shiels-----------------------

--------------Clark/Daly-----------------

Hearts:

-----------Gallacher---------------------

McKay---McGhee--Liam Gordon??--Liam Smith?? (both under 20's)

Smith----Robinson----King----Nicholson

-------------Oliver-----El Hassnaoui-------------

Whichever way you pick either line-up, I think the Rangers 2nd XI looks much stronger.

Good shout.

What was most pleasing about last nights win ( and I know you can't compare friendlies to the real thing ) was not only the intensity we played , particularly in the 1st half , but that it was achieved without a lot , of what would be considered , first team choices . ( Seven were in your 2nd team )

[Adoniram 1,919]

Templeton has been the biggest disappointment for me. If he doesn't start producing in the first 3 or 4 games i would seriously consider binning him in January. He has the talent but you do wonder if he has the mentality to cope at this level or with being a Rangers player.

If he is in form he would be one of the first picks for me. And i would probably play him just behind the main striker in the hole. With the right midfield and strikers i think he could do a lot of damage in a more central role.

[gmcf 34,265]

Templeton has been the biggest disappointment for me. If he doesn't start producing in the first 3 or 4 games i would seriously consider binning him in January. He has the talent but you do wonder if he has the mentality to cope at this level or with being a Rangers player.

If he is in form he would be one of the first picks for me. And i would probably play him just behind the main striker in the hole. With the right midfield and strikers i think he could do a lot of damage in a more central role.

Have to agree.

Of all our signings made over the last couple of years , he was the one that excited me the most but has largely disappointed .

Could be wrong on this , but I sense he's never really had a lengthy run of first team starts for one reason or another.

[wearethepeople1 3,897]

Not confident for this

Going for 1-1

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

How has it been derailed? Any analysis of squad strength will invariably raise a debate about the manager who assembled it.

I'd have thought that was obvious to anyone.

So you did not read the thread then - very little discussion about squad depth a lot of moaning and capitulation about the first game - and on the squad detpth question -

from looking at the two squads - I dont see any hearts player who would really enhance our squad - and yet there are 10-12 players at least in our squad who would walk into the hearts first team - what do you think?

[MaddistonKnight 1,567]

with the squad we have, we should walk the league and fuck hearts bandy. We shall see if this comes to pass.

[OneDavidCooper 2,505]

So you did not read the thread then - very little discussion about squad depth a lot of moaning and capitulation about the first game - and on the squad detpth question -

from looking at the two squads - I dont see any hearts player who would really enhance our squad - and yet there are 10-12 players at least in our squad who would walk into the hearts first team - what do you think?

There are 10 to 12 players in our squad who I'd pay the taxi fare so that they could join the Hearts squad.

[Gillete 1,338]

Shows you how far we have fallen in such a short space of time when we are worrying about hearts

[STEPPS BOY 74,000]

If we play Boyd and Miller i reckon we'll win..

If it's one up front then A draw is best we can expect..

[1690tamRFC 5,001]

I honestly expect us to win comfortably by at least a couple of goals.

[ORCHARD LOYAL 119]

Complacency is the key with all 3 teams. Us, hearts and hibs. I feel our players will be better equipped and know what to expect from these lesser teams because we have played to succesive campaigns of this type of football where it is anything but a breeze. If the hearts or hibs come down thinking it will be an easy riide they will drop points which will work in our favour. How many of us expected Ranges to win matches by 5 and 6 and it didnt happen because the oppostion raise their game. The team coming up will always have the advantage imho as the feel good factor should create positivity in the camp. Those relagated will think the world owes them a favor and that they shouldnt be there. it all depends how they cope with their failure last season.

We can do this because we are the people !

[Wearethepeople72 1,845]

People need to stop comparing Hearts of last season to Rangers of last season. That means nothing, Hearts were in the SPL and we were in League One. It's a totally different ball game when we're both in the Championship.

I think we'll have a slow start to the season and can see us dropping points to Hearts and possibly Falkirk in the first few games.

Having said that, after a patchy start, I think we will start winning games and by the time Christmas rolls around we will have a comfortable lead at the top of the table while Hibs and Hearts will start to fall away (maybe due to injuries to key players or lack of consistancy).

Our squad depth will play a part in this when we play alot of games over the Christmas/New Year period.

That's how I see it going.