Defence - The Key Problem

[RedWhiteBlue1872 407]

Firstly i must say i am happy with the appointment of McCall, it gives us a fighting chance at least.

However, for me there is one major problem with our squad and it is our centre halves.

I think the choice we have is that bad that they could well cost us promotion, we have seen it week after week, basic shocking defending with no real leadership.

McCulloch NEEDS to be dropped but will he drop the captain?.

Also i think McGregor is probably the best out a seriously bad bunch, although that isnt saying much.

What about the boy Streete? Any news on his injury?.

I think these Newcastle players are going to be vital to our chances also.

[onefootwillie 1,518]

I would agree that Mcgregor is the best of the CBs and should be played there and certainly before McCulloch .the Newcastle player Streete looked ok for the half he played but it looked like he went off with a hamstring injury So I would expect it will be another few weeks before he comes back . He will then need to get match fit so I can't see him featuring much. The big problem is RB I can't see why Sinnamon is not at least given a chance we keep trying to fit players in there who are not RBs and this just causes us problems

[6superbarry6 14,232]

I think our lack of goals creativity and just general fitness are also a major concern

[weshallnotbemoved! 714]

Firstly i must say i am happy with the appointment of McCall, it gives us a fighting chance at least.

However, for me there is one major problem with our squad and it is our centre halves.

I think the choice we have is that bad that they could well cost us promotion, we have seen it week after week, basic shocking defending with no real leadership.

McCulloch NEEDS to be dropped but will he drop the captain?.

Also i think McGregor is probably the best out a seriously bad bunch, although that isnt saying much.

What about the boy Streete? Any news on his injury?.

I think these Newcastle players are going to be vital to our chances also.

We hired a defender from St Mirren because Ally felt sorry for him when his father died and whispered to him that he would sign him one day.

St Mirren ffs!

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,251]

Lack of goals is a bigger problem for me.

31 shots in our last two games, 7 on target and 1 goal.

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

Lack of goals is a bigger problem for me.

31 shots in our last two games, 7 on target and 1 goal.

31 shots, but other than Daly's smash over the bar and Vuckic's goal, I can't really recall any that were clear cut. I think our strikers have had it pretty tough, our midfield have neither stopped teams attacking us, nor have they created clear cut chances for the strikers.

I agree with you DBBTB the defense needs sorted but I think we have less of a job with them than we do the midfield/attackers.

[graeme_4 34,958]

Totally agree, although I put most of the blame on McCulloch as Wallace and McGregor aren't bad players.

Without doubt, the worst captain I've seen at Rangers in my lifetime. Cannot wait until he never pulls on a Rangers shirt again.

The whole team suffers to accommodate him, his lack of pace and inability to read the game means we sit 10 to 15 yards deeper than we should, leaving the midfield totally isolated from defence and attack. IMO it's the biggest issue we have on the footballing side.

[the_r_sole 366]

Ideally we'd have centre backs playing centre back and right backs playing right back - hopefully McCall can do something the last two never managed

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,251]

31 shots, but other than Daly's smash over the bar and Vuckic's goal, I can't really recall any that were clear cut. I think our strikers have had it pretty tough, our midfield have neither stopped teams attacking us, nor have they created clear cut chances for the strikers.

I agree with you DBBTB the defense needs sorted but I think we have less of a job with them than we do the midfield/attackers.

It's nice that we are agreeing on something today but being serious and going back to yesterday I wouldn't be surprised to see Templeton come back into the managers plans now.

I'm hoping McCall settles on a central defensive pairing and just sticks with it. I think the constant chopping and changing hasn't helped at all. I'd also say I hope he takes McCulloch out of there, but I expect he will stay in the team.

[BigDak 808]

Mate, that's total bollocks!

From the start of the year we've only scored 9 goals.

How the hell is that a problem with defence?

I'm pretty sure in the 0-0 with Cowdenbeath we had something like 21 shots on goal. That, to me, shows a problem with our goal scorers.

[sassaaaa 11,406]

McCall has no chance of getting the job permanently if he keeps McCulloch in the side.

[Gaz52 11,837]

We looked semi-decent with McGregor and Zaliukas in a partnership but then Jig had to come and ruin everything as usual

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

It's nice that we are agreeing on something today but being serious and going back to yesterday I wouldn't be surprised to see Templeton come back into the managers plans now.

I'm hoping McCall settles on a central defensive pairing and just sticks with it. I think the constant chopping and changing hasn't helped at all. I'd also say I hope he takes McCulloch out of there, but I expect he will stay in the team.

It's all about opinions... But, I'm sure, in time, you'll realise the error of your ways regarding Templeton

Based on a few threads it seems the fans are split down the middle with Temps tbf inconsistent wingers will divide opinions.

Yeah, the defence has kept a couple of clean sheets at the start of the season, under Mcgregor and Zal, Zal needs games and I think he could be our best Centre Half if he manages to hit a decent run of form. It's one of the hardest partnerships to get right and build an understanding, it may take some time but Jig, despite all of his furious faces and the random pointing, offers nothing as a centre half and captain. Not sure if Halkett is better than Mcregor, Zal, Moshni or Faure, but whoever has the best understading between those 5 should play regularly as far as I'm concerned.

[NeoGeo7 10,611]

I'd agree that defence is a problem BUT I agree with most in this thread that midfield creativity and our strikers are a bigger problem. If our defence concede 3 it won't matter if we score 5.

McCall needs to drop McCulloch and if he does it will show that he has the balls to make the right decisions for the good of the team not for the individual benefit of your mates. Yes McCulloch might be captain but I don't believe this should stop you from dropping them, he's not an inspirational leader, nor does he lead by example.

I'd like to see Faure get a run in centre half position with mcgregor and when streete is back I'd like for him to be in, he looked good against Raith in the cup. Hopefully Mbabu is close to fitness to get a proper right back in unless McCall tries sinnamon with Walsh on the right (read they were a handful on the right when playing for Scotland under 19s).

Really intrigued for the team selection on Saturday and dare I say optimistic and excited.

[VladimirWeiss69 811]

We looked semi-decent with McGregor and Zaliukas in a partnership but then Jig had to come and ruin everything as usual

Yeah agree, I would also like to try McCgregor and Streete With Zaliukas on the bench or Zaliukas and Streete with McCgregor on the bench.

We need to get jig away from the squad all together the defence sits far too deep to accommodate for jigs lack of pace, all it does is invites pressure onto us. I know he is our captain, but he is a fucking shite captain at that.

[jcb 1,167]

It goes deeper than just the defence imo.

We sit off teams, allowing them both time & space to build attacks. There is no sign of pressing them (Fitness ?) or closing down crosses into the box. This has been our strategy for 20+ years and has seen us outplayed whenever we stepped up in class.

Need to address this as a priority if we want to progress.

[Big Al 55 9,296]

When your whole team is pish the defence is undoubtedly the department to sort out first. However it goes way way deeper than that.

Hopefully McCall won't have to do too much other than be different to provoke a positive reaction from the players.

They are a complete and utter disgrace and are taking the piss out of each and every Rangers fan. How they can bank their wages with a straight face is beyond me...some of them are actually stealing the money...pathetic excuse for professional footballers.

[nachothelegend 1,932]

I would say our fitness and strikers along with midfield are worse than our defence tbh.

We are a mess on wings no pace and poor central midfield movement forward and back, poor fitness in that.

Also we have slow movement of forwards who don't run from deep and cannot keep up with pace or high balls.

We have no set piece takers who can score and people who cannot take corners to the rear post.

Pathetic,

Strength and fitness is a mess with no pace forward and back.

Shocking indeed.

[NeoGeo7 10,611]

It goes deeper than just the defence imo.

We sit off teams, allowing them both time & space to build attacks. There is no sign of pressing them (Fitness ?) or closing down crosses into the box. This has been our strategy for 20+ years and has seen us outplayed whenever we stepped up in class.

Need to address this as a priority if we want to progress.

Ever since smith returned this is what we have done. It started with th UEFA cup run where we sat in and counter attacked then it manifested itself in our domestic games too. I remember Valencia tearing us apart years back where they pressed us so hard you literally had the players on your back as soon as you had the ball at your feet.

I've wanted us to play this way for a long time which is why I was despondent at mccoist getting the job as he just carried on where smi left off with our playing style.

IWith any luck the youths are fitter than the first team and perhaps McCall can use them to get a fresh start and press teams from the first whistle to the last. Falkirk did this with us and the difference between them and raith was clear and thats why our players struggled on that night.

You sit and watch us stand off Alloa rather than getting stuck into them, that's why there is no fear playing us now. I think with the playing style we have used there is less emphasis on fitness and given the all you can eat buffet that seems to go on at Murray Park its little wonder our players are less fit than part timers. It's shocking and I don't know if 11 games will be enough, here's hoping.

[loyalfollower 1,543]

The one problem we have is favouritism in the first team squad. You can't tell me that playing lbs at left wing is better than pitching in a youngster. Same as right back, vuckic is a prime number 10 yet constantly out wide to accommodate mediocre pals

[NeoGeo7 10,611]

The one problem we have is favouritism in the first team squad. You can't tell me that playing lbs at left wing is better than pitching in a youngster. Same as right back, vuckic is a prime number 10 yet constantly out wide to accommodate mediocre pals

McCall gave frank assessment of the players on BT sport so to then play these players it would reek of double standards. If he does drop them then it's exactly what we need and shows that he will make "tough" decisions for the benefit of the team. If McCulloch plays on Saturday then he cannot be given the job on a permanent basis in my opinion.

[georgiabear 0]

It goes deeper than just the defence imo.

We sit off teams, allowing them both time & space to build attacks. There is no sign of pressing them (Fitness ?) or closing down crosses into the box. This has been our strategy for 20+ years and has seen us outplayed whenever we stepped up in class.

Need to address this as a priority if we want to progress.

This as much as anything IMO. Also our players can't handle being pressed by the opposition.

Other teams know that this is he way to play us, and our misfits buckle every time under the pressure.

[jcb 1,167]

Ever since smith returned this is what we have done. It started with th UEFA cup run where we sat in and counter attacked then it manifested itself in our domestic games too. I remember Valencia tearing us apart years back where they pressed us so hard you literally had the players on your back as soon as you had the ball at your feet.

I've wanted us to play this way for a long time which is why I was despondent at mccoist getting the job as he just carried on where smi left off with our playing style.

IWith any luck the youths are fitter than the first team and perhaps McCall can use them to get a fresh start and press teams from the first whistle to the last. Falkirk did this with us and the difference between them and raith was clear and thats why our players struggled on that night.

You sit and watch us stand off Alloa rather than getting stuck into them, that's why there is no fear playing us now. I think with the playing style we have used there is less emphasis on fitness and given the all you can eat buffet that seems to go on at Murray Park its little wonder our players are less fit than part timers. It's shocking and I don't know if 11 games will be enough, here's hoping.

Actually think it goes back a lot longer tbh.

I remember sitting watching as teams like Gothenburg, Athens, Famagusta,Strasbourg etc, all teams with less resources than we had outplayed us for long periods of the games. This was at a time where we had Gough, Gazza, Laudrup Negri (Different class at the time) playing for us.

Any coach will tell you not to let a player lift his head and pick a pass but we have continued to stand off teams for years.

A high level of fitness allied to players being drilled on how to press the ball as a team and not individually, this requires a competent coach and players with the intelligence to understand the system.

We have lacked both in recent years especially.

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

Actually think it goes back a lot longer tbh.

I remember sitting watching as teams like Gothenburg, Athens, Famagusta,Strasbourg etc, all teams with less resources than we had outplayed us for long periods of the games. This was at a time where we had Gough, Gazza, Laudrup Negri (Different class at the time) playing for us.

Any coach will tell you not to let a player lift his head and pick a pass but we have continued to stand off teams for years.

A high level of fitness allied to players being drilled on how to press the ball as a team and not individually, this requires a competent coach and players with the intelligence to understand the system.

We have lacked both in recent years especially.

I recall Trevor Steven saying the very same thing, before he left for France, he said years ago that we needed to adopt a pressing game and keep the ball to have any chance in Europe. He called it 20 odd years ago, we still haven't done it since outwith Advocaat's spell and in Europe with Le Guen

[jcb 1,167]

I recall Trevor Steven saying the very same thing, before he left for France, he said years ago that we needed to adopt a pressing game and keep the ball to have any chance in Europe. He called it 20 odd years ago, we still haven't done it since outwith Advocaat's spell and in Europe with Le Guen

True but both Advocaat & LeGuen weren't brought up on a diet of the "car crash" style that has been Scottish football as long as i've watched it (44 years ).