*** The Official Hibs V Rangers Match Thread ***

[MRF-LCC-RFC 54]

I think everyone on RM must have had a few too many pints this weekend with the calls for caution against Hibs, it will be a sad day for Rangers Football Club when we have to resort to playing a Centre Back at CDM just because we're playing Hibernian. Like our gaffer says, it is all about us, Rangers Football Club, we are one of the biggest clubs in the world. The day we start to worry about Hibs instead of our own strengths we will have problems. I would think that playing a CB at CDM is almost a Levein/Ally tactic, it is only done in an emergency not for freshness, only World Class players like Mascherano could pull it off to good success, even when Sergio Ramos does it for Madrid in an emergency he can put in a stinking performance. What will we do next season, if we had to resort to that against Hibs? It must be against our philosophy too. Especially when we only have 3 senior CB's so it would be madness to play all 3 of them at the same time - what if one gets injured, then we have to draft up youth for cover until they are back.

Hibernian aren't everything that they are cracked up to be on here, they scraped to a win over Falkirk with a dodgy penalty that shouldn't have been gave, whereas we steamrolled Falkirk 3-1 and left them dazzled in the last 20 minutes. Hibs even scraped to a win over Raith who we steamrollered too. All of the times Hibs have been turned over by poor opposition this season, we have controlled those kind of matches and won even if it is only 1-0 and apparently now a poor performance compared to to how good we can be on a good day at the office.

[Marky. 6,926]

I feel like we might have a slight tweak.

After the St Johnstone game and the 1-0 win over Hibs at Ibrox, I think Warburton will change it up slightly and have another man in the holding role of midfield.

I'd not be too surprised if Halliday and Ball played there with Holt ahead.

[Ayrshire_Bear 69]

Slightly surprised how heavily the bookies are favouring us. Seeing 3/1 for a Hibs win and 10/11 for us to win. Don't get me wrong I think we will win but a draw wouldn't be a total disaster. Win at Easter Road Sunday and I don't think they will even get close to us.

[docspiderman 1,225]

We just need to play with the intensity and tempo that we did until a few weeks ago and return to the quick passing on the ground.

Start with Miller on the bench and we will retain possession a lot better.

Positive attacking play not the negative defeatist attitude playing central defenders in other positions please.

[Bigsasasfloppyhair 13,310]

We just need to play with the intensity and tempo that we did until a few weeks ago and return to the quick passing on the ground.

Start with Miller on the bench and we will retain possession a lot better.

Positive attacking play not the negative defeatist attitude playing central defenders in other positions please.

Think people need to get facts correct, it's not negative or defeatist to play a player in his natural position.

Ball is a defensive midfielder who has transitioned into a centre half and has also been utilised at fullback as well.

He has represented northern ireland and england in this role and defence.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/9946974/rangers-agree-with-tottenham-for-year-long-loans-of-nathan-oduwa-and-dominic-ball

[buster. 1,114]

Warburton will not change formation. If plan A isn't working we have to do plan A better. The same formation is being used for every level at the club.

Yes, it'll be the same formation, what needs to change is our performance level.

[docspiderman 1,225]

Think people need to get facts correct, it's not negative or defeatist to play a player in his natural position.

Ball is a defensive midfielder who has transitioned into a centre half and has also been utilised at fullback as well.

He has represented northern ireland and england in this role and defence. http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11675/9946974/rangers-agree-with-tottenham-for-year-long-loans-of-nathan-oduwa-and-dominic-ball

Must admit I thought he was a central defender and I also admit that I cannot envisage him in a midfield role the way Warburton likes to play.

[allgers 735]

We should be playing our game and see if hibs can handle it, there are nine other teams in this league and every single one of them want a bite at Rangers, we are their reason for existing their claim to fame, a good performance against Rangers lifts a team, look at livid beating Qos 4-1, would you have seen that before the midweek game, Its all about Rangers.

[now then forever 298]

Would be good to see maybe a formation change maybe to 4-4-2 and have mackay and halliday on the wings.

Wes

Tav ball wilson wallace

Halliday holt law mackay

Waghorn oduwa

This is based on if the players are fit to return

Aye ok Ally

[K.A.I 36,183]

11 out of 11 wins why change

Because we need to freshen things up a bit and get back to playing the way we were.

[G.E.C. 18,751]

I predict a 3-3 draw.

[Blue Avenger 22,567]

No changes. We will go 11 points ahead and it's game, set and match for the league!

[Mr Soprano 13,964]

If we play to our best, we'll steamroller them.

I think they'll go 5 across the midfield with the wide players pushing on against Tav and Wallace.

Foderingham

Tavernier

Kiernan

Ball

Wallace

Halliday

Holt

Zelalem

Oduwa

Waghorn

McKay

2-0 Rangers.

[GOAT 30,449]

Absolutely buzzing for this. It's good to have the "feeling" again.

My one concern is we need to control the midfield. So I'd start Sheils or put Ball in midfield either or.

Fod

Tav___Kiernan___Ball___Wallace

Halliday____Shiels

Holt

Oduwa____Waghorn____McKay

If things are going our way bring on Zel/Law for Sheils.

[Gillete 1,338]

Oduwa never started against them at ibrox

I fully expect him to turn it on if he starts as he loved that stage to showcase his skills on live tv

[VladimirWeiss69 802]

All we need to do is win this game and the league is won as far as I'm concerned, easier said than done I know. I would start with a team like this:

Wes

Tav Kiernan Wilson Wallace

Ball Halliday

Holt

Oduwa Waghorn Mckay

Maybe a wee bit too defensive but I won't be very confident if Wilson and Kiernan start together without a defensive CDM in there, I wouldn't call Halliday one as he likes to get forward often!

[WeeJim 92]

Hibs were lucky against Falkirk and by all accounts were hanging on against Raith Rovers as well, I know its a cliche but it's all about what we do rather than what they can do to us. I wouldn't change our formation by putting Ball in at DM and making him sit back more as I reckon over the past couple of weeks the defence is actually looking stronger than it's been as it is. I'm just hoping our attacking/creating players play to the standard they're capable of. If they do we'll win.

It's a difficult team to pick and for me its all down to how Zelalem and Oduwa look in training this week, if they look really up for it I'd start them both but they need to be mentally as well as physically ready to do the business and if not then either Law or Sheils in for one and Miller or Clark in for the other. There's very little difference to choose between their replacements IMO so it's who looks mentally ready during the week.

[BigAmo'sThighs 848]

Difficult game, expect them to come out and attack, a point is no good for them, so I expect a tough game, they'll play the usual diamond or possibly go 3-5-2 IMO.

ST Mirren wanted to beat us more than they wanted to win, if that makes any sense, they battled like I've never seen any team do, unlucky not to score on one or two occasions, but they wanted to beat us, because it's us, they tried to play at a intensity that can't be done for 90 minutes. They tried to disregard the fact it was a game of football and grafted instead, hoping to capitalise. They looked dangerous at times, but it came from getting the break of the ball, a high press or a mistake. They were unlucky on a few occasions but we should have been better when the space opened up, we weren't.

Hibs will bring a much more measured approach, probably easier to play against and easier to control the game, but they'll be much more dangerous in terms of cutting teams open.

Think Zelalem needs to up his game after a poor performance, but I'd still play him.

Oduwa should start in place of Miller, or play Waghorn right and give Clark a game upfront as I think he's done superbly every time he's come on these last few weeks.

Wes

Tav Ball Kiernan Wallace

Holt Halliday Zelalem

Oduwa Waghorn Mckay

Think we'll do them with a good, open game of football. 4-2

[KingKirk 25,631]

As of next monday we can start planning for life in the top league 4-1 us waggy first goal

[loyalfollower 1,543]

Hibs will go 3-5-2 and hope to pack the midfield and to stop tav and Wallace going forward. I would definitely start oduwa McKay and waghorn upfront. Miller doesn't have the legs to start games but can add abit of quality and freshness around 70 mins. Halliday holt and shiels in the midfield and defence as you were

[folkestoneger 8,128]

I like the idea of Ball as DM but I also realize it won't happen.

I think we should keep him as the middle of a 3 man defence, allowing cover for Hibs breaks forward, with Wallace and Tav as the outside of a 5 man midfield.They have the engine to get up and down the wings depending who has the ball.

I would line up

Wes

Wilson Ball Kiernan

Tav Holt Halliday Law Wallace

Waghorn McKay

[Shuggy 1,308]

6-2 again

[Moobs 9,162]

A tight 1-0'win will do me. They cunts are gonnae come out 100mph.

[Bellshill_Bear 1,105]

I would take any win tbh would love to take them down a peg or 2. Worse fans in the world - when they get beat they are pall doom and gloom and when they win 1 game suddenly they would skelp us.

For me the defence has been at its best since the magic hat took over keep that the same.

Midfield I would go for Halliday, law and holt. Zelalem had a shocker and law has been playing well. Law has been seeing openings and threading nice passes/ chasing every ball whereas zelalem has been wasteful. Switch at 60 mins to freshen things up.

Upfront is a no brainier oduwa, Mckay and waggy. For the first time his season we are playing against a team that will be attacking more than defending and not defending in great numbers, pace would enable us to break with speed.

Can't wait for this one

[weshallnotbemoved! 714]

Hibs bottle it, every time.