Central midfield, and the lack of investment

[graeme_4 34,536]

Our CMs are not forward thinking, they work hard, they break up play and the recycle the ball - but everything is safe and sideways.

We need someone who plays in the Kamara / Jack / Lundstram positions (either in the 2 or 3) that gets his head up, plays the ball forward at pace and cuts open defences quickly. 

I know we’ve been linked with a few over the last couple of seasons, but we haven’t spent any substantial money on a CM in this squad, despite it clearly being a problem since Gerrard came in. And it shows.

Of all our flaws, and there’s many, not creating enough chances is the biggest.

Time to get the finger out Ross Wilson.

[6superbarry6 14,159]

1 minute ago, graeme_4 said:

Our CMs are not forward thinking, they work hard, they break up play and the recycle the ball - but everything is safe and sideways.

We need someone who plays in the Kamara / Jack / Lundstram positions (either in the 2 or 3) that gets his head up, plays the ball forward at pace and cuts open defences quickly. 

I know we’ve been linked with a few over the last couple of seasons, but we haven’t spent any substantial money on a CM in this squad, despite it clearly being a problem since Gerrard came in. And it shows. 

Time to get the finger out Ross Wilson.

Fear we will win nothing this season if we don’t sign a quality centre mid tbh, hopefully somebody buys Kamara and we can reinvest the cash on a decent replacement. 

[BigBearButt 3,627]

Just now, 6superbarry6 said:

Fear we will win nothing this season if we don’t sign a quality centre mid tbh, hopefully somebody buys Kamara and we can reinvest the cash on a decent replacement. 

If kamara goes we are still signing noone. We have a lot of bodies for cm just none are of the level required to improve. That much was obvious the day we renewed davis and arfields contracts. 

[6superbarry6 14,159]

2 minutes ago, BigBearButt said:

If kamara goes we are still signing noone. We have a lot of bodies for cm just none are of the level required to improve. That much was obvious the day we renewed davis and arfields contracts. 

If Kamara goes he’d 100% be replaced, would hope it would be with a more attacking midfielder and not a like for like replacement 

[Colin Traive 22,784]

I think Tillman can and will help given time.

But we need to stop this constant side to side crap while the eleven opponents behind the ball shuffle left and right a few yards. And repeat.

Poorer teams than last night’s opposition have had success against us by parking the bus like this and we’ve relied on luck and/or their eventual tiredness to open the door.

Biggest single problem we have because we see it nearly every week and we’re no closer to solving it.

[BigBearButt 3,627]

Just now, 6superbarry6 said:

If Kamara goes he’d 100% be replaced, would hope it would be with a more attacking midfielder and not a like for like replacement 

We will agree to disagree. We already have too many bodies in there.

Talented youth like lowry and mccann who are more attack minded so far down the pecking order its unreal. 

[J-Maestro 11,109]

Just now, Colin Traive said:

I think Tillman can and will help given time.

But we need to stop this constant side to side crap while the eleven opponents behind the ball shuffle left and right a few yards. And repeat.

Poorer teams than last night’s opposition have had success against us by parking the bus like this and we’ve relied on luck and/or their eventual tiredness to open the door.

Biggest single problem we have because we see it nearly every week and we’re no closer to solving it.

Tillman looked like he had no clue whether he should be left wing or in the centre last night. Don’t think any of the players understood the system.

[Valance1690 3,830]

We won't be signing an expensive quality CM unless this squad can qualify for the Champions League which is now looking a longshot, same as last season basically.

Wouldn't be surprised if not qualifying, even for the playoffs and getting the extra 5 million, has a knock on effect for the Kent/Morelos deals

 

[GlasgowRangers1983 461]

I thought that Tillman and Lawrence had been brought into those roles? We also have Hagi (when back) and Lowrey in those positions with Arfield playing his part also. 
 

I agree that I would of preferred for a marque signing that’s tried and tested also but don’t think that fits in with our player trading model.

100% we are missing some creativity in the final 3rd to link the mid field and forwards to make things happen. 

[Nk89 1,289]

Going forward It needs to be Lundstram Kamara with one of Lawrence/Tillman infront of him, Colak completely isolated

[The Ibrox Derry 8,904]

This team will come good, sadly it might be too late for champions league, but they will come good, league will be ours plus a cup

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,728]

Lowry, Hagi, Lawrence, Tillman for the attacking midfield role

Jack, Kamara, Lundstram, Davis, Sands, Kelly for the central positions.

Something needs to give in there for us to bring in the quality needed. We're actually overloaded but still don't have the genuine playmaker that will make a difference.

[Malkytfp1 18,594]

Here is where the issue is for me. We play two wingers or "inside 10's" who are never inside. Kent and Matondo hug the touchline. By doing that they are in a way stopping our full backs pushing on. It's easy to defend two wide men by cutting off that channel and gives our midfield nowhere to pass but sideways. If Kent and the other winger move inside they drag a man and open up the wide areas for fullbacks to go to but also give our midfielders an option of playing the ball into feet through the middle.

[6superbarry6 14,159]

19 minutes ago, BigBearButt said:

We will agree to disagree. We already have too many bodies in there.

Talented youth like lowry and mccann who are more attack minded so far down the pecking order its unreal. 

We have already been linked/made bids for Fulgini/Olaru if Kamara goes I’d hope we go back in for Olaru he looks quality. 

[6superbarry6 14,159]

8 minutes ago, Malkytfp1 said:

Here is where the issue is for me. We play two wingers or "inside 10's" who are never inside. Kent and Matondo hug the touchline. By doing that they are in a way stopping our full backs pushing on. It's easy to defend two wide men by cutting off that channel and gives our midfield nowhere to pass but sideways. If Kent and the other winger move inside they drag a man and open up the wide areas for fullbacks to go to but also give our midfielders an option of playing the ball into feet through the middle.

You would think swapping wings would be an obvious solution to this, actually surprised we bought an out and out winger for the right expected more of a left footed Skov Olsen type tbh. 

[nik2402 1,319]

The problem isn't the number 10 position like is being suggested above. The problem is deeper. We don't have a midfielder capable of taking the ball from a centre half and passing forward through the lines. Can have whoever you want playing number 10 but if they don't get the ball in the correct positions then it won't matter.  

 

I've been on record saying Ryan Jack has never been good enough to be a starter for Rangers. Good squad player but nothing more. The year we won the league he barely kicked a ball and its no coincidence. Kamara is a good player but he doesn't have the balls to grab the game and control it. 

[Swagger 7,985]

38 minutes ago, graeme_4 said:

Our CMs are not forward thinking, they work hard, they break up play and the recycle the ball - but everything is safe and sideways.

We need someone who plays in the Kamara / Jack / Lundstram positions (either in the 2 or 3) that gets his head up, plays the ball forward at pace and cuts open defences quickly. 

I know we’ve been linked with a few over the last couple of seasons, but we haven’t spent any substantial money on a CM in this squad, despite it clearly being a problem since Gerrard came in. And it shows.

Of all our flaws, and there’s many, not creating enough chances is the biggest.

Time to get the finger out Ross Wilson.

Think everyone apart from the management can see it. It’s been clear for years and we’ve done nothing about it. 
If we could somehow offload Kamara for decent money and replace him with some imagination we might get somewhere 

[NixonRFC 1,334]

3 minutes ago, nik2402 said:

The problem isn't the number 10 position like is being suggested above. The problem is deeper. We don't have a midfielder capable of taking the ball from a centre half and passing forward through the lines. Can have whoever you want playing number 10 but if they don't get the ball in the correct positions then it won't matter. 

That's Steven Davis job, there's no point renewing his contract to play against St Mirren, he's the one player you can trust to take the ball deep and start a move, I wasn't overly thrilled about his renewal but if he's in the squad I'd rather he played in these type of games until Gio signs someone better than him.

[nik2402 1,319]

13 minutes ago, NixonRFC said:

That's Steven Davis job, there's no point renewing his contract to play against St Mirren, he's the one player you can trust to take the ball deep and start a move, I wasn't overly thrilled about his renewal but if he's in the squad I'd rather he played in these type of games until Gio signs someone better than him.

We need a younger version of Davis with Davis backing whoever that would be up. Wasn’t sure if the Davis renewal myself but I’d have had him on 100% last night after 45-60 mins when it was clear Jack and Kamara were incapable of keeping the ball let alone pass it forward.

[The Godfather 71,899]

Sell Kamara and re invest in someone who can be arsed.

[falkirkNS 6,298]

39 minutes ago, The Ibrox Derry said:

This team will come good, sadly it might be too late for champions league, but they will come good, league will be ours plus a cup

Shouldnt be the story mate.

This board have bankrolled us on getting into the CL group stages.

I fear loosing kent if so

[NixonRFC 1,334]

4 minutes ago, nik2402 said:

We need a younger version of Davis with Davis backing whoever that would be up. Wasn’t sure if the Davis renewal myself but I’d have had him on 100% last night after 45-60 mins when it was clear Jack and Kamara were incapable of keeping the ball let alone pass it forward.

I think the problem with Davis is if he plays them Lundstram needs to push up one and he doesn't look as comfortable when he's not got the whole game in front of him but there was no alternative that looked like a better proposition 

[sausagetrunks 6,022]

Jack, Kamara and Lundstram is too negative especially against mediocre team like last night.  give them far too much respect. 

would be good to get a box to box midfielder and get decent money for Kamara. 

[SuperAli 1,350]

If Lundstrum had been playing in midfield yesterday it’d have made a huge difference. He was basically being played as a third centre back. When he did momentarily move into midfield he started spraying passes about. I think we have the personnel but they’re not being utilised appropriately. 

[Colin Traive 22,784]

41 minutes ago, Malkytfp1 said:

Here is where the issue is for me. We play two wingers or "inside 10's" who are never inside. Kent and Matondo hug the touchline. By doing that they are in a way stopping our full backs pushing on. It's easy to defend two wide men by cutting off that channel and gives our midfield nowhere to pass but sideways. If Kent and the other winger move inside they drag a man and open up the wide areas for fullbacks to go to but also give our midfielders an option of playing the ball into feet through the middle.

Spot on.

By making runs in from the wings, they also provide options for our “quarterback”, ie whichever poor sod is tasked with finding a telling forward pass at that moment. As someone said, Steven Davis is the best at the club at this which doesn’t reflect well on the rest. Billy Gilmour was the natural successor but let’s not go there.

A back five with deep midfielders in Jack and Kamara left us with just three new signings to create and provide a threat and Tillman in particular seemingly unclear of his role. I have huge hopes for this kid but we need to handle him much better than this.

Abysmal and, hopefully, the absolute low point of Gio’s time here.