Him Or Him

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Jan 18 2008

Rangers Latest... Boyd May Be The Fans' Favourite But Cousin Is A Better All-Round Player

DANIEL COUSIN could score 100 winning goals for Rangers and the supporters would still find it difficult to fall in love with him.

Kris Boyd need only warm up and those same fans will sing to the rooftops about him netting.

It's not the only difference that exists between two players who would at first seem to have a hell of a lot in common.

If Boyd and not Cousin had been in the Rangers team on Wednesday - and I know this is hypothetical - it's likely Gretna would have escaped with a point.

I just couldn't see Boyd scoring the goal that sealed the game.

There is much talk among the Rangers fans about the respective merits of the two players and at first glance there seems little to separate them.

For example, at Fir Park on Wednesday night Cousin was having a shocker.

He hardly got a touch of the ball, was nowhere close to getting on the end of final balls or crosses and yet ended the game as a winner.

Remind you of anyone?

Those in the Boyd camp will say a Rangers team with him in it will score more goals. I'm not so sure.

Cousin has far more pace and that is how he raced past his marker to get on the end of Jean-Claude Darcheville's pass, then take the ball around the Gretna keeper and have the speed to squeeze it in at the near post.

Boyd, in my mind, would not have been fast enough to do that and it's why Cousin is Walter Smith's first-choice striker at the moment, if not that of the supporters.

Cousin wouldn't have needed a translator to know where the boos were aimed when the manager decided to change things against Gretna with the game poised at 1-1 and his team running out of ideas.

The Rangers fans quickly and loudly made their feelings known when Steven Naismith's number was held up and he was replaced by Darcheville.

They couldn't believe it and to be honest neither could I when Cousin, who had contributed less than zero, stayed on the park while arguably Rangers' best player was taken off.

And when your own supporters behave like that you have problems.

Apart from the fact Cousin is not here for the long term and has not gone out his way to hide that, it's not the only reason why the status of hero will never be attached to him.

His performances are, to be kind, inconsistent. Long spells of matches can go by when he hardly gets a touch of the ball, yet he does have a habit of popping up at the right moment as he did at Fir Park.

Boyd must look at him and wonder why he can't get in the team.

He has his faults but scoring goals is not one of them. However, Cousin does contribute more and it's why he has the edge. He has more to his all-round game and that suits the system Rangers are playing.

He can score with both feet, is decent in the air and has done it in Europe and the SPL.

But then Boyd could say with some justification that he has done all that.

The things about big Kris is he just needs to give a bit more - not the first time that's been said.

If he did then God knows how much he would be worth in the transfer market because he has so much good about him.

And by the same token, if Cousin offered a bit more on the park he'd be a£10million player.

As it is, he's not as good as that but is the right player for Rangers at this stage of the campaign.

His goal on Wednesday was down to good, quick play from a centre-forward who has a touch of class about him, even if he isn't perfect.

One Rangers player who is above criticism at the moment is Chris Burke.

It was only a month ago when he looked to be on his way out of Ibrox during this transfer window, either on loan or for good if someone would take him.

If Boyd thinks he's out of the picture, Burke wasn't even getting a place on the bench.

Yet he continued to work hard in training, play well for the reserves and waited for his chance.

And Burke has become one of the most important players for the Ibrox men over the past few weeks. He was excellent against Gretna, as he has been for a while.

Defenders hate players who will run at them all day. That's what the winger is doing so well.

It's often said players thrive on confidence and wingers are the most notorious for that.

If they aren't feeling good about themselves and don't get past their man the first few times the head goes down and you won't see a dribble from them for the rest of the match.

However, if their head is right as is the case with Burke they will have the self-belief to keep having a go. Not that there are many full-backs getting the best of him right now.

His final ball still needs to be worked on and he has to learn a lot more about how to play this game - but he's getting there.

http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/footbal...86908-20289470/

[Gaffbear 4,096]

I like Boyd but as an all round striker the Cousin is better.

Cousin can hold the ball,wins most in the air,has pace and can pass well....afraid apart from being a penalty box player then Boyd can't hold the ball up,not great in the air and has no pace...

[ScotBear 144]

Cousin every time for me

Long term we can do better, but short term he's the best option, no question.

I didn't see the Gretna game unfortunately, but in other games where he's taken criticism, I think some fans need to watch him a bit more closely. His touch is better than Boyd's, and he's much more effective in terms of linking up with those around him. He judges the weight of his passes really well more often than not, and that benefits the wide men greatly.

I like him. I really wish I felt he wanted to be here long term and gave that bit more, but he is what he is. A class act that is well worth his place in the side at this time.

[Danny 9]

Who wrote that? Source?

And I agree with it. Cousin is just a better player - even a blind man can see that. I've given up defending him as it seems that I have quite a few peers willing to do it for me.

I seemed to be the lone figure as well as Scotbear here who would defend Cousin. Quite a few of us now

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Who wrote that? Source?

And I agree with it. Cousin is just a better player - even a blind man can see that. I've given up defending him as it seems that I have quite a few peers willing to do it for me.

I seemed to be the lone figure as well as Scotbear here who would defend Cousin. Quite a few of us now

Mark Hateley Daily Record

[Stuart_RFC 41]

Cousin is just as lethal a finisher as Boyd is..and offers a lot more with it. Cousin every time for me.

[Danny 9]

Cousin is just as lethal a finisher as Boyd is..and offers a lot more with it. Cousin every time for me.

I would say Cousin is a much better finisher - his shots to goals ratio, I'll hazard a guess, is far better than Boyd's, and even his misses aren't bad.

[stuartmccallsfall 4]

I too am a fan of Cousin and never hidden that. When he signed it was well documented that he was a 'difficult' player to deal with on a personal level, but Im willing to take his goals to win us the league and then he can bugger off to where he wants to go.

[Stuart_RFC 41]

I agree..Boyd takes at least 3 or 4 efforts before he finds the net, although granted, he usually DOES find the net. But if he doesnt find the net and you look back on his performance..its usually non-existant.

I just dont see how some people would take Boyd over Cousin. Each to their own

[Danny 9]

I too am a fan of Cousin and never hidden that. When he signed it was well documented that he was a 'difficult' player to deal with on a personal level, but Im willing to take his goals to win us the league and then he can bugger off to where he wants to go.

Rational thinking. I like it

[Danny 9]

I agree..Boyd takes at least 3 or 4 efforts before he finds the net, although granted, he usually DOES find the net. But if he doesnt find the net and you look back on his performance..its usually non-existant.

I just dont see how some people would take Boyd over Cousin. Each to their own

Because Boyd bleeds blue and is a lifelong fan.

Supporters like players thinking like them.

Ability is almost irrelevant to some of us.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

I thought on Wednesday Cousin should have stayed on, I also thought Naismith should have stayed on, it was bloody Adam who should have come of, I think if that was the case then none of the fans would have been booing, they probably would have been cheering.

I think in that whole game Adam had one decent snap shot which resulted in a very good save, and a very tame free kick where he tried to catch the goalie off gaurd.

Apart from that a very good article.

[Stuart_RFC 41]

I agree..Boyd takes at least 3 or 4 efforts before he finds the net, although granted, he usually DOES find the net. But if he doesnt find the net and you look back on his performance..its usually non-existant.

I just dont see how some people would take Boyd over Cousin. Each to their own

Because Boyd bleeds blue and is a lifelong fan.

Supporters like players thinking like them.

Ability is almost irrelevant to some of us.

stick me up front then..by that logic i will bang us in 30 goals a season

[Stuart_RFC 41]

I thought on Wednesday Cousin should have stayed on, I also thought Naismith should have stayed on, it was bloody Adam who should have come of, I think if that was the case then none of the fans would have been booing, they probably would have been cheering.

I think in that whole game Adam had one decent snap shot which resulted in a very good save, and a very tame free kick where he tried to catch the goalie off gaurd.

Apart from that a very good article.

At the time i was confused why Adam was left on the pitch and Naismith who was probably our best player was took off..but the fact is, WS made a managerial decision and it paid off with JCD setting up Cousin for the winner.

credit where it is due

[Ibroxblue 122]

Cousin is just as lethal a finisher as Boyd is..and offers a lot more with it. Cousin every time for me.

I would say Cousin is a much better finisher - his shots to goals ratio, I'll hazard a guess, is far better than Boyd's, and even his misses aren't bad.

Even if Cousin's shots to goals ratio is better, that's not the really important thing. Some players get more chances by their positioning and movement - the bottom line is as far as scoring goes is Boyd has scored more goals. But Cousin is surely better suited to the formation we play.

[Stuart_RFC 41]

Boyd has scored more goals because Boyd has played more games for us.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

I thought on Wednesday Cousin should have stayed on, I also thought Naismith should have stayed on, it was bloody Adam who should have come of, I think if that was the case then none of the fans would have been booing, they probably would have been cheering.

I think in that whole game Adam had one decent snap shot which resulted in a very good save, and a very tame free kick where he tried to catch the goalie off gaurd.

Apart from that a very good article.

At the time i was confused why Adam was left on the pitch and Naismith who was probably our best player was took off..but the fact is, WS made a managerial decision and it paid off with JCD setting up Cousin for the winner.

credit where it is due

Of course credit is due for putting JCD on, it was going to be either him or Novo, but Naismith could have played on the left in a 4-4-2 with Burke on the right, or when attacking a 4-2-4 with Hemdani and Ferguson holding the midfield, and Burke, JCD, Cousin and Naismith all attacking!

[Danny 9]

I agree..Boyd takes at least 3 or 4 efforts before he finds the net, although granted, he usually DOES find the net. But if he doesnt find the net and you look back on his performance..its usually non-existant.

I just dont see how some people would take Boyd over Cousin. Each to their own

Because Boyd bleeds blue and is a lifelong fan.

Supporters like players thinking like them.

Ability is almost irrelevant to some of us.

stick me up front then..by that logic i will bang us in 30 goals a season

I was being ever so slightly sarcastic and deadpan though. I ommitted a smiley

But yes, you're right - Boyd, imho, is basically no better than any other average poacher. He scores so many because he doesn't do anything else, unlike other strikers.

Did anyone see on Wednesday that Gretna had a corner in the dying minutes? Who was in the penalty box helping defending for us? Cousin. I doubt Boyd would have been there.

[Danny 9]

Boyd has scored more goals because Boyd has played more games for us.

Boyd's scored more goals for Killie than Cousin has

Simple logic - of course he's scored more for us, he's been here longer.

[Danny 9]

Cousin is just as lethal a finisher as Boyd is..and offers a lot more with it. Cousin every time for me.

I would say Cousin is a much better finisher - his shots to goals ratio, I'll hazard a guess, is far better than Boyd's, and even his misses aren't bad.

Even if Cousin's shots to goals ratio is better, that's not the really important thing. Some players get more chances by their positioning and movement - the bottom line is as far as scoring goes is Boyd has scored more goals. But Cousin is surely better suited to the formation we play.

We disagree, and agree.

Which means...erm...I dunno.

[Stuart_RFC 41]

I agree..Boyd takes at least 3 or 4 efforts before he finds the net, although granted, he usually DOES find the net. But if he doesnt find the net and you look back on his performance..its usually non-existant.

I just dont see how some people would take Boyd over Cousin. Each to their own

Because Boyd bleeds blue and is a lifelong fan.

Supporters like players thinking like them.

Ability is almost irrelevant to some of us.

stick me up front then..by that logic i will bang us in 30 goals a season

I was being ever so slightly sarcastic and deadpan though. I ommitted a smiley

But yes, you're right - Boyd, imho, is basically no better than any other average poacher. He scores so many because he doesn't do anything else, unlike other strikers.

Did anyone see on Wednesday that Gretna had a corner in the dying minutes? Who was in the penalty box helping defending for us? Cousin. I doubt Boyd would have been there.

i noticed the sarcasm..i was being sarcastic myself..sarcasm all round

Cousin offers us much more than Boyd..its as simple as that.

[papaguy51 912]

So thats Walter, Ally, Kenny and Hateley now agreeing with the RM Boydy haters

[nvager 498]

Cousin's all round game is better than Boyd's. I think he is bigger and stronger and faster. He is probably just as lazy as Boyd though.

Boyd though is a natural goalscorer and I just do not see Cousin scoring all the goals Boyd has the past two seasons.

I am happy for Cousin starting just now with the formation WS is using, but prefer to see two up front generally. That may or may not include Boyd.

All I AM saying is that after scoring so many goals both for Kilmarnock, Rangers and Scotland, Boyd deserves much more credit than the scorn dished out here. He is more than just your average poacher Danny.

[Danny 9]

So thats Walter, Ally, Kenny and Hateley now agreeing with the RM Boydy haters

I don't hate Boyd. Not even you hate Boyd. Not even PB does. But we all know he's so embarrassingly limited that he's just not going to offer a championship winning side anything to aid in their pursuit.

Goals alone aren't enough.

[Danny 9]

Cousin's all round game is better than Boyd's. I think he is bigger and stronger and faster. He is probably just as lazy as Boyd though.

Boyd though is a natural goalscorer and I just do not see Cousin scoring all the goals Boyd has the past two seasons.

Even although he...kinda...is?

I am happy for Cousin starting just now with the formation WS is using, but prefer to see two up front generally. That may or may not include Boyd.

All I AM saying is that after scoring so many goals both for Kilmarnock, Rangers and Scotland, Boyd deserves much more credit than the scorn dished out here. He is more than just your average poacher Danny.

So what else is he? What else does he offer the team?