RangersMedia Club News: Preview, Review, and Transfer Rumour News

This installment of all things related to Rangers since the last update is written by our trio of writers Bazza, Nvager, and TheRabitt. We hope you enjoy this update brought to you by RangersMedia.co.uk

THE GAMES

Christmas was hit with a serious turkey as the visit of Celtic failed to produce a cracker and in fact it was left to a dumpling to lump the ball into the net and let Celtc run out the winners by one goal.

Walter ran himself into more controversy with a team selection that included Charlie Adam, whose match fitness above all should be called into question. Add that to a poor back line and it was on the cards that our 33-game unbeaten home run could come to an end. It's an absolute shame that it had to come from them.

To try and draw a positive though, we should use this as the inspiration to go on a run of games and keep the pressure on, what can only be described, as a poor Celtc side.

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NVAGER'S MATCH PREVIEW

Inverness Caley Thistle vs Rangers
Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
Sunday January 4th, 2009
Kick-Off 12:30 PM

Back again to SPL business after a disastrous loss at Ibrox to Celtic FC. This time we return to Inverness at the holidays. For some unknown reason this is becoming a regular fixture.

It is sad, but at the beginning of a new year we find ourselves trailing Celtic by seven points at the top of the SPL. We have 43 points from 20 games compared to their 50 points, but do have a better goal difference of +28 versus their +27. Do we deserve better? Frankly no.

We have come up with too many poor performances recently. Since Thomson was injured and Barry returned we have given away far too many points. Losses to St. Mirren, Hearts and Celtic and draws with Dundee United twice and Motherwell have meant that any advantage from beating Celtic at Parkhead was quickly thrown away.

Once again Rangers look in poor shape heading into the New Year. All the advantages gained since Walter took over seem to have just slipped away. The level of player seems extremely average apart from literally three or four. Purchases that once looked promising now look rather poor.

We appear to have too many players off form and too many playing out of position. It would also appear that McGregor and Barry Ferguson were both brought back into the first team too soon after serious injury. We may do the same now with Naismith.

We have no width and when in trouble or chasing a goal, the ball is cleared/punted quickly from defence to attack and we just miss out the midfield. With no wingers we struggle to break down defences and our full backs struggle going forward. Our crossing is poor and our work at dead ball situations/corners are a joke. We cannot even find our own men regularly at throw-ins!

We struggle at most away games. We come out flat in the first half often. St. Mirren and Hearts are good examples of this. ICT are one of three bottom teams with only 17 points (Falkirk and Hamilton being the other two.) Their goal difference is a sad -14. We should easily beat them. On paper that is. Surely after the Celtic game we should be out to really beat them. Let's wait and see.

As stated above we need width. Surely Aaron or Beasley must be given a try? Burke anyone? Well I give up second guessing Walter. He must surely know something is amiss. Will Aaron ever be given a start and similarly Lafferty up front?

Will Bougherra ever play for us again? I am hopeful but not totally convinced. What will happen to Whittaker, McCulloch, and Adam? Are they good enough? Lots of problems. Too few sound answers. On top of everything else Miller's form has shaded badly this past three weeks.

So who does Walter start vs ICT?
My team would be: McGregor, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Papac, Davis, Mendes, Edu, Aaron, Boyd and Lafferty.

Not Walter's choice I am sure, but gives us strength where we need it and some flair. Barry to me is still not fit and Miller has lost form or is injured. More than anything else we need an attitude. The proper professional attitude and determination to succeed - a great will to win.

My prediction is ICT 1 - 3 Rangers.

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THE TRANSFERS

Silly season is just about upon us and there is plenty of tit bits flying around in the press and bars as to who'll go where and when. Here's a wee summary of this weeks rumours.

Outgoing:

Novo to Hull, Deportivo or Real Madrid (!?) for 2 million
McCulloch to Ipswich on a free
Velicka to Hearts no fees mentioned
Burke to Birmingham no fees mentioned
Adam to Motherwell no fees mentioned
Ferguson to Newcastle enquiry
McGregor available for £7.5 apparently
Bourgherra to Newcastle fees quoted range from £3 - £4.5 million
Gow to Wolves, talks ongoing

Incoming:

Dean Sheilds from Hibs for free
Mattias Bjarsmy from Gothenburg no fees mentioned, apparently a loan bid rejected
David Healy on loan for season
Herman Hreidarsson on a free
Robbie Nielson from Hearts no fee mentioned
Lee Miller from Aberdeen no fee mentioned
Sean Tuffey in from Partick Thistle, no fee mentioned

I sometimes wish that the rumours could just be over with and the transfer window was one day.

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THE INJURY FRONT

Here's this weeks controversial one. Magic was once more ruled out with a thigh strain for the visit of Celtc, now was this a genuine injury or a way of keeping him from harms way in light of an upcoming transfer.

We shall see tomorrow whether he plays against ICT. Maurice Edu is also a slight injury worry with an ankle knack and Steven Naismith makes his return to the squad after a successful rehabilitation and run in the reserves. I hope it is not just too much too soon.

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THE REST

I hope everyone spared a thought for the victims of the Ibrox Disaster on January 2nd. The 38th anniversary of the disaster on Stairway 13 at the end of the Old Firm game resulted in the death of 66 supporters and the injury to 145. It remains the worst tragedy in Scottish football so even if you remembered at the time please now again spare a thought for the lost bluenoses and raise a glass to absent friends.

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WANT MORE?

28 Million Reasons Why Rangers Lost The Old Firm
Written by D'Artagnan
http://home.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php/a...st-the-old-firm

Anyone that missed this post the first time round a day after the Old Firm should 100% give it a read. It covers how D'Art feels the club have wasted a ridiculously large amount of money in SPL terms and even pretty good going in EPL terms too on players that are not playing regularly enough.

Also one of the key points I feel in this article is the fact that Walter has had this amount of money to build a squad—yet we seem to be drawn back to the same criticisms that have followed Walter Smith wherever he has managed—that we are left with players being shoehorned into different positions.

Surely this is a simply bad transfer policy from Walter?

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FORUM CHAT

***RM Awards 2008***
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=93384

The Official Inverness CT v Rangers Thread, Caledonian Stadium, Sunday 4th January KO: 12:30pm
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=93626

Has Boyd blown it?
http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=93597