And to be honest we got off lightly. After 10 minutes I was saying that our defence was looking really shakey, and that problem continued throughout the game. if we don't replace Dods we will have a relegation struggle this season.

No presence upfront either, but the lack of player availability should resolve itself soon.

Well done Mikey Fraser, an excellent, solid performance, his best yet. Good effort from Richie Hart as well, we at least started to get near their box when he came on.

But Charlie has a lot of thinking to do, and transfer funds will be required.

Being down in Cambridge I had to content myself with listening to the match on the radio, from what I heard here's my views.

Positives from today:

1) Fraser - I must admit I've had my reservations about out goalkeeping situation, especially the lack of quality back up but as long as he stays fit *touch wood* I'm glad we've got someone solid in goal.

2) Things will get better, unfortunately given the team we lined up with I'm hard pressed to say that it was down to new signings needing time to fit in. (Can anyone comment on how Munro was as captain, and how well he organised the defence?)

3) At the time or writing Gretna are even more gash.

4) The game may serve as a kick up the backside for everyone involved in today

Negatives from today:

1) The unending confidence in Rory, there's got to be a reason for it but he's not performed well enough to warrant a place in the starting lineup, I'd be happy for him to go out on loan and prove he belongs in the ICT side. It's sad that Garry Wood has instead gone on loan after a promising preseason and to be honest it sometimes seems to me that team is picked on the basis that the regulars play when fit rather than taking a risk e.g. starting with Zander  or Paatelainen.

2) We seem to be tactically quite naive, there was no plan B. I' have rather seen us loose 3-0 having switched to 3-5-2 or even 3-4-3 after the second goal went in.

3)  Tokely, McCaffrey, Munro, Hastings looked like it could have been promising, but whereas at least looking bad upfront we have players who can come in and improve on todays showing, and hopefully there'll be a different midfield lining up at Fir Park, there's currently sod all we can do but hope that those four get some confidence back quickly.

Overall I'm not too disappointed, just waiting to see what the rest of August brings.

Not too despondant despite the scoreline. The first two goals were pretty much unstopable and Rangers definately look a stronger team than last season.

The long ball was pointless today though, even more so in the wind. It seemed like they'd forgotten Bayne was out and persisted with the tactics regardless.

Thought Hart did enough to merit a start in future, he was the only midfielder able to carry the ball forward, and the only one who looked capable of creating an opening.

Had to laugh at McDonald lining up against the towering Rangers defence when he came on, even more so when long balls were still being launched towards him.

Had to laugh at McDonald lining up against the towering Rangers defence when he came on, even more so when long balls were still being launched towards him.

Setanta viewing for me today.

It's all been said before, no need or me to stick the knife in further, but yes Rory did not earn his wages today.

firstly i dont think we should get too carried away, i thought rangers looked very strong and could well be a match at least for celtic this season. that said, we were devoid of ideas, far far to many high balls and with that in mind you have to have some sympathy for rory and wyness who were not in the game. although ive defended him i do admit rory was gash today although dont think dargo would have fared any better.

we missed dods. long balls over the top caused us too many problems.

should have hooked rory for macdonald at half time, felt sorry for the guy coming on at 2 .0 down with little time left and garbage service

hart must start, end of.

time to try zander also

at least aberdeen conceded a last minute goal to brighten up my day

Utter garbage from start to finish,   with very few positives  and pass marks for players.  The defence was abysmal,  midfield couldn't create a cup of tea with a tea bag and Wyness and McAllister (as usual) looked to scared to put a foot in.

I'm not going to criticise Rory as he's basically a kid with zero confidence who could do with going out on loan and banging in a few goals for Elgin or someone.  But Wyness,  why is he so scared to put a foot in??  Rankin again was rank and doesn't get involved,   Barry is a legend who can still do a job but looks totally unfit (see Tokely for that as well)  Caff looks as though he hadn't played in the SPL for 3 years.

Few positives were Fraser,  Black looked ok, especially in 1st half and Hart will have to start next week surely.

The most disappointing thing today was that we could create a thing going forward.  We were just so negative and defensive.  As usual long ball was our only tactic and I think only Dean McDonald when he came on actually won one of those long balls.  A lot of work to be done in the first few weeks of the season (again as usual!!)

I think its worth noting the quality of Ranger's preseason friendly opponents as opposed to ours.  Ajax, Chelsea etc.  How can we hope to get an edge on them when we've just been playing Perterhead and Elgin City??  We should be playing against better teams than ourselves.

Surely a pre-season trip to St. Johnstone wouldn't go a miss.

That has to be one of the worst perfomances i have seen. ICT could not string to passes together but when we did we messed it up when got the near the goal. I think in the past people have been a bit harsh on Rory but he was pish today. I think if he was loaned out to the 1st division he could be quite good but he aint ready for the spl. The 1st and 2nd goals were very well taken but sloppy defending. 3rd goal was just embarressing. Dodds was very badly missed and a new centre back is desperatly needed and soon. And what was with the long balls. It didnt work in the 1st half so why did we continue to do it in the 2nd half?

All in all, rubbish!!!!!!!

When McDonald came on why did ICT constantly punt the ball towards him?  The guy's only 5"4 and the Rangers defenders were 6 foot so he has no chance with the long balls.  I didn't realise today how much ICT miss Dargo and even more Darren Dods.  ICT now lack a tall centre-back which is desperately needed in the SPL and now I'm beginning to think why not bring back Golabek?  Even he might have made a difference to today's game.

Struggling to think of any positives to take from that. We were very poor all over the pitch but Rangers weren't that great themselves. That said they really didn't have to work to get the three points which they did deserve.

I missed both the first two goals so can't comment on them too much. The third was a joke.

Beasely is mince. Cuellar (spelling) looked very good though. Strong in the tackle and won the ball in the air against our midget strike force. Perhaps next time we play long ball we will have a player up front who can header the ball?

We need to buck up before Motherwell next week.

Just an all round crap day really.

We were very poor today.  Grantie seemed quiet and there was indecision in the defence.  Too many long balls although limited options offered by the midfield.  Need a more commanding presence in there.  Perhaps switch Tokely with Caff?  Definetly need to sign another def.

Midfield was lightweight and pretty non existent.  Must have been hard with Rangers playing 3 in the middle.  McBain was ok when he had the ball but marking and tackling in the middle is not his game.  Think we need a sitting player which gives Blackie/Hart whoever more freedom. Wide players didnt get into the game at all because they were never given the ball to there feet.  Charlie has promised changes lets hope it works.

Strikers received no decent service.  Wyness needs the ball into his feet.  Rory had a poor game like many others but again was feeding off of scraps.  The result wasnt Rorys fault its a team game

I'm not sure why everyone's slagging off Caff so much. Having just seen the goals from today, McBain failed to close down Ferguson for the first, Munro was completely out of position for the second.....in fact, he was going for a ball that Caff had covered. And Tokely may as well have passed it to Ferguson for their third.

The main culprits in defence today were Tokely and Hastings. Both were terrible, and it was quite noticable how many times Caff was having to cover for Roscoe when Tokely had been skinned again, or caught out of position again.

Much as I like Roscoe, he was given a right going over today.

Whatever happened to that Austrian bloke ICT were trying to sign because we could do with him now!

I had to agree with almost every word of CCs post match interview. However at the end of the day it's CC who picks and motivates the team.

I told him last night on this very forum to pick Russeldinho for a game like this but he never listened  :007: I didn't think today was a day for playing Royston in centre mid and I disagree with some of the smileymometers that he earned a pass mark. The midfield as a whole were guilty of hiding so the defence had no option but to punt it, except Hastings, who punts it anyway  :017:

Even if we were stretched for strikers I would never have started with Rory, possibly Barry up alongside Denzil and Zander could have done with a run out too.

It's possible that Rory has had his chips for the season anyway, if Bayne is back and Deano is fit.

Also agree with the shaky back 4 and Ross being exposed by us playing a high line. Pleased that CC says he will make changes next week, especially in midfield, whatever happens next week we can't see another gutless performance like that, totally lacking in any passion. Nobody wanted to take any risks, just to get rid of the ball soon as.

Not to take too much away from Rangers- they were pretty solid, especially at the back. Just looking along their back 4, they were all about 6'4" it seemed, regular as a freshly cut hedge  :015: :015: Big curly Cuellar could have nodded our punts away all day and night.

Just trying to take something from today...

Positives

1. Fraser was superb, finger tip save was class.  Looking good!  :021:

2. Black keeping a cool head - the guy is learning and improving

3. Hart looked hungry and created when he came on

but..

Negatives

1. Rory given place in First Team - please please drop him!

2. Zander left on the bench - by far the best player pre-season - what the **** does that kid have to do to get a break!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Defence - what a feckin mess!

Don't forget Mikey had a couple of fumbles early on. Maybe I'm expecting too much but I'm sure Marky Brown would have saved the first one. I feel we need somebody with experience (like Bullock) as backup for Mikey. He's an excellent prospect but he's still a laddie and he's been chucked in at the deep end.

I think Bullock would be a great signing and I was very impressed with him last week at Ross County.

I'm sure Marky Brown would have saved the first one.

Can't agree there - it was a cracking strike, in off the post. He didn't have a hope in **** with the 2nd either

Just looking along their back 4, they were all about 6'4" it seemed, regular as a freshly cut hedge  

I like it

Are you sure? It looked about 2 feet inside the post to me.

EDITED

Aye, fair do's, just seen it again, Mikey had no chance.

Rory, if you happen to read this thread, you can answer your critics by finding your effing bollocks. Case in point, the ball kicked across goal by Cuellar to Macdonald in the second half - you could have put the guy under pressure but did you run towards him to charge the ball down? Nah, you disappeared off up the park. The difference between you and Graham is that he puts it about and stands in the line of fire, whereas you just don't seem to have the confidence to take the fight to them. I've seen you prove that you can play at this level in one game only - but that was against Celtic last season, so I reckon you can. But you need balls to do the job that was asked of you today, and you seem to be missing yours at the moment.

We missed Duncan in Midfield, noone was wanting it in there.  Rory, I could see a few flashes in some of what he did but by god he needs passion and commitment cause I can run faster than he does (I aint exactly speedy gonzales either, and have had a few to many pies in me time :rolleyes02:) and I would want it more.  As for everyone else with the exception of Fraser and our subs, where was the passion?  Where were the passes and the thought to actually run with the ball.  Humping it every time, and not even to a Caley player, does not work.  God even our throw ins were *****.  I lost count of the amount that were thrown straight to a gers player FFS.  TBH I think we need a few new defenders to shake things up and provide some motivation for all of them cause we need to give them a boot up the arse for sure.

All in all a thoroughly pish poor start to the season.

Couple of Photo Galleries for those who want to relive the nightmare

Gordon Gillespie - NorthSport

Peter Paul - CaleyJags.com

dods was totally immense today if that cheers you up any.

Don't think Mikey had a chance with any of the goals.  He might have saved them all if he was 2 foot taller.  Don't think Macgregor was made to work at all today.  I am not a huge fan of Rory and agree with several of the comments above about lack of commitment.  I would sooner see Rory out on loan for the season and young Woods get a chance as a sub regularly.