starchief

It wasn't noticed and, please......don't call me Shirley. (I so hope that isn't meaningless to the younger 'uns)

Bell/Alexander Broadfoot - Perry - Reynolds - Dixon Hayes - Ness - McCulloch - Aluko Riordan - O'Connor Just drew up a quick on-the-spot 11 that Rangers could pick up next year. Only Bell and Reynolds would cost (doubt Reynolds would even cost the £100k he was sold for) and I don't think the wage structure would be out of line with what they could afford (I'm sure McCulloch, Broadfoot and Aluko for instance would compromise substantially). Naturally, there are players you could add or substract, some you will agree or disagree with (maybe Leigh Griffiths,Gavin Gunning etc). But I do think this team would probably be a good challenger for 2nd place, yet be able sell McGregor, Whittaker, Bocanegra, Goijan, Davis, Edu, Wallace and Lafferty, whilst getting rid of Healy. Just a bit of fun to see if I could come up with a reasonable team yet save millions. No need to froth at the mouth over it - you know who you are!

Thing is, I think Tansey is actually far more suited to a more attacking midfield role. He's been pushed back as, well, who else can do it, with Jones, Proctor and Cox all injured for large parts of the season (I know Cox also has other reasons for not being there lately). I actually think Tansey, with Jones to back him up, could be a hugely important player but more in the final third, rather than in front of the defence.

Strange. I thought Wylde would be the exact kind of player they would want to keep. I know it says he volunteered but who knows the real truth?

Esson Tudur-Jones Peirmayr - Golobart - Gillet - G.Shinnie Gnapka - Tansey - Foran Sutherland - Winnall Time to shut up shop, so Tudur-Jones comes in as the libre sweeper position, with Golobart and Gillet on marking duty. Piermayr and Shinnie are the two most mobile of our full-backs. Tade needs some time out, so Winnall gets his chance. Quite easy to alter this team, if we look like winning. However, stopping the goal deluge must come first. This is the team to do it.

Remember when Munro went, Hogg came in. It's a matter of luck who gets the career-threatening injury. There's no guarantee that if Munro had stayed and no Hogg, then Grant would be out with a long-term injury. I can't see any other big misses (besides Rooney, who wouldn't have stayed) from last year (given that Duncan can't get a game for RC).

Why assume Billy MacKay knows where the net is? He's scored 14 goals in the whole of his career (83 appearances).

Might as well get the inevitable 'but would he go if asked - he loves it up here' Seriously though, VB was brought in as a long term plan. How many of these players are his? Look at Fergie's early record. Chelsea would do better to give their manager a couple of years if they want to compete long-term without continually dishing out masses of cash.

What did he do wrong at Inverness, Hearts, Derry and East Fife? Thought he did well at all these clubs. Can't count Ross County because of what he went through. So his only real failure was at Livi. Can't see why he can be classed as a poor coach.

Given that the league was at it's best under Thatcher, I can't see how independence will add an extra 20,000 to Albion Rovers gate and cultivate a generation of Dalglishes from Darren Mackies.

Team against Rangers 2010: Esson McCann - Tokely - Munro - Shinnie Hayes - Duff - Duncan - Ross Foran - Rooney So, are we really missing McCann and Duff. I would have thought not. Duncan can't get a game for RC in SFL1 and looked a spent figure in his last year. Rooney wouldn't stay and is a loss we struggle to patch up with freebies. So, we're missing Munro (who's miss would have been less with Hogg injury-free). There isn't a great experiment. Duncan, Golabek, McBain were all past their best. Sanchez, Odhiambo, Duff are no big misses. Rooney (and Duff) refused contracts. Munro's a miss but given most people were calling for Proc to leave now and saying Tokely was 5th choice, are these players they will now use to beat Butcher with. Give us back Rooney and an injury-free Hogg and we're pushing for top six again. Butcher's fault we don't have either? Not in my book. Munro is the only mistake.

Smee's right. Remember the spirit and fight when the likes of Munro, Duncan, Tokely, Black and McBain were all regulars? Let's remind ourselves of the accomplishments of these lions http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8062736.stm

I thought Proc did well too. But he's either a sweeper or a defensive mid. Never a wing back or a central defender.

Why people are bothering with an obvious troll fails me. You know you can hide posters so you never have to read wind-up merchants ever again.

Proctor as a wing-back? With what pace? And Hayes is battling in the middle to get the ball out to Proctor? This is worthy of Renegade's selections in the deep past.

Thought Ross was probably the worst player on the pitch. Here's my take: Esson Piermayr - Tokely - Williams - Gillet Tansey - Jones - Foran Hayes - Mackay - Sutherland Contrary to most other people, I thought Tansey stood up to be counted, even though he wasn't playing well. Ross was rubbish, even though I think he's got a lot of talent. Same with Hayes but obviously he has to stay in. Doran would really be my choice for the left-wing but in failing that I'd drop Tade for Sutherland. I think this is our best back four. Gillet's the best player but always looks likes a full-back trying to play central defender. It might be tempting to switch this to 4-4-2 with Hayes on the right, Foran on the left and Mackay/Sutherland up front.

Sorry, second goal from Aluko.

Check out the first goal for Gillett. Williams was our best outfield player I thought. Needed Tokely for a bit of presence and barking orders. Didn't seem to be a team today. I know Tokely had a bad game in his last but better than what was out there I think. But get Jones in midfield and let Foran and Tansey push on. That's what they're best at and that's what Jones is best at.

I struggle to believe people are crediting Hayes and Ross with a better game than Tansey. I don't think Tansey played well, not at all. But he was way better than the missing-most-of-the-game Ross and couldn't-cross-the-road Hayes. Those were the two worst players on the park for me.

Pass marks for Williams and Esson. Sympathy votes for Tansey, Mackay and Foran for at least trying. Ross, Hayes and Tade - hopeless. Contributed very little of interest. Sutherland and Doran must be looking on hopefully. Tokely has to come back to lead the defence again - either at RB or CB. Doesn't matter. A presence was missed.

I thought Hayes would have been a good buy for Rangers. However, I look at him against Kerkar and the Algerian - a bit-part player - looks in a different class. Sure, Kerkar has better players around him but there's been no final ball from Hayes.

Just what I was afriad of. Papac or Wallace would never have created that goal. Mind you, if we get the ball to Hayes....?

Should be goals. Unfortunately, I think Rangers have thrown a spanner into the works. McCoist has changed from the ponderous line-up of late to something with a bit of pace and excitement. However, unreliability too. It'll be an intriguing game.

What a brilliant idea! The Big Match Revisited (ITV4 9:20-10:20) is currently showing Liverpool (Dalglish/Hansen/Souness) v Ipswich (Butcher/Thijssen/Wark) from 1983. Then some classic Man City v Coventry and Celtic v (presumably) Fergie's Aberdeen. I'm over the moon, Brian.

From what I hear, EBTs weren't illegal at the time but they now are. So, what gives? Is the law being applied retrospectively? Sounds unlikely. Rangers did ring up huge debts but then got them down again. As far as I can see, their only real problem was the EBT. The whole £9M and complete financial mismanagement seems bizarre from an experienced businessman that took so long to get hold of the club. I'm still completely confused as to Craig Whyte. Everything you hear makes him seem like a Walter Mitty figure. I just struggle to believe that's true, given the due diligence he took. Either that, or he's a crook looking to siphon off everything - but it just brings up further questions if that's the case. Firstly, why does he seem so bad at it? I can see the option of Rangers 2012 or whatever (the best suggestion was Rangers FC as opposed to Glasgow Rangers FC) but he doesn't seem to be very good at that option either. So given that Rangers as a current going concern, a fantasy, an asset-stripping project or a new club don't seem to be viable, what on Earth is going on?