[merged] Squad/Tactics for Rangers Game

[TomCaleyJag]

Update for me:

                          Fraser

Tokely      Caff            Munro      Hastings

                Black          Duncan

Zander                                        Barry

                Niculae        McDonald

Subs:

Ridgers

Marsh (if he signs. This gives us another U21 player getting rid of the need to include Rory!!!)

Rankin

Hart

Paatelainen

Wyness

Bayne

[CaleyD]

Other than Caff in for Dods I don't see CC making any other changes to the squad we start out with this season.

Having watched Dean MacDonald against Clach the lad looked pretty nervous out there on the park, possibly down to the fact it was his first appearance in front of more than a handful of ICT fans.  Was nice to see him get a bit of support though and even better to see him acknowledge the guys at the end who were chanting his name, even if he did look a bit shy about it...lol.  I also think he has a bit of work to do yet to get properly match fit - he looks a strong player despite being so small but shedding a few pounds to gain a bit more speed wouldn't do him any harm IMO (think Barry Wilson before Brewster straightened him out).

I do however expect to see a potentially strong bench consisting a few new faces.

Despite our owning Rangers last season it is as big a game as we could have opened with and would be a bit of a baptism of fire for the young guys if they were thrown in from the start.  It's the kind of situation where, if it goes wrong, it could set young up and coming players back more than anything.

Tried and tested is my prediction for the Rangers game with "super-sub" appearances from Niculae and maybe Zander offering up some fresh legs in the last 20-25 minutes.

[PullMyFinger]

I do however expect to see a potentially strong bench consisting a few new faces.

Are you not always looking for strong benches?

Sorry, been on the juice, the last time I saw a few new faces on a bench was at Private Eyes in Aberdeen. Hang on, that was noses. :angel12:

[Council Juice]

Fraser

  Tokely  McCaffrey  Munro ©  Hastings

        Hart  Duncan  Black  Rankin

                    Wyness  Bayne

Subs

Ridgers

Duff

Sutherland

Wilson (on for hart)

Cowie

Paatelainen

McDonald

Im not liking the attitude of some, by listing Duff and Sutherland as only in the squad as U21 and only because of this that their included.

How would you feel looking at that saying "well im only on the bench to satisfy the SPL age quota rules"

In my squad their there on merit! :clapping03:

[CaleyD]

Hart IS NOT a winger - I don't see why people constantly want to see him play there and that includes CC.  He always has his best games when making runs from the centre of the pitch.

[Guest TinCanFan]

Here's my lastest choice for the squad:

                                                                1.Fraser

2.Tokely                                   5.McCaffery                        14.Munro                                       16.Hastings

                                                                 12.Duncan

26.Sutherland                                                                                                                          24.Rankin

                                                                  8.Black

                                                 9.Bayne                         21.McDonald

Subs: 21.Ridgers

         20.Pattelainnen

         18.Niculae

         7.Wilson

       29.Duff

          6.McBain or 7.Cowie

         

I'd put Wilson on for Sutherland and Niculae on for Duncan at around about the 65 minutes mark and then possibly put on Pattelainnen  in place of Black or Rankin. I would also play Ian Black slightly infront of the rest of the midfield because it might suit his long shots better and I'd play Duncan further back to help the defence if it needed it.                                       

[absent friend]

I must say that I am impressed with the options as shown above and I do accept that 'new boys' and perhaps 'not quite fit old boys' could be in evidence, not quite performing as we would like.

I would therefore like to see a very active management team on the touchline, moving players on the park/ encouraging/ substituting and being very proactive.

''He tired towards the end''...WHAT!! if he showed signs of fatigue he should not be on the field in my opinion. So I hope we hear none of that amateurish remarks following a players bad performance!

[RossP]

I've a funny feeling Roy and Russell will start this game in the center of midfield. And whilst I will support the team and players without question, I would rather Black and Hart started in the middle.

Would like to see Markus get a game at some point as well

[CaleyD]

Start as we mean to go on - 3 at the back with Duncan sitting behind a middle 3 of Wilson, Black & Rankin and Hart sitting in front of that running at the defenders with Wyness and "take your pick" as a front pair to take advantage of a hard pressed back line.

[Guest TinCanFan]

Now that it looks like McDonald and Niculae will miss the game and Tokely and Bayne may miss out here's my next attempt at the ICT squad for Saturday:

                                                                    1. Fraser

        5. McCaffery                                        14. Munro                                        16. Hastings

                                                                   

                                                                    12. Duncan

        26.Sutherland                                    6. McBain                                                                  24. Rankin

                                                                 

                                                                    8. Black         

                                           

                                                  7. Wilson

                                                                                                19. Wyness

                                         

Subs: Ridgers, McAllister, Wood, Kerr, Pattelainen and Hart or Cowie.

       

[RossP]

Well here's Rangers team tonight. It'll be interesting to see how sharp/fit they are.

Rangers

01 McGregor

02 Hutton

03 Weir

24 Cuellar

05 Papac

27 McCulloch

06 Ferguson

07 Hemdani

11 Adam

09 Boyd

19 Darcheville

Substitutes

25 Carroll, 22 Webster, 21 Broadfoot, 08 Thomson, 23 Sebo, 20 Beasley, 10 Novo

[TSTtiger]

                                        fraser

tokely        munro                              caff          hastings

mcbain      black                              hart            rankin

                                  wilson

                                  denzil

[CaleyD]

McBain on the right?  Are you having a giraffe?

[RossP]

I was thinking a 4-5-1 would work, and thats the exact team i went for, except swapping McBain for Zander

[TSTtiger]

3 at the back? are you having a rhino :003:

[CaleyD]

Rangers seem to have kicked things off playing very physical football and I think we'll need to utilise some of our "bigger" players from the start if we're to absorb that kind of play.

I also think that 5 across the middle is the bet way to compensate for that kind of opposition, plenty of bodies in the midfield so we can string lots of passes together, reducing each players time on the ball and thus the chances of being kicked to shreds.

Leave Wilson on the right, put Duncan in the middle and sacrafice Rankin for Paatelainen.  If you want to put someone just in front of the middle line then use Hart although I think a flat 5 across the middle makes more sense with them adjusting to cover anyone who goes forward to support Wyness or drops back in support of the back 4.

Save the fresh legs and nippy running of the smaller guys like Rankin (for Paatelainen) and Zander (for Wilson) for later in the game when they can come on against tired legs and operate to full effect.  Possibly even look to changing back to a 4-4-2 to increase our attacking threat.

3 at the back? are you having a rhino :003:

Not tonight, I've got a sore head.

[Alex MacLeod]

                                                                          Fraser

                                                        Tokely  Caff  Munro  Hastings

                                                    Wilson  McBain  Hart  Black  Rankin

                                                                        Bayne

[big man]

We are assuming that all our players are fit, Rossco i think must be fit since we didn,t go for the frenchman.

Bayne could be doubtful, Macdonald is out. I think the back four will be as per usual along with Fraser.

We have many permitations in midfield, I think Barry would be expected to last 60mins at full commitment, Cowie seemed to be more settled on the left of midfield last week, spoilt for choice across the middle of the park,  Black would play  maybe Roy up front is the problem, you will have Denzil and Rory although I think Wood is much more mobile than Rory.

                                                               

                                                              Fraser

    Rossco              Caff                          Munro                          Hastings

    Wilson                      Macbain            Black                            Cowie/Rankin

                           

                                                      Denzil          Wood/Rory   

[CaleyD]

I'd have Duncan in ahead of Cowie or McBain and as I said above I'd put Paatelainen in on the left, if for no other reason than his physical presence.

Not sure we'll see Wood or Zander starting this one given the fact they played last night in the North Cup.

[RossP]

I'd have Duncan in ahead of Cowie or McBain and as I said above I'd put Paatelainen in on the left, if for no other reason than his physical presence.

Not sure we'll see Wood or Zander starting this one given the fact they played last night in the North Cup.

In the P&J it said that there was a bounce game between members of the first team on tuesday; so they'll have had only slightly more rest as the players on Wed night. So perhaps Wood and Zander could come into reckoning for the game??

I'd imagine they'll come on as subs though  :rolleyes02:

Either way, i'm going to stop thinking about our starting lineup. As there are so many options at the moment, that i'll never guess what it'll be. So i'll just wait till 12.25pm on saturday... then moan about CC's choise then  :023:  I just hope CC noticed the difference in team we were when we had Cowie, Blackie and Zander in the team against County

[Alex MacLeod]

v Rangers is a totally different game to v County

[RossP]

v Rangers is a totally different game to v County

Thats what i'm worried about

[Guest TinCanFan]

You could always put Rankin on centre-left and Pattaleinnen on the left wing.

[Harry Chibber]

Fraser

Tokely(injured?)    Caff    Munro    Hastings

Duncan

Wilson    Black    Rankin

Wyness    Bayne(injured?)

First game of the season, what you reckon?

[Scotty]

reckon you could put it in the squad for Rangers thread thats already been running for a while  :004: