During the course of this season it has become obvious that Rangers do not only lack width but they also lack creativity and tactical ability. Time after time this season so called lesser teams in the SPL has bossed the Rangers midfield into submission, against Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen to name but a few. Therefore this brings me to a question which seems to have stifled Walter Smith at the present moment, what formation would allow Rangers to play at the best of their ability?
In the lead up to the Champions League game against Stuttgart there were several football pundits suggesting that your best 11 players should always play when they are available. Who are the current best 11 players at Rangers and if they all played what formation would this allow Rangers to play?
The best 11 players currently at the club in my opinion are Allan McGregor, Madjid Bougherra, Davie Weir, Danny Wilson, Lee McCulloch, Maurice Edu, Kevin Thomson, Pedro Mendes, Steven Davis, Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd. There is only one viable system I could feasibly see all of these players fitting into and that is a 3-2-2-1-2 formation. Playing as a 3 man defence would be Madjid Bougherra on the right, Davie Weir in the middle and Danny Wilson playing on the left, which I feel would bring more of a balance to the back line. In the 2 holding midfield roles would be Kevin Thomson and Maurice Edu, on the left of midfield would be Lee McCulloch, on the right would be Steven Davis and in the hole behind the forwards would be Pedro Mendes. This is the only viable way that I can see that would allow us to fit all of our star midfielders into the team. However you could of course switch either Edu or Thomson to a midfield central role and deploy a 3-1-3-1-2 formation.
I am aware some people will feel that I have been hard on Sasa Papac by not including him in Rangers best 11 but it is just to my opinion that Danny Wilson has looked better defensively than the majority of our defenders this season and the fact that he is genuinely left footed also would bring a much needed balance to the defence. I am also aware that people will not like the idea of Lee McCulloch playing on the left of the midfield because when he first came to the club we quite often launched a long diagonal ball in his direction. However even though it may of not been the prettiest deployment on the left, it certainly has proved to be the most effective thus far and he is more than capable of knocking a few balls for both Miller and Boyd to run on to.
As both Pedro Mendes and Maurice are currently sidelined, I would move Lee McCulloch to the defensive midfield central role beside Kevin Thomson and bring on Steven Naismith on the left hand side of midfield. He may not be consistent but he is the only player that I have seen genuinely shine when playing on the left side of midfield, during his days at Kilmarnock. As for Pedro Mendes’s replacement, I would deploy John Fleck in the hole behind the front two as that is his supposed natural position and we have yet to see him play there, why not give the youngster his chance to shine?
I know what formation I favour, my questions are for you however, what formation would you like to see Rangers deploy? What formation do you think will get Rangers playing to the best of their ability? Also who do you think are Rangers current best 11 players? I look forward to hearing your response!
Until we can get the full back situation sorted we must go with a hard back 4 – two wide midfielders and 1 sitting and 1 attacking – also up front mix n match the two un til we get another connection that works !
When we get Kirk back and sort out the CD’s we can then work around the Davis and Kirk relationship they used to have on the right etc.etc – but also we are going to gain 2 on loan from Man Utd and 1 from the USA that are meant to be decent players – so again we will have Mendes and co. fit and these kids – it will be like 5 or 6 new players – yee-haaa LOL
sorry i never left the formation – well at the present moment I cannot really play the formation I would feel the team could benefit most from – with Bougherra – who is out the window as soon as a half decent bid comes in for his lack of respect from Walter picking him up from the gutters in Charlton – to high profile matches and a call up to his world cup squad -then he shoites in the mans, clubs and fans faces – adios
I would go with a 4 at the back – with no Whitty – Kirk or even Bougherra until Kirk is fit or Jordan Macmillan – so 4- Diamond 4 – 2 – the midfield right as Davis/Rothen/Beasley / with the sitter as McCulloch or Thomson and the left as Lafferty/Fleck/ Rothen with the atacking midfielder as Davis/ Fleck/Lafferty – and then up front Miller / Boyd – Lafferty/ Boyd etc.etc you get my jist !
Now after this weeks if’s and but’s we shall have clear Mendes and clear Kirk and clear Edu to pick when we can play numerous formats we want to on the day !
since mendes has been injured davis has the burden of being the only midfielder as thomson just isnt back to the player he is ,lafferty is a striker wee flecky playing left mid does the boy no justice naismith is not doing it. rothen is the slowest french player ive ever seen beasley would get blown over in a draft . if we dont get midfielders we will struggle . whity has no big game bottle like a rabbit caught in the headlights boughy played right back for his country id keep him there the diamond mid would work until mendes is back magregor ,sasa,weir,wilson,boughy right back ,mcculloch holding davis right mid thompson left wee fleck top of diamond miller boyd ,subs naismith novo lafferty and bring back edu mendes as quick as poss
we need a hard man in midfield and a fast winger who can beat a man and somebody who can take a free kick or even a corner [whens the last time we had a good goal from a set piece]
Jim totally agree and I was leaning towards the same as your pick but couldn’t nail down certain players in a position until I know who is fit. Like you say Mendes is back as is Edu so that is like 2 new players – Edu has a lot of promise and some fans don’t realise exactly how good Mendes is – here’s a clue he was playing for Portugal in a World Cup Qualifier a week or so back !
We seriously need to get a free kick and corner kick taker as mentioned but we don’t seem to score from this opportunities – I was watching clips of Laudrup and Gazza and De Boer the other day and you forget the high standards we are used to and should have.
a mcall,albertz,gio,arteta,durie,mcann,ian ferguson ,barry ferguson ,durrant ,guttuso, to name but a few , we were spoilt now weve got rothen and beasley
hi guys great points why dont you join or log into the forum and give us your thoughts
http://dothebouncy.com/smf/index.php?topic=20259.0
We don’t have any midfielders who can play down the wings and if we go 4 across the middle we sometimes get outnumbered and out muscled. We need to play Boyd but he can’t play up front himself and score goals. I think we have to go back to one of Walters old favourites and play 5-3-2.
Naismith is the one player who has been performing this year and Miller doesn’t score enough so up front I’d go with Boyd and Naisy to rekindle their killie partnership. In midfield Mendes and Thomson would be in if it wasn’t for their injuries so I’d go with McCulloch in the holding role Davis right and Fleck left, where he can use hi energy get wide and interchange with Naisy.
Whits and Stevie Smith on the wingback positions and a central defense of Papac Weir and Wilson.
Gives us width, keeps us strong in the middle to dominate posession and gets Boyd some help in scoring the goals
Also depends on what players we have on pitch – If we have Naismith and Novo with pace – they are good for the wide midfield and with Miller feeding Boyd – At the back Kirk is back soon for the R/B and again Whitty gives more options for the midfield wide areas – central midfield Mendes is a must – the man controls all in that engine room without getting the just rewards he should from fans – also sorry Thommo – Davis – I would take in Edu to play as a front man sweeping in fron t of the back 2 and also giving the wing-backs/full backs the chan ce to go up front – he then stays back and covers – whilst Edu is now up – with his lightning pace…..behind Mendes is Wilson and Bougherra with Papac L/B and Jordan until Kirk is fit at Right Back………….this is off the top of my head but Edu and Mendes are looking for the World Cup place – so they will be trying more than ever before……but we have to concentrate on every game is important……we have the players OK we looked like schoolboys on Wednesday – but it will come and we may find cash by Summer( hehe you never know) even so, we will win the SPL and Cup Double this year – so again we are Champiuons League next season – great insentive for the doubters that aren’t blue noses – YET – OK and may God be with you and all the Bears – We are the People and we shall not be moved !