Rangers and the defensive midfield problem

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Rangers and the defensive midfield problem

With a back line exposed time and time again with cruel ease by even lesser Championship sides, and Andy Halliday playing out of position in front of them, the slot on every Rangers fan’s lips is that of defensive midfield.

The extent to which the side needs a properly dedicated one has only grown in the past month or so, a period which has seen a horrendous slump in form, aided and abetted by the absence of a midfield destroyer in front of the defence.

The importance of such a player to any side cannot be understated, for he is the man who positionally protects the rearguard and does his damndest to stop any creativity from the opposition before it begins.

Without that proper assistance, the back four is cruelly exposed with lobbed ball after lobbed ball easily getting behind them, especially when two of them are usually in the opposition half.

Hindsight is very wise, but it is with that we look back and wonder if loaning Andy Murdoch out to Cowdenbeath was such a smart play from Mark Warburton. At the time he could do no wrong; he was trusted implicitly and the performances and displays justified such faith. Mark Warburton could have played himself up front and Martyn Waghorn in goal and fans would have believed.

With the gradual deterioration suffered over the past while, however, that belief is a hell of a lot more cautious now, and the decision to put out the young defensive stopper looks just a little less smart.

Whether Andy Murdoch will be recalled next month, or whether the manager elects to try and secure a more senior player from down south (or wherever) barely matters – Rangers cannot go into the business end of the season without a proper defensive midfielder and at least one deputy.

Whether that deputy is Murdoch remains to be seen, but if ever one position’s vulnerability was at the point of code red, it is defensive midfield at Ibrox.

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20 COMMENTS

  1. The January transfer window will confirm, or not, how serious King is to over invest and Murray to spend whatever it takes.

    If the £5 m is real then I can't understand why we are paying the loan back now….unless something nuclear will be visited upon us if we don't.

    This money would be better used in the January window as it's probably exhausted the funds of the 3 Bears., so no more to come from them.

    If you add the £5m to the £2.5m (optimistic) required to see out the season, the 3 Bears exposure will be heading north of £12m…..there ain't going to be much left over from any future rights issue if this debt is converted to equity.

    If the aim is to bring in better quality players then money will have to be spent because we are now seeing why some of the summer additions have had so many different club's down south.

  2. Why are septic fans so obsessed with us, there team is shit yet they are never off here.Why not go and talk pish to someone who cares

  3. Why are septic fans so obsessed with us, there team is shit yet they are never off here.Why not go and talk pish to someone who cares

  4. What are you all on about, if you were told Rangers would be top of the league heading into Xmas you would be over the moon. Especially after last season, give the players a break no team goes through a season without a dip in form. Come Monday evening I believe you will all be eating your words.

    • My thoughts exactly. Too many people shitting themselves after a couple of poor results. Let's see where we are at the end of the season before putting all this bullshit crisis talks in the press etc!! No wonder warburton told the players to not look at the papers!!!

    • to true true blue the partimers are shittin it but king says there will be a war chest for warbo and murray backed him up last week so im with you mate in king we trust

  5. It's time for the players to steer clear of twitter and other social media sites, their paid to please the fans not the media.

  6. Your reluctance to mention Kevin Nolan ? why I hope it is not a religious thing he is a man for the job forget the kids do we want to get promotion for fucks sake, experience now is essential?money of course needs to be spent , no good shouting at the board unless critics can put up the readies, and you know you cant, so come on the gers we are the people for 2016

  7. Murdoch should be recalled but as back up for a seasoned defensive midfield player with a bit of dig that can also act as a leader since Wallace is simply not the person to lead this team to teh Championship. Additionally, we need a quality centre back that has teh experience and the wherewithal to play alongside Kiernan and help build the guys confidence since he is currently covering both for his central defensive partner and for at least one of his full backs at any one time.

    We also need a seasoned striker that is capable of bossing defences since our team right now are outmuscled by just about every team in teh league.

    One thing is for sure, serious money will need to be spent and as you rightly say, if King is anything other than a bag of air he will need to invest serious money in the playing staff in January and he and his fellow investors will need to similarly spend big in the summer if we are to challenge for this year's championship and the top six next season

  8. There will be no serious investment made on players other than frees and loan signings.Why because we are ham strung because we cannot raise funds from outside investors because the board did not get the clause passed which would enable them to try.Furthermore the upcoming criminal cases is not conducive to outside investment until the dust is cleared.

  9. Where's the money coming from?

    King must think he can walk on water……..promise £30m investment, put nothing in, borrow money from the 3 Bears to buy his shareholding and hardly a mention in the media!

    £5m still not repaid, King/Murray will have told their legal bods to take their time, no rush.

    Would be reassuring if the solicitors confirmed that they actually have the cash in an escrow account……..given the conflicting messages over the last few weeks.

    If a QC can lie in court on information supplied to him by King/Murray nothing can be taken at face value, so no big deal if the solicitor confirms Murray ' s statement?

  10. Christmas and New Year holidays upon us…..that should slow the loan paperwork to a complete standstill.

    That's 3 different occasions that we have been told the loan is being repaid since the AGM.

    When will Level 5 break the news through their placemen in the press that Ashley has refused the attached conditions, specifically the dropping of all legal actions against Rangefs/SFA……see what I did there!

    Surprise, surprise….the good news of course is that the £5m can be added to Warbs January war chest, happy days.

  11. Its a lethal striker is whats needed!!,, some of the shots at goal have been tame and easy for the keepers to save,, We need to kill those teams off,, if we miss chance after chance,,then our team is going to get humped by hi-bees,, we need 11 warriors with the attitude of 11 john greigs,, and show what Rangers Football Club is all about,,!!

  12. No problems as we just thrashed or nearest rival and self proclaimed form team
    Warbs is just in the door and if we give him time he will sort it and by the sound of other forums and radio phone ins the other side of glasgow are shittin it

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