How a new-look SPL Rangers could line up under Mark Warburton

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How a new-look SPL Rangers could line up under Mark Warburton

With the transfer window now officially open, despite the signings already made for Mark Warburton’s Rangers Revolution, there is clearly plenty scope for new additions to be made.

Over the past week we have seen Khalis Aucho, Kolo Toure, Fanendo Adi, Niko Kranjcar (appears to have said no) and Sone Aluko (signed yesterday for Birmingham) mentioned, along with the usual Danny Grahams, Grant Hanleys and others.

But of who has signed, what could a new look first XI under Warbs line up as?

Ibroxnoise.co.uk takes you on a little journey over one potential line up, based on definites, strongly possibles, and wild guesses. Let the games begin!

Goal:

Wes Foderingham

There is simply no reason Wes will not be first team #1 next season. While no Goram, Klos or even McGregor, he did well enough in the Championship to have earned his manager’s loyalty and he will be in place come the start of the season, despite the rumours about Southend United’s Daniel Bentley. If by January he seems out of his depth, the Magic Hat will surely look to make alterations.

Defence:

James Tavernier

He needs to work on his defending for sure, with some frankly diabolical displays at the back for the Ibrox men, but his attacking quality was an asset and his goals at times utterly stupendous. Tavernier, like Wes, has earned a right to have a go at the SPL. He is certain to remain first choice RB.

Danny Wilson

While this lad split the support down the middle, few would deny that at his best, he is excellent. With EPL, UCL, and previous SPL experience, Wilson is at a decent age to show an SPL Rangers how good a defender he is capable of being.

Rob Kiernan/Matt Crooks

More popular than Wilson, Rob Kiernan arguably had a worse season than him, but was cut a great deal of slack through his obvious commitment and love of the club. He is likely to remain Wilson’s partner, unless a new experienced CH can be found at an acceptable price, but in the meantime there is a chance new signing Matt Crooks has been groomed to slot in this position due to his massive frame and flexibility to play there.

Lee Wallace

Nothing more needs to be said. Our captain will remain first choice LB for many years to come.

Midfield:

Joey Barton

This is where the real changes start to kick in. Barton is the big signing, and the game-changer. He is not quite Xabi Alonso, sure, but he is an outstanding leader, playmaker and defensive midfielder all rolled into one. His experience here will help the back line and he will always start, injury and suspensions aside.

Jordan Rossiter

He and Barton make quite the pair – Rossiter has all the potential in the world and Barton is an excellent mentor for him – having made his mistakes, the ex-Man City star is in the best position to guide a protégé on the right path. No better teacher than someone who made the mistakes and learned from them.

Jason Holt

This is where it starts getting difficult. There are five valid choices for this slot (Holt, Forrester, McKay, Halliday and Windass), but Holt’s outstanding season will surely have earned him a shot in the SPL for Rangers. Rangers are absolutely spoiled for choices when it comes to creativity, but the prediction is Holt will holt onto his place (see what I did there).

Attack:

Barrie McKay

It is getting even tougher now to predict, so it is getting into the realm of guesswork, but after his immaculate breakthrough season and call up to Scotland, McKay surely has earned a first team slot next season. Up to him to prove he is worthy.

Kenny Miller

Got better, and better, and better last season as it wore in and by the end was completely indispensible. He is a wise head and led the whole team the further advanced the campaign went – he carried Rangers in many ways and even at his age will imagine he is first-choice striker.

Josh Windass

This is the biggest guess of all! But why would the Magic Hat have been so desperate to secure Windass only to bench him? Midfield is utterly crowded and his dad has stated his strongest slot is the 3 in a 4-2-3-1 so one imagines he will be as part of the attacking prong up front.

I can already hear moans of disgust: where is Waghorn, why is Forrester not there, surely we would use our most expensive player O’Halloran, why is One of Our Own not in midfield etc etc.

The truth is the squad has already vastly improved – if you include the above, you have to remove others. Then there is outrage they have been dropped. Quite simply Warbs cannot please all the fans with the squad he has – everyone will have their favourites and any team anyone predicts will be met with howls of derision by some, apoplectic with rage their favourite is not there.

There are also the players we have not yet signed – the mystery CB we all expect to arrive at some point (Is that to be Eitan Tibi), and a striker that we desperately need in the view of many.

You are all free to angrily select your rebuttal line ups in the comments!

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17 COMMENTS

  1. Forrester ahead of Holt for me. Waghorn ahead of Windass. Need another quality out and out striker in there. Miller can't play 90 mins of every game at his age. Need a proven CB. Wilson and Kiernan are pish, Crooks may have potential bit doesn't have the experience yet. McKay hot and cold. Needs to find consistency and hit the byeline more. Maybe rotate him and O'Halloran.

  2. Where is Warburton?

    Apparently he had a shouting match with King about his bonus on the Friday before the cup final and had to be coaxed into turning up at Hampden….this got through to the players and was evident in their performance on the day.
    It looks as if Weir will be moving up with Miller taking on a player/assistant manager role.

    • He's probably looking for your other brain cell to double your intelligence. Go home troll

    • People that use the moniker 'Anonymous' to post negative comments should be ignored. I am not the biggest King fan but it is fairly self evident that Warburton is currently on vacation.

    • Yeah Warburton is going nowhere – he loves it where he is at and should be getting some funds this summer to boost the squad – as such I think the team you have in the article will not be anywhere near the team that goes out next season – for starters it simply is not good enough and Warburton will have guys lined up to ensure it is ready for the next level.

  3. I prefer Miller to Waghorn up front, but I suspect they'll play part of a game each. I'd like to see Forrester given a chance up front or in midfield (but not at the expense of Windass); he was quite lethal in his last few games before his injury. Still uneasy about the centrebacks.

  4. Need an experienced CB & physical striker. Would'nt go near Grant Hanley though, would take a big chunk of budget and not quite good enough. What about Alex Bruce from Hull, free transfer, could do a job? Big Adi looks good but transfer fee might be stubbling block? All in all no need to panic W/W & McP have it in-hand. Onwards and upwards!

  5. Of the players currently signed I would go for Waghorn ahead of Miller – when he's fully fit he offers much more than Kenny, who can still come on as sub if necessary. I'd also play Forrester ahead of Windass, until the latter proves he's better. But there are bigger problems which can only be sorted by more signings, mainly in defence where only Wallace is really good enough.

  6. If we are to challenge for the SPL Title then I reckon that we need to sign a better quality goalkeeper and a strong experienced centre back.

    I also reckon that we will need a top class striker since Miller will not do 90 minutes every week in the SPL.

    I might be wrong but I suspect that Warburton will use his full squad and will rotate players including his substitutes so we probably need another one or two top quality midfield players.

  7. my dream team…..gk Danial Bentley Lb Wallace rb Tavernier Lcb Eitan Tibi rcb Ball Ldm Halliday rcm Joey Barton am harry forrester Lw Mckay rw O'halloran sf Cummings subs Wes Foderingham Crooks Rossiter Holt Ben Pringle Waghorn Miller res Danny Wilson Aird Murduck Burt Hardy and we need left back Kingsley Falkirk player was on loan to Swancey get him in oh and Kiernan he must go

  8. Agreed regards the goal keeper Tom. Unfortunately I don't think he'll do for SPL and beyond. Too many stoppable goals conceded at Championship level and does not give the Centre Backs confidence. We need to replicate the Chris Woods, Terry Butcher, Graham Roberts triangle as our first priority for next year. Get that right and we'll always score goals at the other end.

  9. Goalkeeper and at least one Centre Back must be the priority.

    Unfortunately, much as I like Foderingham, he's conceded too many stoppable goals at Championship level. If we do stay with him I suspect he'll be replaced in the January window.

    Remember Woods, Butcher & Roberts? Get that area right and we'll always score 2 or 3 the way we play.

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