At last! The Rangers are back!

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At last! The Rangers are back!
 Article by Sam Groves

After yet another excruciating international break, the real business makes its long-awaited return when Rangers travel to Inverness tomorrow to face a Caley side languishing in lower midtable mediocrity down in 8th.

Richie Foran’s side has managed only one less win than Rangers, and this really is a battle of attrition, with Rangers desperate to get their season truly underway and ICT desperate, as all SPL teams invariably are, to get another one over on Rangers.

For the first time this season Mark Warburton has an entire squad fit and available, with the obvious exception, and with the likes of Windass, Rossiter, Crooks and Garner all at Warbs’ disposal, there is potential for a much-changed XI from the one that struggled against the other Thistle.

Speculation is that Kenny Miller is set to make way for Joe Garner at the very least, but beyond this swap, the selected side is anyone’s guess.

Even Lee Wallace looks vulnerable for the first time this season, as mentioned earlier, with insipid displays punctuating his campaign and his own concession that he is far off his best – there is a real possibility Lee Hodson, fresh off his midweek cap for Northern Ireland in Germany, could find himself in the captain’s slot at left back.

James Tavernier is a certain starter at right back, while Foderingham will continue in between the sticks, but defence is intriguing. Surely the in-form Danny Wilson will retain his place at the back; the question is who of Hill, Senderos and Kiernan will partner up with him. My money is on Senderos keeping his place at the heart of Rangers’ rearguard.

Midfield is currently Halliday, Holt and one other. It will not be Rossiter – Warburton confirmed he will not feature. That leaves Crooks, Windass, Forrester and Kranjcar. Suspicions are that Kranjcar will star again, making the midfield Halliday, Kranjcar and Holt.

Up front McKay is set to remain on the left, with Warburton singing his praises about how young Scottish players must be given chances and stuck with. Garner as stated will be in the middle, with Waghorn near-certainly on the right.

So, your Ibroxnoise prediction;

Foderingham, Tavernier, Senderos, Wilson, Hodson, Halliday, Kranjcar, Holt, McKay, Garner, Waghorn.

Many would argue this is far from Rangers’ best team – no Rossiter, Forrester, Crooks, Windass, O’Halloran et al. Hence I will just hope I am wrong.

Either way, whatever side is selected, the trip is as important as all Rangers’ matches these days seem to be – every new fixture is the ‘most important match so far’ as Rangers are being judged meticulously in ways they never have been before, as much by our own fans as by the game north of the border.

Warbs has the usual big calls to make, and a victory in the Scottish Highlands would go a long way to aiding with the slack he earned last match around.

Here is hoping Rangers’ micro-renaissance continues.

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20 COMMENTS

  1. Two slow centre backs. Nothing we can do about that. The four we have are slow and all of our problems radiate from there.
    However, starting with TWO slow midfielders who can't tackle is utter stupidity. Let's get this straight, I'm glad Any Halliday is a Rangers fan. So am I, but that doesn't mean I should be playing for Rangers. I'm not and neither should Andy.
    We play Celtic again in a week or so. I don't care how Andy played against QoS or Thistle. Two teams that never put Halliday, or Kranjcar, under any kind of pressure. Rangers started with Kranjcar, Barton and Miller against Celtic at Parkhead and Celtic ripped us with pace.
    Warburton then sent on Halliday for Kranjcar, when we needed a goal and the team was in dire need of someone to inject some pace into the game. He did that while O'Halloran was sat on the bench.
    A few lessons were handed out that day. Warburton has either missed them or ignored them. If he makes the same mistakes again we will suffer a similar fate or worse.
    We should have changed the system right away and had it up and running before now. The full backs MUST stay back and tuck in a bit to protect our CB's on the flanks. We MUST play TWO players in front of them who have a bit of pace, can tackle, and also support the other midfielders when it's on.
    It MUST be 4-2-3-1. With our current CB's we have no other real options. Too late for trying out players in new positions (like playing Tav forward of Hodson for example). We must put our quick players in their best positions.

    Foderingham:
    Tavernier. Senderos, Wilson, Wallace:
    Rossiter, Crooks:
    O'Halloran, Windass, Forrester:
    Garner:

    Subs:
    Hodson, Hill:
    McKay, Holt, Dodoo:
    (Kranjcar, Halliday and Miller can be used at a push. But no more than ONE on the park at the same time. Late on too, when the pace slows a bit).

  2. HELLO!!!!!
    WE CANNOT PLAY SLOW PLAYERS AGAINST CELTIC. If we do we will get ripped again.
    Kranjcar (off the bench only). Halliday, Barton or Miller (no effing way).

  3. Remember Inverness won against Pacific shelf at porkheid resulting in John Barnes getting bagged ��������

  4. I just hope we dont struggle, Hoping Senderos has 1 of his better days & Niko does his usual & hopefully Striker find the back of the net, We need to start & get up this league pronto!

  5. Hodson and MOH on the right flanks, Dodoo in the middle as a striker. Mckay and MOH should stick the ball quickly in front of Dodoo. He can hit four, given chances.
    But our playing system doesn't TURN defences so I expect another three lost points.Apart from the results the performances of late have been dire. I expect the same result with the same tactics in Inverness. It's the system stupid.

  6. Desperately need 3 pts, no injuries and a couple of big performances to take into the celtic game. We need to match them physically, big strong team.

    • your season,s finished after semi,if you believe celtic havent won league already then throw away money at the bookie on whoever,,sad but true,,

    • Our season starts when we knock you out the LC next week and go on and win it. A severe body blow to the mighty Celts.

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