Caixinha earmarks main striker; fans might not be thrilled

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Caixinha earmarks main striker; fans might not be thrilled

Manager Pedro Caixinha has dropped his strongest hint yet that rather than including flop signing Joe Garner among the players he is looking to dispense with, he instead intends to build Rangers around the ex-Preston man and get the best out of him.

Speaking about next season’s plans, Pedro laid out his intention to develop a system which plays to Garner’s strengths by utilising his aerial ability and getting more goals from him, rather than dropping him to the bench or even getting shot of him.

The boss said:

“Joe can help any team because he is a goalscorer if the ball gets into the box. If we are not attacking properly, and getting the ball into the box in different ways rather than from the wide areas then Joe will be there but he won’t receive the ball. If we have a team who can work and spend more time on the surrounds of the box and the ball arrives more with more quality in the box then he will score more goals for sure.”

Any fans hoping Garner might be out the door better think again; and the truth is for Garner’s pretty dreadful maiden season in the SPL, in which his petty off-ball actions, questionable attitude and poor all-round play have dominated rather than anything productive, his rare constructive outings like Saturday’s visit from Hearts where he won everything in the air, had a mutual giggle with Viktor Noring, and nabbed a fine goal does suggest if Rangers could iron the relentless negatives in his contribution and glean the good stuff from him, he could actually be a more useful striker than he has been up till now.

He had a decent match admittedly on Hamilton’s artificial surface earlier this season; the plastic pitch can suit some players better than others due to its more rigid nature aiding fast turns on lower gravity which suits Garner’s game better – less grip on grass means this can be trickier.

Pedro went on:

“We are looking to have much more association with the wide areas next season and increase those combinations. We are looking for the arrival of totally different sorts of players to perform in that zone of the park. I want a team who can change the pattern by playing inside, playing behind and switch the play. We want to play in the wide areas; we want a better relationship between the wingers and the full-backs and between shadow strikers and strikers. So we want all those type of relationships to improve but definitely we want to play more in the wide areas.”

Ibrox Noise is on record as slating the striker, and being heavily critical of him in recent months, but we are more than happy to be proven wrong about him.

And unless a big bid which recoups most if not all of what Rangers paid the English side for his services arrives, it does seem like Caixinha intends to deploy Garner as possibly the main striker for next season.

What fans will make of that is up to them.

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33 COMMENTS

  1. Rather have garner than waghorn to be honest. See how he does next season I personally think he will score goals if he gets the service. Ronaldo would have struggled to have scored with service Our team provides

  2. Ibrox noise and whoever else thinks so,we can't completely right off joey garner and call him a rangers flop thus far!Remember there's perfectly good reasons why garner hasn't set the heather on fire,thus far!We haven't played to his strengths,and with better players that caixinha will bring in,it will hopefully be the making of garner as a rangers striker!There's one thing certain here,if we play with width and get balls in the box early,garner will without question,score goals!He's exceptionally good in the air,for not being especially tall!I've only seen clips of jimmy millar who used to be able to out jump defenders several inches taller than him!Garner is similar!Caixinha could be proved correct here and garner could yet prove to be a good signing for us!He at least has to be given the full of next season before jumping the gun and judging him now!

    • When you think how few chances our strikers have had all season it is obvious Caxinha sees this as a priority. I agree.

  3. Garner can certainly head the ball and is not frightened to mix it with central defenders so it really does depend who he brings in to play alongside him. We need a fast energetic striker with some quality, we get that, two quality holding midfield players and two quality centre backs the we will be a better side. I just have this horrible feeling that the targeted 12 players is a figment of his imagination and that King will not provide the funds needed to get us anywhere close to winning the League. I hope that I am wrong but I am getting an uneasy feeling that next season will be more of the same!

    • Tom, as you have just pointed out, we don't need 12 players. I would say 1 quality CB, a second CB better than average to go with Wilson and Bates, Ryan Jack to go with Rossiter, Barjonas and maybe Crooks. Add one good winger and an RB if we can find a decent one. Hardie and Thompson come back from Raith

      That is 4 or 5 players, and would make a massive difference. Maybe not win us the league, but would give us a foundation. Next summer, more players out of contract, we bring in another 4, promote another couple from the youth team and we have a decent squad to challenge with

  4. Then I fear that we are completely and royalty F*CKED! I don't rate him at all but don't mind being proved wrong.

  5. Garner has shown hints that he can be a decent player for us with the proper service but needs to balance his aggression. I think though if Pedro is wanting 12 new players we'll be shopping in the pick and mix. Better quality over quantity.

  6. I've always said that with the right service Garner will score goals for us. He's scored a few in recent weeks with a non-existent midfield and I genuinely believe (hope) he will be better next year.

  7. Has anyone watched much of Blair Spittal at Dundee Utd? He's 21 and was released by Rangers at 14…
    youtube.com/watch?v=cUHoOtOuhDE
    Scored again last night – youtube.com/watch?v=BOvATx9s_rA

  8. Sorry guys, but I agree with Sandy & GF72. We had this discussion a few weeks ago and most people agreed Garner was not what we wanted for next year. I acknowledge that he has scored a couple of goals since then – but surely he could have done this before now. I can not accept that he was not getting good enough service previously to not have scored more. To me he has woken up and realised he has to show to us and possibly potential buyers what he can actually do, that is why he is now scoring goals.

  9. I've been banging on about Garner as anyone browsing comments over the last few weeks will notice. He is very strong in the air even against big strong defenders and he makes opponents nervous. If he cuts out the niggly stuff and gets some service, he'll score a good amount. I'd like to see Ryan Hardie get a chance up beside him- sharp and quick. Miller is too unpredictable to be a striker partner- he wanders all over the pitch trying to do everyone's job for them.
    Key is definitely a solid CB and a tough midfielder. Again, don't think we need 12 new players, just two or three good ones. McKay had some of his best performances for us when he was used as a "ten" just behind the forwards. Crossing is not his strongest- it's his pace and running, so to me he shouldn't be on the wing. Windass, Tavernier and Miller are all better deliverers of the ball than McKay. Totally agree with ScotsWhaHae above, in short.

  10. I would like to see Garner given more ammunition as I can see some potential there. We haven't given him the opportunities and quality of delivery he needs or any striker needs for that matter. As such I am happy to give him next seasonvto show what he can do. Yes he is a bit of a basket case and needs to reign in the theatrics, but I for one see the type of desire and passion from him that our club deserves and which is sorely lacking from the majority of his teammates….watp

  11. I'm getting psyched up for the sheep rapists coming to town youtube.com/watch?v=-sD3w5VBny4

  12. I've been saying this for a while. If we get a quick player than can move well around him (the Motherwell boy would be good) it could create a great partnership. It's funny that Gardiner has banged in two in the last two games now that there are actual crosses and high boxes coming into the box, warburton wasted him playing everything to feet where this guys strengths is obviously with his head and for moving defenders out of position etc

  13. Garner like McKay has scored 2 in 2 as we all know plus I'll be honest I've been highly critical of both in equal measures. I'm also a cynical auld so and so and the timing of the improvement that sticks in my throat with one.

    Garner – has improved since being brought on as sub against the dirt at Ibrox, Ped has maybe realised the team needs to play to his strengths which is his aerial threat. If he can cut out all the stupid shite and gets a proper striker to link up with then who knows..Big Attila he is not but may improve..

    McKay – I find his improvement is all because he wants an improved contract or putting himself in the shop window. Talented yes technically gifted a winger he ain't though, his crossing is brutal no 10 might be his best position. If that's the case he must work harder just like Kenny as a prime example..

    • Agree mate, a contract that's soon to expire fairly lights a fire under players' asses. McKay as a no.10 all day long too.

  14. Garner will be a more useful striker than he has been so far simply because the midfield and wing play has been SO POOR this season. He will be much better No. 9 with superior players, but he has NEVER scored enough goals with every team he has played for.

    It will also depend on who plays up front with him.

  15. Caixinha has until Xmas. Talks nonsense, tactically dodgy, hasn't yet grasped what defeat means to fans and if there are any more long ball games he's nailing his own coffin. Only hope is he brings in better players for next manager.

    • I would not give him the opportunity to waste more money we simply do not have. In the short time he has been at the helm of our wonderful club he has proven that he has no tactical knowledge of the Scottish game and what it takes to deliver results but more importantly he has no knowledge of what's expected at out wonderful club. As much as it hurts me to say this but having followed the club for more than 40 years Mr McInnes was bang on the money with his comments ……. Mr Caixinha should hang his head with embarrassment for some his comments. Not what's expected from a man with a blazer and our crest !!!!!!! Disgusted

  16. Some one better step up and fast after tonight i have no hope in him or any of them

  17. I thought Foderingham, A Wilson, Windass, McKay and Barjonas did well tonight. Wes pulled off some superb saves; being English and only 26, I can see his value increasing a lot if he improves on his distribution next season. Before the match, I was worried when I saw young Wilson's name on the teamsheet as I didn't think he was ready for the first-team; but was pleasantly surprised and thought he put in a solid first-team debut. I thought Windass looked energetic tonight and made some excellent runs. For the time he was on the pitch, I thought Barjonas was superb….looks calm, composed and made a big difference when he came on.
    It's early days, but I'm not convinced by Bates or Beerman at this stage. They're young and learning their trade, but they'll have to step-up their game.
    Those were the main things I took from the game. Disapponting result, but we definitely unearthed Barjonas tonight (and possibly Aidan Wilson) and I'm happy we've done that. If Warburton was still here, he'd rather play an injured Kiernan than risk playing the young ones.

  18. It still amazes me how people are surprised when we get beat pmsl …I have said for a while we would be 40 points behind them and its looking like a good bet to be pretty close after another abysmal performance.

    If Garner is as good as we can get, and I really cant see where any funds are coming from to improve ANYWHERE, then an improvement will be to half the deficit and limit it to the twenties …and that's not because I think they are, or will be an exceptional side, but I have a damned good idea how strong we will be……

    GSTQ

  19. Mixed stuff last night, I thought. I wasn't surprised we were beaten- Aberdeen were slicker, sharper and faster for the most part. A team that has played together for a while compared to a patched together one. Don't know why Holt was dropped. Not an enforcer per se, but ten times a better bet in there than Toral. Wilson looked composed, Tavernier still can't defend, Miller still wandered at will around the pitch, Windass still has lots to offer… Nothing new apart from the youth, which can only be a good thing at this stage. Jorg was right above- Warburton would have played wounded Kiernan instead so that's a positive.
    One thing that does irritate is this spat with McInnes. Whatever we have ever been, we have been a club that have kept dignity and the moral high ground, especially through our managers. It's good to watch other fannies like Lennon make arses of themselves and Pedro should not be bandying stuff like "respect" around.
    He needs to earn it before whining about it. Not good.

    • Totally, Doug. I thought the worst performance by far last night was by our manager. Sounding eerily like Warburton, Pedro keeps repeating that he knows what it means to represent Rangers, but his dealings with McInnes tell otherwise. It's like he came out onto the street and announced, "LISTEN UP. THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN!", and while firing off a few shots into the air he manages to blow off his own foot in the process. His paranoia is the first major crack we've seen in Pedro's carefully tailored image of order, style etc. I'm more and more convinced that the guy who really understands what it means to be a Rangers manager is Derek McInnes.

  20. For £1.8 million i would want much better than Joe Garner he will score goals i know that but there is better than him playing in Scotland that would cost much less than him and score as much or more than Joe Garner he is what we have for now so work his ass off

  21. It was another sub standard performance form a very sub standard squad of players , sorry. I wish someone would have a word in Pedro's ear as he is fast making an arse of himself. Walter or McLeish or Advocat would never get into that pish with Mc Innes remember he has done f*ck all and won f*ck all . Aberdeen are better than us only because they have been in the SPL with no competition since they all bladed us !!! just experience …not skill If they were any good they would have beaten that pish the useless Noggin was managing before Brenda came …lets get real here please gentlemen !! I hope there can be some new faces and then we can judge Pedro but he really needs to listen to people who know the Gers and the Scottish Media because they are hanging him out to dry with sound bite slash. Most Portuguese people try to turn their own language into English when they speak and it can sometimes come out the wrong way on grammar and meaning Jose M used to do it in the early days .

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