Seven changes; Rangers’ predicted XI for League Cup

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Seven changes; Rangers’ predicted XI for League Cup

 Article by: Ibrox Noise
On Wednesday Rangers’ return to
domestic competitive action continues in earnest when Dunfermline arrive at
Ibrox on League Cup duty.
With Sunday’s hard fought, gritty
but imperfect win fresh in the memory, and it being League Cup time, could
Pedro ring the changes with a significantly different XI for Wednesday’s second
round fixture.
Ibrox Noise takes you through our
preferred starting side and why:

Goal:
Jak Alnwick:
Wes Foderingham has come under a
little stick for how he flapped at Motherwell’s goal yesterday, and most big
clubs do use their second keeper for cup gigs, so we say Alnwick deserves the
call for this one.
Defence:

James Tavernier, Bruno Alves,
Fabio Cardoso
and Lee Wallace:
This back four is our first
choice selection, and it needs matches to get up to speed and ‘gel’. For each
player to learn how the other three will play takes time, and they need as many
matches together as they can get.
Midfield:
Niko Kranjcar, Jordan
Rossiter, Jason Holt
, Josh Windass:
Niko cannot be used every match,
but he excels at Ibrox and his class is evident. If he is fit enough by Wednesday
he is our choice. Rossiter has been taking his lack of playing time like a true
pro, and is just getting on with it. He needs game time and the League Cup is
perfect for him to get that at a good level. Holt is finding himself isolated
by the new signings, and for morale purposes I would put him in. Windass has
earned the continued selection – it is how players like he build up a head of
steam.
Up front:
Dalcio and Alfredo Morelos:
Dalcio has been awful so far, no
denying it – so time for him to step up, and against a ‘lesser’ opponent get it
going and get the confidence flowing. Morelos has also struggled but the way a
striker gets form is with minutes.
So, your Ibrox Noise selection:
Alnwick; Tavernier, Cardoso,
Alves, Wallace; Kranjcar, Rossiter, Holt, Windass; Dalcio; Morelos
Consider it a 4-4-1-1/ 4-4-2
Put your thoughts in the usual
place folks.

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17 COMMENTS

  1. Is this strong enough? Defence ok but for me we need to win something early on and League Cuo should be a serious target!

  2. Agreed apart from front two.Herrera and Morelos need goals for confidence so I'd go with them up front.Also Windass should play to try and find some form.

  3. Right now Rangers need consistency and this is not a time for experiments. We need our strongest 11 to gel and quickly. Can you imagine the reaction if Rangers were to be dumped out the Betfred Cup at home to Dunfermline! It cost Cathro his job – might just have the same effect on Pedro's troubled Ibrox tenure.

    • 100% agree dexter, this is not a time to tinker. We need good results to continue especially with little celtic coming to ibrox at the weekend. We all know how up for it Lennon and Co will be. The feel good factor must continue and the 1st 11 need stability atm.

  4. In my preferred line up, to make us harder to beat: 3 5 2: Alnwick;
    Wilson Alves Cardoso:
    Candeias Kranjcar Rossiter Pena Windass;
    Herrera Morelos

  5. I agree with most of the line-up but would put Pena in if he is fit as he needs 90 mins more than anyone given lack of pre season. I'd also play Dalcio instead of Windass for same reason, with Herrera and Morelos up front. As someone has earlier mentioned, our South American strikers need confidence and a game against an average Dunfermline team at Ibrox should be a gift.

    I'd tell the two of them whoever plays best gets a game up front with Miller in league against Hibs

  6. no way the team you list will play the only changes I would make from the starting team on Sunday would be Hodson and Miller out and Tavernier and Morelos in Dalcio you have to be joking and that midfield would never be effective as someone mentioned the team need more games to gel no experimenting at this stage

  7. A tad too early me thinks for such wholesale changes. Goalie change, defo. Dalcio and Morelos only if we are 4-0 up and introduce them one at a time. Do not tempt fate, aka Luxembourg. Simply cannot afford it. Physically, mentally or metaphorically. Never, ever underestimate the opposition.Remember Berwick Rangers? If you don't, look it up.

  8. The first 11 has been together for 3 weeks….why not give them a chance to gell before tinkering ? Pedro would be slated on this site if he picked a reduced team and they lost.

    Also starting Alnwick is fine….but it's not because Wes flapped at a cross…he didn't come for it which is more about comms. He also kept us in the game with some terrific saves and had a great game.

  9. Niko is injured with his hip so won't play, usually i would be up for changes lile that but this team needs games to gel, so I wouldn't change to much. Maybe bring Morelos in for Miller and Alnwick for Fods to give him the games but other than that I would keep it the same.

    • Totally agree with you Iain. Our back 4 need games together and Morelos needs a goal. Not expecting many goals from Herrera but plenty assists. We've not really been playing with a front 2 as Miller has been dropping too deep. This Dunfermline game has come at a very opportune time before we take on Hibs.
      Mon the Gers

  10. Starting eleven to go again for me, I don't think we're good enough to make wholesale changes yet!

  11. I don't want to be rueing (or ruing) another early cup exit. We should not underestimate Dunfermline – they played well in the Championship last year, so I don't favour taking risks. Keep the back four (with Tav), keep the strong middle 4, and test one change up front. I would give Alnwick a chance.

  12. OK here is my twopence worth.
    Alnwick

    McCrorie Alves Cardoso Wallace (McCrorie cause he would be better than Hodson if Tavernier gets injured)

    Candieas Dorrans Jack Pena (time Pena got game)(and Dorrans and Jack need to gel further together)

    Morelos and Windass (Think Windass would do well up front)

    Not to many changes trying to keep the core of the team. Comments would be appreciated lol?

  13. I'd be tempted to make a few changes, but I think it might be too risky. The feeling of confidence that's running through the club right now is palpable, but it's still very fresh and possibly fragile IMO. I'd stick Alnwick in for Wes (Alnwick should be no.1 every week if you ask me), but no more. Until we're a team that wins 6 or 7 games on the trot, I'd say we should play our strongest 11 no matter what competition it is. The other side of the argument is – what if a key player gets injured against Dunfermline? It is a tough one to call but I'd still go for my very strongest 11 against The Pars. Gelling a set-11 is right now more important than blooding new players, in my humble opinion.

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