The puzzle of THIS Ibrox pair…

11
The puzzle of THIS Ibrox pair…

As Rangers fans will know, Pedro Caixinha significantly overhauled the playing staff this summer window, recruiting around a dozen players to completely change the face of the starting XI.

Some have hit the ground running, such as Fabio Cardoso, Bruno Alves, and Graham Dorrans, while some took a bit of time to get up to speed, such as Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Jack.

But there are a couple who remain enigmas, with Rangers fans unsure what they even have on their hands in either case, and who have both only fleetingly appeared in the first team for the odd cameo here and there.

Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera, it is safe to say, have not quite settled in the first XI as of yet. Potentially up to £5M was spent on the two combined (depending on what source you read) but as yet Rangers fans will be a little mystified as to the substantial outlay in light of the return so far.

Herrera looked reasonably promising in pre-season, with some energetic running, harrying, and bullying of defenders while creating space. He did not score, nor did he even look like doing so, but his workrate was undeniable.

Come the serious competition though and the Mexican has been a mile off the pace. On the fringes of the first team, he has managed to nab a very fine goal but otherwise has majorly struggled to fit into the system or the game here in Scotland. The high pressing he was so frequent with earlier in the summer completely absent with the real stuff now underway in earnest. He has been very quiet for most of his appearances and has looked a bit lost.

The former Santa Laguna striker has also had to contend with the rise of Alfredo Morelos. His CV looked awesome, and while it took the young striker a few matches to get in the groove, he is now free-scoring and undroppable as things stand.

Kenny Miller is also doing everything (and more) Herrera would, and while some fans like to give the veteran striker stick and moan when he is selected, Miller always gives everything and leads from the front. These are qualities we have not yet seen from the Hispanic but there is still time.

The improvement in Morelos shows everyone settles in a new culture at a different rate. Cardoso fit in immediately, Morelos took about a month. Herrera? Let us hope he does not take too much longer.

Meanwhile the Carlos Pena tale is increasingly odd. He has been given sub appearances but has looked utterly isolated and stood out like a sore thumb for how poorly he has fitted in. There are a range of conspiracy tales as to why the Mexican is struggling, ranging from homesickness to unfitness, and worse have been the stories of his alleged partying antics in Glasgow’s night life. But what they do off the pitch does not matter if they compensate with great football on it, and Pena is struggling in that regard.

We paid a lot of money for him – it is in our best interests he get to grips with Scotland and Rangers and show us the top class box to box midfielder Pedro Caixinha believes he signed.

But thankfully while both of these players have not quite shone yet, the likes of Dorrans and Morelos have.

But four great players are better than two.

No posts to display

11 COMMENTS

  1. Herrera will not progress while Miller is always picked, Herrera needs games and coming off the bench for 15-20 mins here and there will not help. Drop Miller for a few games to give Herrera the time and then judge him. I say Miller cos we want to keep Morelos on the park.
    As for Pena where do we fit him in when Dorrans and Jack are the first picks (rightly so), unless we play 5 in midfield we wont get Dorrans, Jack and Pena on the park at the same time in their most natural positions.
    If the manager drops Miller for Herrera and it doesn't pay off he will get dogs abuse, but continuing the way it is we will never know what Herrera can actually do and we will always be questioning the decision to buy him, he is damned if he does and damned if we doesnt, Pedro needs to bite the bullet and suffer the consequences with Miller if you ask me. Miller is done after this season (if not done now) and Herrera will be for the future so take the risk and play the man.

  2. Cardoso and Dorrans have hit the ground running, yet Jack took his time getting up to speed? Are you serious?

    • Agreed, Jack settled in very quickly he was the one that looked like he had been in the squad all along.

    • I've been a little disappointed with Dorrans- he looks tired second-halfs. More to come I am sure. Morelos and Candeias seem to have adapted best and Jack looks like he's been there years in most games. As I said in another thread, I re-watched the County game and Pena had some good touches and got in good positions, but is a little rusty. Herrera took his chance brilliantly. Cardoso looks elegant, but I'm still a little nervous, especially at how easy the County goal was last week.
      Jury out on the Mexicans, but until they get proper game time and up to SPL speed (very different to Mexico) it's not fair to call them things like you have above- "sore thumb" "utterly isolated".

  3. Pena I think will ultimately be the 'straw that broke the camel's back' for Caixhina. Well those rejected by Pedro continue to deliver, Herrera and especially Pena as his most expensive recruits – deemed worthy of paying whatever it takes – while a deal for the likes of Walker failed to materialise for the sake of £200K – have delivered nothing to date, and have looked well of the pace. Pena when he has come on has looked completely out of his depth, and frankly alarmingly awful – while Herrera's goals average throughout his career hardly excites!

  4. Good conversation piece lads , I think Herrera is not going to fit in here at all, sorry he just looks out of touch /off the pace ..English Championship Football might suit him . I hope you're post yesterday about Moult is true as he could change the whole dynamic for Rangers in the 2nd half of the season of we can get him in . As for Penna he is a proven player but looks nothing of the sort …He may be the one that gets Pedro the Sack !!!

  5. Big question. Have our medical team slipped up with Pena? Didn't the lad fly in for a medical a couple of weeks before he actually signed and then return to Mexico . I think there must be some physical problem that we're unaware of. If so good luck to the guy but we need him playing. Mon the Gers.

  6. They both definitely need game time to adapt to our game. We need someone to penetrate the 10-0-0 formation of most teams. Pena has the ability for that there is no doubt, but needs games to show it.
    I'd drop Jack and play Candeias, Dorrans, Pena and Nemane in the middle, Herrera and Morelos up front. King Kenny for super sub.

  7. In my opinion Pena will be a great buy if given a chance. In Hibs game he came off bench and made a difference even though we were down to 10 men . We nearly equalised in last min from free kick when Pena was chopped down running through Hibs defence.And what's happened to Windass? He was golden boy after 1 game.

    • Spot on mate Pena will be our best tin opener against the Berlin Wall teams at Ibrox
      Free Role for him but needs games and lots of them

Comments are closed.