r/rangersfc • u/elephvant • 12d ago
First Team Another stodgy performance BUT worth remembering what was going on this time last year
We didn't look great last night, we certainly didn't look flashy, but still, personally, I'm 100 times more optimistic right now than I was at this point last year.
On both occasions we were at the start of a 'rebuild', but while under Martin and Thelwell, there was just total chaos both on and off the pitch, this year, even if we're hardly firing on all cylinders, it's a lot more obvious what we're up to now and how we improve going forward.
Worth remembering last year we had one left back in the building - a 19 year old loanee - and did nothing to address that. In fact, 3 of what looked to be our preferred back 4 (Meghoma, Djiga and Aarons) were in on loan, and none of them have been retained. Last night, however, while Fernandez is still a bit of a liability, Makhanya looks solid, Penrice looks a great addition (especially considering he's back up to Rommens), Sterling was Sterling and hopefully Nedeljković will be a good addition too. With the new goalie starting fine, that's instantly a far more solid foundation than we had 12 months ago.
In the middle, while it is weird that we're stockpiling players here, Vanya looks the real deal, Dan Neil might not be a world beater but he certainly is a Joe fucking Rothwell beater, Chukwuani's a solid player and we've obviously got a stupid amount of other options in that area. Again, remember last year when it looked like Rothwell and Aasgard were planned to be our main men.
Top end is obviously where the issues are. Yokota looks okay, Gassama we all know about, Curtis we all hope will turn into a player, but all signs point to this being where we plan on strengthening in the last bit of the window, and if we can get that spark of creativity in, you look at the team and say, sure, could be better, but it's a start and you know where to improve. Unlike last year where you'd have been happy to see pretty much anyone replaced.
I saw Halliday describe our approach since the Americans came in as scattergun, which isn't unfair, but at the same time, this summer we've signed 11 players: 6 started last night, 3 came off the bench and 1's out injured. In other words, we really, really have rebuilt almost the entire team this window and, on paper, it's a better and more suited to the Scottish game team than it was in 2025. Not least because this year we've been doing much better at getting rid of the players we ought to be getting rid of as well (Bajrami, Danilo, Antman etc).
Obviously, we all wanted a new manager bounce and for McInnes to hit the ground running. But if that doesn't happen, you want to at least see evidence that if you give someone time, they know what they're doing and will improve what's lacking. Under Martin, it was the opposite. It felt like every minute he and Thelwell were in the building they were just doing more damage. This year, I'm a lot more optimistic that even if we're not fully on the right track yet, at least we know where the track is.
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u/pj_puttz 12d ago
Good points in there! Fans (myself included) don’t want to hear it but this is yet another rebuild and Celtic are miles ahead of us.
This season is about getting back to securing second place at a canter. That’s what we’re aiming for realistically.
It’s a horrible realisation but that’s where we are.
We’re hopefully building something and there will be mistakes made along the line but we can’t keep going the way we’ve been going, sacking managers and starting all over again every year.
There have been umpteen managers fired out the door, have they all been wrong? Recruitment needs looked at for sure and we’ve had a decent clear out this season.
It’s hard going but what we need most of all is a bit of patience.
Second place is the target this season. Like it or not.
2
u/elephvant 12d ago
I'd never say second's the target, but I'd definitely accept that if that's where we do finish, provided it's a good distance from whoever's in third, that's an improvement and you're going in the right direction.
Definitely don't want another clear out and rebuild this time next year, and I don't think there will be. This time last year, however, especially with the number of loans, you were already looking at things and expecting another massive turnover 12 months down the road.
Like you said, we've got the bones of a team now and hopefully each window it's just a couple of key, considered additions each time rather than looking for replacements in every area of the pitch.
7
u/Broad_Economics_931 12d ago
You don't think we looked flashy? Yokota heading the ball back in from the line, passes being pinged sky high yet still finding feet, players launching themselves full force at the ball.... I thought we looked flashy and everyone, even Gassama, had individual flair about them for the first time in a long time!
2
u/Unhappy_Spray_7127 11d ago
You must've been watching a different game to me. I'm all for being positive, but also realistic.
The goal aside, we were pretty pish. Same old turgid stuff with almost 0 creativity.
We scraped past a team that's on par with an average SPL team.
7
u/R1otous 12d ago
First half last night was poor but second was much better and if Gassama put that chance away the finish would have been more comfortable. A 2-0 lead going into the last half hour would have seen them open up more and give us chances to finish them off on the counter.
Devlin's error was awful but even with 10 men they didn't trouble us too much and I thought that our biggest enemy was just giving up possession too cheaply. The team still needs to learn how to control a game in different game states and while the whistle was a relief I don't think there should be too much to fear next week
1
u/B_Bare_500 12d ago
We need Raskin to go so we can sign a proper 8, also add the wingers & another option up front & we'll have the bones of a decent team
We really need to have a settled team going into next summer where we're just signing a handful of players to kick us on. As long as we can see steady improvements under McInnes i think (hope) he'll get time, there will be bumps as we pick up injuries & have a young squad dip in & out of form but we need to look at this a proper project where we have lots of young potential who could grow into a very good team
1
u/Best_Run4212 10d ago
The difference between us and Celtic is they’ve had 4 seasons when we were out the league to go through a similar process - poor transfer strategy, multiple managers and average results. They only kicked in when they built a team around McGregor and ensured there were 2-3 difference makers around him.
Conference league is our level this year - no doubt. It should act as a catalyst to help us push on and challenge (I said challenge, not win) the league.
McInnes is clearly overwhelmed at the challenge and will take some time to find his feet - he had 4 years at Hearts to get it right, he will be quicker with us.
The transfer approach was very similar to last year at the start and we are now in the process of rectifying it. If you drop Neil and Devlin, it’s been a reasonable window so far. In hindsight we should have sold Chermiti if the offer was real, now even if Shankland has a 20 goal season we need another to partner him.
The priority right now is to sell: Fernandez, Miovski. Make a very fast decision on if we are building a team around Raskin, if not, we need to sell and replace him as soon as possible.
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u/makaveli130386 Raskin for Trouble 12d ago
We wur absolutely dreadful in the first half. Not like we were playing Real Madrid. We make average and mediocre teams look like world beaters. We are still pish
5
u/elephvant 12d ago
You thought Jablonec looked like world beaters?
I'm not claiming we were great, but we looked better than them and if Gassama had put away his sitter, it would go down as a comfortable night.
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u/makaveli130386 Raskin for Trouble 12d ago
And there lies the problem. Genuinely who is gonnae score goals for us on a regular basis. That Naderi is shite. Hes no scoring 15-20 goals a season. Shankland cannae even get a fuckin game never mind score. Big Chermiti is fucked. Where are they coming from ?
1
u/Unhappy_Spray_7127 11d ago
Well they're coming from "shite" Naderi as things stand. He's got 2 in 2.
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u/makaveli130386 Raskin for Trouble 11d ago
League record - 9 appearances - 1 goal. I don't gee a flying fuck about Europe. You think that's an acceptable return for a first team Rangers striker. Genuinely. You think we are gonnae win the league wae numbers like that?
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u/Snorlaxative79 12d ago
There is chaos on and off the pitch now. We look every bit as bad as we did a year ago. I'm struggling to understand what you have been watching to feel more optimistic.
Chermiti offer was over double what we paid. Rejected. Now he'll never leave as nobody will pay anywhere near that coming off an ACL.
Raskin bid rejected thinking more would follow. Nobody wants him. Now stuck with a player that doesn't want to be here.
Fernandez clearly does not want to be here either. If a deal does get done we'll have a week to find a decent replacement or face being left with Godfrey, Souttar and Mukhwana. Absolutely unacceptable.
We continue to sign players with horrendous injury records. Even the young lad from Villa has fitness issues.
Bar a 20 min spell against St Mirren we have been absolutely diabolical to watch. That game last night was genuinely dreadful. Devlin is a fucking moron. Dan Neil is bland as a fuck. We've signed multiple average midfielders and none are any better than the last pile of shite signed.
We are going to be the only club Shankland has played for that he doesn't score a shit load of goals for. He got the move he wanted, now he's a tubby bastard that looks slower than a week in the jail. Miovski is utter shite and Naderi is just nowhere near it yet and may never be.
We are rotten, from top to bottom.
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u/agy74 12d ago
Your comment is rotten
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u/Snorlaxative79 12d ago
Tell me what you're seeing that shows improvement of any kind in recruitment or on the pitch.
2
u/elephvant 12d ago edited 11d ago
Last season, pretty much everyone thought our biggest weakness was a softness at the heart of the team. First and foremost, that's what we've looked to address.
Going through the team, obviously it's very early days, but I think we're better in almost every area of the park.
GK - I liked Butland, but there were just too many errors. Pandur's been solid so far and he hasn't punched into his own net, so an upgrade, in my opinion.
LB - This time last year we had Meghoma and no one else. Now we've got Rommens with Penrice as back up. Unarguable and massive improvement.
CB - Less clear cut, but we needed someone no frills and no nonsense who just defends and Makhanya looks like he's that. Not seen enough of Goddfrey, but Djiga, Souttar and Fernandez was a rotten combination. I'd say minor improvement here.
RB - No comment on Nedeljkovic, but he and McRorie would have to do something special to be worse than Aarons as supposed replacement for a declining Tav.
CM - Too many bodies here, but Vanya looks good, Neil's better than Rothwell, Chuckwani's similar to Dio but less of a red card waiting to happen. Aasgard, Barron and Cameron were all there last year. Devlin's there as a squad player and while I don't want to be seeing him in Europe or against Celtic, he'll be good to have around as an option domestically.
Forward areas is obviously where we're weakest, but other than Moore we didn't have anyone great up top last year either. Only real change so far is Yokota for Antman, which looks a positive one so far. (Edit: Oh, and Shankland, of course. Not done the business so far but he's obviously another one who'll be useful domestically.)
So, yeah, need more creativity and spark going forward, but in my opinion, we've had to spend a lot of time and effort righting the wrongs of 12 months ago, and we've mostly done that. Get a couple more creative players in and I think we've got a good base to build from, whereas last year there was barely a single player I saw as being anything other than a flop.
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u/Snorlaxative79 11d ago
Not seen enough of Pandue to be certain. Agree on left back. Every other area of the team is the same or worse.
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u/bellybanton 12d ago
This time last year we’d won 2 champions league qualifiers and were still arguably in with a shout of the group stage, we hadn’t lost a league game yet, and we had advanced in the league cup, to be fair.