Inspired by Ray Bradshaw’s excellent analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of the top sides in the English Premier League, we’ve decided to also cover the squad merits of the SPL’s top sides. Today, our editor – and Ibrox season-ticket holder – Teddy, takes a look at his kind of bears:
Off the field matters at Ibrox have been the subject of much scrutiny this season, but it’s on the pitch (barring administration and the resulting points deduction…) that the title will be decided. So how do Ally McCoist’s men shape up? Well, actually, let’s start ever so slightly off the field…with the touchline.
The Manager
McCoist’s situation is slightly different from most rookie managers. He’s already a club legend for his playing career, and he was assistant to Walter Smith over the previous 4 and a half seasons…during which the team reached the Uefa Cup Final, and won the last three league titles. His progression to the manager’s role had been on the cards for some time, so both he and the playing squad had time to adjust to the move.
Tactically, McCoist has so far proved reminiscent of Smith. A coach with a pragmatic view of playing philosophy, tailoring systems to the playing staff available rather than vice versa. Unusual decisions that have worked included playing Sasa Papac on the left side of midfield, with the pacier Lee Wallace behind him at left-back. Many may have opted to reverse these roles, but the move actually allowed Papac to use his underrated passing abilities to either thread in Nikica Jelavic, or set up overlapping runs from Wallace – who was able to generate more momentum by coming from deeper.
In terms of his signings, they’ve been of varying degrees of success. Defensively, Goian & Bocanegra arrived for bargain prices and have already formed a rock solid partnership. Lee Wallace has been in and out through injury but looks like he’ll prove to be an asset both defensively and going forward if he can maintain a run of fitness. Kyle Bartley’s return on-loan from Arsenal has been hampered by injury and the form of Goian & Bocanegra, but his willingness to fill a defensive midfield role brings versatility to the squad.
McCoist’s attacking signings have yet to prove as successful. Salim Kerkar and David Healy were both bewilderingly given new contracts, despite it being clear that their first-team roles this season would be somewhere between lesser-spotted and non-existent. Juan-Manuel Ortiz arrived as a right-footed wide player and began the season getting a game on the left-wing, ahead of the faster, more effective, and left-footed Gregg Wylde. Ortiz’s insipid performances mean he has since found himself on the bench.
Alejandro Bedoya arrived as a USA internationalist for whom there were high hopes… but has been similarly anonymous when given a chance. Matt McKay was recently voted the best player in Australia’s A-League, and a cross for Jelavic to score in one of his few appearances gives hope that he may yet make an impact. The newly-arrived Sone Aluko, at least, has made a noticeable impact in his two competitive appearances so far. McCoist’s outcry over Aluko’s two-match ban for diving perhaps says as much about the problem caused by the failure of Ortiz, Bedoya, or McKay to hit the ground running as it does about the manager’s view of the suspension decision itself though.
In Goals
Any fans still questioning the value of Murray Park would do well to look at the list of its graduates. Alan Hutton, Charlie Adam, Chris Burke, and Ross McCormack are arguably all now playing at a standard higher than the SPL. Thankfully for Rangers, one top-class graduate of the club’s youth policy is still in place between the sticks. Allan McGregor has seen off Paul le Guen’s attempts to sell him to Sheffield United, he and Barry Ferguson’s ill-fated boozegate & V-signs period with Scotland, and another briefer spell on the sidelines after Walter Smith decided that his lifestyle was interfering with his performances. Despite an uncharacteristically high number of gaffes this season (two for Rangers and one for Scotland…though all coming in matches which his side went on to win), he remains Scotland’s number one (though that status would be challenged by a fit and in-form Craig Gordon… which is a bit like saying that status would be challenged by the Loch Ness monster confirming his existence and making himself available for selection).
The other noteworthy thing about McGregor this season has been that he’s reacted to any mistake he’s made by turning to Sasa Papac and bawling him out. You can only admire Greegsy’s psychological abilities in working out that if he needs to hide his blushes and pretend it was someone else’s fault… he should pick the calmest player on the pitch and the one least likely to shout back at him. Tantrums or not, he’s a keeper of undoubted quality.
In Neil Alexander, Rangers have surely one of the most decorated back-up goalkeepers in footballing history. This is the first season in which questions over his ability to come in cold to the team have been raised. A mistake from him allowed Falkirk a last-minute winner in the League Cup (also doing Alexander out of the run of appearances he’s become accustomed to making in that competition) and that was followed up by an error in Rangers’ recent friendly against Hamburg. He’s in the awkward position of perhaps requiring a run of matches on-loan somewhere to ensure his sharpness…while being unable to do so due to being required should McGregor suffer an injury (or indiscretion, though hopefully those days are behind him). Those questioning the Scotland cap’s ambition in being happy to remain at Ibrox as the club’s back-up goalie should remember that he’s won more medals as the Gers no.2 keeper than Scott Brown has as captain of Celtic.
The Defence
The transfer of Madjid Bougherra to Qatari club Lekhwiya, and Davie Weir’s advancing years saw Rangers move for a variety of centre-halves. Injury and a reluctance to commit to leaving Aston Villa saw a move for former club favourite Carlos Cuellar falter, while a move for Anderlecht’s Hungarian defender Roland Juhasz broke down over the transfer fee. Eventually, USA captain Carlos Bocanegra and Romanian internationalist Dorin Goian arrived. The speed at which the two have formed such a strong partnership is a credit to both players. Goian’s strength and aerial dominance, is complemented by Bocanegra’s reading of the game and ability to clear up any mistakes made elsewhere in the defence.
Steven Whittaker was the subject of numerous bids from Turkish side Bursaspor towards the end of last season, but Rangers determination to keep him saw him handed a bumper new contract. There are always two sides to Whittaker’s game – the attacking threat he offers and his occasional lapses in concentration defensively. Unfortunately, he started the season showing more signs of the latter. His performances have since stabilised, though there’s certainly still more to come from him going forward.
Rangers defence has been the bedrock of this season’s title-charge so far and is the area in which they have the greatest cover. While Goian and Bocanegra have been outstanding, Kyle Bartley, Ross Perry, or the still-present Davie Weir would be able to step in if needed. At right-back, Whittaker is understudied by Kirk Broadfoot or Jordan McMillan, and at left-back Papac or Wallace are both solid options, with Kirk Broadfoot again able to fill in.
The Midfield
The loss of Steven Naismith to a cruciate-ligament injury has been a huge blow, not just for the loss of his own abilities, but also in the effect it’s had on the form of Steven Davis. Davis is one of the most talented players in the SPL, but can struggle when he’s left solely responsible for the side’s creativity. His strength is in interacting with players of skill and drive like Naismith, rather than trying to make up for the inability of Bedoya, Ortiz, or McKay to provide the same.
Lee McCulloch has had to take more of a back seat this season, and it looked like his time in the first-team may be fading. A return to the starting XI against Hibs coincided with a 2-0 victory though, so it may be too soon to write off a player of undoubted heart.
Jamie Ness’ continuing injury problems are a shame not just for Rangers but for Scottish football in general. They young central-midfielder has looked an outstanding prospect in every one of his limited appearances. Hopefully his fitness problems are down to his age and are something that his body will grow out of. Kyle Hutton attracts less build-up than Ness, but it was still a surprise to many that he didn’t displace Edu during the American’s struggle for form at the start of the season. Hard-working, calm in possession, and with an eye for a pass, he’s about to finish a loan period with Partick Thistle and will surely challenge for match-time on his return.
In the wide positions, I’ve already covered the struggles of Ortiz, Bedoya, and McKay. Gregg Wylde has been more successful, though, as with all young players (and wingers), he can struggle for consistency. What he does seem to have added to his game is a willingness and ability to cross from deeper positions as well as his more characteristic sprints to the by-line. Wylde’s game may be built more on pace and delivery than the trickery that other Scottish wingers have displayed over the years, but these are still worthy assets.
Sone Aluko has had a real impact on results at the club despite only just arriving. His positional awareness let him down as he played Manuel Pascali onside to head Killie’s winner on his debut, but he won the penalty converted by Nikica Jelavic against Dunfermline in a 2-1 win. He’s the only attacking McCoist signing to have hit the ground running…though he hit it a little too easily for the SFA’s liking in the Dunfermline match, resulting in a two-match ban for diving.
The Strikers
McCoist’s desire to bring in David Goodwillie over the summer was well documented, and may have happened had it not been for Craig Whyte’s slight misunderstanding of Dundee United’s demands. United wanted a bid of two-million, rather than Whyte’s placing of two-million bids…
The failure to bring in a striker has meant a reliance on Nikica Jelavic and Kyle Lafferty, though Naismith also played up-front earlier in the season to scoring effect. Jelavic looks set to be the target of more bids in the January window, having been the subject of interest from Leicester City, Liverpool, and Fenerbahce earlier in the year. Jelavic’s strength is the all-round nature of his abilities. While some strikers may be good on the ground but not in the air or vice-versa, Jelavic brings the strength to hold the ball up, the ability to link the play, and the instinct to finish in the air or on the deck…be it tap-ins or overhead kicks. He doesn’t have the kind of pace that will burn a defender over 30 or 40 yards, but over the first 5 to 10 he can certainly engineer a goalscoring chance. Jelavic’s talent-range means he can be deployed as the lone frontman or as part of a pair.
David Healy’s continued presence at the club is a strange one. Having a player with such an obvious love for the club gave the fans a lift last season, and he also set up the Europa League goal that took Rangers past Sporting Lisbon…but it was pretty clear for all to see that his pace and movement probably weren’t of a level that would see him challenging consistently for a place in the team. He should have been allowed to move on with the affections of the support and thanks of the club, rather than spending this season stagnating via occasional appearances on the subs list.
The Conclusion
Rangers started the season with disappointing performances in Europe, but some of that can be put down to injury problems in defence, which they didn’t yet have the squad-depth to deal with. Domestically, a faltering display against Hearts was followed by an imperious run of results. Unfortunately, Rangers lost one of the their holy trinity of irreplaceable outfield players; Davis, Naismith, and Jelavic. The side has yet to fully adjust to that loss and find a way of adapting their play to cope. The January transfer window – carrying the potential for Jelavic to be transferred – will go a long way to deciding how strong a Rangers team will be available for the second-half of the season. The club needs to bring in another striker regardless of whether Jelavic stays or goes, so to lose him would see them needing to source and fund two quality attackers. Something they failed to do with just one over the summer.
If Aluko can maintain the promise he’s shown on the wing, and Papac & Wallace can come back to full fitness to offer options on the left side of the pitch complemented by the pace of Gregg Wylde, then Rangers still have a first XI that’s as good as or better than Celtic’s. The problem lies in squad depth…the solution lies in a successful transfer window and the tremendous team spirit that the Ibrox side’s players have shown over the past five years.
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About the Author
Twice runner-up in Scottish Comedian of the Year finals, Teddy was named ‘Best Up and Coming Comedian’ at the Scottish Variety Awards in 2010. He’s written for two BBC Radio 5 ‘Unsporting Reviews of the Year’, and has also worked as both writer and script editor on the BBC1 Scotland football shows ‘Offside’ & ‘Only An Excuse?’. He’s been a Rangers season-ticket holder for the past 17 years, but he’s all about the football not “all that other shite”. Also has a fondness for Dynamo Kyiv that can be traced back to an unhealthy obsession with Alexei Mikhailitchenko (or Oleksiy Mykhalychenko if you prefer to transliterate from the Ukrainian rather than the Russian. That’s the unhealthy obsession we’re talking about.)
“brilliant Scottish comic” Kate Copstick, Scotland on Sunday
“Head, shoulders, knees and toes above the rest…mighty stage presence and impressively high punchline ratio” Brian Donaldson, Scotsman
“freshly minted topical gags…pin-sharp lines…great routine…a class act” Steve Bennett, Chortle.co.uk
“has flourished…cracking lines” Jay Richardson, Scotsman
“there are few of his Scottish-based contemporaries that can spin the same high standard of punchlines” Brian Donaldson, Scotland on Sunday
You can follow Teddy on Twitter: @ComedyTeddy
Check out Teddy’s website: http://comedyteddy.com/
