Squad for next Season

[Cet Homme Charmant]

Jack Harkness, 19 year old defender, season long loan from Rangers

[RossMcC1874]

Praise the lord a young defender who might actually have a bit of pace and a right back. 

Happy to trust Dougie's judgement on this one I presume he will be straight into the team tomorrow, wouldn't mind another one or two but more in hope than expectation. 

[axeman]

Are they going to make him Captain?

[dunning1874]

I was hoping we might add someone who can play centre back if French and O'Connor are both out a while, as Blues or McGrattan at right back is less of a problem than Broadfoot at centre back, but another natural right back and defensive cover is still no bad thing. You'd expect Harkness in for French will be the only change tomorrow then.

[Boogs49]

27 minutes ago, axeman said:

Are they going to make him Captain?

Who 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Boogs49

[axeman]

Jack Harkness.

[SpoonTon]

55 minutes ago, dunning1874 said:

I was hoping we might add someone who can play centre back if French and O'Connor are both out a while, as Blues or McGrattan at right back is less of a problem than Broadfoot at centre back, but another natural right back and defensive cover is still no bad thing. You'd expect Harkness in for French will be the only change tomorrow then.

Another centre half is something that would definitely help right now, but is Broadfoot in defence a bigger problem than Power in midfield right now? I'm still hoping that will change sooner rather than later, but Power is personally costing us goals and isn't helping the performances of those around him either. And would Imrie even drop either of them? I'm hoping for our midfield 3 from last season to be reinstated tomorrow, and I wouldn't want Bearne to have to come in for McGrattan either. 

[Cat10]

I still think that we need a striker as Muirhead cant play that role very well

[SpoonTon]

18 minutes ago, Cat10 said:

I still think that we need a striker as Muirhead cant play that role very well

Yeah, this might be less of an issue if we had a different type of wide player or if we were set up a bit different because Muirhead is scoring goals and has been in positions where he really should have been scoring more, so from that point of view the only issue has been his finishing could be better. But generally he's not the best at bringing others into play and joining things up. He works hard but isn't the quickest at pressing either. With the team we have and the way we're set up, we either need to do more to make up for Muirhead's weaknesses or find a solution at centre forward which helps bring other attacking players into the game more. 

Hopefully Oakley will be back sooner rather than later.

[The Bewilderedbeast]

Back page of Tele reporting Oakley back in contention

[TRVMP]

Looks like he played all six of Rangers' Youth CL games last season, playing the full ninety in five of them, all at right-back in a 4-3-3:

https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2035785/
https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2035802/
https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2035817/
https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2035834/
https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2035849/
https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2035866/

Did a quick search on P&B for him and the other mentions were Falkirk fans who seem to have believed since mid-July that he was signing for them. That's a wee shame.

[irnbru]

2 hours ago, SpoonTon said:

Yeah, this might be less of an issue if we had a different type of wide player or if we were set up a bit different because Muirhead is scoring goals and has been in positions where he really should have been scoring more, so from that point of view the only issue has been his finishing could be better. But generally he's not the best at bringing others into play and joining things up. He works hard but isn't the quickest at pressing either. With the team we have and the way we're set up, we either need to do more to make up for Muirhead's weaknesses or find a solution at centre forward which helps bring other attacking players into the game more. 

Hopefully Oakley will be back sooner rather than later.

Can't agree with Muirhead not being good it bringing others into play. I think he's good at that but as a team there's not really been much around him to allow it. 

[RossMcC1874]

Good interview from the young lad let's see what he can do. 

 

[port-ton]

French hopefully fit tomorrow and O'Connor 4-6 weeks with similar injury to Doyle and Wilson nursing his calf but has been training. Not as much of a disaster as first thought last week in terms of injuries. 

Quintongo out for a while. And Oakley and Gillespie back in contention going forward. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by port-ton

[BishopBrennan]

21 hours ago, Cat10 said:

I still think that we need a striker as Muirhead cant play that role very well

That used to be the case, but Muirhead's development in the last 12/18 months has been noticeable. He can't pin centre backs and compete as well as Oakley does, but he is now capable of leading the line at this level. 

[port-ton]

Don't think Strapp will be signing to play right back anytime soon

[Mr.Blue]

2 hours ago, port-ton said:

Don't think Strapp will be signing to play right back anytime soon

Hahaha. Fair fucks to them. That's football for you and the boy seems to be doing well.

[TRVMP]

Getting rid of McGregor was a mistake

I'm starting to think getting rid of Strapp was not

[LargsTON]

2 hours ago, TRVMP said:

Getting rid of McGregor was a mistake

I'm starting to think getting rid of Strapp was not

Likewise.  He seems very bitter.

[port-ton]

Im not actually in the slightest bit bothered by any bitterness he may have towards the club however he was happy to take the applause from the fans on the final home game of last season and still has many fans raging that he left/desperate for him to rejoin so it seems a bit strange just cause he doesn't like Imrie.