Rangers vs Middlesbrough

Date: 22nd July 2006
Time: 15:00
Location: Ibrox Stadium


The penultimate game of the pre season tour sees Premiership mid-tablers and UEFA Cup finalists 'Boro visit Ibrox for PLG's home debut. Without a doubt the toughest game Le Guen will have faced so far and it will be our first chance to assess the new signings and formations against top class opposition. 'Boro almost as strong as Celtic imo, so it should give us a good insight in how far we have come/have to go. After the shiter of a performance against Sundowns we are looking for a vast improvement form the team and certain players in particular will have to turn it on if they want to have a first team shot this year.

Middlesbrough

Inconsistent season from 'Boro last year. Fantastic at times, but God awful at others. In the UEFA Cup they came from 3 goals down twice to snatch famous wins and looked destined to win the competition, until they met a far superior Sevilla side and got humped. Their league form was similar - up and down, although towards the end of the season they were far clear of the drop.

Steve Maclaren has left to become England's new boos, so Gareth Southgate has taken over. Totally unproven at managerial level, but he has the respect of the players, so a committed display is expected.

Their danger men are Viduka, Rochemback, Downing and Yakubu. All cracking footballers who will cause us a number of problems. Hopefully Viduka gets a rousing reception from the Bears.

Line Up

I would expect a pretty much full strength team to come out. Le Manager will want to impress on his home debut and get rid of any doubts after the Sundowns game. Novo will be out in the cold I would think and Dado and Hamed should be back from holiday I would think - one game is not enough for them to fit in with PLG's team and tactics so should get some playing time. Letizi will get back in the sticks and the defence should pick itself, although Hutton must be close to losing the position to Murray and Lowing after a few dire performances. Burke won't be back but Fergie but may get a wee run out if all goes well.

Possible line up could be -

Letizi

Hutton
J Rod
Big Karl
Smith

Sionko
Hamed
Clement
Adam/Buffel

Prso
Boyd

Heres to the Le Guen revolution hitting Ibrox finally. I'll be there.

I hope we win this game think we will , Although i dont think Boro are the side they used to be they lost some of there good players and without McLaren i would like to see how they do . Never the less they will put on a challenge for us . Will also be good to see the new lads get there first run out at ibrox !

no chance of namouchi starting ahead of buffel

Who said he would?

i think it unlikely that namouchi will definitely start with buffel left fighting for a place with adam

more likely to be a toss up between namouchi and adam, as buffell is vital in le guens 4231 system

Right gotcha.

Buffel wouldn't play in central midfield though.

I didnt mean Hamed would take Tam's place, but we have no other left mid options and after Adam's poor game today, can only think of Buffel who can play there right now. Unless he tries Stevie Smith or Ian Murray. I would have thought he would have wanted to play our two best strikers up front as well to see how they partner.

What's your prediction for the line up? See who has it closer.

Edit - Also I didnt leave Tam out because we have better players, its a pre season friendly. Match fitness, tactics and options are the most important things. Not playing your best 11 every game.

i think he plans to play boyd on his own with buffel in a free role supporting him.

is n'diyae not left sided? i think it will be between him and adam to win the left sided role

-----------------Letizi

Hutton----Svensson----Rodriguez----Smith/Murray

------------Clement---Ferguson

Sionko--------Buffel-------N'dyae/Adam

-------------Boyd


i think he'll be eager to put out a strong starting 11 for his first game at ibrox

From what I have seen on N'Diaye in the two games I have seen him in, he has been solely central midfield. He has a left foot on him though so it's possible PLG will play him there.

It's will still be suprised if Dado isn't on the team sheet of our strongest 11 though. Boyd will start, Buffel too, but Dado will too I would think. We don't know right now as Dado has been on his holidays. I still have a sneaky suspicion Tam will be shunted out wide unless we sign a quality left winger.

ill trust you on that one, unfortunately ive not seen any of the games

cant believe i forgot the Dado. im pretty certain buffel will be used in a free role, with boyd on his own, tho buffel could be put out on the wing with the dado in a free role

Buffel definitly seems at his best in the free role and is wasted out wide. It also possible that Dado could play out on the wing, as he did towards the end of last season with us and has done with Monaco before.

I'd prefer to see Dado there than Buffel to be honest. Sionko or Burke (when he gets back) are also options. Still hope we get an orthodox left mid though.

i think when burke gets back, sionko will be shifted to the left, as he played both left and right at world cup... although i could see both of them alternating the role in matches... I would like to see Dado play but it may come too early yet and Boyd should be a certainty along with buffel who i think has proven he is a good playmaker last couple games.... I'll be there also and cant wait to see the team in action and I doubt I will be going to Bolton (unless i can convince my dad to take me because it is my birthday )

part of Ecks downfall was using players in their wrong position

a certain centre back / centre foward who kept believing comes to mind

^^^
lol yeah. tho to be fair to big marv when he was thrown on up front against cska he won the header for thompsons goal

i was talking about the livingston match in the cup that time

was that the one with the formidable attacking line of ostenstad, capucho and lovenkrands? dark days

Or Eck's finest hour of playing JKPF at right-back instead of Centre-half, just for some kind of banter filled joke?

I still can't believe they cancelled the Bolton game for the public....

I think you'll find the team that starts Saturday's game, will be the team that starts in Motherwell a week later

Can I point out that £17 for a ticket is robbery, it's hardly high-class opposition, and we pay enough for season tickets and away games as it is

your talkin waaay too much sense man

Radical

Yeah Eck did do some stupid things he was a man who didnt always keep his word , i remember he told caniggia if we win the treble i will give you a one year deal however he didnt !

i was watching dutch highlights on setanta today... i never knew michael mols was playing at den haag!! off topic i know but i never knew he was still in the game ....

I thought playing Stevie at Thompson at left mid because 'he needed a game' against Hibs was a great one. We lost 3-0.

Agree about the team thing. Expect Boyd to start on his own up fron with Buffel behind now.

Something like...




Unless Hamed, Rae or N'Diaye can force their way in. Any news on if Bazza will be fit for it?

Hes back in training well thats what i heard

apparently he injured his hand and wont be fit for the boro game

Bazza won't be fit for 'Boro, and in my opinion won't be playing against Motherwell the week later

Agree with Maccas team bar one minor omission, Big Dado will be in there in my opinion instead of Adam......

Although will he fit in there, thats why PLG gets paid all the money for him, Dado wasn't a bad left midfielder, and a 4-2-3-1 doesn't rely on him anywhere near as much to defend

ok guys here the squad for tomorrow :

Letizi, McGregor, Hutton, Svensson, FanFan, Rodriguez, Smith, Hemdani, Clement, Rae, Sionko, Adam, N'Diaye, Namouchi, Prso, Novo, Boyd, Buffel... No surprises there... and glad to see dado and namouchi included. hopefully we will see them at some point

Yup....

Im sure we'll get 45/60 minutes out of the team that will play next week against Motherwell

If we don't beat Middlesborough tomorrow i'll be unimpressed, as Middlesborough are a good 3 weeks behind our pre-season

-----------------------------------Letizi------------------------------------
---------------------J-Rod-----------------Svennson---------------------
--Hutton------------------------------------------------------Murray/Smith
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------Clement------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Novo--------------------------Rae-------------------------------Sionko-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------Buffel-------------------------------
----------------------Boyd/Prso-------------------------------------------


Thats what my line up would be against Boro

i would imagine something like that, or prso on left and sionko on right, but that may be asking a bit much of prso at this moment in time

Letizi

Hutton - Svensson - J-Rod - Smith

Clement - Hemdani

Sionko - Buffel - Adam

Prso

Simply because that will be the team that starts next week

http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Sq...5~31226,00.html


Murray and fanfan swapped Nos . Clement took No 8

Supposedly the players had there photos take today so what are the chances of the big screens being up i mean its not long till the 1st game of the season , if they were up i think DADO would get the biggest cheer of all for some reason

i take it moses ashikodi is staying then? cos i thought we had em til end of season then if we didnt want him then he would leave... only seen him in some reserves matches so hopefully he may get a runout this season

Well he trains with first team so that must be a good sign .

Absolutely shattered stayed up to 4 am nw need to leave soon to pick up a mate .


MOAN THE RANGERS ARRRRRR

overall a decent game, stayed strong at the back at time, buffel played brilliantly and took his goal well, both teams creating chances but in the end, typical pre season shite

Was a awrite game i thought not the best our game has improved we played well i thought . Sionko certainly looks good skinned a good few players no problem also seemed free on the wings , also when N'Diaye came on he had that flare to succeed . Clement pushed forward alot but didnt panic and made the quick pass then ran back to cover his ground. Dado was doing his usual great play bit dissapointed with Boyd he was just floatin about really . Karl Svennson didnt have much to do thought he was good aswell big lad certainly not hesitant on the ball . Letizi didnt have much to do had a good save from the Boro free kick .Smith played it simple as usual . Young Charles Adam did awrite aswell still young though . Hutton wasnt that great but he can only improve under PLG

The atmosphere at the start was good got a bouncy on the go then the Boro copied us so around of applause was give back to them . When they started chanting we love celtic the 2 finger gesture then fired out

What are your views on Svennson and Clement and the other new signings

PS: I was right as usual DADO got the biggest cheer

karl looked strong and deliver good balls up the field... clement and hemdani i feel were outstanding, at times controlling the game but felt the ball lingered around the outside of the box too much and they maybe could have taken a chance at a ball inside the box or a shot but im not sure how good clement is at shooting... still for most of first half they dominated the play

Didn't see the game, didn't read about it, only the wonderful Vodafone Live told me about the score when i was away.

Was funny actually most of the 72 team came out at half time in black and navy blue suits but big old DJ didnt want to dissapoint and came out in a creme suit

Quite happy with the performance

We look fluid and attacking, the new boys look good

Sionko is just Andrei Kanchelskis though, and he is a quality player, looked mesmerising and gives a bit more than Burkey

Adam looked a bit out of depth to be honest, decision making wasn't great at all

Buffel is unreal in the hole though, and looked every inch the destructive player we've all hoped for

Looking forward to Fir Park on Sunday now



Can I also point out that I am the man, oh yes

I'm wasted on here, get me on the phone to PLG

what was the boro starting lineup anyone? i recognized the obvious few players but some i had no clue cos of no names

All that were missing were Schwarzer, Downing and Viduka, thats all i can tell you

yer those the only 3 i noticed werent there lol