10 Aug 2021 22:18:51
Rangers out of the Champions League tonight, losing 2-1 at home to Malmö having levelled the tie on aggregate and then being given a man advantage when the wonderfully named Bonke Innocent was sent off just before half-time.
Ryan Kent had got his second assist of the tie, and doubtless there will be further speculation that we will now go in with an offer for him, as it has previously been flagged that Rangers may need to sell some players if they failed to get to the group stages.
11 Aug 2021 00:35:20
Is Kent good enough to improve the team?
11 Aug 2021 05:59:24
Nope… Kent not good enough to improve the team.
That’s a good policy, Radz … but should come with a “but we would be open to paying enough to improv the team…â€.
35 mega quid would get us an asensio… last year would have got us DePaul… ~10 meg is not enough for O’ Brien. But that’s not enough to improve the squad.
No Bielsa announcement yet… so he’s putting the pressure on.
We should too.
11 Aug 2021 06:58:53
Under bielsa, and at their age, they will improve the squad.
11 Aug 2021 10:23:41
Toronto - the likes of Ascensio and De Paul may well improve the average individual quality of the squad, but it doesn’t always follow that they will improve the quality of the team. Bielsa is very focused on team spirit, which often make the team far greater than the sum of it’s parts, which would seem very much the case here. He doesn’t want players who he judges could adversely affect the team spirit - no matter how good they are individually. Despite all the media ‘links’ with De Paul, do we have any definitive proof that Bielsa actually wanted him - several pundits have suggested the opposite is the case. Likewise there is nothing to suggest there is any substance to suggestions that we are in for Ascensio.
According to Kinnear, Bielsa turns down far more player suggestions from the scouting team than he approves - and before Alf or anyone else says it, no it’s not because Orta is bad at his job. While many other managers may take a simplistic view that any good player will improve their squad, and that the more money is spent the better. However, Bielsa certainly does not.
11 Aug 2021 10:48:37
Good post Clue, a little bit of reality and understanding much needed on this subject.
11 Aug 2021 13:36:43
My sentiments on the subject Clue, the team spirit is so much greater than just good individuals.
11 Aug 2021 13:43:33
And yet you claimed that Rangers team would beat West Brom Clu?
11 Aug 2021 13:45:37
Surely Orta coule simply ask Bielsa who he wants and go get him then? if Bielsa turns down most of Ortas suggestions surely tat means the suggestions are rubbish, no?
11 Aug 2021 15:24:58
Ya… all good thoughts… team work high on list and a key to success… no confirm on actual interest on De Paul…. Bielsa selective and rightly so.
But.
We should want to have our cake AND eat it.
We should have players that would fit the team, develop the team, pass Bielsa’s selection criteria and convey the forward momentum to the current players who we want to hang onto and the fans.
Tough to find… but squad depth is not there… it’s a big risk and we have a couple of quality issues.
Europe next year. Champions league the next after that. That’s what we want. After 16 years of spit… reckon it’s what we deserve.
11 Aug 2021 18:23:29
Quite right Toronto.
11 Aug 2021 19:16:52
Toronto, I see that strategy worked for Spurs. How are those guys doing after Europa and then Champions League seasons?
I prefer to go at it slow. Build a team over a few seasons. What's the rush? Rangers must be clapping their hands to have made the preliminary round of Europe. Such a thrill.