21-08-2015, 00:24
Sunday sees the first Championship game of the season between Rangers and Hibs. It takes place at Ibrox at 12.30pm and will be televised on Sky Sports 5, coverage starting at 12.00 noon. Rangers have already shown us what they can do, winning 6-2 at Easter Road in the Petrofac Cup. Hibs are still to show us what they are capable of, with the goals scored/chances made ratio being far too low for a team wanting to feature in the Championship Race. Having said that, this game comes at a perfect time if we want to be taken seriously as genuine challengers.
The new Rangers this season are a totally different proposition to the old Rangers last season. Much has been made of the 21 players jettisoned this summer and the influx of new players, now into double figures, mostly from the English Leagues. It looks as though they're not finished either as they're being linked with an Arsenal youngster on loan to add to their London connections with Spurs loanees Oduwa and Ball, as well as the biggest influences in Rangers marked improvement, Mark Warburton and Davie Weir from Brentford. I'm probably alone in this on the Hibs board, but I've a a lot of time for Warburton. I've followed his success in the English Championship last season where he got a lot of big performances from his unfancied team to take them into the play-offs. For me, the big threats to Hibs will be Tavernier, Waghorn and Oduwa, although anyone in that side has goal-scoring potential.
Anyway, enough about them. Hibs have lost Scott Allan, but he goes with my thanks for an entertaining spell with Hibs and best wishes for his continued progress. It looks as though we'll be well covered in midfield with the introduction of John McGinn and Liam Henderson. The two youngsters will hopefully walk straight into the team for Sunday and become regulars for the whole season. One of our long term injuries, Farid El Alagui, is making a good recovery and will hopefully be back in the next two or three weeks. Keatings and Carmichael? Well, who knows but we do have able deputies in young Martin and Boyle. We still don't have too many options at the back, so I expect the same back 5, although I'd prefer Reguero in goals. I'd like us to adopt a 4-1-3-2 formation, but Stubbs will probably go for a 4-5-1. When we've got the ball, it's all about how we play, not Rangers, so let's give them a few problems and shut up shop when they have the ball. It'll be a really tough test and we must be rank outsiders, but we have to put on a positive display to get something out of the game.
My team:-
Reguero,
Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, Stevenson,
Bartley,
Fyvie, McGinn, Henderson,
Cummings, Boyle.
Subs - Stanton, Martin, Malonga.
The new Rangers this season are a totally different proposition to the old Rangers last season. Much has been made of the 21 players jettisoned this summer and the influx of new players, now into double figures, mostly from the English Leagues. It looks as though they're not finished either as they're being linked with an Arsenal youngster on loan to add to their London connections with Spurs loanees Oduwa and Ball, as well as the biggest influences in Rangers marked improvement, Mark Warburton and Davie Weir from Brentford. I'm probably alone in this on the Hibs board, but I've a a lot of time for Warburton. I've followed his success in the English Championship last season where he got a lot of big performances from his unfancied team to take them into the play-offs. For me, the big threats to Hibs will be Tavernier, Waghorn and Oduwa, although anyone in that side has goal-scoring potential.
Anyway, enough about them. Hibs have lost Scott Allan, but he goes with my thanks for an entertaining spell with Hibs and best wishes for his continued progress. It looks as though we'll be well covered in midfield with the introduction of John McGinn and Liam Henderson. The two youngsters will hopefully walk straight into the team for Sunday and become regulars for the whole season. One of our long term injuries, Farid El Alagui, is making a good recovery and will hopefully be back in the next two or three weeks. Keatings and Carmichael? Well, who knows but we do have able deputies in young Martin and Boyle. We still don't have too many options at the back, so I expect the same back 5, although I'd prefer Reguero in goals. I'd like us to adopt a 4-1-3-2 formation, but Stubbs will probably go for a 4-5-1. When we've got the ball, it's all about how we play, not Rangers, so let's give them a few problems and shut up shop when they have the ball. It'll be a really tough test and we must be rank outsiders, but we have to put on a positive display to get something out of the game.
My team:-
Reguero,
Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, Stevenson,
Bartley,
Fyvie, McGinn, Henderson,
Cummings, Boyle.
Subs - Stanton, Martin, Malonga.
Cabbage is still good for you
