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Reply | The Madsen rehabilitation thread
at 11:06 4 May 2025
Agree with this.
All players take differently to a change of league/country etc and just seems to be that Madsen has taken longer than we’d hoped but he’s shown improvement and that’s key. Would feel a bit of waste to have invested so much time and money in helping him get up to speed and improve to then discard.
Having said the above , I do have concerns over how Madsen will fit into the team longer term which partly reflects the lopsided recruitment. For me, he would be most effective with legs and speed around him - Madsen getting on the ball more but with athletes around him. Chair, Dembele, Collback,Frey…I’m not sure they’re a great fit together. I wonder if it should be 1 of Chair, Dembele and Madsen, and you would have that 1 as Chair more often than not. I could be wrong though as he played a different, deeper role yesterday so you never know.
One final thought, we’re a fanbase that likes to write players off quickly but also criticise the willingness to invest in training and developing players. Here we have someone that is a good age, we paid a lot of money for, has finished the season well and shown glimpses but he’s considered sh*t and someone we should bin off. Just seems you can’t have it both ways. |
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Reply | Possible next managers...
at 15:07 30 Apr 2025
New Manager needs to be able to develop talent and bring through young players with the intention of selling on and be content to work in an environment which is heavily data driven and involves multiple people as part of the recruitment process.
Personally, I think the basket case that is us, means we need a character, somebody with personality. A Potter type just wouldn't work for us. We either need someone with links to the club or someone with ego and who can inspire, as Warnock managed. But that's at odds with the 'game model'.
I would quite like to get Kevin Betsy more involved, impressed with some of his work in developing younger talent, but with a more experienced head in charge. Similar to when we had Warbs and Eustace. |
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Reply | Gaffer on today's defeat
at 18:26 26 Apr 2025
“His players”. I’m not so sure on that. “Burgled the result at Oxford”. Nah, I’ve seen a lot worse and undeserving wins. Probably the first genuine hammering I remember under Marti, and one of the worst seasons for injuries I remember. I think he’s been dealt a sh*t hand, and if you think this team should be doing better than 16th, with the injury problems we’ve had, fair enough. I don’t agree with you. I think there are far bigger problems than him |
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Reply | The Madsen rehabilitation thread
at 19:56 21 Apr 2025
Odd comments for me. One of the poorest team performances (well at least in the top 5) in terms of quality on the ball for first 70 mins . From the defence you had Fox and Morrison not having the bravery to bring the ball down and play out, the keeper taking the ‘go long option’ too much for my liking, he could have been braver, as the modern keeper does these days. I don’t look at that Madsen performance and think he was a problem. Didn’t play great or anything but far more issues than him.
Too many fans for my liking let players get away with taking the easy header rather than bringing a ball down and play, too many fans ok if someone does a sh*t touch and overruns it as long as they’re showing commitment. Genuine, basic football skills were on limited show today but people jump on the back of one of the few that wants to play on the deck and actually was the one with vision to open the opposition up, I think we can definitely get more from Madsen, but it’s the lack of basic quality from others which is really concerning me. Not Nico Madsen. |
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Reply | The Madsen rehabilitation thread
at 13:07 20 Apr 2025
I get this but isn’t this whole Madsen debate also about player development? Madsen, clearly struggled during those early parts of the season where you wanted him to stand up and fight but where was the sympathetic, “will take him time and investment from the club to develop and be ready”? (Patience). For me, I’m still not convinced but was clear people were jumping on his back early and was often singled out. I think the Manager has handled him well. Taken him out the firing line when not playing well, not included him in some match day squads, probably put in place a personal training plan - get stronger, fitter and more resilient - and now integrating him back in now the pressure is off a bit. With the exception of Chair and possibly Dembele, the only one that can really execute a defence splitting pass and probably the only player in the team that has the ability to help us transition at pace with his vision and quick release skills.
He’s a profile of player we severely lack. Someone that can use the ball intelligently. Yes we’ve needed much more from him and the last 3 games are just a start but players, especially ones that are inexperienced to English football need time. Quite a few on here were ready to write him off and take a hit on the finances rather than see if we could address the weaknesses. Time will tell but think trying to develop and improve him as we’re doing, is the right approach. [Post edited 20 Apr 13:09]
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Reply | Charlie Kelman’s Leyton Orient
at 18:06 16 Apr 2025
Slight difference. Everyone understood Eze was good enough it was only a matter of time, and the loan was to get him some minutes, toughen him up a bit etc. Also to probably help an old Ranger out (Ainsworth).
Kelman, the loan was to keep him in the shop window and potentially get some money for him, or if he rips it up make a judgement on whether he is actually good enough and reintegrate him to the squad. For what it's worth, I think we should give him a chance next season. |
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Reply | Charlie Kelman’s Leyton Orient
at 18:03 28 Mar 2025
Kelman was 22 when the season started, so a year or two in front of Kane when Kane first started to become prolific and get games. The reason I mention Kane is because he’s a striker with limited pace and one, on first impressions I didn’t think was great. Now Kelman is no Harry Kane but I do think he deserves another opportunity now he’s had some decent game time and playing with confidence and figuring out the type of player he is.
If we had all striking options available for the weekend, he makes my squad ahead of Celar and Lloyd. Granted I’m not sure if that’s more a reflection of our poor recruitment than the ability of Kelman but I would certainly give him a chance next season. |
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Reply | Did Nardi Cost us the point?
at 16:06 12 Feb 2025
Would a keeper, better at corners/crosses (Nardi isn't great at them) managed the injury time cross better and won us the point? Probably. Would most keepers have saved the chances that Nardi did last night? Not sure, they were tough saves to make, so on balance, his mistake is cancelled out by his saves.
I do think Nardi struggles at crosses though. Excellent shot stopper and pretty decent with his feet but if getting bullied on his line and flapping at crosses starts becoming more frequent, then the debate between points won through his shot stopping versus those lost because of how he deals with set pieces will be a lot closer. At the moment, no contest, he has a lot of credit in the bank, but I do hope he starts to dominate his 6 yard box a bit more because it's his one obvious weakness to me. |
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Reply | Dembele interview
at 20:23 7 Feb 2025
Is he really quick and direct though? I’ve not seen much of him but what I have, he seems more creative and technical to me than pacey - good eye for a pass, a quality left foot with great dribbling skills. A left footed chair? Again he could well be electric which is great but looks like someone that likes the ball to feet to turn and try and be creative rather than running in behind or knocking it beyond the full back and using pace like Smyth does.
Definitely interested in seeing him more as could well be wrong about the type of footballer he is. |
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Reply | Ronnie “ beckenbauer” Edwards
at 21:59 4 Feb 2025
Pure class. Clear MOTM. The only thing which meant it wasn’t the perfect 10 was he sliced a clearance first half which could have led to a goal but other that everything he did was classy. I remember Rob Dickie doing some decent runs forward with the ball in his early days with us but he never looked as comfortable as this with the ball. Top player. |
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Reply | Match Thread: Blackburn tonight
at 21:54 4 Feb 2025
Edwards looks a player. You do wonder how he’s not been considered for the Southampton team. Their loss and all that. Thought we deserved that and good to see Chair have a good game in that role. Getting 3 from Saito, Smyth, Chair, Dembele and the spurs loan to play off Frey will make us a much more dangerous team and give us useful options from the bench. |
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Reply | Injury update
at 14:16 24 Jan 2025
Larkeche also back but seems he's not been recalled by us - thought he had - but instead only came back for treatment and now back in Scotland. Would have been decent cover for Paal but overall prefer him getting decent minutes than waiting on the bench. |
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Reply | Anyone else see
at 22:42 21 Jan 2025
Agreed. Thought he was fine. Not particularly bad or good but not deserving of the criticism he’s getting along with Ashby. |
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Reply | Hull Is For Heroes match fred
at 22:35 21 Jan 2025
This and other comments feel harsh on Madsen. People seem to think he was equally as bad as Ashby which just clearly wasn’t the case. He worked hard, didn’t really do anything wrong. Yet Varane, a player I like, regularly refused to consider travelling forward with the ball or hitting a forward pass and is lauded on here as having a great game. Yes he did some good bits but also some naivety to his game which is ignored.
It was a great battling effort with not much quality on show with perhaps the exception of Edwards who looks classy. Was impressed with all the defence and Saito and Lloyd. Nobody really deserves too much criticism with perhaps only Ashby that really struggled. Not sure why there’s a bit of a pile on with Madsen after that tbh. He’s had a lot worse and less interested performances. |
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Reply | A spine
at 16:01 1 Jan 2025
Thought the right side for us was fantastic today. Both Ashby and Smyth really grew into the game and were superb in that second half. But agree we have a decent looking spine to the team with Dunne and Frey especially. |
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Reply | Ronnie Edwards
at 11:28 1 Jan 2025
The interview was certainly not in the Isaac Hayden league of positive first impressions but ultimately it’s about what he can do on the pitch and seems he has some Rangers in the family so good luck to him. We’re short at the back so reinforcements needed. Do worry about the lack of leadership with Cook out but hopefully he does well. |
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Reply | Most dramatic fall
at 12:30 18 Dec 2024
Esteban Granero. Thought he looked superb in his early games then went a bit rubbish/lost interest. Think he could have done much more. |
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Reply | Everything but the goal - Report
at 09:30 2 Dec 2024
Good report. Enjoyed reading one where I thought we played well. Overall agree with the sentiment that this was our best ‘performance’ of the season. Really noticeable over the last 2 games how the team seems more together and having each others back which is great to see.
The only area I’d probably disagree is Paul Smyth. I didn’t see it as his best performance of the season, in fact I thought his end product/final ball was regularly disappointing. I remember one great cut back to Saito but that’s about it. Saw a fair bit of effort and some good defensive work but struggled to get any decent delivery into the box and seemed a bit wasteful with the basics. A game of opinions though and perhaps I’m being harsh on the lad. He has pace which as we all say is massively lacking in this team but I do want more from him. |
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Reply | Just back.
at 19:34 30 Nov 2024
It’s all about opinions but I didn’t really see that. Thought he was average and missed a chance he should have buried. Some nice stuff which was good but needs to do a lot more. What I would say though, and applies to Wednesday too, he seems to be working much harder, running around and pressing a lot more and think I even saw a couple of tackles, including a yellow early on. I think it’s positive he’s starting to get stuck in a bit more and run around but in the position he was playing today, I do expect more. |
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Reply | Willock?
at 17:22 29 Nov 2024
Agreed.
Les or Christian? Is Madsen a classy act that will come good? Saito or Chair? Is Sam Field really that good? We won’t ever progress with Jimmy D at right back? Could Frey and Celar play together? I’ve seen better semi-pros then Paul Smyth, but he’s quick? What was the point of Niko Hamalainen…
Yep, reckon although the football’s rubbish, there’s quite a few things that would be better discussed over a beer with this Rangers side.
Talking of which, that's me done for the day, time for the pub. |
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