Rangers overall had a disappointing transfer window. Re- signing McGregor and Davis was a fantastic piece of business but the club was in dire need of more bodies in to help alleviate the burden that a season brings, and while the difference in numbers is negligible from last season there has been an overall improvement in the quality. However a few obvious gaps have not been filled.
Rangers decided on an improved contract for Steven Whittaker, when for the cash amounts mentioned a far better option must have been affordable to play RB. Kirk Broadfoot is cover for this position but neither is really good enough and this position goes on being problematic.
A creative central midfielder must have been second on the wish list for most Rangers fans, after a striker, over the summer. Lee McCulloch and Maurice Edu are surplus to requirements and is only a matter of time time before they move on. The burden in the middle of the park falls on Davis' shoulders and while the lad is a very good player, he isn't creative enough or score enough goals to help the strikers.
An out and out wide midfielder is also required. Too often Rangers have played Naismith or Lafferty in wide positions to give the team something creative going forward. Last season Vladamir Weiss gave them that options but the loan signing was never going to be a long term option.
All close season Rangers attempted to bring in a striker to partner Jelavic. However the window closed without the penalty box striker the team requires.
In Summary Rangers need a RB, a wide left or right sided midfielder, a creative central midfielder and a poacher in the penalty box.
RB - ?
CM - ?
WM - ?
ST - ?
What Do Rangers Still Need?
posted on 5/9/11
Seven
Davis is involved in all aspects of our build up n play. Going on what has been discussed here, n the highlighting of davis 7, 14, 7 assist record, was just wondering what this was in relation to ur players. Ur answer makes me assume it is better
posted on 5/9/11
Renegade - why over the last 3 seasons? What about this season or last season, or the last 10 seasons? Picking stats to suit your argument is a bit flimsy tbh. Answer me this was Goodwillie the most creative player in Scotland last year in your opinion? Was Whittaker a more creative player than Davis last season?
posted on 5/9/11
Laff - Stokes was our top man in terms of assists last season. Was he our most creative player? No.
posted on 5/9/11
Don't answer then
Over one season, players can lose form etc. Over a few seasons you are more likely to see who consistently creates chances.
Plus they are the seasons Davis has been here. If we did 10 seasons the majority of players might not still be here. It's obvious why you would pick a couple/few seasons recent.
Goodwillie created the most goals last season. He is a creative forward, as well as one who takes his goals well. Creates chances from nothing for himself quite a bit as well. Why I was gutted we never got him.
Whittaker is a creative player going forward, I'd say though that in general Davis is the more creative. Last year Whittaker created more goals as the assist table shows.
As for your poll, having Davis with a ball winner next to him, has worked pretty well last few years eh?
posted on 5/9/11
Perhaps the Rangers fans (many in number) who were touting Eremenko for Ibrox saw him as the ball winner beside Davis
posted on 5/9/11
How else would you measure how creative a player is other than assist tables?
Assisting goals is obviously a huge part of being a creative player.
Obviously because a player gets an assist it doesn't make them creative. Or a player may consistantly create chances for there forwards to miss. But if you are high in the assist table it is likely you play these passes often, as Davis does.
When a player consistantly makes assists its easy to argue that they are creative. The statistics back up the argument.
You have nothing to back up your argument, other than your opinion.
For these reasons I am right, and you are wrong.
posted on 5/9/11
Seven
Assist or not then, davis is still the most creative player in our team, if not the spl. When he plays well, the team plays well. Same as uz with kayal.
To say we need a creative mid beside him doesnt make sense. He isnt a ball winner, doesnt tackle well, so he cant play as the defensive player in a centre two.
I think u would find if we went 3 in the middle (with a creative player added in there) davis would create more than that player and more than he does right now, making him even more creative and providing more telling passes and assists, possibly goals
posted on 5/9/11
Renegade - i'm not saying Davis is a bad player, i rate the guy. But to my mind he is more of a dynamic, snapping box to box midfielder rather than a cultured lock picker. But we can agree to disagree but still be firm friends
posted on 5/9/11
Laff - Kayal is a ball winner tho. Yes he might be the most creative player at Ibrox but he aint an Eremenko. I didn't say he was a defensive midfielder either. He's not. But what he is, is a good all round midfield player. But to call him a creative one really says more about the SPL than it does about Davis. A bit like Lafferty playing as a winger.
posted on 5/9/11
Just looked on wiki. Joe Ledley although being two years younger than Davis has score twice the amount of senior goals. Is Ledley a creative midfielder?