McAuley

Amato Turn said:
IMO the most important attribute a Rangers CB can have is pace.

Particularly when your fullbacks go forward as much ours and particularly when you're going to play a pressing game when you don't have the ball as I believe we will.

Most of the goals we lose are on the break. We spend the majority of most games with the ball attacking the opposition. Winning the ball back and hitting us on the counter is the most likely way for diddy teams to score against us.

2 CB's with pace would go a long way to dealing with that threat.

Don't get me wrong they need to be physically strong and good in the air too so we're not vulnerable in the air/at set plays but pace goes a long way.

Someone like McAuley can get by just fine at WBA or Northern Ireland with his lack of pace because these teams are defending deep the vast majority of the time. David Weir's lack of pace wasn't an issue when Walter was here because he set us up deeper to deal with that - the flipside of the coin (and people may deny it now) but there was a lot of complaints we were too defensive/boring to watch under Walter. Turgid was a word used often and our support has only got more moany (not less) since then.

I can't imagine Stevie G is coming here to play a defensive style of play so we really do need pace at the back.
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The problem is that fans always quote D.Weir.and i agree with what they say.
But i ask myself, are there many players about like Davie, i think not.
 
Alves hasn't worked out. If he is staying on for another year I'd be very surprised.

With regard to GM - If he is fit, hungry and still has legs, he would be a fine addition and would command a lot of respect.
 
As long as it's McAuley as back up to 2 new decent standard CBs then I'm happy. We can even tweak his WBA song which was "Gareth, Gareth McAuley is better than JT"
 
McAuley made his first appearance in the English premier league going on 32 years of age. When most players of a similar age are considering retirement he went on to make over 200 premier league and 50 international appearances, including the knockout stage of the Euros. He's a top professional and an absolute beast of a defender. If David Weir can lead us to the Euro finals at 41, McAuley can grab our shambles of a defence by the scruff at 38.
 
EastBelfast84 said:
McAuley made his first appearance in the English premier league going on 32 years of age. When most players of a similar age are considering retirement he went on to make over 200 premier league and 50 international appearances, including the knockout stage of the Euros. He's a top professional and an absolute beast of a defender. If David Weir can lead us to the Euro finals at 41, McAuley can grab our shambles of a defence by the scruff at 38.
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Is he still that same player of a few years ago though?

It's hard to judge him as he's played so little football lately. He started five league games all season and hasn't kicked a ball in the league since the beginning of February.

Weir was not 41 when we reached the UEFA Cup final if that's what you are referring too. He had just turned 38. One thing Weir always said is that he had to be playing regularly at that age or he would quickly lose his sharpness.
 
WalterLoyal said:
Is he still that same player of a few years ago though?

It's hard to judge him as he's played so little football lately. He started five league games all season and hasn't kicked a ball in the league since the beginning of February.

Weir was not 41 when we reached the UEFA Cup final if that's what you are referring too. He had just turned 38. One thing Weir always said is that he had to be playing regularly at that age or he would quickly lose his sharpness.
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Didnt play much last season with a change of manager and West Brom were a shambles. Played pretty much every game season before with Jonny Evans, he scored 6 and they had one of the best defences in the league. He's still a good no nonsense defender. We could do worse than a 1 year deal with the option to extend if he turns out to be shit hot. He played more games last season than Goldson has played in the last 2 seasons and some think he'll be a great signing
 
EastBelfast84 said:
Didnt play much last season with a change of manager and West Brom were a shambles. Played pretty much every game season before with Jonny Evans, he scored 6 and they had one of the best defences in the league. He's still a good no nonsense defender. We could do worse than a 1 year deal with the option to extend if he turns out to be shit hot. He played more games last season than Goldson has played in the last 2 seasons and some think he'll be a great signing
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He played both the Switzerland play off games last season too while not playing at club level.

Safe to say the Swiss attack is miles better than anything he’ll face in the SPL and they couldn’t score from open play in 180 minutes.

He was also up against Son of South Korea in a friendly couple of months back and strolled through that game.

Like Davie Weir he’s got better with age and with a bit of luck with injuries he’ll manage another year or two no problem.
 
Haven’t we got an over the hill, injury prone centre half in Alves. A huge no for me. Weir was a bit of a one off, it’s far too much of a gamble.
 
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