The Rangers Revival

[ChrisDCFC]

Thoughts on Squad


GK


Neil Alexander - Has no competition for 1st team place


Alan Smith - Brought in to make up the numbers


DR


Darren Cole - Stepping up to first team role earlier than I want. Hope he can cope with the demands of first team football.


DL


Lee Wallace - First name on the team sheet


DC


Dorin Goian & Ross Perry - 1st choice pairing


Chris Hegarty - Looks a decent prospect


DMC


Lee McCulloch - Still going strong but a young apprentice is needed to bleed into the role.


MC


Dean Shiels - Expect him to carry on the form of last season.


Ian Black - The rock of the midfield. Will cover for McCulloch when needed.


Kyle Hutton - Good enough to cover for either Shiels or Black.


Alejandro Bedoya - Backup.


Charlie Telfer - Squad player.


ST


Francisco Sandaza - Main striker and hope he can continue with his amazing goalscoring ratio from last season.


Barrie McKay - Great young prospect who has made the break through to the first eleven.


Juvhel Tsoumou - Signing of the season last year.


Kevin Kyle - Was injured the whole of last season so will now have his chance to impress.


Kane Hemmings - Again was injured most of last season.

Andy Little - Versatility will be vital this season as can cover at centre half and right back if needed.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

Pre Season

Rangers 0 v Leicester 1


Inverurie Loco Works 0 v 6 Rangers
Tsoumou 4
Sandaza
Kyle

Not many pre season games this year but the early rounds of the cups should get my player's fitness up for the league campaign. Replaced McCulloch with Lee Wallace as club captain. Unfortunately Lee hasn't taken this well and looks like he will be leaving the club at the end of the season.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

July


Challenge Cup 1st Round


Rangers 2 v 0 Hamilton
Sandaza
Own Goal


Good start to the defence of the Challenge cup with a good win over 1st division opposition. Drawn against Dunfermline away in the next round.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

August


League Cup 1st Round


Rangers 4 v 0 Airdrie Utd
Tsoumou 2
Hemmings
Bedoya


2nd Division


East Fife 0 v 8 Rangers
Tsoumou 4
McKay
Black
Own goal
Hutton


Challenge Cup 2nd Round


Dunfermline 0 v 1 Rangers
Tsoumou


2nd Division


Rangers 5 v 0 Dumbarton
Tsoumou 3
McKay 2


Stirling 0 v 5 Rangers
Tsoumou 3
Hemmings
Kyle


League Cup 2nd Round


Rangers 1 v 0 Dundee
Tsoumou


Excellent start to the season with some great performances in the league and good performances in the cups. Very impressed with Tsoumou and hope he can keep up this form. Drawn against Queen's Park at home in the Challenge Cup and at home against SPL opposition in St. Mirren in the League Cup.

​

 

[Fleckster]

Doing well so far mate. I'm playing this too at the moment, as a Rangers man, however.

Romped to the 3rd Division Title, P36 - 35 wins and only 1 defeat. Typical "we've won the league doesn't matter anymore" mentality in the second last game. Also won the Challenge Cup.

Went on to win the 2nd Div with ease again, winning the Challenge Cup again and making it to the final of the League Cup but lost out to Dundee United.

This gave us entry to the Europa League while we competed in the 1st Division. Finished 2nd by 1 goal in a group of Bordeaux, Standard Liege and AGV. Beat Gladbach on away goals in the 1st KO and then beat Bordeaux 6-3 on agg. in the next round, winning 4-1 at Ibrox in the first leg.

Lost to Liverpool 3-0 in the QF 1st Leg away though, 2nd leg coming up. League is secured so heading back to the SPL next season and got St. Mirren in the Scottish Cup SF.

Very good save to do, would be even better in FM13 and it'll be the first I'll be doing as always. However, it's only good if you have the patience to play 3 years before your back at the top.

Anyway as I said mate, doing well and will be following

 

[ChrisDCFC]

September


2nd Division


Rangers 2 v 0 Airdrie Utd
Sandaza 2


Rangers 2 v 0 Ayr
Tsoumou
Sandaza


Arbroath 3 v 5 Rangers
Sandaza 3
Black
Tsoumou


Challenge Cup 3rd Round


Rangers 2 v 0 Queen's Park
Hemmings 2


2nd Division


Rangers 3 v 1 Alloa
Wallace
Tsoumou
McKay


League Cup 3rd Round


Rangers 2 v 0 St. Mirren
Tsoumou
McKay



Great result against St. Mirren setting us up for a tie against Hibs in the Quarter Final. Concerned with conceding three against Arbroath though. Drawn against Queen of the South in the Semi Final of the Challenge Cup.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

Doing well so far mate. I'm playing this too at the moment, as a Rangers man, however.

Romped to the 3rd Division Title, P36 - 35 wins and only 1 defeat. Typical "we've won the league doesn't matter anymore" mentality in the second last game. Also won the Challenge Cup.

Went on to win the 2nd Div with ease again, winning the Challenge Cup again and making it to the final of the League Cup but lost out to Dundee United.

This gave us entry to the Europa League while we competed in the 1st Division. Finished 2nd by 1 goal in a group of Bordeaux, Standard Liege and AGV. Beat Gladbach on away goals in the 1st KO and then beat Bordeaux 6-3 on agg. in the next round, winning 4-1 at Ibrox in the first leg.

Lost to Liverpool 3-0 in the QF 1st Leg away though, 2nd leg coming up. League is secured so heading back to the SPL next season and got St. Mirren in the Scottish Cup SF.

Very good save to do, would be even better in FM13 and it'll be the first I'll be doing as always. However, it's only good if you have the patience to play 3 years before your back at the top.

Anyway as I said mate, doing well and will be following

Thanks mate. Encouraged by the 3rd season you've had. As you said you need patience to get back to the big games and it's hard some times to get motivated for the league games. Have you played Celtic yet in any of your cup games?

 

[ChrisDCFC]

October


2nd Division


Rangers 4 v 0 Forfar
Sandaza 3
Own Goal


Stranraer 1 v 2 Rangers
Kyle
Sandaza


Challenge Cup Semi Final


Queen of The South 3 v 2 Rangers
Hutton
Tsoumou


2nd Division


Rangers 3 v 0 East Fife
Black
Sandaza 2


League Cup Quarter Final


Rangers 1 v 0 Hibernian
Hemmings


Words cannot express the disappointment of failing to retain the Challenge Cup. The warning signs were there in the league match beforehand against Stranraer when we needed two goals late on in the 2nd half to scrape a win. However the game should have been in the bag against QOS when I was two nil up after twenty minutes only to lose Tsoumou to an idiotic straight red card and to then go on and lose the game in the last minute. We bounced back however with a memorable victory over Hibs and our second SPL scalp of the season to set up an Old Firm semi final.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

November


2nd Division


Dumbarton 3 v 1 Rangers
Tsoumou


Rangers 2 v 0 Stirling
Sandaza
Tsoumou


Aidrie Utd 0 v 3 Rangers
Tsoumou
Hemmings
Shields


Ayr 1 v 1 Rangers
Shields


Rangers 3 v 0 Arbroath
Sandaza 3


More disappointment as we lose our first league game of my tenure. Another target failed this season and although we have performed excellently in the League Cup I'm starting to doubt if this squad is good enough to compete in the SPL. I have major concerns with the form of Neil Alexander, Dean Shiels and Kevin Kyle to the point that I may have to look at replacing them in the January transfer window.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

December


Scottish Cup 3rd Round


Stranraer 0 v 2 Rangers
Hemmings 2


2nd Division


Alloa 0 v 3 Rangers
Sandaza
Kyle
Bedoya


Forfar 1 v 4 Rangers
McKay
Little 3


Rangers 3 v 0 Stranraer
McKay 2
Hutton


East Fife 0 v 2 Rangers
Black
Shiels


Rangers 3 v 0 Dumbarton
Shiels
Kyle 2


Stirling 2 v 3 Rangers
Kyle 2
Little


A solid month with the exception of conceding two at Stirling. Better performances from both Shiels and Kyle but Alexander's form still remains a problem with several coaches now voicing their opinions that he should be dropped. Drawn against Deveronvale at home in the Scottish Cup 4th Round.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

January Transfer Window


Straight into the transfer window problems have arisen. Both Dorin Goian and Ian Black have rejected new contracts and agreed pre contracts with Lille and Brentford respectively. I cannot blame Dorin for wanting a move to a bigger club however losing another player to the lower leagues of England is a disappointment. Ian was one of the first names on the teamsheet and his loss will be felt badly. I was unable to sign another centre half therefore Chris Hegarty steps into a first eleven role. Kyle Hutton has performed well this season and last so I am happy to make him Black's replacement.


Goalkeeper Simone David was brought in on loan from Italian side Ancona with an agreed fee of £5k.


Defensive midfielder Lee Lucas was brought in on loan from parent club Swansea to lend cover to McCulloch now Black has left the club.


French striker Frederic Vieillot was signed for £20k from ESTAC Troyes.


Italian striker Fabio La Monica impressed on trial and was offered a contract. I also offered one to another trialist, right back Petar Kostadinovich but unfortunately he I could not obtain a work permit for him.


Overall I could have been doing with one or more signings but as the status of the club is still low the big name signings are still out of my reach. Really looking forward to seeing both David and Vieillot in action though as both have been on my want list since the start of my term here.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

January


2nd Division


Rangers 7 v 0 Airdrie Utd
Kyle 3
McKay
Own Goal 2
La Monica


Scottish Cup 4th round


Rangers 4 v 0 Deveronvale
Kyle 4


2nd Division


Rangers 4 v 0 Ayr
Hutton
McKay
Shiels
Sandaza


Rangers 4 v 1 Alloa
Hutton
Sandaza
McKay
Vieillot


Arbroath 0 v 1 Rangers
McKay


Good month with both my new strikers scoring their debut goals. The win over Deveronvale has set up anothe Old Firm clash in the next round meaning I start February with back to back games against rivals Celtic ​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

February

League Cup Semi Final


Rangers 1 v 2 Celtic
Vieillot


Scottish Cup 5th Round


Celtic 3 v 0 Rangers



We took the lead in the 1st minute in the League Cup game and all looked well but Celtic came back and won the game in the last ten minutes. Totally destroyed in the next game and Celtic could have scored a lot more. With no cup games to look forward to and the league as well as in the bag it could be a long road till the end of the season.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

February Cont....


2nd Division


Stranraer 0 v 4 Rangers
Sandaza 3
McKay


Rangers 3 v 0 Forfar
Sandaza
McKay 2



Two good results to shrug off the disappointment of the Old Firm games. Darren Cole's recent performances however added to his general lack of fitness have me worried that he is still too young to handle regular first team football.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

March

2nd Division


Rangers 5 v 0 East Fife
Sandaza 5



Wrapped the title up with eight games to go after a superb solo performance from Sandaza against East Fife. Will now get a chance to rotate my squad and give some of the fringe players run out.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

March Cont....


2nd Division


Dumbarton 0 v 3 Rangers
Little
Kyle
Vieillot


Rangers 2 v 0 Stirling
Vieillot
Kyle


Airdrie Utd 0 v 4 Rangers
Kyle 2
Vieillot 2



My back up players are performing well and very excited of the potential Vieillot is showing.​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

April


2nd Division


Rangers 3 v 1 Arbroath
Kyle 2
Vieillot


Ayr 1 v 1 Rangers
Little


Alloa 0 v 4 Rangers
Kyle
Hemmings
Sandaza

​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

May

2nd Division

Rangers 4 v 1 Stranraer
Kyle 3
Bedoya

Forfar 1 v 1 Rangers
Tsoumou​

 

[ChrisDCFC]

End of Season Summary


Won the league no problem as expected however I would have preferred to finish the season undefeated in the league. A good run in the League Cup with a couple of SPL scalps was a highlight though the squad will need improving to compete with Celtic in the SPL when the time comes. Disappointed not to retain the Challenge Cup but I'm sure we can manage that next season.


Signings


Simone David - Did well enough with seven goals conceded in eleven games and an average rating of 6.83. I believe he has potential so a bid has been made to bring him to the club on a permanent basis.


Frederic Vieillot - My signing of the season with seven goals in fourteen games and an average rating of 7.61. One to watch next season.


Fabio La Monica - Injured for most of his time here so no chance for him to impress so far. As he was a free transfer the pressure is off anyway.


Lee Lucas - Performed well enough in the few games he played. Will look for someone on a permanent basis for this position in the pre season.


Top Performers


Francisco Sandaza - Top goalscorer with twenty six goals in thirty appearances and an average rating of 7.88.


Lee Wallace - Probably my favourite player in the squad. Notched up an average rating of 7.81 over thirty three games and even managing a goal.


Barrie McKay - Hard to believe Barrie is still only eighteen as he constantly performs at this level. Fifteen goals in twenty seven games is an impressive goal tally with an average rating of 7.75.


Kevin Kyle - The big man struggled at the start of the season and I was all set to let his contract expire at the end of the season. Perhaps I was being too harsh considering he spent a full season injured as once he got some game time under his belt the goals started coming. Twenty five in thirty five games is very impressive with an average rating of 7.62. I'm sure his experience will help in what is sure to be a tough 1st Division.


Ross Perry - The rock of my defence. 7.53 over forty six appearances says it all.​