Looking at last year's starting squad we had 24 players of whom 8 have gone - Latapy, Flo, Caniggia, McCann, Numan, Konterman, Dodds and Amoruso.
In that time we've brought in Kizanishvili, Capucho and Thompson - but even Paul Lambert could work out that this still leaves us 5 players light. With the strong possibility that Mikel Arteta will make up the half dozen, leaving an active first team squad of only 8. The signings of Berg and Vanoli may push that number to 20 players, but it's still 4 less than we started with last season.
Amo and Numan were defensive first choices and Caniggia was what you might call a regular starter, so let's give the Manager the benefit of the doubt and look at this positively. The talented Michael Ball looks to have worked his way back into contention, we're told Nerlinger has knuckled down and bolstered our paper-thin midfield resources and if pre-season games are any indicator, young right-winger Chris Burke will get his chance to join Mo Ross and Stevie Hughes as a bona fide choice for the starting 15; with
Dowie, Billy Gibson and Stevie Smith most likely to push for promotion from the U21's.
GOALKEEPERS: Not much needs to be said here; in Stefan Klos Rangers possess Scottish Football's outstanding keeper, one of the rocks on which last year's triumphs were built and looking every inch the keeper who anchored Dortmund's Champion's League triumph. Alan McGregor is a more than able deputy, so no obvious concerns here.
DEFENCE: One glaring concern - Michael Ball being the only left footed defender at the Club - has been sorted by the aquisition of the experienced and capable Paolo Vanoli, an ex-Parma player who adds width and a bit of muscle. Apart from this, the central defensive pairing has given us sleepless nights and it looks like Henning Berg will be first choice to play alongside another stand-out performer from last season, Craig Moore. Ironic, in that Berg left Ewood Park as Lorenzo Amoruso arrived, but why not trust in the Manager's judgement, especially for the role he played with such distinction? Ex Man U and Rovers player Berg comes with over 90 caps for his country and a reputation for good distribution and solid defending.
The enigma that is Mo Ross has to show whether he wants to take the 'Barry Ferguson option' - keep his nose clean and work on his game or the 'Charlie Miller option' - think he's 'arrived' with a few good performances then piss away his talent and potential. It is to be hoped he takes the 1st option because in my view he has both the pace and the coolness in possession to make a real impact. Kevin Muscat, despite the mystery of his non-appearances in OF games, gives us adequate full back cover on either side.
Bob Malcolm is (frankly) a player who gives me the shakes, but he was conspicuously praised by McLeish and Moore during pre-season and I expect him to be first choice centre back if either Oz or Berg are injured or suspended. This leaves Fernando Ricksen and the player who gives newspaper sub-editors nightmares, Zurab Kizanishvili.
Both are nominally utility players, in that they can play midfield or defence. Fernando and the Manager obviously think he can shrug off his unimpressive debut season and, as full back, do for Rangers what he (amazingly) does so well for Holland. I hope they're right and if he can continue to improve his crossing and stay out of trouble, he may prove doubters like me wrong yet. Kizanishvili comes with a superb pedigree, hopefully he can settle in quickly and show us the maturity and skill which attracted us to him, possibly allowing Barry Ferguson to get forward and duplicate some of the damage he caused in the first half of last season.
MIDFIELD: At the time of writing Rangers have only 4 genuine midfield players - with the strong possibility that one of them will be saying 'Adios, Companeros' and heading off to Madrid. My perspective is that this is one area we really do need to strengthen and I must confess to being disappointed that pre-season speculation has centred on Amo's replacement and signing a scorer, to the exclusion of our midfield. Love him or hate
him, Arteta was two-thirds of our midfield last season and those keen to see an obvious talent leave should give some thought to exactly who can and will replace him. The sheer bottle he showed at Dens Park, repeated when he stepped up near the death at Ibrox to slot away a crucial penalty shouldn't be lightly dismissed; there is every reason to assume he'd be a significant improving asset and let's face it, if Rangers weren't in financial difficulties he'd be staying and that would be that.
Nothing much needs to be said about Barry Ferguson other than to say he is the heart of the team - and with Amoruso's departure, possibly it's soul as well. He showed he can play in advanced positions, withdrawn positions with the un-teachable skill of being able to make time for himself in possession.
Having added scoring to his CV, we can only pray he stays injury-free and gets the chance to show what he can do on the European stage.
This leaves Stephen Hughes and Christian Nerlinger. I've heard talk about Hughes being a more than adequate replacement for Arteta but I think that's wishful thinking. My own view is that he needs to learn to tackle properly and add a physical side to his already decent passing skills and intelligent running, to be a serious contender. As for Nerlinger, I'd go further than saying he has much to prove - for me, he has it all to prove, CL and
Bundesliga winner or no. He has the experience, skill and CV to make himself a first choice, so what he must do this season is precisely the same as Ronald De Boer did last year - deliver.
STRIKERS: Nominally 7 players competing for 3 places, although I expect McLeish to vary his 4-3-3 formation and play 4-4-2 more often this season, especially if we make the Champions League Group Stages. Capucho, Lovenkrands and Burke will vie for the wide role and many of us are keen to see if Nuno Capucho can be the joker in the pack, the unexpected signing who can help crack the five and six man defences at home and keep the ball alive when we're away in Europe. Peter Lovenkrands continues to frustrate, despite a healthy goals tally and a good contribution to last year's campaign – once again, we all look for the Dane to add that killer 'final ball' to pace and a willingness to get forward. Hopefully, Chris Burke will push both of these two hard for a place and I'm sure he'll get his chance.
This leaves 4 players; our most talented player, one with enormous potential, one who owes us and himself a good season and one who in my view is a dead weight.
Ronald De Boer was quite simply our most improved player last season, a delight to see him (literally) strutting his stuff outside the penalty box, daring defenders to lunge in and ending up as our top scorer and every credit to the Manager for bringing him back from whatever mental exile he'd gone into while Advocaat was here. Another who needs the stimuli that European competition can bring.
Every Bear I speak to wants Stevie Thompson to succeed. We cherish the thought of a big, lively striker who can terrorise defenders but has the aerial presence and skill to back it up. He's had his settling in time at Ibrox and although McLeish sees him as a squad player rather than automatic first choice, I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping Thompson can make himself half of a decent striking partnership.
It would be a fairy-story if he could link with Michael Mols. The lack of goals scored by MM away from Ibrox is telling, but it's probably optimism which sees us hoping that the goal-scoring magic can return this season.
Nice to see him take a pay-cut to stay with us too, I'm sure deep down Mols knows he owes us big-time, so why not this season?
As for Shota Arveladze, I've given up patience. Too often a peripheral player, far too few signs of the prolific scoring which brought him here and a player who can beat another.....but without the pace to escape the recovery tackle or the nous to pass the ball quickly and move. I'd like to see us move him on, but I expect him to figure regularly despite what I think of him.
So add in Billy Gibson ands Stevie Smith from the U21's and that looks like it. If Arteta goes, maybe that will see Kevin Phillips in the door but as I said before, we really need to strengthen our midfield. Keep an eye on Ball, Ross, Nerlinger, Kizanishvili, Capucho, Thompson and Mols. Flying starts from even half of those players will see us well on our way in both Europe and at home.
BEARWOOD BEAR