Rangers v Aberdeen

[Chris]

The 'split' is pointless. There really is no reason for it. Anyone else agree?

When it works it's great. When you've got the top 6 all fighting to meaningful european places or even the title at the end, and the bottom six are all within touching distance of relegation it ends up being a great end to the season. But this has only happened once since the split came in, so usually it's just as dull an end as it ever was.

A bigger league, playing each other twice is obviously the best option for competition and for the teams hovering at the top of the non-old firm pile to have a chance of beating them to the title. But the short sightedness of the cash starved smaller clubs will prevent them seeing past 4 home OF games a season.

[Marsh]

I agree wholeheartedly with Marsh - Rangers are unlikly to lose many more points before the end of the season. I also think they'll be champions next season.

And I agree with you. If they continue to build (and I am pretty much certain they will) like they have been since Smith took over I can see them overtaking what has now become an extremely patchy Celtic side. Boyd is on track to break every record in the book and probably will now he is getting support up front and quality crosses to finish.

especially given that Gary Dempsey gets a game most weeks.

Hey, I used to hate Dempsey as well, dude, but when you look at what he brings to the team he is a useful player to have. He can certainly pass the ball as good as if not better most of the team and can take better free kicks than most. When they play side by side would someone who knows nothing about the club be able to pick out the 250,000 Barry Nicholson and the "nominal fee" Gary Dempsey?

[Guest idol_wild]

Hey, I used to hate Dempsey as well, dude, but when you look at what he brings to the team he is a useful player to have. He can certainly pass the ball as good as if not better most of the team and can take better free kicks than most. When they play side by side would someone who knows nothing about the club be able to pick out the 250,000 Barry Nicholson and the "nominal fee" Gary Dempsey?

Ironically, I used to quite like him. From what I've seen of him this season, he just doesn't cut it. I've yet to see any of the passing ability Jimmy reckons he has ("he never wastes a ball", apparently), and the amount of 50/50 challenges I've witnessed him pussy out of is almost offensive. He rarely wins the ball in the air (a must for a standard midfielder in the SPL), doesn't link play especially well, and can't run with the ball at his feet.

Okay, he's a 'get-it-and-pass-it-on' type of midfielder, but we already have one of those in Scott Severin. In fact, I wouldn't even be able to praise Dempsey for his sheer workrate.

Personally, I feel he just doesn't cut it at SPL level. At least when Nicholson is on his game (okay, it's happened rarely since he joined us), he's the outstanding player in the midfield.

[Johnny Mac]

I'd actually have to disagree there and say Nicholson has been one of our stand-out players this season.

He was a bit hit or miss the season before, but has been pretty consistent this term and scored a few important goals.

Missing him in midfield just now, that's for sure.

[Chris]

I'd say the last 4 or 5 games Nicholson's been really showing why we bought him. The Hearts game in particular he was superb until Kingston kicked him in the shoulder. Over the season he's been much better than last year as well.

Dempsey has had a couple of good games but on the whole he's nothing but a squad player.