How would McCoist fare playing as a lone striker within modern tactical set-ups?

Sunday had me reminiscing of the good old days when Super Ally would regularly break the other side's heart, and it got me thinking about how successful would he be playing today within a modern tactical set-up which tends to rely solely on a lone striker. Ally was a world class goal scorer no doubt, but how do people think he would've handled the overall responsibilty of being the only pivot point for the teams entire attack like Alfredo does nowadays? Do you think he would have had the strength, dynamism, and presence required to pull it off? I think he could have if he was properly trained for the role from an early age.
 
Thats an interesting question...
If memory serves his career as the loan striker for Scotland didn't pan out...Mind you he wasn't helped by the lump it up the park tactics of Scotland's Mngrs.
He definitely had that strikers ability to find the space in + around the 18yrd box.... So if he got passes on the deck that we've seen.... Kent... Davis..Arfield + Tav push through.. I'd say he'd bag a few... not sure if he'd hit Morelos's #'s though..
 
It would depend on how creative the rest of the team is. If it’s not particularly creative and it’s left up to the strike to forge their own chances then he’s probably not ideal. If the team is creative and will make chances? Then he’ll score and he’ll score a lot, simple as that. Finishing hasn’t changed and Ally certainly knew where the goal was.
 
Thats an interesting question...
If memory serves his career as the loan striker for Scotland didn't pan out...Mind you he wasn't helped by the lump it up the park tactics of Scotland's Mngrs.
He definitely had that strikers ability to find the space in + around the 18yrd box.... So if he got passes on the deck that we've seen.... Kent... Davis..Arfield + Tav push through.. I'd say he'd bag a few... not sure if he'd hit Morelos's #'s though..
I was unaware that he played as a lone striker for Scotland Penilee...I only got to watch him later in his career when he wasn't used as much by the national team. Now that I think about it, was his reliance on other teamates for service rather than making the chances himself, not one of the reasons that Souness & the national team prefered Mo Johnston?
 
McCoist could pretty much do it all, I think he could've.

He could hold it up well, play with his back to goal, use his arse Morelos style and also could rattle the ball in from 20 yards plus regularly.

Ally's heading ability consisted mainly of headed goals in the 6 yard box, a few within 10 yards.

Never a target man type to flick headers on though from memory.
 
It would depend on how creative the rest of the team is. If it’s not particularly creative and it’s left up to the strike to forge their own chances then he’s probably not ideal. If the team is creative and will make chances? Then he’ll score and he’ll score a lot, simple as that. Finishing hasn’t changed and Ally certainly knew where the goal was.
That makes sense mate. Is that not why Souness would tend to prefer Mo Johnston along with Hateley in tighter, more even games? I do however think McCoist could have adapted to the role if he played it early enough in his career. I.E. he developed in a team which plays a 4-3-3 like we currently do.
 
McCoist could pretty much do it all, I think he could've.

He could hold it up well, play with his back to goal, use his arse Morelos style and also could rattle the ball in from 20 yards plus regularly.

Ally's heading ability consisted mainly of headed goals in the 6 yard box, a few within 10 yards.

Never a target man type to flick headers on though from memory.
Sometimes I forget just how good he was! I have this false memory of him only being a poacher but when you watch old extended footage you can clearly see that he was both intelligent and strong, and could bring others into the game. Maybe his one weakness was having the pace to run the channels.
 
Sometimes I forget just how good he was! I have this false memory of him only being a poacher but when you watch old extended footage you can clearly see that he was both intelligent and strong, and could bring others into the game. Maybe his one weakness was having the pace to run the channels.

If Ally had a weakness in his game mate, it would be his heading in general play, not his movement.

His work rate couldn't be faulted off the ball. McCoist gained the 1st 2 or 3 yards as his brain was that quick to react.

He did score a number of headers for us so I'm not criticising him in any way either.

He really was a terrific striker for us.
 
I think he would have adapted. The only thing Super lacked was real pace, he was a lethal finisher, decent (but not brilliant) in the air, could shoot with either foot and could handle himself physically if he had to. He was also a better all round footballer than he was given credit for.
 
I think he'd actually have done well. McCoist had a few things going for him...

He rarely missed the target. He could have a shot saved but rarely put a a ball wide.

His positioning put him in places where he would score, but often he'd maybe get the ball bouncing off him on the way in. He was short and strong and could outmuscle defenders, especially in their own 6 yard box.

He could make something out of nothing. Shortest man on the park scoring a header? See McCoist v Leeds at Elland Road. I remember during the Rangers - Milan legends game he came on as as sub and scored a header despite being the shortest, fattest man on the park. Could imagine him walking into training and being all "See lads, that's how you do it!"

Most importantly, the joy he took in it. Since he was a wee boy, all he ever wanted to do was score goals for Rangers.

Say what you like about him as a manager, but as a player there weren't many better. I feel like Morelos has many of the same traits, with the tenacity of Eric Cantona.
 
I would compare McCoist more with Defoe than Morelos.Ally needed a partner to play off and take a lot of the physical load off him.He was never a line leader in a 3 .always a partner in a4-4-2.He was still a terrific goal scorer though .However the set up we play under SG would not get the best out of Ally .He would have won us the cup on Sunday given those chances though
 
He may possibly prefer it today, because his role would have more variety along the line. He would probably have done well. Hateley would definitely have liked it the way it is today; the Hateley to McCoist gosl against Leeds possibly proves that.
 
Super Ally would be fine with the loan striker role. Don't let the "poacher" tag fool you with McCoist, he was a workhorse into the bargain.

To quote and old guy who I used to listen to intently with regard to Rangers "McCoist ran aboot like a f/ckin Bull when he played up front for us".

He was certainly a better player than given credit for. Yes he scored some tap ins but he scored some exceptional goals too.
 
If Super was in today's market he could play for any top team he was that good.

Would he leave? Doubt it he loved his team as much as we all do.

Could he do it in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 or 4-4-1-1 situation? Yes easily. He was that good.

The best striker I have ever saw.
 
I remember during the Rangers - Milan legends game he came on as as sub and scored a header despite being the shortest, fattest man on the park. Could imagine him walking into training and being all "See lads, that's how you do it!"
If you watch Ally's movement for that goal then you can see that he's lost none of his instinct. It's almost like seeing the clock turn back:

 
McCoist was a fucken superb football player, this rewrite of him as some Kris Boydesque goal hanger just isn't really true.

Had this exact conversation recently with my brother-in-law, who's just a wee bit too young to have seen him. Has this unfair reputation as "just" a poacher, but he was so much more than that. As you say, he was a superb player and scored some absolute screamers.
 
McCoist played a large part of his early Rangers career as an attacking midfielder, as a Striker he was far better suited to playing off of a Target man than as a lone Striker but he could do it when called upon.
 
Sunday had me reminiscing of the good old days when Super Ally would regularly break the other side's heart, and it got me thinking about how successful would he be playing today within a modern tactical set-up which tends to rely solely on a lone striker. Ally was a world class goal scorer no doubt, but how do people think he would've handled the overall responsibilty of being the only pivot point for the teams entire attack like Alfredo does nowadays? Do you think he would have had the strength, dynamism, and presence required to pull it off? I think he could have if he was properly trained for the role from an early age.

Good question.

I think Ally would have struggled badly playing the Morelos role in terms of work rate & bringing others into play.

I don’t ever remember him playing the lone striker role.

He also wasn’t endowed with great pace but was more a clever player.

He would still have scored a lot because he had that inherent ability to sniff out space.
 
As others have already said, far better all round than he's given credit for. Worked his arse off, hard as nails, could link the play and bring others into it. Never scared to throw himself in where it hurts either.

Still my favourite Ranger and probably always will be.
 
Good question.

I think Ally would have struggled badly playing the Morelos role in terms of work rate & bringing others into play.

I don’t ever remember him playing the lone striker role.

He also wasn’t endowed with great pace but was more a clever player.

He would still have scored a lot because he had that inherent ability to sniff out space.

McCoist played a lot of 87/88 up front on his tod after Fleck and Falco were sold in December and not replaced, including making a recovery from a knee operation to play in Bucharest within 8 days
 
If you watch Ally's movement for that goal then you can see that he's lost none of his instinct. It's almost like seeing the clock turn back:


He came on for a Soccer aid game and Andy Gray right away says, he'll score. Ball to the back post where the CH has been dragged into the middle of the box and McCoist has peeled away to the back...Bang.

McCoist was a good footballer, though got better as he got older. But he could score from anywhere. He was also a hard bastard.
 
McCoist played a lot of 87/88 up front on his tod after Fleck and Falco were sold in December and not replaced, including making a recovery from a knee operation to play in Bucharest within 8 days

OK SDF I don’t remember that but I’m sure you’ll be right.
 
He came on for a Soccer aid game and Andy Gray right away says, he'll score. Ball to the back post where the CH has been dragged into the middle of the box and McCoist has peeled away to the back...Bang.

McCoist was a good footballer, though got better as he got older. But he could score from anywhere. He was also a hard bastard.

I remember there was some hassle up in EK and some neds were hassling McCoist & Durrant & Ally came out with the immortal one liner to them :

I’ll give your dentist problems :D
 
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McCoist could pretty much do it all, I think he could've.

He could hold it up well, play with his back to goal, use his arse Morelos style and also could rattle the ball in from 20 yards plus regularly.

Ally's heading ability consisted mainly of headed goals in the 6 yard box, a few within 10 yards.

Never a target man type to flick headers on though from memory.

Looking back I think a lot of people think he was some sort of Kris Boyd type poacher because of the sheer amount of goals.

He had just about everything as you say and he could score every type of goal you can imagine. Inside the box, outside, tap in's, runs from deep, headers, overhead kicks. Did a lot of running for the team as well.
 
Sunday had me reminiscing of the good old days when Super Ally would regularly break the other side's heart, and it got me thinking about how successful would he be playing today within a modern tactical set-up which tends to rely solely on a lone striker. Ally was a world class goal scorer no doubt, but how do people think he would've handled the overall responsibilty of being the only pivot point for the teams entire attack like Alfredo does nowadays? Do you think he would have had the strength, dynamism, and presence required to pull it off? I think he could have if he was properly trained for the role from an early age.
Yes I think he could,he was a physically strong player who also had a fantastic football brain.
 
Super would have been absolutely fine as a lone striker, it’s the supply he would get from Tav or Borna, he would be scoring and his robot dance every week. He knew where to be in the box whereever the ball dropped.
 
McCoist played a lot of 87/88 up front on his tod after Fleck and Falco were sold in December and not replaced, including making a recovery from a knee operation to play in Bucharest within 8 days
We scored 49 goals in 25 games with Ally as the loan striker. That includes 5 games with no goals - Celtic at New Year, Aberdeen late on the in the league, Raith Rovers in the cup (went to a replay), the 2-0 Cup defeat to Dunfermline & Steaua away.

McCoist, certainly pre injury, was an excellent forward - he could play in a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 easily and did so in 1986-87 for a period after Colin West was injured (e.g. 31 August 1986 Rangers 1 Celtic 0 or October 1986 Rangers 2 Celtic 1).

1987-88 for 6 months. And then another example would be when Hateley wasn't available in 1992-93 - especially in Europe.
 
I would like to have seen him in a 4231 formation, with the CAM getting close to him and good delivery from the wide areas. Fantasy forward line -

---------------------McCoist

McCann------------de Boer -------------Laudrup
 
Sorry, but no. McCoist was a predator. Every ball that only reaches the front post now, I think - Ally would have scored, playing with Tav, he might score 100 goals! He also drew the entire defense to the front post leaving gaps behind.
 
McCoist was a better all round player than people give him credit for. Held the ball up really well and could score any type of goal. Also thought he was really brave, willing to put his head into with the boots to score a goal.

Obviously he played up front with a partner the majority of his career but that doesn't mean he couldn't have managed without.
 
McCoist would have managed no problems. He had more to his game than just scoring he was pretty mobile could hold the ball up as long as it was not just punted up field. . Boyd however would not have adapted to today's team nor do I think he would have wanted to.
 
Sometimes I forget just how good he was! I have this false memory of him only being a poacher but when you watch old extended footage you can clearly see that he was both intelligent and strong, and could bring others into the game. Maybe his one weakness was having the pace to run the channels.
Yip as the years have gone by Mccoist has been turned into being a goal poacher and nothing else. He was an excellent player and had a lot more to his game.
 
It would depend on how creative the rest of the team is. If it’s not particularly creative and it’s left up to the strike to forge their own chances then he’s probably not ideal. If the team is creative and will make chances? Then he’ll score and he’ll score a lot, simple as that. Finishing hasn’t changed and Ally certainly knew where the goal was.
I think this is the answer.
Are you putting Laudrup at one side of him, Kent at the other, and Gazza in behind with Jack and Davis or Tugay?
If so, I think he does very well.

If not? And there is a proverbial mile between him and his midfield and wingers, he is probably struggling.
 
Had this exact conversation recently with my brother-in-law, who's just a wee bit too young to have seen him. Has this unfair reputation as "just" a poacher, but he was so much more than that. As you say, he was a superb player and scored some absolute screamers.
The rangers archives page on facebook is excellent for this type of argument. The amount of goals you see on there where Ally has started a move outside the box, or buried it from outside the box is unreal. a good few headed goals also.
he really was a superb striker.
 
McCoist was definitely a lot more than a poacher. He wasn’t some Kris Boyd type player who was useless outside the box.

But I think all top modern centre forwards can dribble a bit and have a bit of pace too which would be the only things lacking.
 

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