Sands

I found this a truly baffling signing. Given the fact we have been screaming out for a Right Winger and an actual attacking midfielder but we get a Utility player that's best position is defensive midfielder where we literally have ton of good options already
 
FFS Give the guy a chance he made his debut in a tough away game then playing a thankless role in a home game against Livingston!
 
I think 148mins of football over 2 games after just joining the team 3 weeks ago is plenty of time to judge a player

And in no way would we be critical of nasally radio pundits and semi literate journalists with penchant for racism and bigotry doing the same thing
 
He was ok, defensive so a lot of his work isn't noticed.
He will develope into a good player.
That's where we are with signings that don't cost millions I'm afraid.
 
Neat and tidy but again not sure if required tonight. Definitely has attributes that can add to the squad though.
 
We only need 1 defensive midfielder in most games, but play 2 in some bigger matches.

Kamara and Jack are obviously the best 2 we have, so Sands and Lundstram shouldn't see that many starts.

If Lundstram is staying, not sure the logic in prioritising a 4th "sitter" this transfer window.
 
Need to give him time?

A nonsense, we are trying to win a league title which could set us up for years, not fanny about with a lad who we didn't even need to sign.

I'm not being critical of the lad because he has just arrived but I dont think he should be anywhere near our starting line up yet
A utility player maybe exactly what we need given the injuries/bad luck we’ve had recently…..if the tales about him able to play central defense and fullback are true……just saying
 
I found this a truly baffling signing. Given the fact we have been screaming out for a Right Winger and an actual attacking midfielder but we get a Utility player that's best position is defensive midfielder where we literally have ton of good options already

I suspect he has been brought in with a view to replacing Kamara in the long-term.
 
Seems everyone we sign must hit the ground running or they are not good enough? Fs give the guy a chance!
Yes, it's mind-numbingly tedious. Go back to sometime in early October and you'd find people in match threads giving Sakala the "bizarre signing, don't see it, never a Rangers player" treatment.
 
The positive: Sands looks a very neat and tidy footballer. Passes well with both feet and very rarely gives the ball away. I think his levels will improve when surrounded by the likes of Jack and Davis more often

The negative: being neat and tidy isn't enough for a Rangers midfielder I'm afraid. He can't just sit recycling possession for 90 minutes, not in our midfield that demands so much more. He needs to get more involved, get the ball moving forwards instead of always taking the safe option, and work out what his role in the team is. He neither dominates a midfield nor breaks the lines and offers support in forward areas. He needs to develop one of these sides of his game.

It's only 2 games. It will take him time to settle, but I like what I see so far. He's technically superior than nearly every player he will come up against, he just needs to build himself a role in the team now.
A clear and sensible analysis. A decent looking player with a good pedigree for a young guy.

My criticism would more be on the management that think we need both him AND Kamara. If Davis goes, we punt lundstram and Jack gets more issues, he could be a very astute pick up.

People killing the guy after two games? Never change FF, never change :confused:
 
An ultra defensive midfielder who can't attack is the last thing we need for 90% of Scottish Premiership games.

It means we are almost playing with a back 5 against teams that are rubbish at attacking.

For most Scottish Premiership games we need box to box midfielders who are good at both attacking play and defending when needed.
 
Rangers made an unnecessary big deal about him signing on the clubs social media outlets, as if we’d signed some kind of superstar. Hardly anybody had heard of him. A lot of pressure on a young player who’s only played 60 odd games in the MLS, hardly a proven talent. Hope he is a success but it’s far from a given.
 
An ultra defensive midfielder who can't attack is the last thing we need for 90% of Scottish Premiership games.

It means we are almost playing with a back 5 against teams that are rubbish at attacking.

For most Scottish Premiership games we need box to box midfielders who are good at both attacking play and defending when needed.
I don’t disagree with much of what you say here but to play devil’s advocate, I believe we have conceded 3 goals in 10 games. Let’s have faith in Gio because defensively we were a shambles under the previous management this season and Gio’s fixed that immediately.

Also let’s not act like Gio is overly negative. He said after the game that he was forced to play Sands essentially because of a lack of midfield options. Remember he went to Tynecastle with an attack minded midfield three of Kamara, Arfield and Aribo.
 
I love Aribo, but equally I actually do remember several games where he was a passenger. Thankfully he’s gone up a couple of levels.
I'd generally agree, wouldn't dispute that. But young guys, in new situations, will be inconsistent or 'safe' for all manner of reasons. Just saying that it's ridiculous to write players off, as per OP.

This place is mad at times - not everyone has the impact that the likes of Barry Ferguson had when they get into the first team.
 
FFS guys played his second game in a new league with a new team.
Give him time to settle in then judge him.
Not saying he won't come good but the other lot have a midfielder playing his second game in a new league with a new team also from half way around the globe in the team making things happen, forcing an error taking the ball a run and scoring a screamer from 30+ yards last night. By comparison Sands has had 2 utterly abject performances so far. Like it or not we don't have the luxury of giving players - especially midfielders where we are light - time to settle, they need to hit the ground sprinting.
 
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Even when folk thought Aribo was a passenger you still seen that he had incredible talent in his locker. Where's the incredible talent from Sands?

Not saying it won't come, it might, I'm just saying the comparisons are nowhere near the same. It's mad the lengths folk will go to excuse piss-poor player performances (I suppose some folk will also say the opposite is true about some guys with new players who don't hit the ground running).
Who said we had signed an 'incredible talent'? We have signed a young player, with a good rep, with a completely different skill set to Aribo. Who has played two tough games.

My point was regarding the general attitude of FF, not a direct comparison between completely different players such as Sands/Aribo.
 
Better than Lundstram and only just in the door from a very different league. I’ll give him more time than 2 games and 149 minutes.

It’s not like he’s come from a similar league and style of football and is a seasoned pro. He’s done nothing wrong, not cost us goals like the aforementioned and has contributed to our goal vs the Sheep with good first time probing play, though his main duties are defensive.

He’ll come good, let’s give him a chance.
 
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He need to sit and watch Kamara nd try and learn what that position is all about but i agree what a weird signing. We have Davis, Jack, Kamara and Lundstram all who look levels above Sands.
His first two games he has been way to safe and our midfield looks so disjointed from our front three with him in the team.
 
No-one said we signed an incredible talent in Sands and I never said that anyone said it, either.

I said that Aribo was an incredible talent even when he signed - hence the reason why at the start before Aribo started getting the consistency he does now it makes the comparison between him and Sands absolutely stupid and pointless.

The incredible talent comment was me calling Aribo that and making the point that there's no comparison between the two.

Aribo is an incredible talent and showed he had it in his locker at the start and Sands hasn't shown anything yet therefore a comparison between the two isn't close to being valid.
I’d compare Sands to Shagger, I’ve yet to see sands make a world class save, he’s shite.

That’s about as useful comparison as Aribo is when they are completely and utterly different players.
 
Is there a single player in our squad that hasn't been slaughtered at some point by the FF Guardiolas?
To single out Sands for criticism, a 21 yr old, who moved continent 2 weeks ago, flung into a weakened and makeshift Gers team for 2 tricky fixtures, and done very little wrong, if anything that I can recall.
He's looked tidy, technically good and athletic, I predict he will be an excellent signing.
He'll make a few clowns on here eat their words. Supporters my arse.
 
I'm hoping he will settle in but our number 6 should be demanding the ball and dictating play. He looks as if he doesn't want the ball
Does he really want to be here?

Im never a fan of loan signings and especially those with little or no prospect of a perm deal at the end. Whole thing seemed like a farm out/fitness exercise for his club and really Rangers should be smarter than this.

Not to say hes a bad player, he may well be rather good, but I suspect theres a lack of drive which will mean his performance levels are meh until he goes back to the US.

Do Rangers not have a single development player who worth a chance in this position?

Come on.
 
Will you be willing to stand by those words and retract your nonsense comment about "supporters my arse" if he flops? maybe even apologise for implying that folk aren't supporters because they've got the cheek and audacity, on a Rangers discussion board to be honest that Sands hasn't shown much (so far)?
He hasn't even played 2 full games yet , yet you have clowns on here writing him off.

This thread is one of the most embarrassing I have ever seen on FF and that's saying something
 
Will you be willing to stand by those words and retract your nonsense comment about "supporters my arse" if he flops? maybe even apologise for implying that folk aren't supporters because they've got the cheek and audacity, on a Rangers discussion board to be honest that Sands hasn't shown much (so far)?

Yes I will, but I won't have to re Sands.
The glee with which a few posters love to write young players off, after 2 hours of football in difficult circumstances, raises the question as to what support, if any, they are offering, in my opinion.
 
I'll give you tbh there are some folk online who can't wait for some folk to fail just so they can say I told you so. Kinda twisted.

Don't think it's widespread but there are some weirdos like that.

That's the 'supporters' I'm referring to, desperate to put the boot into someone. It's not merited or fair in Sands case, a youngster just moved continent.
He'll have been asked to keep it simple, and he's doing fine, had Itten buried a couple of good chances we'd have strolled that tonight. Sands at defensive MF was not at fault for the way the game went.
 
Do people never stop and think that posting these type of threads after a new player has had just two games under their belt might be more than a little premature?
 
Look at the conditions for his first two games in Scotland. Even adapting to the weather will take him a few weeks. I was at the game last night and walking to the game i could harshly breathe the wind and rain was so bad in my face. They are professional athletes but don’t underestimate how awful those playing conditions were last night. Give the boy a chance. Thrown into Aberdeen where the panto dame was running about like an idiot trying to get everyone sent off, then playing in that last night. I think he’ll come good.
 
He did his job tonight. Just because we dont always need someone doing that job in those games isn’t his fault and doesn’t make him a bad player.

Being able to judge a player so quick is a real talent, Ross Wilson should get on here and make some appointments. Would save us plenty time when we are looking at new players….
 
Feels like we’ve seen this a lot in the past with the defensive midfield role. It’s easy to stand out if you’re playing it badly, it’s harder to stand out if you’re doing it as expected. I can’t think of any position that has been more roundly criticised.

It doesn’t feel long ago that the likes of Kevin Thomson, Mo Edu and Hemdani were being criticised for “not doing enough”.

The boy hasn’t had enough time here to be properly judged, and hasn’t done anything wrong to deserve being written off.

If others had done their job better tonight, this thread wouldn’t have been a consideration.
 
Rangers made an unnecessary big deal about him signing on the clubs social media outlets, as if we’d signed some kind of superstar. Hardly anybody had heard of him. A lot of pressure on a young player who’s only played 60 odd games in the MLS, hardly a proven talent. Hope he is a success but it’s far from a given.
Social media is all about gaining numbers. Signing a USA international is absolutely ripe for social media hype.

Also, this knew buzzword "baffling signing" is getting on my tits. How is signing a USA international, young prospect, versatile and highly rated in his country a baffling signing? It's exactly the type of signing we should be making.
 
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