On the bench: 🆕 Today's #RangersFC team to face Hearts.👉 Full Team News: https://t.co/JQTGLOLAke pic.twitter.com/VvLyfXMuAB— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 6, 2022
Stayed on the bench in a 5-0 win. Rangers subbed out all 3 starting midfielders. I feel like they signed him thinking that he was a different kind of player than he is.
It seems like they signed him w/ the idea that he is insurance in case they couldn't get the guys they wanted later in the window. This is a very bad sign for Sands. I wish they would loan him back to NYCFC because I don't think he is going to see the pitch at all.... unless they try him at CB.
Nah… they are in a battle for a title. First actual title race in a few years. Results are important. Zero margin for error. It’s hard to break-in under those circumstances. Sands will get his shot. Everyone just has be patient.
He started his first two league games, got subbed off pretty early in the second, and hasn't seen the field at all in the three games since. Today, they made 3 midfield subs and he wasn't one of the players brought on. I think it's reasonable to be concerned about that trajectory, especially if you don't see him as an 8 in the future.
Sands was kind of thrown out there due to injuries and suspensions. Look Rangers are feeling the pressure now. They haven't felt pressure for the last two seasons. It's been a slam dunk and they've had a title wrapped up by Feb the last two seasons. Since van Bronckhurst has been in charge, their league record is 7-2-2. Very respectable but Celtic has surged and the play of Rangers- not necessarily results - has gone the opposite way of Gerrard's style. I won't say there's panic in Rangers but they are on the edge right now. They know they are in for a dog fight and the title race is going to go down to the wire. The 3-0 loss to Celtic was an eye opener. Rangers fans were pissed. Rivalry aside, it was the way they were dominated that pissed them off. Anyways..... my point is... I think it was very naive for anyone to think Sands was going to walk into Rangers and get a ton of minutes right off the bat, bar a few injuries and suspensions. Now with Celtic going top of the table, Sands might be further buried on the bench due to the enormous pressure to get results. Sticking a newcomer out there isn't the best idea. We all know Sands can play. We all know Sands can contribute. He's just going to have to wait his turn. Also remember, Sands caught Gerrard's eye so Van Bronkhurst is getting to know him. His big shot is next season. Rangers will have some turnover with players.
I'm totally fine with the way they've used Sands so far, in a vacuum. He got thrust into way too big of a role initially coming out of his offseason and without any adjustment period. That was merely do to circumstance. Now they've pumped the brakes, as they should have. The issue comes if/when they park the car. Because he could have the initial results and individual performances that weren't overly impressive held against him. So I'd give it to the start of next season, or at least until the end of this one if we find out he's played no role altogether. But this concern does reinforce how this was a pretty high risk move, w/ a reward that's modest even if he does receive it.
I agree with this generally. But with the result of the game decided early, that was exactly the situation you get a young, new signing valuable minutes. So him not getting them gives me some concern.
I have watched Rangers and Celtic play quite a bit since they have been airing on Paramount and CBS Sports. I am not sure they are dramatically better teams than NYCFC. And the rest of the league? I think MLS Teams would fare pretty well in that league. So I agree... the reward is not that high for Sands even if he breaks in. The only benefit I can see is that they play in CL/EL.
They are definitely better than any club in MLS. But playing for a solid club is not a reward in and of itself. That comes from salary and competition. The amount of eyes on those clubs aren't competitive with anyone in the top 5 leagues or the marquee teams in several leagues below them anymore. And that's reflective of the level of competition, outside old firm, and ucl/europa, is lackluster. So unless he's at least a fixture in those, it would be a dud of a move. Even if he is playing in inter-league, it's not what it could have been playing week in and out in the BL, Serie A, or wherever else he had offers. But NYCFC were chasing an incentive laden transfer fee. It's what played into the decision of Orlando sending Dike to the C'Ship instead of EPL.
On the bench today against Hibs. 1-0 Rangers lead at halftime. Leon Balogun was subbed off due to injury in the 14th minute and was replaced by Barisic.
No Sands today as Rangers picked up a 2-0 victory over Hibs. Rangers remain 2nd in the table just one point back from Celtic.
Gers win 2-0. Ramsey thrown into his first match. No Sands Celtic almost blow a 2-0 lead, but come back to win 3-2 so no change in the table.
Dude, . . . he just got there!! And they're the defending champions Give him enough time to unpack his toothbrush
Starts in cup match: 🆕 Today's #RangersFC team to face @AnnanAthleticFC in the @ScottishCup 🗒️ Full Team News: https://t.co/jdEGDJv72L pic.twitter.com/dkb87yQp5o— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 12, 2022 Up 3-0 at the half.
He played CB in the 1st half and then moved to CDM in the 2nd half. I thought he looked quite good playing CB and held his own playing CDM. Nice to see him get a full 90 minutes. I don't expect many minutes down the stretch given their transfers.
Helander back doesn't make CD as big an issue for Gers for the moment so they might not need him there as much. At least Sands (by all accounts) was up to the (low level) competition. Apparently it was a monster storm and they were on astroturf so conditions had to be super-crappy. Kind of game you could screw up - but he nor Rangers did.
🇺🇸 James Sands defensive role💪🏼 Ryan Jack to add bite🤔Joe Aribo or Scott Arfield@JoshuaBarrieRR and @derekclarksport select their Rangers XIs to face #BVB in the #UEL tonight.https://t.co/5AKY5pLstz— The Rangers Review (@RangersReview55) February 17, 2022
Should Rangers start James Sands alongside Connor Goldson? – video debate Via: @RangersReview55https://t.co/spz0hVHadI— Rangers News Feed (@RangersNewsFeed) February 17, 2022
On the bench in Europa League: 👉 Tonight's #RangersFC team to face @BVB in the @EuropaLeague.🗒️ Full Team News: https://t.co/cNxkSLZiHr pic.twitter.com/a9JWD74hu1— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 17, 2022
He is always on the bench. I am hating this move now. I would rather he had been starting for NYCFC in the CONCACAF CL. I would be shocked if he even saw the field today. This isn't an 18 year old kid w/ no pro experience. Is it really better to be a backup to a backup at Rangers than a starter with NYCFC? The only reason you move over there is to play in Europa/CL.
To be fair, this Gers team is 4x better than BVB, so it should be a hard line-up to break into... lol (Gers up 4-1 about 60 in. No Sands yet. Gio is in.)