Anthony Stokes

I think the manager got the selection AND the formation spot on last night.
There is no way anyone with half a brain would not want Broony on the field against the manky mob.
I don't think Stokes omission is anything negative to do with fact was Rangers we were playing i.e. Lenny didn't start out his team sheet by leaving Stokes OFF - but that with the personnel selected based on requirements and form, there was simply no room for him - or Ki for that matter.
I'm sure Cha was also disappointed not to have played given he has been decent the last few games. Looks like he will never make a Rangers game, given the addition of Lustig moving him further down the order. (Matthews was brilliant last night!)

 

Very unlucky as he has been a far better player this season. I think if he was just a wee bit more adept at being on the spot for the tap ins, I would actually prefer him over Hooper to partner Sammy. I noticed Sammy and Stokes seem to understand each other.

 

think you may need to call your family to host an intervention.

deluded.

 

His day will come.

 

Stokesy is my favorite player obviously and i think he needs to start europe/old firm games to get his confidence up. Instead of playing hooper&samaras i would drop forrest for samaras and play Hooper and stokes.

 

Saw stokesy in a celtic pub last night near central station. Can't remember the name of the pub so don't ask, but it was a pretty amazing atmosphere in the pub.

 

Have felt sorry for Stokes before when Samaras wasn't playing in other games then suddenly got brought in for the Rangers games and didn't always play his best.

However I don't feel sorry for him at the moment, his form in the last few games he played wasn't the best and Samaras has been on top form.

He's got his chance and took it well and he offers more height for us up front.

For as much as I love Stokes I don't think Samaras should be dropped for him, if anyone it should be Hooper.

 

you name 15 players in a team and no joe ledley?

 

Can't say I agree with this at all, the two are better together than apart.

 

No offence to anyone, but I think the point is being missed quite a lot on this thread.

Sammy has been playing superbly recently, and certainly deserved his place in the team.

But he has been playing well as a left-sided midfielder, not as a striker.

The reason Stokesey didn't get a game was not that Sammy had to be fitted-in.
Sammy was playing up front because James Forrest had taken his normal position on left midfield.
And James Forrest was playing there because Scott * Brown had taken his normal position on the right.

So the full picture is that we saw Stokesey excluded, and two of our best players played out of position, in positions where they are markedly less effective, all to fit in Captain Clownshoe.

It's no coincidence that against the huns both James Forrest and Sammy had pretty quiet games by their own (excellent) recent standards. They were both being played in the wrong position.

 

If stokes had been playing the couple of games leading to the huns game he could have complained.but Lenny will just say he tried to keep a consistent team.stokes like most players will have to fight to get back in the team

 

People who are having digs at Brown in this thread need to open their eyes, he was superb the other night! Would always have in playing against them, rather than not.

Back on topic about Stokesy, I feel, had he been fit & playing the the two games leading up to the derby, he might have started. I really wanted to see Hooper & Stokes up front, Sammy on the left (Where he's been playing his best football)

 

Tony was injured, so whether Lenny had plans to use him on Wed or not, Stokes will have no problem with his decision imo. Stokes still has a BIG part to play in bringing the title home. Remember, it was him that kickstarted our rise from the ashes. He'll be back in the goals in a few weeks time.

 

Fantastic goal today.

His movement & overall footballing intelligence is very impressive.

 

Took his goal well but was a little angry with him taking Emilio's shot off him

 

imo, our best striker. great goal today. by far the best finisher in the country. also think his all round game has massively improved since he joined us last year. if we can get him and hooper up top regularly then we wont have an issue scoring goals.

 

Good to see him back scoring again. Thought he would score too he scores a lot against the bottom half teams and especially away from home.

He needs to start scoring more goals at home!

 

Stokes is doing just fine i think, scores a good amount of goals and important ones at that, great assist record too.

 

Scored a wonderful goal today.