Most Disappointing XI of the Season

By Cameron Christie (@CammyChristie97)

4-3-3 
 
GK – Scott Bain –

Until the last few games of the season, Scott Bain has looked very uninterested. Seemingly devastated when friends, Greg Stewart and Kane Hemmings left the club, Bain has been a frustrated figure this season at Dens. Phoning it in this season, Bain has made a number of simple mistakes costing Dundee goals. For Bain to fulfil his potential, it seems like he needs a move from Dundee to motivate him again following rejecting a contract extension. Despite the poor season, there will still be plenty of interest in Bain 
 
RB – James Tavernier –

I called this last year that Tavernier wouldn’t be able to make the step up and I have been proved right. Whilst still very capable going forward, he hasn’t improved on the defence side of the game. Been caught out on a number of occasions, Tavernier is a weak link in the Rangers defence and needs replaced in the summer and it would appear that Pedro Caixinha would agree after he placed him on the transfer list. The asking price of around £1.25m is a bit high but thankfully for Rangers supporters Caixinha knows where he needs to improve the team. 
 
RCB – Tasos Avlonitis –

The Greek international signed for Hearts in January as part of Cathro’s, mostly ill-fated, signing spree. Coming in with a pretty decent pedigree, Avlonitis has been a massive flop and is already headed out the exit door at Tyncastle. A bomb scare at the heart of the Jambo’s defence, he was dropped for midfielder Prince Buaben which given his performances towards the end of the season, makes the big Greek look a right diddy. He hasn’t featured at all in the final 7 games of the season and could possibly go down as Cathro’s worst signing. 
 
LCB – Zak Jules –

A podcast favourite for all the wrong reasons, Zak Jules has been a monumental failure at Motherwell. A comical excuse of a defender signed on loan from Reading by Mark McGhee has been woeful in his half a season at Fir Park. Somehow a Scotland U21 international ahead of Liam Lindsay, Jules has made a catalogue of errors this season such as being frequently out muscled by much smaller opponents, keeping the ball in play against Ross County and the incredible own goal against Dundee. When you think about Niall Keown at Thistle also coming up on loan from Reading, and Motherwell got Jules, it’s easy to see how bad he has been. 
 
LB – Faycal Rherras –

The second Hearts player to make this list, Rherras looked to fill the left back slot following Juwon Oshiniwa’s dismal displays last year. Rherras has not done so. Not the worst player under Neilson but he has seen very little game time following Iain Cathro’s arrival after he signed Leonard Sowah, who narrowly missed out on a place in this team. Rherras was rumoured to have malaria, causing him to miss out on games earlier in the season but the Moroccan cap has played just once in 2017 and wasn’t even in the squad for most games. This disappointment continued for Rherras as he was released from his contract with 3 games to go. Since leaving he has also liked a tweet which was critical of Iain Cathro’s poor record at Tynecastle.   
 
RCM – Alexandros Tziolis –

This really should have worked out. The experienced Greek international midfielder was another one of Cathro’s January signings that disappointed. Tziolis came to the club with a good pedigree having player at Werder Bremen, Monaco and Panathinaikos but he didn’t live up to his reputation. A string of good performances early in his first few games lead to rave reviews for the midfielder capped 63 times by his country but he has not followed these up. He seems to want too much time on the ball, which in this league, doesn’t happen. You can see the talent is there with Tziolis but he is not suited to our league and it is probably the best for both Hearts and himself that he has left following the end of the season. 
 
CM – Joey Barton –

The banter years at Rangers returned with the Barton saga. I’m not going to get into it as everyone knows what happened. This isn’t a slating of Rangers by any means, majority of the team have been a disappointment but Barton tops the lot. Brought in on big wages and a big reputation, it never got going for Barton in Scotland. From being nutmegged by Ali Crawford, to losing his man at a set piece Dundee scored from, then the tackle from Taylor on him. His ill fated climax at Rangers was in the first old firm game of the season, which saw Scott Brown run rings round him in a 5-1 defeat at Parkhead. Things were said in the aftermath which saw Barton leave the club. Since he has left, he has received an 18 month ban for gambling offences, all but ending his career. 
 
LCM – Andy Halliday –

The king of Staunch himself, Mr Rangers. Andy Halliday may have orange blood pumping round his veins and may have supported Rangers since he was a boy but that shouldn’t cover up that he hasn’t played well this season. People had high hopes for Halliday after he bossed Scott Brown in last year’s Scottish Cup semi final but he has failed to live up to the promise. A stubborn Mark Warburton stuck by Halliday despite some very poor performances but he has been rarely used by Pedro Caixinha since the Portuguese boss came in to the club. An exit would appear to be on the horizon for Halliday and had he not been a huge Rangers fan, I’m sure many would be pleased to see the back of him. 
 
CF- Miles Storey –

It’s been a frustrating season for Miles Storey. Aberdeen signed him from Swindon following a successful loan spell at Inverness, of course, why else would Aberdeen sign him? Storey has seen very little game time this season and hasn’t played since he missed a sitter right on the goal line against his former club. Due to his contract situation with Swindon Storey was unable to join up with the Dons until the July 1st, when Aberdeen were well into their preseason. It was obvious in the early games he was off the pace and his first touch was all over the place. Starting just two games this season, none beyond match day 3, Miles Storey has failed to make an impact at Pittodrie and could be heading for the exit door in the summer. 
 
CF – Martin Waghorn –

Another one of Rangers’ Championship winning side who has failed to step up a level. Waghorn was Rangers top goal scorer last season despite missing a large chunk of games towards the end of the campaign. He is also included on the list despite being Rangers top goal scorer in all competitions but that does include almost 40% against lower league clubs. The main problem with Waghorn is that he is so wasteful, squandering many chances he should have buried. Rumoured to be off back down south, whilst not the worst striker, Rangers really could do with an upgrade and that upgrade is not this next player… 
 
CF – Joe Garner –

Rangers spent near enough £2m on Garner, making him pound for pound, the worst signing this season. Garner isn’t and hasn’t been terrible, notching 10 goals from 37 appearances, It’s just not what you expect from a striker with that kind of price tag. More associated with his abrasive attributes, look no further than his bodying of Dougie Imrie, and his tussles with opposition defenders than his goals and link up play, Garner has had a tough time of it. The other issue with Garner is that he was signed for almost 4 times what Celtic paid for Moussa Dembele who has been in a much richer scoring form across the city. Another one on Caixinha’s “to go” list, Rangers are set to make a large loss from the sale of Garner if he is to leave the club, which would also mean this is a financially disappointment as well.  

Most Disappointing XI of the Season

By Cameron Christie (@CammyChristie97)

4-3-3 
 
GK – Scott Bain –

Until the last few games of the season, Scott Bain has looked very uninterested. Seemingly devastated when friends, Greg Stewart and Kane Hemmings left the club, Bain has been a frustrated figure this season at Dens. Phoning it in this season, Bain has made a number of simple mistakes costing Dundee goals. For Bain to fulfil his potential, it seems like he needs a move from Dundee to motivate him again following rejecting a contract extension. Despite the poor season, there will still be plenty of interest in Bain 
 
RB – James Tavernier –

I called this last year that Tavernier wouldn’t be able to make the step up and I have been proved right. Whilst still very capable going forward, he hasn’t improved on the defence side of the game. Been caught out on a number of occasions, Tavernier is a weak link in the Rangers defence and needs replaced in the summer and it would appear that Pedro Caixinha would agree after he placed him on the transfer list. The asking price of around £1.25m is a bit high but thankfully for Rangers supporters Caixinha knows where he needs to improve the team. 
 
RCB – Tasos Avlonitis –

The Greek international signed for Hearts in January as part of Cathro’s, mostly ill-fated, signing spree. Coming in with a pretty decent pedigree, Avlonitis has been a massive flop and is already headed out the exit door at Tyncastle. A bomb scare at the heart of the Jambo’s defence, he was dropped for midfielder Prince Buaben which given his performances towards the end of the season, makes the big Greek look a right diddy. He hasn’t featured at all in the final 7 games of the season and could possibly go down as Cathro’s worst signing. 
 
LCB – Zak Jules –

A podcast favourite for all the wrong reasons, Zak Jules has been a monumental failure at Motherwell. A comical excuse of a defender signed on loan from Reading by Mark McGhee has been woeful in his half a season at Fir Park. Somehow a Scotland U21 international ahead of Liam Lindsay, Jules has made a catalogue of errors this season such as being frequently out muscled by much smaller opponents, keeping the ball in play against Ross County and the incredible own goal against Dundee. When you think about Niall Keown at Thistle also coming up on loan from Reading, and Motherwell got Jules, it’s easy to see how bad he has been. 
 
LB – Faycal Rherras –

The second Hearts player to make this list, Rherras looked to fill the left back slot following Juwon Oshiniwa’s dismal displays last year. Rherras has not done so. Not the worst player under Neilson but he has seen very little game time following Iain Cathro’s arrival after he signed Leonard Sowah, who narrowly missed out on a place in this team. Rherras was rumoured to have malaria, causing him to miss out on games earlier in the season but the Moroccan cap has played just once in 2017 and wasn’t even in the squad for most games. This disappointment continued for Rherras as he was released from his contract with 3 games to go. Since leaving he has also liked a tweet which was critical of Iain Cathro’s poor record at Tynecastle.   
 
RCM – Alexandros Tziolis –

This really should have worked out. The experienced Greek international midfielder was another one of Cathro’s January signings that disappointed. Tziolis came to the club with a good pedigree having player at Werder Bremen, Monaco and Panathinaikos but he didn’t live up to his reputation. A string of good performances early in his first few games lead to rave reviews for the midfielder capped 63 times by his country but he has not followed these up. He seems to want too much time on the ball, which in this league, doesn’t happen. You can see the talent is there with Tziolis but he is not suited to our league and it is probably the best for both Hearts and himself that he has left following the end of the season. 
 
CM – Joey Barton –

The banter years at Rangers returned with the Barton saga. I’m not going to get into it as everyone knows what happened. This isn’t a slating of Rangers by any means, majority of the team have been a disappointment but Barton tops the lot. Brought in on big wages and a big reputation, it never got going for Barton in Scotland. From being nutmegged by Ali Crawford, to losing his man at a set piece Dundee scored from, then the tackle from Taylor on him. His ill fated climax at Rangers was in the first old firm game of the season, which saw Scott Brown run rings round him in a 5-1 defeat at Parkhead. Things were said in the aftermath which saw Barton leave the club. Since he has left, he has received an 18 month ban for gambling offences, all but ending his career. 
 
LCM – Andy Halliday –

The king of Staunch himself, Mr Rangers. Andy Halliday may have orange blood pumping round his veins and may have supported Rangers since he was a boy but that shouldn’t cover up that he hasn’t played well this season. People had high hopes for Halliday after he bossed Scott Brown in last year’s Scottish Cup semi final but he has failed to live up to the promise. A stubborn Mark Warburton stuck by Halliday despite some very poor performances but he has been rarely used by Pedro Caixinha since the Portuguese boss came in to the club. An exit would appear to be on the horizon for Halliday and had he not been a huge Rangers fan, I’m sure many would be pleased to see the back of him. 
 
CF- Miles Storey –

It’s been a frustrating season for Miles Storey. Aberdeen signed him from Swindon following a successful loan spell at Inverness, of course, why else would Aberdeen sign him? Storey has seen very little game time this season and hasn’t played since he missed a sitter right on the goal line against his former club. Due to his contract situation with Swindon Storey was unable to join up with the Dons until the July 1st, when Aberdeen were well into their preseason. It was obvious in the early games he was off the pace and his first touch was all over the place. Starting just two games this season, none beyond match day 3, Miles Storey has failed to make an impact at Pittodrie and could be heading for the exit door in the summer. 
 
CF – Martin Waghorn –

Another one of Rangers’ Championship winning side who has failed to step up a level. Waghorn was Rangers top goal scorer last season despite missing a large chunk of games towards the end of the campaign. He is also included on the list despite being Rangers top goal scorer in all competitions but that does include almost 40% against lower league clubs. The main problem with Waghorn is that he is so wasteful, squandering many chances he should have buried. Rumoured to be off back down south, whilst not the worst striker, Rangers really could do with an upgrade and that upgrade is not this next player… 
 
CF – Joe Garner –

Rangers spent near enough £2m on Garner, making him pound for pound, the worst signing this season. Garner isn’t and hasn’t been terrible, notching 10 goals from 37 appearances, It’s just not what you expect from a striker with that kind of price tag. More associated with his abrasive attributes, look no further than his bodying of Dougie Imrie, and his tussles with opposition defenders than his goals and link up play, Garner has had a tough time of it. The other issue with Garner is that he was signed for almost 4 times what Celtic paid for Moussa Dembele who has been in a much richer scoring form across the city. Another one on Caixinha’s “to go” list, Rangers are set to make a large loss from the sale of Garner if he is to leave the club, which would also mean this is a financially disappointment as well.