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Showing content with the highest reputation on 17/09/21 in all areas
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Right now there must be a huge question mark over Jack's fitness; although I accept the management rushed him back too soon and set back his recovery, the silence surrounding him makes me wonder if his career is threatened. We keep hearing.... nearly ready, back in full training but.... Anyway, I think Stephen Kelly is being groomed as the Davis successor.4 points
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4 points
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I thought that was Gegenpressing in action. When we won the ball back, we were smothered and lost it within a couple of passes. In that situation we need to be clever and cute enough to pass out of it, or play on the transitions, but we did neither. We were too ponderous and happy to recycle--a la Domestic football--but before we know it, we've lost it again. We need to be able to pass out of it, or play on the transition: which can be as simple as preparing a set play where we get Morelos to make that inside-out run and play the ball into the channel; it might lose the ball, but it might get us in behind and territory at least. Too many players were below their best, but for me, it's the team aspect that highlights the real gulf in class between us and a CL team. We're too off-the-cuff. These sides know what they are doing in any given situation; it's been coached into them--as well as having better individual quality. They are able to pass out from the back, with all players taking the right positions; and they know what they are doing in attack, in terms of their patterns of play. OK-they smothered the space quite well, but I felt like we didn't have much of a clue as to what we were trying to do. How many times does Goldson sit on the ball, waiting for something to happen? It's too off-the-cuff. Defending in a block is fine, but we need a plan to break the opponent down, to create chances. They had better quality players, and we had too many not firing, but the team aspect is the issue, for me.4 points
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There’s never any better time to make changes than when a team is at its peak. For whatever reason, we’ve missed that opportunity.3 points
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Everything about this season feels like a hangover from 55. The players, the management and even the fans - there's an air of lethargy about it all. Will we kick into gear..?3 points
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Just Mo Johnston on his own and lets see if that lot can guarantee his safety.3 points
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I thought Morelos played really well. A lot of great link up play and did well in the sole striker role.3 points
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Yeah, between Balogun and Lundstram and I've went for the latter who, for me, really grew into the game and the Rangers shirt last night. I'd expect him to start on Sunday now ahead of Davis as we look to freshen up the side.3 points
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Just in from the game have to disagree about Kent losing ball for first goal it came from a hospital pass from Aribo as we were pressing.McGregor no chance with goal. Second goal Kent should have punted ball away,did not,and Keystone Cop defending ensued. Thought Lundstram had his best game,MOM for me,but both Aribo and Kamara let us down badly. As for the referee he fell for all their diving and time wasting--no better than any Scottish ones. Was VAR in use tonight as I thought the push on Barisic was a penalty. Five games left to get it right but meanwhile roll on Sunday.2 points
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I think part of the problem is that we don’t seem to have signed anyone that is better than last seasons best 11. It’s lent a certain malaise to the lineup.1 point
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I thought Lundstrum really steeped up last night. Delighted to see it. However, the reason I went for Balogun over him is that Lundstrum missed playing a few easy balls forward that could have led to something happening for us.1 point
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Mags 2-3 Leeds Wolves 1-0 Brentford Burnley 1-1 Arsenal Liverpool 3-0 Palace City 4-0 So’ton Norwich 1-1 Watford Villa 1-2 Everton (relegation scrap when I was a little lad) BHA 2-1 Leicester ’ammers 0-1 United ’Spurs 0-2 Chelsea1 point
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It is true. BT cover both matches, with the pundits in the Scottish ground - they'll do it from the Piggery next. Dornan is kicking off about this already (does he not have a job to do?).1 point
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1 point
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Lyon hand out a French lesson to slack Rangers The last time Olympique Lyonnais made their way to Govan in 2007 they ended the hopes of Walter Smith’s side of progressing to the knock-out stages of the Champions League with a 3-0 drubbing. Smith and his players consolidated themselves by making the final of the UEFA Cup. Whether Steven Gerrard and his side can recover in a similar fashion after this 2-0 defeat is up for debate, but one thing which is not up for debate is that this was another difficult night at the hands of the French side. This would be Steven Gerrard’s and his coaching staff’s 50th European match at the helm at Ibrox, and they went into it defending a nine game unbeaten run at Ibrox in the group stages. But Gerrard had warned prior to the game that this was the hardest opponents his side had faced in European competition – add to that the fact that Rangers have yet to hit top gear this season and this always looked like it could be an uphill task. Rangers have looked disjointed in both performance and personnel so far this season, thanks to a combination of Covid and injuries. Saturday’s win against St Johnstone came at the cost of losing defender Filip Helander until December with a knee injury. The Swedish defender is a crucial part of Gerrard's team and his absence is a huge blow. If such a blow wasn't bad enough, Ryan Kent has become the latest player to succumb to injury, limping off in the 70th minute with a hamstring injury, adding to already significant headaches Gerrard has suffered this season. The injury to Kent was the final act in what was a miserable night for the winger. The Englishman has struggled to find anything remotely resembling his top form this season and tonight offered no redemption as he was caught in possession twice in moments of slackness which led to both Lyon goals. The first error saw Kent lose possession cheaply on the half-way line. This allowed Lyon to counter and Karl Toko Ekambi to score with a superb curling shot in the bottom corner on the 23rd minute. The second error saw Kent caught in possession again just outside the Rangers penalty box early in the second half. This led to Allan McGregor denying Lucas Paqueta, but the resultant goalmouth stramash ended with the ball ricocheting off James Tavernier and into the net to all but end the game as contest. Despite not being at their fluent best, Rangers did create moments. Joe Aribo, John Lundstram and Ryan Kent all had efforts at Lopes’s goal in the first-half when it was 1-0. If one of these efforts had went in Rangers may have been able to rally and recover, but it was not to be. Tavernier came close with free-kick in the second-half, and Balogun also came close with a header in the closing stages. But by that point it felt like this Lyon side were to savvy to let any lead slip and that Rangers' race was run. One potential positive from the game was the performance of John Lundstram. He has struggled to convince since his arrival in the summer, but his performance tonight gave hints at the player we thought we were getting when he signed – although he did allow Toko Ekambi to cut inside to his favoured foot too easily for the first goal. For Gerrard it was a night to forget, for Lyon coach Peter Bosz it was a case of déjà vu – the Dutchman was in charge of Bayer Leverkusen when they secured a 3-1 victory in March 2020 in the last sixteen of the same competition. The defeat is the first group stage European loss on home soil since the 2010-11 Champions League defeat against Manchester Utd, and it puts a huge dent in Rangers chances of topping the group – which is now the only way of confimring a place in the knock-out stages. But despite the defeat, Steven Gerrard was still relatively upbeat in his post-match comments. "We played some good stuff and created some half-decent openings. Their keeper has made a top save from Ryan Kent which would have got us back into the game at 1-1”, he said. "We created some decent moments without being clear cut. I think the scoreline is slightly harsh on us. We have made two mistakes in the game, clear mistakes if you like. We've had the ball turned over in the first half and we have been punished for it because good players do that to you. "I'm a bit disappointed with our defending on the second goal. The players know at this level you will be punished. With all due respect, domestically if you give the ball away in those areas, maybe you will get away with it. But not at Europa League level against high-calibre players. If you turn the ball over while the team is open, you leave yourself vulnerable.” Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Lundstram, Davis, Kamara, Aribo, Kent, Morelos Subs: McLaughlin, McCrorie, Bassey, Patterson, Bacuna, Wright, Roofe, Kelly, Fashion Jr, Arfield, McClelland. Lyon: Lopes, Emerson, Denayer, Ekambi Aouar, Paqueta, Gusto, Slimani, Caqueret, Boateng (Diomande, 65), Guimaraes. Subs: Diomande, Shaqiri, Pollersbeck, Bonnevie, Lukeba, Milagres, Cherki, Kelta, Da Silva, Barcola. Referee: Andreas Ekberg (SWE)1 point
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Yeah, had same thoughts on SD - hands of time catching up with him? Great servant, fantastic professional but looks like these games, at this level of opposition are a step too far for him now.1 point
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Nah, we fell to a far inferior team last season in EL last 16. Lyon are head and shoulders above us, they are CL class with CL class players, we aren't (and weren't last season).1 point
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I shared your thoughts on Davis tonight. He made a sad spectacle for much of the time he was on the pitch and if he is starting to fade then it's inevitable that better opposition will expose it first. It was encouraging to see that Lundstram really could be an asset in midfield but what we really need right now is Ryan Jack fit and back on the park.1 point
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Can't disagree too much with that. Balagon our best player on the night,and Lundstram showed up well. Unfortunately we failed to impose ourselves in midfield and no surprise Davis & Aribo were withdrawn. Neither really imposed themselves. Just can't help feeling we really miss Ryan Jack on these big Euro nights. Lyon are a class act, however, we rarely laid a glove on them which is disappointing .1 point
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Absolutely the right substitution. Starting to feel Davis is being embarrassed in midfield.1 point
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Would you say it was a bit like being up 2-0 away from home, then conceding four in quick succession ? ?1 point
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I think he's incapable of ever admitting he might be wrong about something. He's quite childlike and unphilosophical, in that regard. Takes a man to admit he's wrong.1 point
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For all those wondering, no it isn't me the cops are chasing for giving McGinn some stick on Saturday1 point
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