Rousseau

 

Cracker of a game here. 

 

Bielsa plays the game the way I want to see it played.

 

The fluidity is just wonderful to watch. Leeds play a basic 4-3-3, but they build out from the back in a back-three (the RB stays back).

 

It's still 0-0 at the moment, but it's a good game. 

2 hours ago, DMAA said:

Of course the 11 are capable of winning but we don't need 3 in the middle of the park, their centre midfield is rubbish, they don't even have Mulumbu tonight.

 

I think we are wasting Defoe on the bench, it's been painful to watch the wastefulness in front of goal the last couple of games in particular but all season in all honesty.

You think a midfield two -- whoever it might be -- is good enough to out-play a 5-man midfield? 

47 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

I was expecting more changes @Rousseau but having seen the press conference I am now thinking he won't be changing very much at all, including formations.  He seems to imply that the reaction of the players is what's he's looking for.  I don't think that's going to be enough.  I hope I'm wrong.

I think it'll be enough--they can play very well. The question is whether we get that reaction.

53 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Can't believe you were predicting no changes ? I think it's reached a stage where an unchanged side would be met with near hostility, but more importantly I think Gerrard recognises that you just have to drop players after two very costly poor performances. The other side of that is that you have to giev guys a chance when they are watching the guys starting ahead of them failing. Defoe especially needs a chance. I have been a fan of Middleton all season I would give him a start but surely he can make the bench at least, the wingers are misfiring and I can't understand why you wouldn't have him as an option.

You're right.

 

But, I believe that's our strongest team, and I just couldn't see who would come in. Maybe Davis and McCrorie, but that wouldn't change much, IMO. And, as we all know, we're desperately short of options out wide. 

 

Frankie's 4-diamond-2 would be the obvious change. Even then, I didn't expect many personnel changes.

Dammit! I had just written a match preview. 

 

I really should have looked at the rota.  

 

Here's a bit of it (the rest @Frankie has covered excellently):

 

It was a dark night. Rangers went down 0-2 at home against Aberdeen in the Quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup last tuesday night. Conceding an early goal gave us an uphill struggle and played right into Aberdeen’s hands. Eight yellow cards were picked up by the ‘Dons as Rangers huffed and puffed against physical, man-marking ‘tactics’. Despite having 63% possession and three-times the shots at goal, the Rangers attack failed to breach. Rangers were out of the cup.

 

For many, the Scottish Cup Quarter-final replay was our last chance this season to realistically win silverware. The ‘Dons again had knocked us out of the League cup back in October. Our league form had stuttered. Another 1-1 draw against Hibernian had many believing that was the final nail in the coffin of a potential title challenge. 

 

It was a dark night.

 

Jermain Defoe sees a bright future. Our Old Firm rivals had failed to capitalise on our latest slip-up at Easter Road. And our performances were not that bad; We are dominating games--albeit not taking the chances we should. 

 

“Fans are going to be frustrated,” said Defoe, “just like the players. You have to play well every game. The fans expect you to win, expect you to progress in these kinds of tournaments”.

 

“I think if you look at the quality we’ve got in the dressing room, the international players we’ve got, it’s a time for the football club to be excited”.

 

“I just think it can take time for things to build; it’s not going to become an unbelievable team overnight. Sometimes it takes time”.

 

“I’d definitely be excited”, said Defoe. “It’s a club and a team definitely going places.”

 

Rangers take on Kilmarnock this Saturday at Ibrox. It’s a chance to get a league challenge back on track, against a side that were knocking on the door. And we couldn’t be playing them at a better time. 

 

Kilmarnock beat St Mirren 0-1 last Monday in what was their first win in NINE games--including a 5-0 defeat against Rangers. They have scored one goal. Their so-called title challenge has disintegrated. 

 

Kilmarnock will likely set up in a 4-5-1 formation, with Brophy leading the line and looking to harry and harass the Rangers back line. A stubborn low block will seek to frustrate Rangers into committing more and more players forward, as they look to counter with wide-men Burke and McAleny. The other option--which was deployed in the previous clash at Ibrox--could be a 4-1-2-1-2, ultimately with the same strategy. An early red had scuppered any chance of that working. 

 

Kilmarnock will be without Kris Boyd and new signings Alex Bruce and Youssouf Mulumbu through injury.

 

[And, of course, the obligatory team prediction:]

 

 

McGregor

 

Tavernier - Goldson - Worrall - Barasic

 

Kamara - Jack

 

Candeias - Arfield - Kent

 

Morelos

 

(Just as @ian1964 posts the Press Conference Tweet where SG states there will be changes to the team...  )
 

2 hours ago, DMAA said:

I agree with all of your comment but the movement and style of the team as a whole can change dramatically based on those two wide players and their movement and quality. It's not just execution it's having the right type of player to play in the system.

 

And you're right Sterling isn't a brilliant player but Guardiola is a genius in how he uses him, I actually think similar could be done with Kent on the right and Middleton on the left because both have searing pace 

We could swap in Sane and Stirling for Kent and Candeias  -- and OK--their individual quality would allow them to beat players and make things happen to a certain extent -- but without an improvement in the tactics, it'll still be sh*te.

 

I agree the movement [of a Sane and Stirling] from our two would result in better play, but that's little to do with the player, IMO; Guardiola completely controls how those players move, so it's the tactics, not the players per se.

 

Have you seen Guardiola's grid system? Every player is told where to move and how. 

 

Anyway--we'll need to agree to disagree. I think we have this debate every couple of weeks!

 

I would settle for Guardiola as Rangers manager.  

35 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Of course this is where the creative centre midfielder/no10 comes in, Man City have outstanding passers of the ball who routinely loft deft through balls over the full backs onto Sane and Sterling. It's a joy to watch and they make it look so easy. I'd like to see Kent played on the right so he can focus on timing his runs in behind and making cut backs, I think that would play to his strengths far more than his current role.

Of course, having excellent passers helps -- a lot -- but it's not the main reason Man City get in behind.

 

Guardiola's positional play is all about ball retention, and having one more player spare, to overload areas in order to isolate the wingers 1-on-1. How many times do you see Man City go through simple passing triangles on one side, sucking teams over, then switching the play -- not always with one raking pass -- to isolate Stirling or play him in behind. It's not always deft passes. 

 

I don't think Stirling is the greatest of players, but his pace is unbelievable. If you combine that with Guardiola's tactics, of setting him up on 1-on-1's -- which he does at every club, and it doesn't always need blistering pace -- it's a potent combination. 

 

And, when they get in behind on the near side (not switching play), it's the third-man runs from the 8s that are crucial to getting in-behind. Of course, here a good passer would help, but I don't believe it's necessary if the players are well-drilled. 

 

I know you're not saying this per se, but, I don't believe that the 4-3-3 is some mysterious formation that only the best players in the world can play. Moreover, that we can't play it because teams are just defending against us. Teams defend against Man City. It's all about the right execution. 

 

You could put Stirling in for Candeias and it would still be sh*te.   

1 hour ago, Gaffer said:

I understand those that want better attacking options, and a more 'creative' midfielder, but what will he be asked to do differently?  Unless someone makes those inside forward runs, it will have no impact on our effectiveness in the final 30 yards.  The next time you are watching us play, watch when our wide men have the ball.  There is a gaping space on the right/left hand side of the 18 yard box, just crying out for a run to be made.  Surely a pro would spot that run and make it.  That's why I believe it's tactical instructions that cause them not to make those runs.  As I've said on many occasions, I know nothing compared to the management team, so what is it that they are trying to achieve that I can't understand?!?

Excellent post!

 

Yes, in a 4-3-3, one of the 8s should be occupying that half-space -- watch Man City or any Guardiola side; that space is occupied. 

 

In our 4-2-3-1, I think one of the 6s should be occupying it. Jack drops to be a lone 6, with Kamara sliding into that channel. Arfield could, but I think he should be in the other half-space threatening runs into the box, to get on the end of a cross -- it would also pull the defense inside leaving space for the other winger. 

 

But, yes, in neither of those formations are those half-spaces occupied. I do hope that SG is learning and developing this side. There have been improvements. 

The CL has been cracking this season. 

 

The Juventus-Atletico game was a nice tonic to our game. 

 

 

Rangers and Aberdeen will play each other for the sixth time this season when they meet in their Scottish Cup quarter-final replay on Tuesday.

 

However, it will be only the second time they have played at Ibrox, with Aberdeen winning 1-0 in their Scottish Premiership meeting there in December.

 

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said: "Any game against Aberdeen is always huge. The message from me is forget the semi-final. We have a big, tough challenge smacking us in the face and we need to go and perform at a level that is capable of getting us the right result.

 

"I think it would be very naive of the players to think about Hampden. We have a job to do at Ibrox first and foremost."

Aberdeen have won two of their encounters against Rangers this season, but manager Derek McInnes does not think those other fixtures will have a bearing on Tuesday's game.

 

He said: "We won there the year before last as well. We went down there after the split and won a game that helped us get second spot again and we've had some decent results against Rangers this season, but I don't think it counts for much what's happened previously.

 

"The perception for maybe being seen to be more equipped or more resilient to deal with games in Glasgow from the press there may be something in that, but we've always felt we can take on teams home and away. I think each game's different and what's happened in the past I don't think has much bearing on tomorrow night."

 

Team news

Rangers will be without Gareth McAuley as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem but Borna Barisic is available having had an illness.

 

Aberdeen's top scorer Sam Cosgrove, who has 18 goals for the season, is suspended. Gary Mackay-Steven and Niall McGinn will be assessed ahead of the game.

 

https://www.skysports.com/football/rangers-vs-aberdeen/406406

I think we need some Man City style shithousery. Any sniff of a counter and we should be getting stuck-in with niggly fouls.

 

To be fair, none of our players have any real experience of a 'winners mentality' -- outwith McGregor, which I have relished; the saves, the fouls, the time wasting etc. 

 

How do you buy that? Can you buy that?

Oh dear.

 

How sad.

 

Nevermind.

2 hours ago, DMAA said:

How much closer? After 29 games we are 1 point better off than at the same stage last season. The season we had Caixinha and Murty, it’s pretty humiliating.  

One main difference I see is last season I couldn't believe we came away with 3 points (Aberdeen, Partick etc.), whereas this season I can't believe we don't come away with 3 points (Aberdeen, Hibs x2, Motherwell etc.).  

Just now, buster. said:

I'd welcome Aberdeen getting three points closer today.

Aye, I'd be be ok with that.  

 

I just hate that I need to keep looking at their scores.

I'm still furious.

 

We've never been as good as we are now -- since the journey -- and I firmly believe if we were more clinical and stopped these stupid periods of complacency, then we'd be top. 

 

The number of stupid points this team has dropped is criminal. 

 

We are in need of more attacking options. 

 

Once again, when it finally looks like we've cut a decent gap between ourselves and the rest of the pack, we let them back in. 

When he signs I expect the CO to come back to that tackle. 

19 minutes ago, buster. said:

Better to divide the respective totals by population if you want a fair comparison.

Oof! I never thought of that, but that makes us look even worse!

Shinnie is an arsehole. 

 

We could use more arseholes in our team.

 

Although, I think McGregor and Morelos are carrying the team just fine in that regard.     

Clearly our deal is a joke. However, I'm not so sure more money would help.

 

Look at the value countries such as Austria and Sweden -- even Switzerland -- extract from their deal: They have a decent brand of football, and their sides regularly get to the group stages of the Europa League.

 

Rapid Vienna weren't great, but they got there [group stages], approached the game in a decent way and they're currently mid-table in their season. LASK are a much better team; Austria Vienna are a much better side. And that's not to mention RB Salzburg.

 

We [Scottish football] are nowhere near that level. It's going to take a cultural change before we see real change. 

Steven Gerrard looks to take Rangers a step closer to their first major silverware since 2011 as they go to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup last eight.

 

The former Liverpool midfielder, who won the English FA Cup twice with the Reds, has seen his side win three on the trot, scoring 14 goals and conceding none.

 

He cannot wait for the tie at Pittodrie on Sunday, particularly the hostile environment.

 

"The players are in a good place, there has been a lot of positivity in our play in recent weeks," said Gerrard.

 

"But we're aware that this cup tie is a big challenge for us. It's a huge game for us, a competition we want to do really well in, so we can't wait for the game to start.

 

"You don't want to be remembered as just a good player, you want to be remembered as a winner.

 

"That's always the challenge, but for me it's a wonderful game to look forward to as a player, to go to Pittodrie in that hostile environment, against a good Aberdeen team, that's got to be exciting for a player."

 

Aberdeen trail Rangers by one place but eight points in the Scottish Premiership, and manager Derek McInnes feels it will take a big performance to knock Gerrard's side out.

 

"Rangers are a good side but on the day we'll pick an 11 that we feel can do the job. It'll take a big performance but we are obviously capable of winning the game."

 

Team news

 

Scott Arfield and Andy Halliday are both doubts for Rangers going into Sunday's game, having not quite recovered from injury.

 

Max Lowe, James Wilson and Gary Mackay-Steven are in with a chance for Aberdeen. Greg Halford, signed as a free transfer this week, is not match fit but could feature for the hosts.

 

https://www.skysports.com/football/aberdeen-vs-rangers/preview/406305

I think I got the 'lies, damn lies and statitistics' line trundled out every time I posted stats.

 

Stats are important. They can highlight the skillset of the player, what he actually does on the pitch, and how that compares to others in the league. It's one thing to watch him and think, 'Oh--he's doing well', but breaking it down like that provides a more objective overview; what exactly is it he's doing well, what's he not doing so well?

 

Most of the statisticians identified Kamara -- along with Docherty, actually -- a couple of years ago because he had such high numbers in certain metrics. It seems like Kamara came out of nowhere, but he came to my attention last season because of these stats. For me, the stats were a trigger to watch out for him.

 

Hopefully we keep looking out for these gems through their stats. 

1 hour ago, pete said:

Do you have a big dongle??

 

23 minutes ago, craig said:

Ask Kevin, he knows