Rangers V Heart Of Midlothian ââ?¬â?? Match Report & Players Ratings

[CammyF 7,981]

The fat lady may not be singing as yet, but she is certainly warming up her vocal chords as Rangers� title dreams lie in tatters after another frustrating performance at Ibrox today. This dire result should signify the end or Walter Smith�s second spell in the hot seat as his troops failed to capitalise on a two goal advantage and a decent first half performance. Nobody inside Ibrox could have predicted such a turnaround after witnessing an invigorated Rangers team in the opening 45 minutes. However, this start can not be allowed to mask the inadequacies that were so cruelly exposed in the 2nd half.

 

Rangers started the game well given the fact we were forced to field an emergency defence given the injuries to Boogie and Broadfoot and pressed, harried and hemmed Hearts into their own half and this pressure was rewarded in the 9th minute when pressing the ball, Rangers forced Hearts to relinquish position in midfield. Beasley pounced on the mistake, fed the impressive Lafferty who dispatched the ball passed the despairing dive of McDonald with aplomb. We continued to press and pressure Hearts and can count ourselves unfortunate not to have added to our total. Just as it looked like Rangers would have to settle for a slender 1-0 half-time advantage, Pedro Mendes fed Captain Barry Ferguson on the stroke of half-time and Ferguson fired in a tremendous 2nd goal which was merited on the balance of play.

 

The only down sided to the first half was the injury sustained by Kyle Lafferty as the big Ulsterman was having a wonderful game and his pace, vision and running was certainly troubling the Hearts defence. Just like in last weeks Co-op Cup Final, the loss of Lafferty signalled the end of any movement in our forward players and this would come back to haunt us in the 2nd half. To say that Rangers were a different team in the second period is an understatement. Instead of continuing with the pressing, crisp passing and pressurising that was evident in the 1st half, we dropped of the pace, resorted to firing long, high balls it the hugely ineffective Boyd and entirely lost our way in the game. Hearts to their credit noticed this and seized on our lacklustre play and forced their way back into the game. However, they shouldn�t have had the opportunity to get back into the game as Novo slams a shot against the post instead of squaring the ball to the unmarked Boyd. Hearts then break up the park and McGregor is forced to tip the ball over the bar for a corner. A simple corner into the back of our penalty box was headed back across goal Karipidis squeezed the ball home despite Beasley�s efforts to clear of the line. So Hearts had clawed themselves back into the game but Rangers didn�t heed this warning and criminally lost another goal minutes later. This time Papac was easily beat on the left wing, the ball was played into Elliot who cushions a header into the path of Palazuelos who fires home.

 

So, in a matter of minutes, all the good work of the first half is undone and we are struggling to reinforce ourselves in the game. In truth, we never really regained any momentum and had to endure another baffling substitution from Walter Smith. Beasley who has continually caused Hearts problems is withdrawn and is replaced by Stevie Naismith. We create a couple of half chances but in truth have thrown away another two points and any chance we have of winning the SPL title.

 

Questions have to be asked regarding the fitness of our players. We were told after the Hamilton game that Boogie was withdrawn as a precaution and that he would feature in the Co-op Cup Final. We were then told that he wouldn�t make the Co-op Cup Final but would be back for the Hearts game, yet there is still no sign of him. The exact same thing happened when Novo was injured against DUFC, we were told that he�d be back in action the next week, only for him to miss 3 or 4 weeks.

 

Once again, Walter Smith�s tactics and signings must come under some scrutiny. After playing well for 45 minutes, we retreated into our shells and appeared to be happy to defend the lead rather than continue to press and secure the victory. Steve Davis and Pedro Mendes MUST start offering more in the midfield. I fully understand that Davis is being played out of position, but both flatter to deceive. In every game this season, after 60 minutes, Steve Davis moves inside meaning that we have no wide player on the right hand side of midfield. I don�t know if this is a consequence of him playing out of position, or something that the coaching staff are instructing him to do, either way, it negates our threat from the right and stifles the midfield area. Kris Boyd has become a liability, he offers nothing, even his staunchest supporters must be questioning his ability and his recent goal-scoring record. He is the only player I know who shrinks when jumping for the ball. Boyd should have been withdrawn after 50 minutes as it was evident that he was offering nothing. He spends more time on his backside during a game than I do in the stand.

 

All in all, a totally frustrating game and a result that must hasten the end of Walter Smiths tenure as Rangers manager as he appears unable to get the players playing to their capabilities and the time has come for him to be replaced with someone that will bring some fresh ideas to the team. For the 2nd consecutive season, Walter Smith has cost Rangers the SPL title with his negativity, defensive tactics, baffling substitution and inability to kill teams off when we are in the lead. The team were rightly booed of the pitch at the end with the fans that were left at the end showing their frustration and annoyance that another two points were thrown away.

 

Players Ratings ;

 

Alan McGregor ââ?¬â?? a mere spectator in the first half, couple of decent saves in the 2nd and little chance with either goal. However, his distribution is still suspect 6-10

 

SW ââ?¬â?? another decent shift at right back but was left exposed on the final 30 minutes of the game as Davis went AWOL and deserted his wide right position 6-10

 

Christian Daily ââ?¬â?? thrown into the game due to growing injury list and didnââ?¬â?¢t play that badly at all. Never troubled in the first half and won his fare share of tackled 5-10

 

Lee McCulloch ââ?¬â?? same as his defensive partner ââ?¬â?? not his natural position 5-10

 

Sasa Papac ââ?¬â?? not one of the Bosnians best games, easily beat in the build up to Hearts 2nd goal and his delivery wasnââ?¬â?¢t the best ââ?¬â?? 5-10

 

Steven Davis ââ?¬â?? continues to frustrate, flirts in and out of games then goes wandering after an hour ââ?¬â?? a major let down this season 5-10

 

Barry Ferguson ââ?¬â?? along with Lafferty, the best player in the Rangers team and scored a wonderful goal on the stroke of half-time 8-10

 

Pedro Mendes ââ?¬â?? further proof, if necessary that Mendes and Ferguson arenââ?¬â?¢t suited to each other in the middle of the pitch ââ?¬â?? poor game from one of the most skilful players we have ââ?¬â?? 5-10

 

Beasley ââ?¬â?? at last, a genuine wide player playing wide left ââ?¬â?? troubled the hearts defence constantly and it was a surprise to see him being subbed ââ?¬â?? 6-10

 

Lafferty ââ?¬â?? was playing brilliantly before picking up an ankle knock that forced him out and hopefully the injury isnââ?¬â?¢t serious. Great opening goal and deserves an extended run in his favoured position ââ?¬â?? 7-10

 

Kris Boyd ââ?¬â?? an enigma or just a woeful football player? The debate and argument of his merits (or lack of) will continue to rage on. On this showing, weââ?¬â?¢ll be lucky to get Ã?£300,000 for him never mind Ã?£3M ââ?¬â?? 3-10

 

Nacho Novo ââ?¬â?? replaced the injured Lafferty but couldnââ?¬â?¢t recapture the Ulstermanââ?¬â?¢s movement ââ?¬â?? tried as always but really should have squared the ball to Boyd to finish the game ââ?¬â?? shot off the post instead ââ?¬â?? 5-10

 

Naismith ââ?¬â?? continues to struggle in games and I canââ?¬â?¢t understand why we continue to persist with him wide left ââ?¬â?? pulled out of tackles and contributed nothing ââ?¬â?? 1-10

 

Cammy F

[Norris Cole 0]

Beasley ââ?¬â?? at last, a genuine wide player playing wide left ââ?¬â?? troubled the hearts defence constantly and it was a surprise to see him being subbed ââ?¬â?? 6-10

 

Symptomatic of our problems. Bright first half with consistently good delivery from the wing, then proceeded to disappear in the second half.

 

A football match lasts 90 minutes, perhaps if our players realised that we wouldn't be 2 points behind the filth. Thought Smith should have used all of his subs as well.

[CammyF 7,981]

Symptomatic of our problems. Bright first half with consistently good delivery from the wing, then proceeded to disappear in the second half.

 

A football match lasts 90 minutes, perhaps if our players realised that we wouldn't be 2 points behind the filth. Thought Smith should have used all of his subs as well.

 

Agreed, maybe in my anger I didn't put my point over correctly - meant to say that if he was to be replaced, he should have been replaced by another left sided player, rather than someone clearly struggling to regain fitness after a long injury break and, even when fit, has struggled out on the left.

 

Cammy F

[Frankie 8,552]

Thought McGregor did very well with two superb saves and had no chance at the goals.

 

I thought Dailly actually had a decent game but would like to see the Hearts goals again before deciding who was to blame.

 

Papac, Davis, Mendes and Boyd were all woeful. Naismith and Novo were poor when they came on and, as usual, our team gave up the ghost as soon as Hearts showed a semblance of spirit.

 

We just can't cope with our confidence being knocked. Fragile of mind and body.

 

[UCF2008 0]

Thought Davis had a good game for 1st hour. After that I can probably understand him abandoning his post to come in field, as he (not to mention the rest of the midfield) wasn't being utilised as we launched more and more long 50/50 balls in Boyds direction. Hit and hope football at it's worst .

 

It's simply bizarre that when the smallest man on the park replaced Lafferty we decided to resort to this 'tactic'. I have my doubts that the players were instructed to play like that - It looked like more a case of panic stations than anything else after Hearts scored - but if so, then it's still down to the management to tell them to f***ing cut it out and keep the ball on the deck .

 

Good 1st half performance, but just not good enough overall and apart from Lafferty (who once again managed to avoid the f**k-up period of the game), I can't think of many who would get pass marks.

[JMS 0]

It's all relative, No Surrender from the fans, No Surrender from the players.

[Norris Cole 0]

Amid all the negativity, I'd like to take time out to praise young Kyle Lafferty, who has put in some excellent performances over the last six weeks or so. Yet again, however, the Ibrox injury curse strikes and not for the first time this season a player picks up an injury right in the middle of a good run of form. Thomson, Novo, Bougherra and now Lafferty. As I said in another thread, it would have been interesting to see how Celtic coped with injuries to Brown, McDonald etc.

[Wija 0]

It's all relative, No Surrender from the fans, No Surrender from the players.

 

Can someone tell the players..... please as they seem to have missed that team talk!

[pete 2,499]

Amid all the negativity, I'd like to take time out to praise young Kyle Lafferty, who has put in some excellent performances over the last six weeks or so. Yet again, however, the Ibrox injury curse strikes and not for the first time this season a player picks up an injury right in the middle of a good run of form. Thomson, Novo, Bougherra and now Lafferty. As I said in another thread, it would have been interesting to see how Celtic coped with injuries to Brown, McDonald etc.

 

I once wrote a piece on injuries between us and Celtic which got binned because the research into it is a huge job. It certainly feels that we have more injuries than Celtic but if you look at the website below then you get the idea that these things even themselves out over the longer period.

 

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

[alanmidd 0]

I thought you were overly generous on Mendes, Beasley and Boyd. Giving them 3/10 would have been unreasonable