[FT] Dundee 2 - 1 Rangers (Garner 62)

[Gaffer 1,665]

I was gutted yesterday. It wasn't because we lost (afterall we've suffered that a few times this season), but it was more the way we appear to have thrown the possession system out of the window within a week of MW leaving.

 

I thought the same system applied to the kids as it did the first team. If that's the case, I've no idea why Murray needs to change the style. If he is changing the style, I think his role is in jeopardy. If he didn't change the style, it may be that the more senior players in the team are going rogue and changing it themselves. Either way, Murty will only have another couple of weeks to show that he does have a plan, or that he can control a bunch of senior players with their own ideas.

 

The team has lost faith in the system. Perhaps that's better than them losing faith in each other. I think that's the problem though. Some of the players have lost faith in some of the others and until Murty grasps that and makes the changes, faith in the system will continue to be undermined. I like Halliday and Miller but they slow the play down too much. RK needs to have a time out for a couple of weeks. It'll hurt his morale but it's hurting the team more and you can see that especially when WF gets the ball. He just doesn't want to give it back to RK and looks nervous now.

 

I had my head in my hands yesterday. All this talk of McLeish coming back had me worried. Then when I saw us yesterday I thought somehow Ally had managed to sneak back in charge.

 

For me this demonstrates why a DoF is an ideal setup. There's always a second line of defence (pardon the pun) if one leaves. Had we had a DoF, Murty could have coached the team but the DoF would have been the figure of authority behind him, making it clear that the players can't do their own thing, and that Murty has to maintain the style of play the club wants.

 

It's been said that the worst thing to lose is hope, and that's how I felt yesterday. I had hoped that the style (possession and pressing) had at least been embedded in the team. I had hoped that the players would up their game and press harder and move the ball quicker. Not only did they fail to even try the passing or pressing game, but they appeared to be under their own direction, leaving Murty as merely a spectator. I now just hope we can make some sort of decent announcement soon re the future structure of the club and appointments of DoF and head coach. If we don't, I fear we lose hope quickly.

[der Berliner 3,747]

Not sure whether what we saw yesterday was direct orders from Murty. It looked more like a gang of headless chickens running about without a leader off the park as well as on it. We clearly saw that our passing game was no use against the doubling up and pressing tactics which Dundee performed admirably, so we bypassed the midfield with long balls over the top. Problem was that it was inaccurate, aimless or not well supported by the midfield. Hence the ball returned in quick succession and our defenders were scrambling against counter attacks.

 

IMHO, our setup was not too bad, only that after their first goal there was hardly any cohesion visible. That, and a alarming inability of our people to take up responsibility themselves and run with the ball ... and possibly have a shot themselves. The ball was treated like a hot potato and played (oftentimes hastily) to a player who was either covered and/or not expecting it, so we did lose possesion again.

 

You can excuse this in the odd game or two, but this has marred nigh all our away days and some performances at Ibrox too. It should be utterly clear by now and should have been addressed. People like Forrester, Dodoo and even O'Halloran like to run with the ball and take people on, yet they warm the bench.

 

Next Friday we should perhaps take up another stance, i.e. let the opposition try to play the game, soak it up (which we were always good at in days (long) gone by) and hit them on the counter.

[Darthter 542]

Oh dear.....

 

The defeat, I can handle....it's the way it happened that is the problem.

 

What really gets me:

we are getting seriously pushed/challenged by:

- Teams with budgets that are laughable by Rangers standards

- Players who we deem "not good enough" to play for Rangers

- Managers who should never darken the RFC managers office

 

Yet, these players & managers are consistently getting the better of us.

 

Something MUST change & the Board must surely see this and act accordingly. I don't know whether it is to to with the players, recruitment or how the management go about their day-to-day business, but it's broken.

 

Watching that "team" (and I use the term very loosely), they hadn't a clue what they were doing - I'm sure on more than one occasion players actually tripped over each other.

Players were constantly out of position - Tav being one of the worst offenders. I lost count of the times he appeared more in left mid than right back. This obviously left a massive hole in the defence for Dundee to exploit.

There was absolutely NO cohesiveness.

We played with 3 strikers recognised on the pitch, yet still didn't threaten - our only goal being a massive surprise, either because we actually did score, or coz it was scored by Garner.

 

I would have loved to have heard what was said in the dressing room immediately after the match, and certainly on the bis back home.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Hearts are only 5 points behind. Sheep are effectively 7 points ahead. We have to go to ICT on Friday night.

I'm going to have to start wearing pampers ffs!!

[Uilleam 5,948]

Hearts are only 5 points behind. Sheep are effectively 7 points ahead. We have to go to ICT on Friday night.

I'm going to have to start wearing pampers ffs!!

 

I don't think that's what's meant by "girding your loins for the fight".

 

I do think that Inverness on Friday night (!!) is now a very daunting prospect.

[Oleg_Mcnoleg 50]

Get Murty out now. His team selection & tactics are garbage.

We are getting overrun in MF & are constantly losing possession under no pressure

Players who were playing shit under Warburton are playing shit under Murty. It's almost as if there's a pattern.

Who would you have liked him to select who would have made a great difference? Kante? Iniesta? Baresi circa 1990?

In apportioning blame for the performance amongst club employees, Murty lies slightly above the staff in the ticket office.

[BeardyGuts 6]

What concerns me now is the same that concerned me with MW.... the complete inability to create clear chances.

 

I watched the sheep game before our game and if you asked someone who knew nothing about Scottish football which team out of the 4 that played yesterday had a budget at least double the others i can guarantee you they wouldn't pick us! Now this isnt a problem in a one off game but this has been the case time and time again all season.

 

We have scored 16 less goals than Aberdeen, 13 less than Hearts! and a ridiculous 34 less than Celtic!

[BeardyGuts 6]

I was gutted yesterday. It wasn't because we lost (afterall we've suffered that a few times this season), but it was more the way we appear to have thrown the possession system out of the window within a week of MW leaving......

 

 

I dont know what your opinion on MW was but i think the general consensus was that he always seemed like he didst have a plan b. So i don't think we should shoot the interim manager for trying something different.

To be honest with the level of player we have.... more or less regardless of the style of play we should have the general ability to beat Dundee.

[MacK1950 2,378]

Most of the current squad need the current of an electric prod to wake them up as it has been pretty obvious they are not competing either by choice or incompetence.It was refreshing to hear the honesty of Murty's post match interview rather than the crap spouted by Warburton.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Oh dear.....

 

The defeat, I can handle....it's the way it happened that is the problem.

 

What really gets me:

we are getting seriously pushed/challenged by:

- Teams with budgets that are laughable by Rangers standards

- Players who we deem "not good enough" to play for Rangers

- Managers who should never darken the RFC managers office

 

Yet, these players & managers are consistently getting the better of us.

 

Something MUST change & the Board must surely see this and act accordingly. I don't know whether it is to to with the players, recruitment or how the management go about their day-to-day business, but it's broken.

 

Watching that "team" (and I use the term very loosely), they hadn't a clue what they were doing - I'm sure on more than one occasion players actually tripped over each other.

Players were constantly out of position - Tav being one of the worst offenders. I lost count of the times he appeared more in left mid than right back. This obviously left a massive hole in the defence for Dundee to exploit.

There was absolutely NO cohesiveness.

We played with 3 strikers recognised on the pitch, yet still didn't threaten - our only goal being a massive surprise, either because we actually did score, or coz it was scored by Garner.

 

I would have loved to have heard what was said in the dressing room immediately after the match, and certainly on the bis back home.

 

100%, I said so yesterday. The team need to do the basics good, before they get involved in complex formations. It wasn't to complex a formation yesterday but the way the team dealt with it , it look all over the place, Miller looked to have a free role but he would cut in a run into a Rangers forward, who should have been effectively ahead of him to receive the ball or vice versa, they did on one occasion bump into each other. Keep it basic till we settle and keep a clean sheet, before we try something fancy imo.