match thread (image) [FT] Partick Thistle 0 - 2 Rangers (Windass 39; Tavernier 59)

[Frankie 8,651]

It's already been a few days since Saturday's defeat and I don't mind admitting I'm still smarting from the loss of another three points at Ibrox.

 

First and foremost though, I don't think we played as badly as some have since suggested.  Yes, Hibs were certainly the better team for much of the first half but we grew into the game and dominated after half-time.  Problem was - and has been the case for most of this season at home - we couldn't break them down and, when we finally did, we conceded a cheap goal to shoot ourselves in the foot.  That's the main source of frustration for me.

 

As such, I don't blame fans for being annoyed.  Our troubles on Saturday weren't new and to drop another three points isn't good enough.  Yet, I think we have to be positive.  Unfortunately a few players didn't play well (especially our primary creators of Tav and Candeias) so we just didn't make enough good chances.  And, when we did, guys like Windass and Morelos - both fairly reliable goalscorers - fluffed their lines.  To only score one goal was a very poor reflection of our play.  Ultimately, with just one player up front, we're often predictable and regularly profligate.  That has to change.

 

With that in mind, I wonder if Graeme Murty will be tempted to move to a front two at Firhill tonight.  He's favoured a 4-2-3-1 of late and it has been reasonably effective in terms of results but it seems to me Morleos lacks support at times and as he becomes increasingly (and understandably) jaded, we're not quite able to keep the ball in the final third for long enough.  As such, although Jason Cummings hasn't looked quite fully fit yet himself, I'd be starting both together tonight.  We do have other options in Dodoo, O'Halloran, Herrera and perhaps even Kenny Miller but all four lack the game-time to feature from kick-off.

 

If Murty does indeed opt for a front two that means a likely return to the diamond he used to good effect before the new year.  It also means he can bring in another fresh face in Greg Docherty who can offer us a bit more drive from midfield.  The young signing from Hamilton is no creative silver bullet but I think we'll need his combative strength in deeper areas this evening.  Jason Holt should keep his position on the other side of the diamond whilst Sean Goss can again sit that wee bit deeper and allow us to get forward efficiently from the back.

 

That leaves the tip of the diamond and we have another few options there.  Do we persevere with Windass in a more withdrawn role or opt for Jamie Murphy's experience?  Personally I'd go with the latter as the on-loan attacker looked bright on Saturday.  Having more options in attack should help him as well and with Docherty able to get up alongside him too, Murphy can drift into the channels if required.

 

Deploying a diamond does mean the onus increases once more on our full-backs.  In that sense, Tavernier has rarely shirked from his responsibilities this season and one (albeit schoolboy) error on Saturday shouldn't stop him from being an important player again across the Clyde tonight.  Similarly, at left back Declan John has - in my view - been steadily improving on the other flank and linked well with Murphy against Hibs.  As such both can supply any necessary width tonight.

 

I do think it is worth pointing out we did struggle initially at the back on Saturday.  John did leave too much space in behind early on whilst Russell Martin was dragged out of position too easily as well early on.  Ironically though Hibs opened the scoring when David Bates failed to close down John McGinn.  However, as a unit, they did fine after half-time and will be keen to get a clean sheet tonight.  As will Foderingham in goal who I felt didn't look all that convincing at McGinn's opener.

 

As has been the case for a lot of this season, we took another step or two back at the weekend but have to react well tonight.  Despite Saturday's loss, we had a good January window and the signings of Murphy, Cummings and Docherty were brought in to address our attacking deficiencies so I hope to see all three given the chance to do that tonight.

 

In closing, the one position we have failed to fill is that of manager.  In that sense, Graeme Murty perhaps remains an unlikely candidate for the permanent position and I think not replacing Pedro Caixinha before now remains bizarre at best.  Yet, if we had come out of Saturday with even a draw, I doubt fans would be too upset.  As such, we need to continue to back the team and manager and help deliver the improvements we need to restore our club to the pinnacle of Scottish football.  That won't happen overnight and even the best Rangers teams lost occasionally.  However, neither should that make any defeat acceptable so a win this evening must be delivered.

 

No more excuses, no more bad luck stories and no more wastefulness.  As we move into February and the business end of the season, the pressure is on and it's now time this Rangers squad starting dealing with it. 

 

Possible team (4-4-2 Diamond):

 

 

[StuGers 477]

Is this game on TV at all?

[pete 2,499]

Have you started yet Frankie as I have already written one.

[pete 2,499]

11 minutes ago, pete said:

Have you started yet Frankie as I have already written one.

Don't bother I threw it away somehow.

[Frankie 8,651]

24 minutes ago, StuGers said:

Is this game on TV at all?

Just RangersTV for subscribers outwith the UK.

[pete 2,499]

I have found mine back on words so I will edit it up and stick it up anyway. I don't know why I lost it on here. I hadn't given the new thread a title maybe it was because of that.

[Rousseau 10,806]

Jason "HHolt"? Unfortunate mistake, there...

 

Murphy could be very useful in that position: he has the dynamism, energy and craft to cause trouble for any defence. 

[Frankie 8,651]

2 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Jason "HHolt"? Unfortunate mistake, there...

 

Murphy could be very useful in that position: he has the dynamism, energy and craft to cause trouble for any defence. 

Oops, glad someone was paying attention.

 

Holt misses our next league match (against Hamilton) due to suspension so if we go with the 4-2-3-1 which is perhaps more likely it may actually be him that drops out tonight.

[Gaffer 1,665]

Really good preview as usual!

 

just one thing I wanted to draw out is this point about only one player up front.  Just because it's a 4-2-3-1 doesn't mean that we only have one forward.  In this formation, we have at least 3 forwards, if not 4.

 

I've opined before that our problem is not the number of forwards, it's the speed and accuracy of our play in midfield that's the problem.  We either take too long to move the ball when switching play, or we do it too quickly (I.e. Our players don't have the technique/habits to get it done properly and quickly) and give the ball away in dangerous areas when's we're overexposed (mainly because we are overloading the wings).

 

Goss can do it well, but few others can get the ball switched.  A switch needs to be done within 5 seconds because that's the length of time it takes for a professional player to cover the 30-40 yards he needs to get back into position when the ball is moved to the opposite side of the park.  It's been shown that a switch inside 4 seconds can create a golden chance.  I've looked at our switch of play and it often takes 6-7 seconds.  This is almost useless because it serves only to retain the ball and can't create a chance if the opposition works reasonably hard to close down.  Equally, it introduces more opportunities for our midfield to make a mistake and hence creates a chance for our opponents.  This is why we lose goals, and in fact you'll see the majority of our goals are lost from this phase of play.  During a switch of play, both teams are 'out of position', but the team with the ball has the advantage of course.

 

Murty needs to get the three central midfielders (the two centre mids and the attacking mid) to move the ball quickly and accurately out to the wing, but he has different problems to solve depending on who it is.  Windass receives the ball during a switch of play and has not moved early enough to create the space to play the ball quickly, so he then has to hold off the opponent for a step or two before he can release the pass.  Around 3-4 seconds are wasted.  Holt gathers the ball and his first touch moves it away from the opponent so he is doing well at creating the space, but he then takes more touches before looking up to find his pass.  Again, these seconds are being wasted.  Goss is excellent at creating the space for himself and playing an almost instant pass, however his positioning (which I think is intentional) means he is required to play a long diagonal ball directly out to Candeias or Murphy.  Teams like Hibs are drilled well in this tactic because you can see their fullbacks sprint towards our wingers as soon as the ball goes anywhere near Goss.  They know that if they cut off that pass, he isn't as effective.  If the other midfielders can contribute to the threat, it means their defence has more doubt about what threat to cover.

 

Jack, McCrorie and Dorrans all move the ball quickly and we need them back fit asap.  Until they do, we need to address the habits of the current players or we will struggle every time we play a Hibs or Celtic (who can take advantage of errors in the midfield), or against a lower team which is even reasonably well organised in defence.

[Frankie 8,651]

Agree with much of that mate but I'd still like to see two proper strikers deployed from the start of a game.

 

As much as we do have further attacking options in Windass, Murphy and Candeias, there's no doubt in my mind that had one of the chances that fell to the first two in the opening half-hour had fell to Cummings, he'd have scored.

 

I've nothing against a 4-2-3-1 per se; in fact I think it's our best formation, but I do think we're predictable within it sometimes as well as laboured at times also.  The diamond might allow us to break lines quicker and go direct more often when teams - such as Hibs did the other day - press us high.

 

I'd much prefer having Jack or McCrorie at the bottom tip (with Goss on the left) but needs must for now so the latter can sit deep and direct the play whilst Holt and Docherty both have the engine to get up and down the park.