match thread (image) [FT] Ayr Utd 1 - 6 Rangers (Morelos 31, 72; Cummings 66; Windass 69, 81; Murphy 89)

[pete 2,499]

Just when we should have been celebrating a good win and two fantastic goals against Partick Thistle, with one finger to his lips telling the away crowd to shoosh, Josh windass changed the whole accent of post match discussion from the fantastic goals and win to his stupid gesture. If Graeme Murty is a good manager he will have given Windass a good ticking off and tell him he should have more respect to the people who pay good money to watch him come wind rain and snow and ultimately pay his wages. If Windass has any sense then he will ask to do the pre-match press conference and apologise to the supporters. Then the matter should be forgotten and entered into the realms of history and we all move on.

 

I can't let the Thistle game go by though without another mention of the two fantastic goals which were completely different but both works of arts in their own way. The first was five quick fire passes without a Thistle player getting a sniff of the ball. The move started when Foderingham gave the ball to Bates just outside the Rangers area. He took a few strides forward and then released a fantastic pass to Candeias who knocked it around the corner as they say with the outside of his foot to Cummings. Cummings took one touch and weighted a perfect pass to Candeias who had sprinted down the right wing and in turn took a first time perfect cross to Windass who had out-sprinted the Thistle defence and side-footed it into the roof of the net. If they were playing darts it would have been a nine darter. The perfect game. The perfect goal.

 

If the first goal was a Vincant van Gogh then the second was a crazy Salvador Dali. James Tavernier played a midfield 1-2 pass with Josh Windass. He received the ball a little behind him but controlled it and strode forward into the Thistle D and then rifled it into the roof of the net giving the Partick Thistle keeper totally no chance. The reason it was a Salvidor Dali is that Tavernier came from the left side of the field. Windass's pass was not great but the end result was a thing of beauty. A bit crazy like Dali's work

 

On Sunday we move on to the picturesque seaside town of Ayr to play Ayr United in the fifth round of the Scottish cup. Ayr are at this moment in a footballing dogfight with Raith Rovers to be champions in league division one. They are leading the pack by one point but Raith have a game in hand. The Honest men as they are called have a far better goal difference because of their goals for, so it would seem they are a very attacking team and know where the net is. That said they have already lost thirty goals Which is higher than three of the teams around them. That is possibly good news for Rangers as it makes them a team that is not good at defending and all the noises are that they want to go toe to toe with Rangers. Lawrence Shankland and Craig Moore have been scoring a bundle of goals for Ayr so this could be the much feared banana skin if we lose our concentration and think the game is won before we enter the field. Beating us would be a fantastic scalp for them but the chairman would probably be ecstatic to get a draw and get a replay at Ibrox giving them a fantastic financial boost.

 

Good news coming from Ibrox is that the injury problems are starting to decrease with Kenny Miller back on the bench with Bruno Alves and Ross McCrorie ready to hit the training field. Kenny Miller has not been very popular with some fans but his experience enthusiasm and work rate are second to none and does give boss Murty an added option.

 

Murty will probably keep Foderingham on the bench and play Jak Alnwick in goals. I can't see him changing the defence although he may bring Fabio Cordoso in for Russell Martin or David Bates.

Declan John went of sick on Wednesday so Lee hodson or Andy Halliday could step in to the left back position. Halliday was preffered on Wednesday so he would probably be the first choice.

 

I would imagine that Greg Docherty will get a full game so the question is who will drop out. Jason Holt or Sean Goss are not natural defensive players and both have their strong and weak points. The golden foot of Goss or the hard work of Holt. This may be a game for a hard worker rather than a slick passer so I will go with Holt on this one. I would love to see Morelos and Cummings together in a two man attack, although it would be difficult to overlook the form of josh Windass. Candeias is also in the form of his life and is a must start for me.

I think the team will be:

 

                     Alnwick

 

Tavernier Bates Cardoso Halliday

 

             Holt     Docherty

 

Candeias                         Windass

 

           Cummings     Morelos

 

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Enjoyed that Pete and agree 100% re Windass. That’s a good attacking formation of 4-2-4 or 4-4-2 depending on the game situation. Ayr will make it tough so hope the likes of Murphy, Candeias and Tavernier get good crosses in.

[der Berliner 3,744]

It will probably a mixture of hard work and quick thinking required, so the line-up above is about right. I'd give Murphy more game time though, while Cummings will probably take the role just behind Morelos. Halliday would give us a decent option in midfield too, should he slot in as left-back. For it may allow Docherty to move forward.

 

PS: Some name-spelling-checking is required ...

[DMAA 3,658]

Hopefully a full game for Docherty this time, and it would seem to be the perfect opportunity to test out a Cummings-Morelos partnership, though I'd be surprised to see it.

I'd like to see the same team you've put but Goss in for Holt and Murphy for Windass. The thinking behind that being that Docherty would make up for the loss of Holt's energy and Goss's creativity and passing could be crucial to getting the ball to Cummings and Morelos in a tricky away game. Murphy over Windass because he offers far more defensively on the left wing and arguably does in terms of creativity too. Windass doesn't really perform on the left wing.

[Germinal 27]

I like the fact that Ayr have a free scoring front duo, it feels like years since there were lower league strikers to ponder. Going way back I dimly remember Keith Wright at Raith (I think), Darren Jackson at Meadowbank, even further back Rowan Alexander used to bang 'em in for Morton and I dimly recall Andy Willock being a favourite at Clyde. I'll be interested to see what like Shankland and Moore are. I suppose the growth in interest in players from overseas closed off the route from lower leagues to big leagues for a good wee while...the way things are going, that route will be opening again, mind you. Even more reason to cast an eye over Shankland and Moore.

[stewarty 2,025]

Thanks Pete!

 

I'd be really keen to try out having a strike partnership of Cummings and Morelos too, because if they click, its potentially a springboard for the rest of the season.

 

 

 

[pete 2,499]

6 minutes ago, stewarty said:

Thanks Pete!

 

I'd be really keen to try out having a strike partnership of Cummings and Morelos too, because if they click, its potentially a springboard for the rest of the season.

 

 

 

Thanks Whosthedado.

[ian1964 10,724]

Was this the last time we played Ayr UTD? not sure!.

 

 

[der Berliner 3,744]

This will go down well with quite a few, I reckon ...

 

Quote

 

Kenny Ready For The Cup

 

KENNY Miller says he is ready to get going again after making a full recovery from the injury which has kept him out for nearly two months.

The striker tore his hamstring against Hibernian in mid-December and has been working his way back to fitness ever since.

 

 

More here: https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/kenny-ready-cup/

[compo 7,039]

Nice day for the match ,get down early and enjoy a bracing walk along the sea front before it starts