match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 1 (Katic 53) - 1 Osijek

[JFK-1 1,693]

 

[compo 7,059]

A wins a win and we move on to the next round but some of our defending still leaves a lot to be desired Tav  might be decent bombing forward but a mediocre defender. 

[JFK-1 1,693]

When Osijek got on the ball it could be seen that they are a very useful side indeed yet we were well capable of negating them the vast majority of the time. The midfield looks incomparably more solid than last season winning most balls.

 

We even have defence splitting 50 yard passes coming out from our own back line which put Morelos in for a shot and behind that defence McGregor looks like an iron curtain. This team can only get better with familiarity and that's even before we bring in as yet untested new additions.

 

Sunday will be illuminating but even if we win I don't know if winning at the sheep pen demonstrates any progress because we were doing that last season. Maybe if it were an awesome display and a crushing win.     

[Gonzo79 15,294]

I wouldn't be expecting many crushing wins this season.  Especially against a side that a top 8 EPL side couldn't beat over 90 mins.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

4 hours ago, compo said:

A wins a win and we move on to the next round but some of our defending still leaves a lot to be desired Tav  might be decent bombing forward but a mediocre defender. 

Really? It's the other end of the park I'm concerned about. We now have a good keeper and a solid CB partnership. In attack we're still really poor. 

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

1 hour ago, Gonzo79 said:

I wouldn't be expecting many crushing wins this season.  Especially against a side that a top 8 EPL side couldn't beat over 90 mins.

I'm not sure I would read anything into that. Aberdeen are still pish and Burnley are a mediocre side, regardless of last year's EPL position. If Aberdeen played any half decent foreign side last night, they would have been dealt with swiftly. 

[Rousseau 10,664]

I thought our 8s (Coulibaly and Ejaria) were terrific last night. Their positioning was excellent, they covered the wide areas, covered for each other, blocked off the centre and occupied the half-space going forward which provided passing options. 

 

Ejaria is raw, and made several mistakes. Too often he wanted the flair pass -- although I don't think they were wrong, they were just perhaps unlikely to come off -- and can get caught in possession in deep areas. If he can cut out the latter, and be a little more conservative in the former, he'll be a very good player for us this season. 

 

Coulibaly was a little complacent at times too, but he did the 'destroyer' role well. 

 

There were perhaps better individual performances last night, but I'm mostly pleased with the 8s. They are key in the 4-3-3, and have been missing in the other times we played it last season. It's a unique position; they are not DMs and they are not #10s. I think they will be key going forward. 

[buster. 5,208]

1 minute ago, Rousseau said:

I thought our 8s (Coulibaly and Ejaria) were terrific last night. Their positioning was excellent, they covered the wide areas, covered for each other, blocked off the centre and occupied the half-space going forward which provided passing options. 

 

Ejaria is raw, and made several mistakes. Too often he wanted the flair pass -- although I don't think they were wrong, they were just perhaps unlikely to come off -- and can get caught in possession in deep areas. If he can cut out the latter, and be a little more conservative in the former, he'll be a very good player for us this season. 

 

Coulibaly was a little complacent at times too, but he did the 'destroyer' role well. 

 

There were perhaps better individual performances last night, but I'm mostly pleased with the 8s. They are key in the 4-3-3, and have been missing in the other times we played it last season. It's a unique position; they are not DMs and they are not #10s. I think they will be key going forward. 

I think Coulibaly and Jack together will be perfect for the SPFL....... I might be wrong but I don't think Ejaria is.

 

Obviously, he needs to be given a chance but I doubt he'll end up with his 70% of gamtime forthe seaon.

 

I thought Arfield looked like he's well up for the challenge and will do a job though.

[Rousseau 10,664]

10 minutes ago, buster. said:

I think Coulibaly and Jack together will be perfect for the SPFL....... I might be wrong but I don't think Ejaria is.

 

Obviously, he needs to be given a chance but I doubt he'll end up with his 70% of gamtime forthe seaon.

 

I thought Arfield looked like he's well up for the challenge and will do a job though.

Although I disagree and that Ejaria will play quite often -- not as much as Arfield, as I think he'll be preferred --, it was mostly the positions that I was pleased with.

 

The two 8s are key in this formation. We've not had a proper 4-3-3 for a while. 

[Frankie 8,581]

Ejaria is going to be an engima.

 

He's mobile, can moves the ball well and has quick feet.  However, he's also slow to press at times, often picks the wrong pass and his first touch is dodgy.

 

If he can iron out the faults then he could be some player but I do wonder how patient the manager will be with him.

 

Our attacking faults were summed in a few secs late on when we pressed well to win possession back and hit Osijek on the break: Ejaria overhit what was a trickier pass to Morelos when an easier through ball onto Arfield was arguably the correct pass.  Morelos then took the wrong option by shooting from an unlikely angle on his weaker foot.  That should have been our second goal and game over but instead we baulked at what was a fantastic chance.