match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 7 - 1 Motherwell (Arfield 8', 61', Tavernier 35' pen, Morelos 38', Middleton 59', Grezda 68', 75')

[DMAA 3,742]

1 hour ago, Frankie said:

He was poor for the first 30mins or so but you could see he was growing into the game and the goal he scored will do wonders for his confidence.  

 

He's actually not dissimilar to Jamie Murphy so he will bring that same extra dimension to our play.

It’s strange because it was the same against St Mirren. He was poor for most of that game but came closer than anyone to scoring with a great shot just before coming off. He looked like he’d finally got into it. The same yesterday, from about 55 minutes onwards he looked a totally different player. 

[JFK-1 1,694]

SG saying in an interview that Grezda is effectively just out of pre season and that he will get a lot better.

[pete 2,511]

1 hour ago, JFK-1 said:

SG saying in an interview that Grezda is effectively just out of pre season and that he will get a lot better.

I said that on last weeks podcast. Unfortunately nobody heard it.

[JFK-1 1,694]

2 hours ago, pete said:

I said that on last weeks podcast. Unfortunately nobody heard it.

Seems SG did. ?

[buster. 5,543]

11 hours ago, Frankie said:

I don't understand why someone is either 100% crap or 100% brilliant in the eyes of some fans.

 

For me, Goldson has been our best centre half by some distance (anyone who thought he was off form recently clearly didn't watch the Killie game) and it's just a case of finding his best partner.  In that sense, Katic has been hard done by in losing his place but injury has played its part there.  Worrall seems inconsistent - just as he starts playing better, he's starts to looks ropey (again the Killie game) but generally I think he's useful to have.  Then, yesterday we see McAuley make his defensive debut (let's not count a corner in Russia) and he strolls through the game looking very impressive (albeit against ten men).

 

All things considered, I think we're quite lucky to have four good centre halves and it's up to the manager to pick the correct two and, for me, stick by them.  However given the sheer number of games coming up, all four will play their part.

I'd agree but we need to start defending/organising better and chalking up some clean sheets.

 

In domestic football, we've only managed clean sheets against the two at the bottom,  St.Mirren (x2) and Dundee...as well as Championship Ayr Utd. That's why we've needed to score 32 goals to gather 24 points.

[buster. 5,543]

Scoring 32 goals in 12 league games is notable and I think you'll have to go a far way back into the archives to find when we scored more in the top flight.

 

It's certainly notable for a team with creative issues middle to front (the managers observation from Shkupi onwards).

 

If you add 7 League Cup goals, then it's a total of 39 in 15 at an average of 2.6 per match or one every 35 minutes.

 

So where is the problem ?

It's in big games and against organised defences.

 

In the domestic games where we have failed to score (lost them all 0-1, Celtic/Livingston/Aberdeen) we have played 270 minutes without even looking like scoring. Each of those three defeats have come in different blocks of matches (between International breaks) or in other words, we had not come up with answers, although tbf we were without Morelos & Lafferty in the 3rd of those 3.

 

Looking at yesterday, do Middleton and/or Grezda look like being an answer ?

 

On the little I have seen, set-piece delivery from Middleton has certainly made a difference. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by buster.

[compo 7,773]

These international breaks are a pain in the neck 

[cooponthewing 1,139]

39 minutes ago, buster. said:

On the little I have seen, set-piece delivery from Middleton has certainly made a difference. 

Aye buster I noticed this in the first half on Saturday. Fantastic delivery from Middleton regularly.

[buster. 5,543]

9 minutes ago, cooponthewing said:

Aye buster I noticed this in the first half on Saturday. Fantastic delivery from Middleton regularly.

First goal against Spartak as well.

 

When you look at some of the goals we've conceded and our defence has been slated, not much is said about an often excellent delivery. It's a hugely important part of football.

[Frankie 8,867]

Middleton and Halliday's set pieces have offered some difference from Tav's norm.

 

Generally I'd like to see us have a bit more imagination from them but two goals from corners the other day isn't bad going.