match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 3 - 0 Livingston (Candeias 20', Morelos 83', Arfield 88')

[Frankie 8,665]

 

[JFK-1 1,693]

They're not so potent away from their plastic hell. In their last away game they lost away to a 10 man Hamilton and overall have scored just 12 goals in 12 games with 4 of those goals coming in a single game against league whipping boys Dundee.

The key for us as always is an early goal or two which then renders their park the bus strategy pointless. I look for us to win by at least 2 or 3 goals. 

[pete 2,499]

Yes! Yes! Yes! The international stop is over for a while and it is back to the main course serving of club football. The international stops seem to last longer and longer every time they come around. Two weeks feels like a month. I will congratulate Scotland for winning their group but to be honest I have no idea how the who;e competition is built up and no interest really to spend any time investigating it. I will say though that I had classed James Forrester as a bit of a cartoon character but he is proving even the staunchest Rangers supporters wrong, as he is a pretty good player.

 

Anyway enough of that international tasteless plate of soup and back to the five Michelin star serving of watching the Rangers. Well maybe we are only two star at the moment but it is a million times better than the slops we have been served up for the last few years. Firstly Warburton's bread and stutter pudding, which tasted the same week in and week out. It felt like one of these dishes that tastes great when it first hits the tongue but after a few servings tastes dour and stodgy. Then came Pedro Caixchinha. The British food critic Giles Coren once said ”Portuguese cooking is the worst on earth.” Well that comes across with the management skills Pedro Caixchinha showed at Ibrox. If I think what he cooked up at Ibrox then I can only come up with the Swedish chef in the Muppets. Kitchen chaos and saying words that make no sense, yes there was a very big resemblance between Pedro and the Swedish chef. Thankfully it looks like steven Steven Gerrard has us on the  à la carte menu and is not always palatable but you can see his game plan and we do seem to be getting stronger as the players get used to each other.

 

On Saturday we get a visit from Livingston. In our last game against them you could say we were black balled as their plastic pitch filled with all those black balls stopped rangers playing the technical football that we are used to seeing. They beat us 1-0 but I believe the pitch beat us more than Livingston did. They are used to playing on that surface on a daily basis and have developed their style to suit. In fact Livingston have won four games at home and drawn two while they have only won one away game and drawing two. Their only away win being against a lowly St Mirren team. I suppose you can say the draw with Hearts at Tynecastle was a good result but given Motherwell's form this season, their draw at Fir Park was a stand out for a draw on your betting slip.

 

All in all, after our 7-1 win against Motherwell, Rangers should be approaching the game with confidence. Livingston will play their normal game of sitting in and trying to get a goal from a set piece. The long throw-in is also a valuable weapon in their armoury but hopefully Rangers will play the high press and have Livingston pinned in their own half.

 

Steven Gerrard held an interview with Rangers TV and said that Ryan Kent is two weeks away from fitness and Borna Barisic may only make the bench for Saturday but should be fit for Thursday's game against Villareal at Ibrox. All other players are fit except for the two long term injured players, Graham Dorrans and Jamie Murphy. He also said that Jordon Rossiter was also fully fit but would need to fight for his place in the team. One thing the 7-1 win against Motherwell and the international stop let us see is that we do have a good player in Eros Grezda. Eros scored two goals against Motherwell and gave Callum Paterson the run around in Scotland's 4-0 win against Albania. Scotland won easily but Grezda was by far Albania's best player and looks to be gaining in fitness and confidence.

 

I think we will see a change in our defensive line-up with Connor Goldson returning and I think we may be surprised with a start for Gareth McAuley. I am a big Katic fan but he is not the player we signed and played at the start of the season. He looks to be carrying an injury or has just lost confidence. I have never been that impressed with Joe Worrel. He stands at a tall 6'4in, but jumps to about 5'10inches when trying to head a ball. We talk about some players having extendible necks but Worrel's seems to retract to James Forrester proportions.

 

I think Gerrard will stick with Middleton Morelos and Grezda in the forward positions and keep Candeias fit for the game on Thursday against Villareal. I think the team will be:

 

McGregor

 

Tavernier Goldson McAuley Halliday

 

Jack

 

Grezda Arfield Ejaria Middleton

 

Morelos

 

I doubt it will be a high scoring game to be honest as I think Livingston are too well organised in defence for that, but I will pluck for a tidy 2-0 win. I didn't think Motherwell would be a high scoring game either mind you. Anyway!

 

C,mon the Gers!!!!

 

I had written a preview before Frankie put his up. It is a shame to bin it maybe someone will enjoy the read.

[Gaffer 1,665]

Two great reads for the same game!!!  Cheers Pete ??

[Frankie 8,665]

Gallery of yesterday's training pics here (this time with added Morelos, Barisic, Kent and Grezda).

 

https://rangers.co.uk/news/galleries/livi-training-gallery/

[Frankie 8,665]

Should be more training pics up today from Willie Vass and hopefully no new injuries/knocks ahead of tomorrow.

 

Has to be said, I'm really looking forward to the game and it's great to have so many options.

[Frankie 8,665]

17 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

They're not so potent away from their plastic hell. In their last away game they lost away to a 10 man Hamilton and overall have scored just 12 goals in 12 games with 4 of those goals coming in a single game against league whipping boys Dundee.

The key for us as always is an early goal or two which then renders their park the bus strategy pointless. I look for us to win by at least 2 or 3 goals. 

They're not as good away from home but they'll offer a stiff resistance along with a threat from set pieces in particular.

 

It's important we keep the ball on the ground, move it around quickly and retain defensive discipline.  Do that and take our chances then we'll all be happy enough. 

[pete 2,499]

Looks like almost perfect conditions for playing football. 6\7 degrees and a slight wind. The sun breaking through at 3pm will heat it up a bit for the supporters as well. Unless you are a die hard union bear and want to go topless I would wrap up warm all the same.

[Frankie 8,665]

51 minutes ago, pete said:

 

Looks like almost perfect conditions for playing football. 6\7 degrees and a slight wind. The sun breaking through at 3pm will heat it up a bit for the supporters as well. Unless you are a die hard union bear and want to go topless I would wrap up warm all the same.

It will be warm in the boozer and after ten pre-match pints for us podcasters meeting up tomorrow...

 

At that point, I'll definitely be going topless.

[ian1964 10,761]

23 minutes ago, Frankie said:

It will be warm in the boozer and after ten pre-match pints for us podcasters meeting up tomorrow...

 

At that point, I'll definitely be going topless.

Aye! looking forward to it, the weather will be irrelevant ??