match thread (image) Rangers 4 - 0 Dundee (Kamara 4; Tavernier 8; Morelos 23; Defoe 89)

[pete 2,499]

On Wednesday evening Rangers get a visit from Dundee to the hallowed turf of Ibrox. After a toothless 0-0 draw with St Johnstone on the 16^th of February, Rangers have bounced back against Kilmarnock and Hamilton marking up both games with 5-0 wins. I know our detractors will say that Kilmarnock only had 10 men for a large part of the game and Hamilton are a pretty rubbish team but the big talking point for me was the difference in the hunger, intensity and play style from all three games. Against St Johnstone we were lethargic from the beginning passing slowly backwards or to the side with nobody willing to take the game by the scruff of the neck and try and break the game open. Steven Gerrard said himself that sometimes Rangers players think they can just turn up to win the points. Against St Johnstone it was just like we were out for a Sunday stroll in the park and only the ball bouncing onto the crossbar and not into the net saved us from losing three points instead of two.

 

Against Kilmarnock at Ibrox it was a different Rangers that turned up. We were fresh and crisp. The sending off of their keeper Bachmann didn't help Killie's cause but lets not detract from the Rangers win Rangers pressed high and were all over Killie like a rash even when they played with eleven men. Then there was the El Buffalo. Although he was serving a three game suspension he was available for this Scottish cup game. And what a game he had. He scored four goals and could even of had a few more.

 

When we took to the field against Hamilton it was written almost everywhere that Rangers were a one man team and without Morelos we would struggle to score. The Gers again came out with the high press and Hamilton just couldn't handle the movement and technical ability of Rangers. All of a sudden we have another five goal win and all goals coming from five different players including Kyle Lafferty who hadn't scored since September. In my opinion one of the reasons for this turn around is the introduction of Glen Kamara in the defensive midfield role. Kamara is great at winning the ball back and keeping the ball retention going with rangers having sixty-six precent of the play. He also always passes the ball forward at speed which does not allow the opposing team to fall back into their normal bank of four defenders and five midfielders guarding the box. Ryan Jack also seems to relish playing in a slightly more advanced midfield role and is even starting to add goals to his arsenal.

 

Against Dundee we need the sharp Rangers team to turn up again . With Celtic being eight points clear there is no room for the lacklustre Rangers to show up. If we want to give Celtic a run for their money then we need to go on a winning run right up to the end of the season. We may have been given a boost with the resignation of Brendon Rogers if it has a negative influence on the  Celtic team, but if Rangers don't win our own games then frankly it does not matter what they do over at Tin City. We know Dundee will set up to frustrate Rangers in a nine man defensive line-up probably with our old friend Kenny Miller leading the Dundee line as a lone striker. Give Miller a half a chance and McGregor will be picking the ball out of the net.

 

Gerrard made it clear at the press-conference that Andy Halliday has a tight groin and he will probably rest him for this match.Halliday has been showing fine form of late and is giving Steven Gerrard a problem whether to play him or Barisic in the left-back position. Halliday may be less technical but he is certainly ahead in the goal and assists table at the moment.  Personally I doubt there will be many other changes except of course Morelos will replace Jermain Defoe.

That will make the team:

 

McGregor

Tavernier Goldson Worrall Barisic

Kamara

Candeias Arfield Jack Kent

Morelos

 

Rangers have a score to settle against Dundee as we drew 1-1 with them at Dens Park in December despite Dundee playing 70 minutes with ten men. That day the Lacklustre Rangers team turned up and games like that are the reason we are eight points behind Celtic. The form and hunger of the last few games has to be a rich vein of form and not a flash in the pan. One of the most said phrases this season is we are looking for a reaction from the players after dropping points. We should not need to be looking for a reaction we should be turning out consistently good performances. This team are at times unplayable, as they were even for Celtic, but passing the ball slowly around the team letting Dundee get their defensive block set up will look great on the possession statistics, but will slam the door of the trophy room firmly shut. Every game is now last chance saloon.

 

C'mon the Gers!!!!

[Uilleam 5,941]

Saloon, surely. You don't want this place looking like a Cardinal Pell's XI fan board.

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,752]

Only 10 in the team matey. I think you missed Arfield? Good preview ?

[Scott7 6,010]

Five more for us and a despondent celtic thrashed in Gorgie with the returned ayatollah sent to the stand for crowd abuse.

 

Form over the past three seasons, however, suggests 0-1 at Ibrox and 0-3 at Tynecastle. Please God, let me be wrong.

[Uilleam 5,941]

Will the Lurgan Bigot and Victim actually be on the job tonight? He got the post sometime yesterday, and I would have thought at least 48 hours thereafter to dry him out and give him a semblance of presentability would be necessary.

[pete 2,499]

30 minutes ago, Uilleam said:

Saloon, surely. You don't want this place looking like a Cardinal Pell's XI fan board.

Had it right in the post was just too early with the double  touch for the o and then didn't check. Thanks

[DMAA 3,658]

I think you've got the team right. I'm still unsure about the 4-5-1 vs the 4-4-2 with Defoe stepping in but that's not going to change after two 5-0 wins. However I definitely think Kamara has made the 4-5-1 a much better option because he's a much better possession player than Coulibaly and McCrorie which is so important.

 

 

 

 

[DMAA 3,658]

Since taking points off us they've haven't won at Dens with a draw to QoS (lost 3-0 to them a week later), 1-0 loss to Motherwell and 4-2 loss to Hibs.

 

Scraping through tonight isn't enough, we need to win comfortably and send a message to Celtic and Lennon that we're breathing down their necks and from here on in we are on league winning form.

[buster. 5,198]

7 minutes ago, DMAA said:

I think you've got the team right. I'm still unsure about the 4-5-1 vs the 4-4-2 with Defoe stepping in but that's not going to change after two 5-0 wins. However I definitely think Kamara has made the 4-5-1 a much better option because he's a much better possession player than Coulibaly and McCrorie which is so important.

You wonder if SG might take into account the weekend Cup-tie at Aberdeen and make a change or two.

 

----------------

 

Meaningless aside

The last 10 competitive games have seen us score in pairs.

 

The chronological order....1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 0,0, 5, 5

 

Will the next two be... 2, 2... ?

 

 

[DMAA 3,658]

3 minutes ago, buster. said:

You wonder if SG might take into account the weekend Cup-tie at Aberdeen and make a change or two.

Not if he sees it as weakening the side in any way