match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 2 - 0 Progrès (Aribo 20; Ojo 53)

[Gaffer 1,665]

35 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

I was feeling like that until this week.  The two performances against Blackburn and Progres have me concerned that we still have the same flaws as last season - a lack of cutting edge which leaves us unable to finish teams off.

It's  the same outcome (i.e. we don't finish teams off), but it's a very different issue.  As I said, we are creating the chances now and that's shown by the stats.  We just can't finish them.  Either way you're right that we need to improve but it's a much easier problem to solve than the one from last year.

[der Berliner 3,744]

Things to keep in mind ...

 

- This was essentially our 3rd competitive game of the season and it showed that we are anything but deep into pre-season. There was a certain lack of understanding between players, but quite a few haven`t played aside one another before (or not that long), some may actually have to find their feet in front of 40odd thousand people and at a club like Rangers. The weight of the jersey - despite all the talk - can be quite heavy. Not least if you have played for far lesser clubs before. Take that and add ...

 

- Age. Edmundson and Aribo are 21 and 23 (birthday earlier this week), Ojo 22. While we can demand whatever we want, we need to give these guys some time before we compare them to full-grown veterans like Tavernier, Arfield or Defoe. So far, all of them have shown up rather admirably, have they not?

 

- We have clearly given various players time to play with different / returning chaps, yesterday`s line-up looked to me like handing more pre-season game-time to Arfield and more time to hand Ojo and Ariob some more experience in front of an Ibrox Stadium packed with anticipation.

 

... and while we sure did not click as many of us want us too - me included - we would have buried that lot by 5 or more on any other day. It sure ain`t black & white but when you look for colours, I would suggest that the brighter tones would sure be more appropriate.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

1 hour ago, Tannochsidebear said:

I thought Edmundson had a really good first half but he definitely has mistakes in him, as you would expect coming from the level of football he has been used to, and is one for the future, but not this season IMO.

Thank goodness you saw that TB! I’m sitting reading all these comments wondering if someone had spiked my £3 juice from the kiosk? How he got MOTM astonished me, he has a mistake definitely and imo Goldson does not fancy playing beside him.

[DMAA 3,658]

19 minutes ago, cooponthewing said:

Thank goodness you saw that TB! I’m sitting reading all these comments wondering if someone had spiked my £3 juice from the kiosk? How he got MOTM astonished me, he has a mistake definitely and imo Goldson does not fancy playing beside him.

Edmundson's distribution is streets ahead of anything we've seen from a centre back in a long time in my opinion. That is what has really impressed people so far. We've gone from endless sideways passes from guys like Worrall and Katic to this guy pinging them with ease, switching the play really fast and stretching the opposition with pinpoint 30 yard passes. Gerrard wanted urgency last night and I think he really likes this side of Edmundson's game.

 

With regards to his errors, from memory at least a couple of them looked like just complacency due to the low level of opposition, but even then he recovered very impressively with pretty astonishing pace for a centre back.

 

At this stage it is impossible to judge whether these errors will be a problem in more serious games where you would be far more careful and disciplined, but I don't think so and agree with @Gaffer that we may have just struck gold on this one. Don't forget he's English so we can apply the English player surcharge when we sell ?

[pete 2,499]

I have totally no idea why some don't see the bomb-scare that Goldson is. Katic saved his backside often last season until Worrel was brought in. He couldn't save himself never mind Goldson as well. I guess we will just have to admit we all see things differently. Edmundson did make a few mistakes but mostly sorted it himself. A McGregor save saved his skin though. He was not MOTM but had a reasonable game.

Lets also not forget a goalkeeper is part of the team and has a job to do as everyone else. When he makes a save he is doing his job as he is trained to do it is not luck it is skill.

[DMAA 3,658]

1 minute ago, pete said:

Katic saved his backside often last season until Worrel was brought in. He couldn't save himself never mind Goldson as well

I remember a European game last season when I felt Worrall bailed out Goldson repeatedly but I can't remember which one it was. Goldson was a wee bit lucky last season because he definitely had a few howlers which didn't lead to goals due to poor finishing from the opposition. People only remember them when they lead to goals. 

[pete 2,499]

1 minute ago, DMAA said:

I remember a European game last season when I felt Worrall bailed out Goldson repeatedly but I can't remember which one it was. Goldson was a wee bit lucky last season because he definitely had a few howlers which didn't lead to goals due to poor finishing from the opposition. People only remember them when they lead to goals. 

My memory is not great but if I remember Worrel was monumental in the game we went down to 9  men. I think it was UFA(?)

[DMAA 3,658]

Going back to Edmundson, when I saw his pace last night I thought he could be the ideal Rangers centre back because of the high line we play. The majority of the goals we lose are counter attacks so pace is a far more important attribute for a Rangers centre back to have than it is for other clubs. 

[rbr 1,256]

Edmundson was terrific last night , as stated earlier , his pace and his distribution are a major asset , these mistakes that are getting highlighted , when you watch the game back , they are due in no small measure to midfielders losing the ball in bad areas , some need to chill , 3 competitive games we have played bedding in up to 6 new players , this is a record in moaning even for our standards .

 

And yes I include myself in this for my wee rant about Ojo last night , I’m as guilty as anyone .

[Tannochsidebear 2,407]

1 hour ago, cooponthewing said:

Thank goodness you saw that TB! I’m sitting reading all these comments wondering if someone had spiked my £3 juice from the kiosk? How he got MOTM astonished me, he has a mistake definitely and imo Goldson does not fancy playing beside him.

At least you got a £3 juice. The hottest day of the year and the drinks machine in the Copland rear packs in before half time, leaving a lot of thirsty unhappy Bears at half time, myself included!