match thread (image) [FT] Kilmarnock 1 - 2 Rangers (Arfield 16; Goldson 90+1)

[RANGERRAB 3,742]

There are obvious concerns about today’s performance but I do think Killie’s new plastic pitch needs to be taken into account.

If anything this one looks worse than the previous one. Seems to slow the game down.

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by RANGERRAB

[ian1964 10,761]

 

[ian1964 10,761]

 

[Gonzo79 15,299]

He seems quite content with that performance, which is worrying.

[der Berliner 3,808]

34 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

Tav looks nowhere near as effective going forward without Candeias.

That was to be expected. What I did not expect was Ojo not keeping his slot in front of Tav, so he had hardly anyone to play with, unless Arfield was there. 

 

We should perhaps take a step back and look at the full game though. Killie hardly got out of their own half, sometimes their own penalty area in the first half. That is where we should have put the game to bed and - again - did not. I was hoping for Stewart and Jones in such games for a reason. They know the place, the opposition and how to play against this. It is fine to test and trial the newbies here (and it has to be done), but we and they got away with a bloody eye. Some should have been hooked earlier. There will be more similar performances in the weeks ahead, for the opposition knows how to dig in. What we need is 3 pointers out of those games, no matter how we play. 

[Big Jaws 570]

That was tough to watch today but after 20 minutes I thought my pre-game prediction of being too good and strong for Kilmarnock was looking very likely with some good play and moving them around in defence.

 

However something is definitely not right with this teams mentality. In that first 20 Kilmarnock couldn't get near us, we score a well worked goal from a set play, and then the complacency crept in starting from the back with Goldson, Tav and Barisic in particular slowing the game right down with square balls across the middle and the back line, the runners stop running and the game continues more or less at walking pace. It then spreads through the team and continued into the second half. Aribo is playing far too deep, Davis passing not particularly effective today and Arfield is a good week behind the team in terms of fitness, Movement and sharpness. Morelos scrapped and tried for anything that came near him but the service up to him was absolutely abysmal to be honest. Ojo has continued in the look good doing nothing category. There was a marked difference in urgency when Jones and Stewart came on for Arfield and Ojo late in the game. Ryan Jack was by far our best player on the park today and he had to be too and he put in an unbelievable amount of work particularly in the second half because Ojo doesn't offer Tav any protection not that Tav played particularly well today but without the cover of a hard working wide man Tav is really struggling. I don't know if this is a tactical move, bringing Jack back there to cover for Tav by the management team or not, but its certainly not working for me. it removes his industry in midfield going towards the opposition box and masks that we're having to carry a fairly lazy player in Ojo.

Edited August 4, 2019 by Big Jaws

[the gunslinger 3,366]

1 hour ago, pete said:

Arfield has been poor the last few games and as I said on post 1 Docherty was a better option. Alfie gave their defence a hell of a time but he unfortunately switched off at their goal and let OÇonner walk away from him. Tav has also been very poor this season. Goldson had his usual bomb-scare moments but I suppose his goal forgives him.  The game passed Ojo pretty much by but I thought Aribo was good and is a fantastic find for the price.

• 12

as prett

I would say katic provided the scares today. Some of his clearances were properly frightening

[Dragonfly Trumpeter 50]

Early days, plastic pitch and against a very settled team who have been very effective at home for the last 18 months as results against every team proves.

 

2 important issues today - we got the 3 points and nobody landed on FS's head. So a decent day and I will save the huge negativity for later.

[compo 7,217]

Look on the bright side  we didn't play well , but won .

And so much for killie's ticketing policy look like the east ayrshire fans decided to give the game a miss 

Edited August 4, 2019 by compo

[Frankie 8,663]

26 minutes ago, the gunslinger said:

I would say katic provided the scares today. Some of his clearances were properly frightening

Goldson was certainly the better of the four defenders today but we leaned far too much on him for passing when Davis and Aribo should have been doing much more.