match thread (image) [FT] Kilmarnock 0 - 1 Rangers (Tavernier 19 pen)

[ian1964 10,761]

 

[blueflag 386]

2 minutes ago, BlackSocksRedTops said:

Not to look too far ahead but are they not away to Hibs after that? 

They should have a harder 2nd round run of matches, we played more away matches in 1st round of games. 

[compo 7,184]

Dire performance but three points in the bag and at the day's end points make prizes , dont understand why we were not firing in shots on their goal on that plastic pitch instead of fannying about trying to pass it in .

Must do better a lot better .

[26th of foot 6,114]

All's well that ends well?

 

I don't know, the second half was excruciating. We cut them open three or four times and did not capitalise. The number of opportunities not taken at Rugby Park by Rangers in these last three seasons is approaching the ridiculous. Further, there is something about that surface that drains the energy out of Rangers players, the hour mark arrived and we miss tackles, headers, interventions, ..... etc and simultaneously begin to give away free kicks, corners, deep throw-ins, ..... etc.

 

I find the current SPFL Premiership table soothing. 

[blueflag 386]

2 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Aribo is still coming back from injury, so I wonder if it was always the plan to take him off. We can't argue with that.  

 

Bringing Balogun on was negative, I suppose, but the irony is we did better when he did, both in terms of blocking the centre and it opened up the break with Kent and Itten playing up front. 

 

I though Itten did well; nothing sparkling, but he worked really hard for the team. 

I think Stevie was even a bit nervous, hence him bringing on Balogun. I guess, it is what it is, it got us through to the end.

Was bit shocking we were having to double up on Kirk Broadfoot playing centre forward for last 10 mins.

[Rousseau 10,806]

Their front two pressed more second half. 

 

We didn't peg them back with long balls as we did in the first half, to etch out a space to play, so it got really scrappy and congested. 

 

Arfield was deeper second half too, which gave us fewer targets to hit. 

 

I think we were maybe looking to move towards a counter-attacking gameplan. Somewhat risky and negative, but we've not done well on that pitch so you can understand us being a tad conservative. 

 

If we had been as aggressive as we were at the start, we could have blitzed them, but in reality we didn't take advantage and actually created more when we went more counter-attacking. As someone said, if Kent has his shooting boots on, we grab a couple of goals second half. 

 

Perhaps we were banking on blitzing them early on?

 

It's a bit of a knife-edge. 

 

We have to be pleased that we've seen it out. 

[Rousseau 10,806]

3 minutes ago, blueflag said:

I think Stevie was even a bit nervous, hence him bringing on Balogun. I guess, it is what it is, it got us through to the end.

Was bit shocking we were having to double up on Kirk Broadfoot playing centre forward for last 10 mins.

Why not, if it keeps the clean sheet?

[der Berliner 3,798]

1 minute ago, compo said:

Dire performance but three points in the bag and at the day's end points make prizes , dont understand why we were not firing in shots on their goal on that plastic pitch instead of fannying about trying to pass it in .

Must do better a lot better .

I would say the Livingston performance was dire. Today we controlled the game for long spells, playing some decent stuff and allowed Killie next to nothing. We could and should have score 3 or 4 more, but more essentially, we held firm when Killie smelled a point. If anything, I was surprised with Davis coming on for Aribo, as the former gave 2 freekicks away quickly and wouldn't be my first call on a day and surface like this. Overall, no game you will remember for long (unless you like big wolf tattoos on a player's back), but it will linger longer than others.

[CammyF 8,369]

Played 13 league games and conceded 3 goals having visited Parkhead, Pittodrie, Fir Park, Rugby Park, Tony Macaroni & Hamilton. As well as playing Sunday, Thursday, Sunday. 

 

We are unbeaten in all competitions, through to and playing well in the Europa League group stages conceding only 1 goal in the process (banking circa £5M in the thus far ).

 

Sometimes we as fans need to take a step back and a deep breath and look at the season as a whole rather than the last hour of football played. 

 

We look different mentally this season, we have tweaked our system and it may have taken a little something away from our flare players, however, I am more than happy at where we are at the moment both domestically and in Europe.

Edited November 1, 2020 by CammyF

[Whosthedado 1,702]

Delighted with that. Hate playing Killie and it was good to see Dicker and Power moaning like mad at the end. Long overdue win at Rugby Park