match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 0 - 2 Lyon

[alexscottislegend 2,330]

Really disappointed. Why are so many of our players taking such poor first touches - again and again?

[ian1964 10,724]

This match is typical of our season so far which is why I wasn't confident for tonight, we are still not at it. Lyon are a good team but if we were at our best I don't think we would be far away from getting a decent result tonight.

We need to find our groove soon or things will turn bad for the season ahead.

[Bill 13,717]

This is how Forfar must feel playing Rangers. 

[Frankie 8,570]

Lyon are clearly a decent side but we were our own worst enemy at times by giving the ball away far too often.

 

Biggest positives were Lundstram who I felt had a fine game (especially after dropping into the Davis role) as did Balogun who showed he can deputise for Helander.  Not much else I'm afraid with too many players looking a yard short of what's expected.

 

I think tonight also showed we rely too much on the Davis' and Kent's of this team. Now Wright is fit again and Lundstram showing up well, time we freshened up the recognised XI and become a bit less predictable. Do that and we may find the missing spark of last season.

[Ieatbats 49]

Disappointing but not unexpected, we are not firing on all cylinders and lack the finishing touch, it's a small set back but we still have a lot to play for in the competition 

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,752]

Feel like I've watched this game several times before. Leverkusen, Slavia, Malmo...very disappointing indeed ☹

[ian1964 10,724]

Balogun was my MOTM.

[der Berliner 3,749]

First off, if that ref is international standard, so too is Collum. He was buying any shit from the Lyon chaps. Speaking of the latter, they had some decent spells but where hardly that great either. At the end of the day, a Sunday-afternoon-goal as we say over here and a mighty scramble in our goal-area gave them the goals that counted, but chances-wise we should have been in that game too.

 

Kent ... well, that`s two goals he essentially gave away, first loosing the ball, then working back well but instead of clearing it, looked up and the ball was away in the danger-zone. When you see Wright instead of him, it makes you wonder why it needs an injury that means Kent is benched for a while and others are given a chance?!

 

He and Aribo were also guilty of holding onto the ball when an opposing player was next to him, only to learn that this is international level, and in case of Lyon, de-facto CL-level ... not the Premiership. Likewise, as has been said, too many stray passes that ended up short (maybe the weather, since the Lyon guys weren`t any much better). Lundstram came into the game as Davis dropped out, I assume a few more of these games and he will come good in Europe too. Our wingbacks did okay, as did our centre-halfs. 

 

The crux of the matter remains that having Aribo and Kent alongside a single striker, not least when the two drop deep or into a variety of positions, make us a blunt weapon up front. It should be Morelos, Roofe and Wright or Sakala up front, and the rest can work behind that. People that drive at goal at every opportunity and shoot if there is a slight option. Aribo and Kent far too often look for a pass too many before actually taking a shot ... and truth be told, while both can hit the odd cool strike, the strike-rate is not that great.

 

As such, the game should have been different, given how average Lyon has shown up. As I noted on the German board: if CL quality means such play-acting along with the odd bit of brilliance, I wonder whether it is better to stay in the Premiership.

Edited September 16, 2021 by der Berliner

[Ted McMinnime 356]

6 minutes ago, Frankie said:

Lyon are clearly a decent side but we were our own worst enemy at times by giving the ball away far too often.

 

Biggest positives were Lundstram who I felt had a fine game (especially after dropping into the Davis role) as did Balogun who showed he can deputise for Helander.  Not much else I'm afraid with too many players looking a yard short of what's expected.

 

I think tonight also showed we rely too much on the Davis' and Kent's of this team. Now Wright is fit again and Lundstram showing up well, time we freshened up the recognised XI and become a bit less predictable. Do that and we may find the missing spark of last season.

Can't disagree too much with that. Balagon our best player on the night,and Lundstram showed up well. Unfortunately we failed to impose ourselves in midfield and no surprise Davis & Aribo were withdrawn. Neither really imposed themselves. Just can't help feeling we really miss Ryan Jack on these big Euro nights. Lyon are a class act, however, we rarely laid a glove on them which is disappointing .

[alexscottislegend 2,330]

2 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

First off, if that ref is international standard, so too is Collum. He was buying any shit from the Lyon chaps. Speaking of the latter, that had some decent spells but where hardly that great either. At the end of the day, a Sunday-afternoon-goal as we say on here and a mighty scramble in our goal gave them the goals that counted, but chances-wise we should have been in that game too.

 

Kent ... well, that`s two goals he essentially gave away, first loosong the ball, then working back well but instead of clearing it, looked up and the ball was away in the danger-zone. When you see Wright instead of him, it makes you wonder why it needs an injury rthat Kent is benched for a while and others are given a chance?!

 

He and Aribo were also guilty of holding onto the ball when an opposing player was next to ghim, only to learn that this is international level, and in case of Lyon, de-facto CL-level ... not the Premiership. Likewise, as has been said, too many stray passes that ended up short (maybe the weather, since the Lyon guys weren`t any much better). Lundstram came into the game as Davis dropped out, I assume a few more of these games and he will come good in Europe too. Our wingbacks did okay, as did our centre-halfs. 

 

The crux of the matter remains that having Aribo and Kent alongside a single striker, not least when the latter drop deep or into a variety of positions, make us a blunt weapon up front. It should be Morelos, Roofe and Wright or Sakala up front, and the rest can work behind that. People that drive at goal at every opportunity and shoot if there is a slight option. Aribo and Kent far too often look for a pass tpp many before actually taking a shot ... and truth be told, while both can hit the odd cool strike, the strike-rate is not that great.

 

As such, the game should have been different, given how average Lyon has shown up. As I noted on the German board: if CL quality means such play-acting along with the odd bit of brilliance, I wonder whether it is better to stay in the Premiership.

Agree with most of what you say, except that I think Lyon are a top-drawer team. Denayer certainly conned the ref in a 'collision' with Wright.