Match Thread [FT] Rangers 2 (Jack 61'; Roofe 94') - 1 Aberdeen AET

[Gonzo79 15,293]

17 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

Barišić and, arguably, Davies switch off completely.

Both were at fault for the Aberdeen goal.  Very poor defending. 

[ranger_syntax 4,321]

4 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

It's the yahoo way of focusing on an incident during our match in order to deflect from the definite penalty Kilmarnock should've had.

@PoohBear seems like a good bloke though

[onevision 1,569]

1 hour ago, Rousseau said:

McLaughlin is better, IMO. I would still prefer McLaughlin to McGregor. 

 

A sweeper-keeper is just someone who can burst off his line. There are many 'keepers that can do that. 

 

Of course, we can't afford to sign Allison; our choice will have flaws.

 

I've always argued that a sweeper-keeper would benefit this team greatly. 

 

I would love to see McCrorie get a chance.

As does Allison....although i thought McLaughlin may well have sweeped up the through ball leading to their goal.

[ascender 352]

Barisic is a bit like Morelos in that no matter how well he's been playing, you know there's going to be a costly error or a period of below-par performances just around the corner. I'd still like to see us start next season with two new fullbacks.

 

Why do we seem to have such indecision in our back line whenever the ball comes in to our box? Every single game we end up with a few scrappy games of pinball in our box where the ball could end up anywhere.

 

Re Barisic and/or McGregor, round about the 15th minute, a ball came back to Barisic's area and the pass to make 99 times out of 100 was to play it back to McGregor which he chose not to do and instead tried to play a long ball forward. I just thought that was a bit telling of where we are at the moment.

Edited January 16, 2023 by ascender

[PoohBear 1,148]

30 minutes ago, ascender said:

Barisic is a bit like Morelos in that no matter how well he's been playing, you know there's going to be a costly error or a period of below-par performances just around the corner. I'd still like to see us start next season with two new fullbacks.

 

Why do we seem to have such indecision in our back line whenever the ball comes in to our box? Every single game we end up with a few scrappy games of pinball in our box where the ball could end up anywhere.

 

Re Barisic and/or McGregor, round about the 15th minute, a ball came back to Barisic's area and the pass to make 99 times out of 100 was to play it back to McGregor which he chose not to do and instead tried to play a long ball forward. I just thought that was a bit telling of where we are at the moment.

When you look at the team in the stark light of day it's hard to see who isn't replaceable at the moment, maybe the central defence pairing, Sakala and Tillman? Our past best players are now in decline, for example Jack, Tav, Morelos, honestly we've held on to some for too long and we are paying the price for that. Even players that have plenty of skill seem to have really dipped recently, Kent being an example. I wonder if we held out for too much money for players like Kamara, Morelos and the like. Even Tav, I love the guy, but the more forward looking option would have been to try and move him on and hold on to Patterson. 
 

Of course, there are so many caveats there, teams may have had no interest in Tav. Still though, it's left us where we are now, not enough of the team have been turned over in the last few windows.

[der Berliner 3,744]

14 hours ago, CammyF said:

Was struggling to chose between the two Ryan's for MOTM - this may just have sealed it for RJ 😀

 

Sorry, but what did Kent contribute aside from running all over the pitch, wasting the few good chances when he actually did shoot? It was, by his standards, a bang-average performance with no end product again. If he plays as an attacker, roving or not, he has to contribute. One goal against the Scum, i.e. 1 in the last six games, 2 for the season, 2 assists in the last 10 games (and a mighty 7 all season) is hardly what we need.

Wright came on and within a couple of minutes set up Roofe. 

 

As in: if Kent is or was meant to be another water-carrier, fair enough. As I showed earlier in another thread, his direct involvement in goals has been seriously lacking all season, yet the likes of Wright, Matondo and even Sakala get and got it in the neck. I have no problem with his effort or now free-roving role, but we sure need someone else in that attacking slot, as we are simply lacking any goal-threat from his position and have all season.

 

[CammyF 8,083]

18 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

 

Sorry, but what did Kent contribute aside from running all over the pitch, wasting the few good chances when he actually did shoot? It was, by his standards, a bang-average performance with no end product again. If he plays as an attacker, roving or not, he has to contribute. One goal against the Scum, i.e. 1 in the last six games, 2 for the season, 2 assists in the last 10 games (and a mighty 7 all season) is hardly what we need.

Wright came on and within a couple of minutes set up Roofe. 

 

As in: if Kent is or was meant to be another water-carrier, fair enough. As I showed earlier in another thread, his direct involvement in goals has been seriously lacking all season, yet the likes of Wright, Matondo and even Sakala get and got it in the neck. I have no problem with his effort or now free-roving role, but we sure need someone else in that attacking slot, as we are simply lacking any goal-threat from his position and have all season.

 

All about opinions and mines is that Kent had a very good game, yours is he didn't. However, it's also my opinion that Kent could score a hattrick and set up another 2 goals and you'd still not be happy with his contribution.

 

Any time we looked threatening yesterday was when Kent was involved. His pass to set up the move for the 1st goal was sublime.

[Gonzo79 15,293]

I thought Kent had a good game yesterday.  Yes, his decision making in the final third wasn't always great but he was a constant threat.  

[onevision 1,569]

17 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

I thought Kent had a good game yesterday.  Yes, his decision making in the final third wasn't always great but he was a constant threat.  

and he played a cute pass in leading up to our first goal.

I think DB and others watched a different Ryan Kent.

Edited January 16, 2023 by onevision

[der Berliner 3,744]

14 minutes ago, CammyF said:

All about opinions and mines is that Kent had a very good game, yours is he didn't. However, it's also my opinion that Kent could score a hattrick and set up another 2 goals and you'd still not be happy with his contribution.

 

Any time we looked threatening yesterday was when Kent was involved. His pass to set up the move for the 1st goal was sublime.

Absolutely not. As I have said: all I want from any attacker is an end product. Our 4-2-3-1 line up demands this of our "wing-attackers", and for long spells throughout the years, those wing-attackers have failed to deliver in any meaningful way, as you can see by just checking the scorelines and player stats. Kent is woefully short here this season, so by all means, give him a roving role, but put another attacker who wants to shoot on that left attacking slot.

 

That said, since we have a dearth of strikers this season, mainly due to injury, the question would be, whom to play there? Sakala has made that right slot his own (3 goals, 3 assists and involvement in 4 more goals says it all). Lawrence would be a good choice (9 games, 3 goals, 2 assists), if not injured, Wright is more of an impact player, Matondo is so far "another Sakala" and unless he whips up similar scores as the Zambian of late, he will get it in the neck. 

 

IMHO, not least against the weaker teams, we should apply a 3-4-3 with 3 strikers up top, preferably Roofe, Colak, and Sakala. Put everyone behind them, including Kent and Tillman. Them three alone would wreak havoc inside the opposition's half and keep many of their players occupied, so others might weave their magic.