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

[der Berliner 3,744]

6 minutes ago, onevision said:

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

I think DB and others watched a different Ryan Kent.

I can still spot that No. 14, pointless step-overs, and eyes at the referee when he doesn't give a foul for said No. 14 with closed eyes and despite my age ... 😜

[Frankie 8,562]

Glad to see Ryan Jack starting to show up well in games with his general and match fitness improving with more minutes. Lundstram was below average at times yesterday whilst Kamara was again very poor. We knew central midfield was a priority so hoping see reinforcements imminently.

 

Struggling to explain what has happened to Kamara. Post Euro 2020(21) he has gradually regressed and is a pale shadow of the player we seen during the 55 season. Not alone in that obviously but his worsening contribution a real puzzle. Has gone from Mr Reliable to a liability.

 

All things considered, progress has been reasonable under Beale over the last six weeks and more injured players returning will help too. However, it remains obvious we lack quality in the squad so new signings essential asap. As is removing the 'anxiety' which remains an issue and really needs to be addressed.

 

This Rangers team are frustrating in that for periods you can see real quality in our play but we remain vulnerable on the transition which is an issue when we often give up possession far too cheaply. Various players coughed up the ball too easily yesterday, a few knocked five yard passes directly out of play and I thought our defensive clearances/headers were laughable at times which happens far too often.

 

We deserved to win yesterday but it's clear much improvement is required.

[Bill 13,717]

2 hours 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.

Kent played well yesterday. Any opinion to the contrary is absurd.

[onevision 1,569]

Was i alone in screaming at Wright, rather than take the ball to the corner flag with 30secs to go, decided it was best to try and cut inside and lose the ball?

Edited January 16, 2023 by onevision

[craig 5,199]

4 hours 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.

 

Uh oh.  We are back in "Kent did nothing" territory are we ?

 

Kent was one of our 2 or 3 best performers yesterday - indeed, he had a very valid shout for Man of the Match.  He was constantly at it, looking to cause them problems, use his pace, be direct.  McCrorie struggled to handle him for most of the game yesterday.

 

"If he plays as an attacker he has to contribute" - he does, you just either don't, or refuse, to see it.  At one point yesterday he nutmegged McCrorie, continued his run and then had Kennedy on him as quick as a flash.  Contributions are as much these days about OFF the ball as they are about ON the ball - and Ryan Kent does an inordinate amount of unselfish running off the ball.  With his runs, often to not receive the ball, he is pulling players away from spaces for others to exploit.  Kent is very, very good at this and opponents fear him so it creates much space for others.

 

You talk about direct involvement in goals... but that doesnt tell a full story.  Kent may never get a touch on a ball and, ergo, isnt directly involved in a goal.... but his unselfish running down the line, offering himself up even as a decoy and pulling players away to create space for others very much is an involvement in a goal.

 

Kent is more often than not at least double marked and this, in itself, is involvement because it means there is space for others elsewhere to exploit.  The fact they don't exploit it often enough isnt Kent's fault.

 

But Kent had a very good game yesterday.

[craig 5,199]

1 hour ago, onevision said:

Was i alone in screaming at Wright, rather than take the ball to the corner flag with 30secs to go, decided it was best to try and cut inside and lose the ball?

Aye, me too.  But in fairness I thought he was very bright when he came on

[Bill 13,717]

1 hour ago, craig said:

Uh oh.  We are back in "Kent did nothing" territory are we ?

 

Kent was one of our 2 or 3 best performers yesterday - indeed, he had a very valid shout for Man of the Match.  He was constantly at it, looking to cause them problems, use his pace, be direct.  McCrorie struggled to handle him for most of the game yesterday.

 

"If he plays as an attacker he has to contribute" - he does, you just either don't, or refuse, to see it.  At one point yesterday he nutmegged McCrorie, continued his run and then had Kennedy on him as quick as a flash.  Contributions are as much these days about OFF the ball as they are about ON the ball - and Ryan Kent does an inordinate amount of unselfish running off the ball.  With his runs, often to not receive the ball, he is pulling players away from spaces for others to exploit.  Kent is very, very good at this and opponents fear him so it creates much space for others.

 

You talk about direct involvement in goals... but that doesnt tell a full story.  Kent may never get a touch on a ball and, ergo, isnt directly involved in a goal.... but his unselfish running down the line, offering himself up even as a decoy and pulling players away to create space for others very much is an involvement in a goal.

 

Kent is more often than not at least double marked and this, in itself, is involvement because it means there is space for others elsewhere to exploit.  The fact they don't exploit it often enough isnt Kent's fault.

 

But Kent had a very good game yesterday.

Well said Craig. There have been occasions when Ryan Kent had a poor game. Yesterday definitely wasn't one of them. I'd also suggest since Beale came back, Kent has been our most consistently productive forward.

[CammyF 8,083]

1 hour ago, Bill said:

Well said Craig. There have been occasions when Ryan Kent had a poor game. Yesterday definitely wasn't one of them. I'd also suggest since Beale came back, Kent has been our most consistently productive forward.

Beale has given / trusted Kent to play with more freedom and he is looking far more dangerous in the "free" role.

 

Even when not at his best, his work rate could never be questioned. He gives 100% everytime he plays.