Match Thread [FT] Ross County 0 - 3 Rangers (Igamane 6'; Danilo 37'; Tavernier 86')

[CammyF 8,369]

1 hour ago, compo said:

The biggest mistake we could make on Sunday is to play Tavernier and Dessers the captain is a liability in these games he’s like a rabbit trapped in the headlights the other one wastes to many chances considering we might only get one or two we have to be ruthless in front of goal.

That's the conundrum. 

 

We have to score goals to beat them. Dessers is our top scorer and outscores their front 3 (if I have my stats right).

 

Tav has now scored 2 from 2 as well as having 3 or 4 assists. 

 

We replace Tav with Sterling who (arguably) is better defensively but offers nothing going forward. 

 

Danilo and Igamane have both started to contribute but are untested against them (that could be a positive or a negative).

 

Also, I think the only players in our squad who'll likely feature on Suanday to have scored against Celtic (for Rangers) are Souttar, Dessers and Tav. 

[Scott7 6,149]

41 minutes ago, CammyF said:

Tav has now scored 2 from 2 as well as having 3 or 4 assists

He’s recovering confidence and showing a return to form. Let’s not set him back by making him defend against Maeda. 
 

Dessers can come on for the last half hour. See if he can exploit a defence after Igamane has shaken it up a bit.

[CammyF 8,369]

36 minutes ago, Scott7 said:

He’s recovering confidence and showing a return to form. Let’s not set him back by making him defend against Maeda. 
 

Dessers can come on for the last half hour. See if he can exploit a defence after Igamane has shaken it up a bit.

But by doing that, we are not starting our 2 main goal threats in a cup final. That's a gamble for any manager, especially one under pressure from the fans. 

 

For what it's worth, I think he might start Tav but won't start Dessers. 

 

For me the critical area is midfield so Hagi will probably drop to tbe bench and we'll start with 3 in midfield. 

[Bluedell 5,679]

3 hours ago, CammyF said:

But by doing that, we are not starting our 2 main goal threats in a cup final. That's a gamble for any manager, especially one under pressure from the fans. 

 

For what it's worth, I think he might start Tav but won't start Dessers. 

 

For me the critical area is midfield so Hagi will probably drop to tbe bench and we'll start with 3 in midfield. 

I don't agree that Tav and Dessers are our main goal threats. Dessers hasn't played well when he's started for weeks and Tav has struggled defensively for months. Igamane and Danilo have scored 2 in 2 and Cerny has been scoring more consistently than Tav. 

[CammyF 8,369]

5 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

I don't agree that Tav and Dessers are our main goal threats. Dessers hasn't played well when he's started for weeks and Tav has struggled defensively for months. Igamane and Danilo have scored 2 in 2 and Cerny has been scoring more consistently than Tav. 

Dessers and Tav have also scored 2 in 2.

 

Dessers is our top scorer and has scored more goals this season than any of Celtic's front 3. IIRC he is our only player who's scored in every competition this season (as he did last season). 

 

Tav has historically been our best offensive threat both scoring and assisting and has came onto a game in last few weeks. He also scored the winner in last seasons final. 

 

Sterling has struggled for fitness and consistency and offers nothing going forward.

 

I'll stick to my opinion that they are our most consistent goal threat and along with Souttar only players to have netted against Celtic (playing for Rangers) that are likely to feature on Sunday.

 

Said above, can't see Dessers starting but think Tav might.

[Devil's advocaat 1,617]

4 hours ago, CammyF said:

But by doing that, we are not starting our 2 main goal threats in a cup final.

Surely Cerny is more of a goal threat this season than Tav?.

 

But more importantly, JT bends over and parts his arse cheeks when wee Tenko runs at him. So it's kinda pointless being a goal threat when you're lying on your derriere watching your opponent run away from you, again.

 

I'd agree with Derek Ferguson, I think Dessers and Tav will play in Europe, but won't start on Sunday. 

Edited December 9 by Devil's advocaat

[CammyF 8,369]

13 minutes ago, Devil's advocaat said:

Surely Cerny is more of a goal threat this season than Tav?.

 

But more importantly, JT bends over and parts his arse cheeks when wee Tenko runs at him. So it's kinda pointless being a goal threat when you're lying on your derriere watching your opponent run away from you, again.

 

I'd agree with Derek Ferguson, I think Dessers and Tav will play in Europe, but won't start on Sunday. 

But we'll have to score goals to win the game. As I said it's a conundrum. Tav creates and scores, that is undeniable. However, he gets exposed defensively against Celtic (he's not the only one by the way).

 

Sterling is the only option to replace Tav. He has struggled with injuries and consistency this season (and last if we're honest with ourselves).

 

Cerny has done well recently as have Danilo and Igamane but in my opinion, currently, our best option for goals and assists are Tav and Dessers. 

 

Doesn't mean both or either will play on Sunday but Clement needs to find a ballance of defensive stability and attacking threat to give us the best change of winning on Sunday.

 

Not picking your best (IMO) attacking options is a gamble especially when the result could determine if he's still the manager when Santa comes calling. 

[Devil's advocaat 1,617]

9 hours ago, CammyF said:

But we'll have to score goals to win the game

Technically we don't, however I agree, we have to carry a threat. First and foremost though, we have to be solid against them, I'd forego Taverniers threat for a solid right back defensively, allowing Jefte to be more of a threat (I believe their right back can be got at) and would prefer the a more mobile attacker than Dessers to start.

 

He'll play a part at some point, for sure, he'll get at least half an hour I reckon, but he's going to have to start taking these chances against them, we need to be clinical.

[CammyF 8,369]

36 minutes ago, Devil's advocaat said:

Technically we don't, however I agree, we have to carry a threat. First and foremost though, we have to be solid against them, I'd forego Taverniers threat for a solid right back defensively, allowing Jefte to be more of a threat (I believe their right back can be got at) and would prefer the a more mobile attacker than Dessers to start.

 

He'll play a part at some point, for sure, he'll get at least half an hour I reckon, but he's going to have to start taking these chances against them, we need to be clinical.

But the replacement for Tav is arguably as inconsistent as Tav and doesn't carry a threat. 

 

We will have to score to win on Sunday, when was our last clean sheet in an OF game? 

 

They will score, so we'll need to score at least 2 goals to win. 

 

As for Dessers, he has 34 goals and 13 assists from the equivalent of 55 games. A goal every 146 mins and a goal involvement every 105 mins. That's our main goal threat right there.

 

The issue we have is they have consistent goal threat right through their team  we don't so we are over reliant on 2 or 3 players. 

 

Edited December 10 by CammyF

[buster. 5,257]

All this "who is our biggest goal threats, etc" is basically pish and wind. Clement will select his team and it won't be Dessers up front on his own.

 

What matters on Sunday is:

- Real Belief that we can win

- Collective Application of game plan 

- Individual Determination to win duals

 

We do that and see where it takes us.

 

In the season prediction thread, I said second in the league because of where the respective clubs financials/squads are. However for the domestic cups, it was "mibbes aye, mibbes naw". I stay with that prediction. We have a reasonable chance of lifting a trophy on Sunday despite some surrender monkeys wanting to chuck in the towel before KO.