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Rousseau struggling to get past Cammy's low block on this thread. It's just like Ibrox because the spectators and bored/frustrated and several are leaving early.

Handbags away, ladies. To change tack slightly, I thought Beale deserved some credit for his substitutions. Livi were leaving space in the channels and we weren’t attacking it with balls over the top or into the channel. It was evident for a good while before the subs were made so it was interesting to hear Beale say that he left things to see if the team could work it out. When he did make the changes, instantly we had more pace and width, which also then challenged some tiring Livi legs and we got the late goals. There have been hundreds of league games at ibrox that have gone in a similar fashion. A work in progress but we’re moving in the right direction.

Interesting debate on the chances created. I don't think we created enough during Livingston's low block, I watched the game and was frustrated. But, we do need to find a solution. We won comfortably in the end, but Livi came out too early in the second half, like an 800m runner sprinting ahead with 400m to go. That's unusual for Livi, especially as Martindale said he thought his team looked dangerous going forward at times. So they should have continued to frustrate us and hope they could steal a point from a counter. They will learn their lesson as will the other 8 teams that will do the same. We also need to learn to counter the low block better, it's the biggest issue we face in the league.

I'm a big fan of Tavernier, but he was rinsed a couple of times. He looks sluggish; slow in thought and action. Barisic was good.

100% agree and 100% accurate. We've been quick to criticise managers (Gio and MB in particular) for leaving it to late, or making the incorrect subs. Yesterday MB was brave introducing Matonda and Sima, two players who've been roundly lambasted by the some sections of the fanbase (two so called fans near me left the stadium in disgust when MB made the subs shouting they'd never be back). Previously, we've not had these options from the bench - a strong squad means replacing quality with players with different qualities and strengths.

That's a stat.

I think 4-0 flattered us. The switch to more of a counter-attacking style when Livingston chose to gamble was great; that got us three goals. However, the inability to break down low blocks remains: We created bugger-all for the majority of that game. Defensively we were solid - that block or interception from Souttar at the near post when it was almost a tap-in equaliser was superb - but Livingston didn't do much.

Just watched the highlights and noticed a couple of things I missed at the game; - Balogun and Souttar completely dominated the Livi striker, especially in the air. He normally bullies our CH's. - at the disallowed goal, we should have been awarded a penalty as Balogun is clearly fouled when trying to meet the corner. - when Sima had the chance in 2nd half which the keeper saved, he was to honest as he stayed on his feet when the defender attempted to tackle him. If he'd gone down it was a pen (with Robertson, you never know tho). - Butlands save from Shinnie was top class but as my old man says (he's not got any sympathy for goalies), that's his job 🙂 - Lastly, there must be 1000s of fans who were at the game who missed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th goals.

It’s ridiculous to give Martindale a 2 minute interview. He’s the most straight forward and fair assessor of all the managers in the league. Compare that to the banal “how important is the game today?”/ “how difficult has the last week been?” Questions that we get when it’s our manager. I cringe sometimes when I hear them.

That's embarrassing. I'd ban them, idiots.

Typical wee-team mentality: no style of play of their own so they resort to hammer throwing. My xG is through the roof, though...

Aye, it's wishful thinking. The whole 55 squad needs moved on in the near future, if you ask me.

Now, my old man loved Jimmy Millar. I retain the warm memory of being a Primary schoolboy at Hampden for the 1966 Scottish Cup final replay against ra Yahoos. When the Rangers team was announced and Millar was the replacement for Saturday's Watson, the old man lifted me and spun around proclaiming Millar's involvement meant the cup was won. Thankfully, King Kai did the needful from 25 yards. I think the final replay was Millar's final appearance for Rangers?

I agree that Cifu is a stick-on. I'd personally have Cantwell as the #10: Danilo - Lammers Cantwell Raskin - Dowell - Cifu Barisic - Souttar - Goldson - Tavernier Butland Jack misses out, though.

Standard procedure. If its a hand ball when a goal is scored it is automatically chalked off - no need for an "on-field" review. What was weird was that once it was established Cifu handled the ball and goal was disallowed that Robertson wasnt then asked to look at the foul on Balogun that was a definite penalty IMO.

I don't think it did - we totally dominated the game with the exception of a 5 minute spell in 2nd half. We had over 20 shots at goal and 9 of those were on target from circa 70% possession. we created a lot of chances, had a goal disallowed and could / should have had 2 penalties. I've read that because we scored 3 goals on last 15 minutes, it flattered us. Really? Doesn't matter when you score as long as you do.

He should be fine. Not only do most probably speak English, one is Canadian and at least two others are virtually English through their parents or being in English youth academies. He should be learning German, though.

Queueing for the subway is far more interesting than watching Rangers, apparently. I think his game is based a lot on his fitness/physique but he's now past his best.

Newcastle and Villa surprised me. Newcastle did much better than I expected and Villa did much worse than I expected. I still think Newcastle will not make the CL spots, though. It may just be early season rustiness for Villa.

Balogun was solid today , won everything in the air and he was MOM for me.

I don't think we're playing to Dessers' strengths just yet. He's still not quite match sharp either.

We relied on a couple of good stops from Butland just after half time

Alex Lowry starting in Norway for Hearts, can't see how this loan won't do him wonders. Best of luck to the boy.

You deserved it.

It's been a decent game so far between Liverpool and Chelsea

"A draw is allowed, though frowned upon, in a 2nd leg at home should that be sufficient to progress." Yorkie Bear 2023 😤

I thought a tap-in was a shot from a couple of yards out, is it not? A side-footed (half-)volley from the penalty spot is not a tap-in, surely? Correct me if I'm wrong. That's what it would be: an interpretation. Two individuals could look at the same shot and have different views (score or not score). xG objectively tells you how many times someone has scored, from tens of thousands of past shots. I'd certainly trust that over someone's opinion. See - I still don't think you understand my point.

When Rangers scored I dropped a quarter bottle of whisky. Didn’t matter. We didn’t need it after the goal.

Back to the half line where he once belonged and played a stormer.

That's a lot of 'should's. I'm only interested in what actually happened. There's only so many times I can say it: we did not create enough when facing a low block. That's the entirety of my point. Oh - we can disagree; that's fine. What's obtuse is you continuously missing my point.

What a weird statement - you do realise most football managers get sacked or move on before they get sacked! im sure there will be stats somewhere to back that up 🙂 So we've moved from "very few" chances created to "quality" of chances created. What is your definition of a "quality" opportunity? Would you agree that the 4 goals were obviously quality chances (as they were converted into goals). The Cifu disallowed goal was also a "quality" chance as it was a "goal" but then chopped off. Or that the the pens we should / could have had would also count as "quality" chances as they are basically 1 v 1 and Tav has a decent record from 12 yards. What about the Dessers shot in the 2nd half was this also a "quality" opportunity as it took a brilliant defensive block to divert it for a corner? Think it's safe to say, on reflection, that we created both quantity and quality chances yesterday. Don't need XG to confirm it, just watch then game.

By very few, what specific number do you mean? We scored 4 goals (3 of them really well worked), had a goal disallowed, their keeper made 2 saves, Dessers headed over just before halftime, then their defender brilliantly stopped a goal bound effort from Dessers. That makes 9 chances we created (converted 4 of them), that's hardly "very few" and that's just off the top of my head. EDIT - Just remembered Sima's chance in 2nd half when he should have went to ground and Souttar hit a strike over the bar in 1st hall. That's now 11 chances - very few indeed 🙂

Special mentions for Soutter and Cifu but Cantwell for me. Should just put me down for Cantwell every week tbh

Can we not just call it defensive tactics instead of 'low block'? That sort of jargon reminds me of the pish I'm subjected to at work. If a team sets up defensively and is well organised, with fit players, it will nearly always be a struggle to get goals. Even the greatest sides often toil when the opposition play that way.

It was always going to be stuffy given how Livingston were set up and we are definitely a work in progress. Last season in the same fixture we drew. We are going in the right direction and I think there are grounds for optimism.

I agree Raskin wasn't his usual self and lots the ball far too much. However, I dont know why you think Barisic and Tav had good games. Barisic had one good cross that led to Danilo's goal, but he was very poor otherwise, and as others have said Tav is beaten easily and is too slow and ineffective. Our full backs will continue to be a problem for us, I agree with Yuddie.

Two of our most revered strikers from the last 30 odd years (McCoist and Hately) would never have had successful Rangers careers in this age of instant gratification and over the top analysis.

T'was ever thus but we of a certain vintage understand this 😉

I'm hesitant to praise the defence too much as Livington didn't offer much going forward.

I've been reading that Real Madrid are using the 4-4-2 diamond this season. Ancelotti going back to his roots. I would really like us to lean into this formation: stop trying to shoehorn all these forwards in, and just play with two, and get Cantwell into the #10 position where he's best. We have a potential attacking threat from Raskin and Cifuentes, too, with Hagi and Dowell as back-up. I think it should be Danilo and Lammers, with Dessers and Sima as the back-ups.

Harsh. By some considerable margin the best fullback I ever saw was 5’ 7”. His name was Eric Caldow, captain of Rangers and Scotland.