der Berliner

After a night`s sleep one might come to the conclusion that we`ve won ugly and had dire games before, during the 9NIAR years, before them and after. Yet, somehow I am still baffled that we kept the same players on and played some stuff that we hadn`t seen since the Championship and earlier days. You hope that Saturday will be different, yet my gut feeling says that we will see the same players in the same positions and the same tactic ...

What for? A Jack was not needed today. Aribo had about 5 mins of good football to show for, Kent was some sort of outlet but gave the ball away needlessly time and again ... or again showed no composure when it mattered. Arfield on the right didn`t know where he was supposed to play, that wing/attack-slot was seriously under-used. Our CMs/DMs entered one heading and flippflopping contest with their players after the other, there was hardly anyone putting a foot on the game. Davis and Ramsey must have watched that in utter disbelief - much like we did. It was obvious after some 30 mins (at the latest) that we hardly had any attacking outlet bar Morelos - even despite Saints played a rather expected open game. That was half a galaxy apart from the game we handed to Dortmund away ... and yet there was no reaction from the bench. Saturday can`t come quickly enough.

You could have had Walker and whoever trolls us next to him though. Alas, my stream talked Russian and he wasn`t that excited either. Let`s hope we hammer Aberdeen on Saturday at Ibrox.

Can`t remember being so fed up after winning three points. That was trying to destroy a shit-team playing football rather than any sort of competent football. from the champions of this country. No subs either ... beyond belief really.

... we actually five sub possibilities. Maybe we keep them till next weekend.

Have that gut feeling that despite playing worse than quite a few games before, the evening might turn out to be a better one than the weekend ...

Very much so. Kamara started high up the park but dropped ever deeper. Aribo was nigh invisible for 30 mins ... instead of being the one behind Morelos pulling the creative strings. Arfield and Kent once more (how many "once mores" can you have?) show that their killer instinct is more that of a fly swat. That could and should have been 2 or 3 goals from them alone. Our right flank attack-wise is virtually non-exisiting, as Arfield is working tirelessly back and thus is missing up top. Bassey doing well again.

We had them 4 mins in at home against Dortmund by thousands ...

Could it be that Gio found something differently in Kamara`s CV and told him to attack, for a change?

These creeps at the micro for Sky love their trolling ...

To be honest, it should be either him or Jack or Lundstram, not two of them. Alas, Lundstram has a better attacking mind. All in all, it looks a hard-work selection, not one to cut them open. You can only hope that a) Arfield and Aribo click from the off, and b) we change things quickly if it doesn`t. "Might" be that we try a 3 at the back with Tav going in RM, with Lundstram stepping back when Bassey roves the left wing. McGregor and Goldson seemingly can`t do anything wrong, which is probably as mindboggling to us as it is to some of those on the bench. Alas, Balogun is back

Can`t say much about the chap, haven`t seen him play and those few Schalke fans that I know are split in their opinion. On a free as a back-up / challenger to McLaughlin, why not?

I`d assume the responce at the Glitterdome will be similar. IMHO, we should delay this until after their tour to Japan. EDIT: Currently, the poll regarding that friendly over on FF stands at 95 % NO.

Reading between the lines, I assume Helander, Jack and Ramsey might have had to sit out games due to some Covid issues, perhaps in the family. Else, I suspect injuries would have been noted.

I was under the impression that Helander was fit again, only not used in the EL game because he`s not in the squad. I thought Balogun was fit again too. We utilized Lundstram as a CH (or let`s say very deep DM) against Dortmund and he did well enough. I expected that playing him alongside another CH would give us a better distribution from the back. All in all, he did not do too bad, the goals were not his fault. YET ... playing him there meant that we played Kamara as the DM and we ended up with far too many back- and side-passes and likewise not the drive that Jack and Lundstram provided these last few games. It was not as problematic in the first half, but in the second we clearly toiled and changes could easily have been made. Very very frustrating.

We had about 60+ shots at goal in those last two league games, but end up with 3 goals. Penalty claims aside, that is shocking. Methinks we didn`t have more shots at goal by the opposition compared to last season, only that we concede like we did the previous two seasons under SG. The way we lost these two goals yesterday was equally shocking. And truth be told, I doubt that any new guy like Sands or Zukowski can do any worse. As long as we don`t play the full complement of our strike force (at least 2 of 3), we won`t change the goal-return, as Kent, Aribo and even Arfield don`t score often enough - and that`s been the case for years. Obviously, they are no strikers either. And whatever it is, I can´t understand the reluctance to use hardly any subs by any of the current Rangers managers. Not least since we actually have 5 options now.

Morelos had two balls in the net, I would say the offsides were, if at all, marginal. There was one (of a couple or more) handball(s) in the area that looked a decent shout for a penalty. Yet, as noted before, our defence is really really poor with only half a handful of chances needed to concede one or more goals from. I`d rather have a half-fit Balogun or Helander in there, even Sands, before suffering another Goldson/Tavernier breakdown. Said it before, lets go 3 at the back, let Tav loose on the right wing/MF, and Bassey slot in next to 2 other centre-halfs. And someone in front of them that is a cleaner. Jack had his birthday today and after a couple of games was rested. No idea what the case with Ramsey is, or Davis. For all the cool things he does and di in the past, Kamara right now is not what we need when playing at home in search of points. He has a very limited end product in the final third (not his job), but likewise releases any ball won or kept far too slow. Then again, quite a few of our midfielders have a problem with one-touch-football, running a few yards with the ball and thus usually allowing the opposition to adjust their defence lines. We were producing nothing with Kamara, Aribo nor Arfield for the last 30+ mins and I simply cannot fathom what rode Gio to remove our most potent weapon from the wing, instead of hookeing any if not all of the aforementioned 3 for Roofe, Wright, or Diallo. I can`t really see the Scum dropping points against St. Mirren at home (despite them being better than Dundee, who almost snatched a point there), but Perth has always been a tough venue for us, so Gio better get his act together swiftly.

His and Goldson`s contracts are up in the summer. I have come to the point where you say enough is enough. Time to get the "next generation" a chance.

30-5 shots ... shocking ratio to end up with 2-2 and not for the first time.

That`s how you throw titles away. Honestly, McGregor and Goldson f@cked up 2 of 3 shots on target ... and you wonder what is needed to remove both, despite European heroics. Then Goldson has almost the two easiest chances to score right in front of goals and smashes them both into Kelly. Lost for words really. Time for Helander, Balogun, Sands and Lundstram ... and I don`t know why the first three did not play anyway. Can`t for the love of the game understand why we take off our most potent threat on the right and thorn in Motherwell`s flesh Sakala for another striker, instead of removing Kamara, Aribo or Arfield. We have 5 subs available and do nothing with that. Utterly frustrating. Robertson and Co. were the farce we expected. It bordered on assault what was levelled at Morelos and Kent, the lumb that eventually scored the equalizer should had been off with a couple of yellows long before.

Methinks Woolery could well have been off by now. Dunno why we don`t use our subs. Goldson sleeping at both goals (again), McGregor, well ... and Tav indecisive.

Darcheville / Hagi. Total dominance in the first 25 mins, and still probably 70+ % of posssession. This could become a much needed cricket score. As I remarked before, we need to play more goalscorers and Sakala was a relentless thorn on the right, while Kent kept his form of the last few weeks. Lundstram a cool head besides Goldson, good to have such options. If only Kamara would release the ball more quickly (like Jack), he`d be even better.

Well, we go with ... https://www.rangers.co.uk/article/team-news-gio-names-two-changes-to-face-motherwell/1XkQmGw82fPL37Q9zZaN6Z ... and Gio said that he sees Lundstram as a CH, even though his primary role would be in midfield. McGregor Tavernier - Goldson - Lundstram - Bassey Kamara Arfield - Aribo Sakala - Morelos - Kent

Referee – Don Robertson Assistants – Frank Connor and Craig Ferguson Fourth Official – Colin Steven Missing - Nnamdi Ofoborh (heart), Ianis Hagi (knee) Doubtful - Aaron Ramsey Live on - Rangers TV "Nice" choice of referee, methinks the Scum got Clancy for the day. You can`t blame the SFA for making it difficult for them ... This is another day that we need to take full advantage from, as we are well capable of beating Motherwell, while Hibs are capable to snatch a point or more off the Scum at home. Then again, I was expecting them to have a difficult game at Motherwell a wee while back and they won 4-0. Might well be that the last two OF games will decide which way the title goes, as there are not too many teams in Scotland that are able to take points off them. Be that with or without the help of compliant referees.

... could it be your eyes tricked you, as Alfie is listed on the right side of the attacking 3? 😏