Rousseau

WHAT A GOAL!!! Pin-point forward pass from Jack over the top, excellent first-time control from Candeias and he dinks it past the 'keeper.

Case in point: today he's twice had a simple pass to guarantee a goal, but he's hit the defender both times.

His work-rate is phenomenal, but he just doesn't create or score enough.

1-0, Candeias! Good work in the press, Morelos lays into the path of Candeias, who smashes into the net. Good finish.

My words! Aribo's close control is sublime to watch!

I had no idea. I stand corrected.

Flanagan's not had a sniff at all, has he? Days numbered?

RANGERS: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Edmundson, Barisic; Jack, Davis, Aribo; Candeias, Jones, Morelos. SUBS: Foderingham, Polster, Mayo, Katic, Halliday, Docherty, Kamara, Ojo, Defoe, Murphy.

Will Helander get some minutes, or will it be too soon? Surely he's stared his pre-season at Bologna? Edit: No Helander. Oh well...

I think @DMAA above is pretty spot on with the starting XI, IMO. Although, I actually see Jones playing quite often. He's impressed me, from what little we've seen.

"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. Commander of the Armies of the North. General of the Felix Legions. Loyal servant to the true Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife –

Thanks for that; that was interesting. I feel he's a really frustrating player! In the sense that he has a decent all-round game, but perhaps not a master at anything. Is that harsh? You're right. However... His passing looks poor because he played further forward. (Having a look, he played CM/CAM, ahead of two DMs, in a 3-5-2 quite often.) From a team at the bottom of the league, I would expect a lot of high energy attacks, with little support, that fizzle out. I think that's what his stats show -- I certainly recall a lot of video clips of him running 50 yards plus to take a shot. His best attributes are dribbles, forward passes, passes into the box, touches in the box (I suspect the box at Shrewsbury would be pretty open?), and shots. All of that, to me, suggests he suits the RCM position in our team; that's what we'd need. He maybe doesn't have the controlled passing of a Kamara or Davis, but his ability to get forward by carrying the ball will be useful, I feel. I know I was rather frustrated at our inability to carry the ball past players last season, to open up space. His defensive duels and fouls interest me: he makes a lot of duels and fouls, but loses most of them. I suspect he's stopping counters. I doubt he'll win many, chasing back that way. Again, I think that suits a RCM role in our team. If we're countered, I'd like our players to foul. I don't need to tell you about Man City! The least little hint of a counter and Fernandinho has clattered the attacker! We need that.

I agree he should be on the right, but I don't think he has enough in his game to play RAM. I see him as an industrious, box-to-box player, arriving into the box; which is perfect for those LCM/RCM positions we employ. I agree he could be a really good option for us this season. I hope it works out for him.

Some of the Swedish publications I was trying to read all hint at a problem with the club. It sounds like they want to move him on. It happens over there. The translation was poor so I couldn't get much more than that.

He only played 3 of the last 14 games, spending most of that time on the bench.

I don't really understand the 'we don't need three sitting midfielders' criticism. I think it misunderstands their role and position in the team. I would agree if it was the traditional destroyer-type defensive midfielder, where that's all he does, but our three-man midfield is the basis of our whole offensive structure. It provides the support and organisation for the front-three and full-backs. It's not as if they're sitting back and letting the others do the attacking, they're supporting them, providing a passing option. They also should be getting into the box when appropriate too -- see Jack yesterday. A loose example would be Guardiola's use of full-backs. At times they bomb forward, but mostly they stay back in a central midfield position. Guardiola likes a 2-3, or 3-2 set-up with his CBs, FBs and DM. They provide the support for the front players, and defend against counters. Walker does bomb forward on the overlap at times, but he's mostly playing as a right-sided CB.

Where's this from?!

I was pleased with Jones' intent to shoot from distance. I can't remember the last time we scored from distance!