Rangers v Raith Rovers Match preview

[pete 2,494]

Tonight Rangers take to the hallowed Ibrox turf to take on Raith Rovers as the championship lines up for a full programme. Not Super Sunday this time but Tremendous Tuesday. With Hibs losing their 2nd game in a row at the weekend Rangers have now opened up a nice little 11 point cushion over second placed Hibs. With a vastly greater goal difference Rangers can now probably afford to lose 3 games and draw 1 over the last 10 games. Although the media are all but handing us the championship trophy many old adages spring to mind.

Don’t count your chickens until they hatch, and,

It is never over until the fat lady sings, spring to mind.

 

The biggest danger of having such a cushion is of course is that complacency can set in and the set standards are unconsciously allowed to slip. As Hibs are witnessing at the moment once a downward curve has set in it is not easy to climb your way back out of it. Only a few months ago we were being labelled as being in a crisis after we drew a few games and then lost to Falkirk. Luckily we had a bumper win against our nearest rivals Hibs to boost our confidence and get the Warburton warship back up to cruise speed and back on the plotted course of winning the championship title.

Raith Rovers are also on a winning run though and are in a vicious dog fight with Morton and Queen of the South for that prized 3rd playoff spot that offers a rope ladder to a place in the premier league next season. Raith consolidated that 3rd spot with a 3-2 victory over Morton at the weekend boosting their chances and also their confidence. They will be fighting from start to finish and taking at least a point against Rangers would be seen by them to be a massive point won rather than 2 points lost. .

 

The tactics of our opponents will not be difficult to guess as it has become the tactic for virtually all teams playing against Rangers this season. That will be defending in numbers looking for a draw but hoping to pinch a goal and win on the counter attack.

Set pieces are probably the biggest heart-stopping moment for Rangers fans and at times we have looked very disorganised leaving players with free headers. I suppose set pieces have become important for every team with all sorts of variants being thought up to get a shot at goal. Referee’s also play a part and the amount of holding, blocking and even wrestling that goes on unpunished makes you ask if referee’s actually still know the rules of the game.

 

Rangers supporters have felt that that Rangers have not had a lot of ref’s decisions going for them lately but the fact is we should still have been winning games far more easily than we have been. It was not the referee that put the ball over the St Mirren bar from 2 yards. It is not the referee that makes players make wrong decisions when chances open up. We should not be depending on referee’s decisions to win us games. They will always go for or against you.

 

Rangers have no further injuries apart from the long term Waghorn and Templeton but Warburton has stated he will use the squad and hinted he will rest some players and may even bring in some youth players. With O’Halleron and King cup-tied for Saturday they will be certain starters I would imagine. Mckay was taken off on Saturday and he could possibly be one of the players given a rest.

I think the team will be:

 

 

 

 

 

O'Halloran, King

[Frankie 8,136]

Thanks for that mate!

 

I don't think you'll be far off with that team though clearly there are a few permutations that we could see. I didn't manage to see Saturday's game due to being away on a stag do but from the highlights I did see, it once again seemed a case of not taking our chances to ensure a more comfortable score-line.

 

Let's hope we do that tonight as it will be another tricky game!

[MacK1950 2,226]

Why the obsession with Zelalem the only factor that helps is that the run in is a bit easier with our points gap now so he might have a chance to show if he has anything to offer.

[Frankie 8,136]

Weather warning for snow again tonight from 9pm...

 

Could be tricky travelling conditions before and after the game!

[26th of foot 5,825]

The last eight games have seen all opposition enact the same game plan.

 

Double up in wide areas, show them the inside. Do not dive in, stay on your feet and usher/jockey them inside. If Rangers do engineer width, allow the ball across the box because whoever is playing center will either be back out the box/or already ran wide. They know we are loathe to shoot from outside the box and free kicks/penalties/cautions/red cards have dried due to remaining on their feet/non-tackling.

 

Thus, Holt must remain in the team, he drives between opposition lines and finds the angles to receive passes. Further, compared to the first few months of the season, he is alone in continuing to drive into the box and take the hits. O'Halloran showed on Saturday that he is up for similar responsibility. How about when he is running across the front of the opposition, one or two of our midfielders provide him the option of the reverse pass/ diagonal dink?

 

In the spirit of witnessing Rangers defeat Raith Rovers 10(ten)-2 in 1968, I predict the Bears will administer a sound 1-0 thrashing this evening.

[JTP 0]

I like MOH so far and I fully believe he will be a good addition to the team. I'm impressed with his dribbling ability at pace and how he keeps the ball so close to his feet and under control.

 

But his crossing is absolutely woeful.

 

Only time I've seen him find a man that I can recall is when Miller ballooned it over the bar from 3 yards, but countless times I've seen him over hitting it or crossing it out the park due to the fact he's too quick.

 

An area I'm hoping they are quickly working on.

[ian1964 10,390]

Changes Are Afoot

 

MARK WARBURTON has revealed he will make changes for tomorrow night’s game with Raith Rovers at Ibrox.

 

The gaffer will be without the services of both Michael O’Halloran and Billy King on Saturday for the game with Dundee given they are cup-tied, meaning there is a real likelihood of both being involved tomorrow.

 

Warburton told today’s press conference: “We are all fit and in good shape having trained well today. We’ll bring some young ones with us too as there are a number of boys who have done well in the under-20s and under-17s, so they will get their chance to come in and mingle around and learn.

 

“There will be one or two changes tomorrow. We haven’t got big numbers, but it won’t be a major shift.

 

“So there will be one or two come in, and we’ll give one or two a rest and make sure we utilise the squad in the best way possible for the rest of the season.

 

“The games are coming thick and fast now, so we need to make sure we utilise the squad in the best way we can.

 

“There are guys who are out at the weekend as they are cup tied, and we are tight with numbers what with losing Martyn Waghorn, and you could say we will lose an entire front-line with no Billy King and Michael O’Halloran for Saturday.

 

“But we have the quality with Barrie McKay, Kenny Killer, Nicky Clark and Harry Forrester, so touch wood, we are in a good place in terms of options, and we are looking forward to the game.”

 

Warburton also dismissed any talk of the Championship title race being over after Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs had claimed it would be very difficult for his side to go up automatically as champions.

 

The manager added: “It doesn’t change our thinking. With the greatest respect to Alan, what they say doesn’t impact Rangers – we can’t control that.

 

“Right now there are 10 games with 30 points on the table. Look at Leicester City last year – everyone said they were doomed and relegated, but they have put together a fantastic run – and look where they are now.

 

“We have to recognise that our job is to take things one game at a time and to deliver a performance. It sounds boring and repetitive, but it has been that way from the start of the season for us and that won’t change.

 

“There is no focus on the weekend or next week, it’s purely about Raith. We had a good result on Saturday and we have trained well and recovered well since.

 

“I’d be foolish to sit here and say we aren’t in a good position, but the truth is we haven’t won anything yet.”

 

http://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/changes-are-afoot/

[ian1964 10,390]

Rangers moved 11 points clear of Hibernian at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship after beating St Mirren 1-0 at Ibrox on Saturday. The Gers are one of just two SPFL clubs who remain unbeaten at home in the league this season, with League 2 leaders Elgin City being the other. Mark Warburton’s side have taken 37 points from a possible 39 at Ibrox – the only time they dropped points was a 2-2 draw with Morton in December. It has been over a year since anyone beat Rangers at Ibrox in the Championship – they are unbeaten in 20 matches since losing to Hibs on February 13, 2015. Only two sides have won at Ibrox in the intervening period – Motherwell in the play-offs and St Johnstone in the League Cup.

 

Read more at http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/weeke...M9MuoQ7ebKj.99

[der Berliner 3,220]

“But we have the quality with Barrie McKay, Kenny Killer, Nicky Clark and Harry Forrester, so touch wood,

 

Well, well ...

 

We'll probably see a very similar starting line-up, with perhaps McKay getting a rest (or place on the bench). It could well be that Holt might get the same treatment, but I doubt that both Zelalem and Law will start. I do envisage a place for Clark and Shiels though.

Edited March 1, 2016 by der Berliner

[BrahimHemdani 1]

I am sure Miller will be "rested", possibly also McKay and I think, Clark, O'Halloran and King will be the front three with Forrester also maybe getting a start in the "Holt" role.