match thread (image) [FT] Partick Thistle 0 - 2 Rangers (Windass 39; Tavernier 59)

[der Berliner 3,725]

I very much assume Thistle will come out fighting and then revert back to an "offensive parking the bus" tactic, i.e. packed defence and attackers and midfielders pressing us more than playing the game themselves.

 

What cost us most of late is the lack of punch up front. As much as people refer to Morelos' goal tally, it has dried up of late and he misses quite a fe good chances. That is all fine and well, as long as someone scores the goals we require to beat teams. We've got someone of that ilk now in Cummings, as well as an able provider and willing shooter in Murphy. IMHO, we do need these three as well as Candeias on the right wing to break Thistle down. That would leave us with a choice of 4-4-2 or 3-5-2. though I think that a 4-4-2 will suit us better today, since John and Tav will essentially bomb forward too. Goss is a certain starter, as his passing is IMHO better than anyone's in our midfield. So either Holt or Docherty, but I firmly expect the former.

[pete 2,499]

Quote

 To Referee or not to referee that is the Question

First of all I would like to apologise to Willie Collum for calling him a cheating so and so at the end of the Hibs game on Saturday. My screen was covered in frothy saliva at the end of the match On retrospect and watching the highlights again I am now of the meaning he called the Tavernier penalty and The Morelos goal, offside incident correct.

Mr Beaton you remain a cheat and always will in my eyes.

 

So as Graeme Murty said we have to move on and luckily we have a game on Tuesday against Partick Thistle in the Energy Check Stadium or Firhill as it used to be called to get back on track. I hope Rangers will be the Energy check team this evening and find Thistles energy to be wanting.

We have already played them three times this season a 2-2 draw at Firhill and a 3-0 win at Ibrox  in the league and a 3-1 extra time cup win at Firhill

 

One of the big talking points this season against the Jags was the injury of Ryan Jack. Just a few weeks before against Aberdeen Jack received a red card from Willie Collum for an over the ball challenge on Stevie May. Collum couldn't get the red card out of his pocket quick enough. It was actually not an over the ball tackle as the challenge only became bad because May crapped out of the challenge  Jack simply did not back out and he actually passed the ball before his momentum carried him into May. May got up and brushed himself down and carried on although he later limped off. He was fit enough to play the following week though.

Roll on a few weeks and Ryan Edwards does an over the ball tackle on Ryan Jack which puts him out of the game for probably the rest of the season.  Willie Collum(That name again) does not even deem it a foul and let's play continue. Willie does make some strange decisions at times. To be fair though he did race to give Chris Erskine a red card after a horrific tackle on Alfredo Morelos.

The referee for tonight is Alan James Muir who has dished out an average of 4+ yellow cards per game for the six games he has refereed since the 16^th of December. His assistants are A Mulvanny and S.Stevenson. D Lowe is the fourth official. Lets hope that the officials stamp their authority on the game as all we need at the moment is more injuries. Muir has dished out 5 or 6 cards in the most games with only one referee's clean sheet and three yellows in another game.

 

Murty now has a number of decisions to make in his starting line up. His favourite set-up has been the 4-2-3-1 formation. I doubt if he will change that for this game and although it will be an attraction to go 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 with Morelos and Cummings up front I doubt he will go with that just yet as Cummings is still not totally match fit. Going 4-4-2 will also leave us a man short in the midfield.

One thing I am pretty sure of is that Morelos, Windass and the Cumdog in the same team leaves us also a little bit short in the midfield engine room. To accommodate both Cummings and Morelos we really need to go for a 3-5-2 formation as I don't think we have the players for a 4-4-2 given that Goss and Holt are not real defensive midfielders. Murty is not great in making changes so I think he will probably stick to his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation and play:

 

         Foderingham

 

   Tavernier Bates Martin John

 

             Goss  Holt

 

   Candieas docherty Murphy

 

               Moreloss

 

Going for the 3-5-2 could see:

 

          Foderingham

 

     Bates Martin Cardoso

 

           Goss Holt

 

Tavernier Docherty Murphy

 

      Cummings  Morelos

 

One thing that Murty needs to learn is that sometimes you need to make changes to change a game. He seems to think that a substitution has to be made in the 72nd minute. If his system isn't working and needs a player change in say the 20th minute He still doesn't seem to want to change things. With Warburton you could almost set your watch on the 60th minute and Murty seems to be going a stage further and holding out for the 70th minute or even longer. Graeme if a player is having an off day after 15 minutes then just hook him please.

 

Another interesting point is the return of Kenny Miller. Before he was injured he was an automatic first pick. I doubt he will be a starter tomorrow but It will be interesting to see what happens once he gets some game time. Watch this space!

 

Another piece of good news in Murty's press conference was the return to the development team of Jorden Rossiter. Murty Intimated that he had played 60 minutes. At first I wondered if that was his total time at the club but it seems he managed it in one match in the excellent win against Valencia. All joking aside it would be excellent to see the boy getting over all his injury woes.

 

Anyway bring on the Jags. C'm oan the Gers!!!!

I give up I have lost it twice now. It happens on  preview post for some reason.

[compo 6,980]

Best with two goal getters up front every game .

[Whosthedado 1,677]

@Frankie @pete

 

You guys are just trying to confuse me about who actually did the preview after my mistaken identity before the Hibs game  

[Frankie 8,552]

2 minutes ago, Whosthedado said:

@Frankie @pete

 

You guys are just trying to confuse me about who actually did the preview after my mistaken identity before the Hibs game  

Haha - looks like both Pete and I had knocked up something late but I managed to get mine posted first...

[StuGers 477]

1 hour ago, Frankie said:

Just RangersTV for subscribers outwith the UK.

Ah, rubbish.

thanks!

[Frankie 8,552]

4 minutes ago, StuGers said:

Ah, rubbish.

thanks!

I'm sure there will be streams in the usual places.  Obviously I can't permit such links on the open board and especially not by private message.

[StuGers 477]

2 minutes ago, Frankie said:

I'm sure there will be streams in the usual places.  Obviously I can't permit such links on the open board and especially not by private message.

Ok, I’ll make sure not to Private Message you.

[Uilleam 5,928]

So, tonight's match may be styled The Unpredictables versus The Predictables.

 

It would seem that our hopes of victory depend upon The Unpredictables being predictable, and The Predictables being unpredictable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Frankie 8,552]

6 minutes ago, StuGers said:

Ok, I’ll make sure not to Private Message you.

FWIW, another approved option is to use a free VPN (such as Hola) to change your IP's country of origin and buy the game via RangersTV.