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


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2 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Jason "HHolt"? Unfortunate mistake, there...

 

Murphy could be very useful in that position: he has the dynamism, energy and craft to cause trouble for any defence. 

Oops, glad someone was paying attention.

 

Holt misses our next league match (against Hamilton) due to suspension so if we go with the 4-2-3-1 which is perhaps more likely it may actually be him that drops out tonight.

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Really good preview as usual!

 

just one thing I wanted to draw out is this point about only one player up front.  Just because it's a 4-2-3-1 doesn't mean that we only have one forward.  In this formation, we have at least 3 forwards, if not 4.

 

I've opined before that our problem is not the number of forwards, it's the speed and accuracy of our play in midfield that's the problem.  We either take too long to move the ball when switching play, or we do it too quickly (I.e. Our players don't have the technique/habits to get it done properly and quickly) and give the ball away in dangerous areas when's we're overexposed (mainly because we are overloading the wings).

 

Goss can do it well, but few others can get the ball switched.  A switch needs to be done within 5 seconds because that's the length of time it takes for a professional player to cover the 30-40 yards he needs to get back into position when the ball is moved to the opposite side of the park.  It's been shown that a switch inside 4 seconds can create a golden chance.  I've looked at our switch of play and it often takes 6-7 seconds.  This is almost useless because it serves only to retain the ball and can't create a chance if the opposition works reasonably hard to close down.  Equally, it introduces more opportunities for our midfield to make a mistake and hence creates a chance for our opponents.  This is why we lose goals, and in fact you'll see the majority of our goals are lost from this phase of play.  During a switch of play, both teams are 'out of position', but the team with the ball has the advantage of course.

 

Murty needs to get the three central midfielders (the two centre mids and the attacking mid) to move the ball quickly and accurately out to the wing, but he has different problems to solve depending on who it is.  Windass receives the ball during a switch of play and has not moved early enough to create the space to play the ball quickly, so he then has to hold off the opponent for a step or two before he can release the pass.  Around 3-4 seconds are wasted.  Holt gathers the ball and his first touch moves it away from the opponent so he is doing well at creating the space, but he then takes more touches before looking up to find his pass.  Again, these seconds are being wasted.  Goss is excellent at creating the space for himself and playing an almost instant pass, however his positioning (which I think is intentional) means he is required to play a long diagonal ball directly out to Candeias or Murphy.  Teams like Hibs are drilled well in this tactic because you can see their fullbacks sprint towards our wingers as soon as the ball goes anywhere near Goss.  They know that if they cut off that pass, he isn't as effective.  If the other midfielders can contribute to the threat, it means their defence has more doubt about what threat to cover.

 

Jack, McCrorie and Dorrans all move the ball quickly and we need them back fit asap.  Until they do, we need to address the habits of the current players or we will struggle every time we play a Hibs or Celtic (who can take advantage of errors in the midfield), or against a lower team which is even reasonably well organised in defence.

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Agree with much of that mate but I'd still like to see two proper strikers deployed from the start of a game.

 

As much as we do have further attacking options in Windass, Murphy and Candeias, there's no doubt in my mind that had one of the chances that fell to the first two in the opening half-hour had fell to Cummings, he'd have scored.

 

I've nothing against a 4-2-3-1 per se; in fact I think it's our best formation, but I do think we're predictable within it sometimes as well as laboured at times also.  The diamond might allow us to break lines quicker and go direct more often when teams - such as Hibs did the other day - press us high.

 

I'd much prefer having Jack or McCrorie at the bottom tip (with Goss on the left) but needs must for now so the latter can sit deep and direct the play whilst Holt and Docherty both have the engine to get up and down the park.

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