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

[Frankie 8,181]

Not sure if he was being jeered last night but he certainly wasn't on Saturday that I noticed.  Not surprised if he was on the end of a few bad shouts last night as his contribution was woeful at times (before and after he scored).  No issue with him giving some of that criticism back but he'd be better keeping his head down and letting his goals and assists do the talking.

[JohnMc 2,483]

I didn't think the side was getting much abuse last night. There were groans and shouts of frustration as moves broke down and possession was given away needlessly, particularly in the first half, but no more than usual. Windass is a frustrating player and when things aren't going well I think his lack of dig becomes an issue. Jason Holt didn't contribute more than Windass last night, but he worked hard, harried and put in a couple of crunching 50/50 tackles that brought a roar and the support to their feet. We love a hard tackle, particularly from a wee guy. Windass won't do that, that's not his game. So when you're in a scrap, like we were in the first half last night, and Thistle are working hard, closing space and getting in amongst us, a player like Windass looks like he's not contributing. But then we see the one piece of quality in the half from Candieas and Windass out sprints his marker to get in the box and bury the chance. That's his job, that's the important thing. Holt had the dig, that the fans love, but Windass had the quality to score the first and play a part in the second. That's what wins you matches. 

That being said playing for Rangers means you'll get stick from the support sometimes, you suck it up and get on with it, show some professionalism man. 

[Frankie 8,181]

Simple as that mate...

[compo 6,210]

Good result and three more points ,let's not 

Jeer   our players .

[Rousseau 9,475]

I thought the difference was in both 45-minutes was down to our wingers. In the first half they played wide, cutting themselves off from support, and also leaving our midfield isolated. There was never any easy passes to make. Windass, Murphy and Candeias kept trying to do it themselves and screwing up. You need support. Playing wide suited Thistle, as they could dominate the middle, and then double up when we invariably went wide.

 

Second half, it seemed like the wingers played inside. There's more support all-round, and players have easy passes. Windass assists Tavernier because he runs inside. It was a better structure, both offensively and defensively. We were able to recover the ball well too.

 

That game summed Bates up: atrocious with the ball; every pass was wayward, and actually hit the byline several times. We need to tell him to play it simple -- although I'm sure teams force us to go through him. Then the second half he was immense, clearing everything, tough tackles, heading the ball away. That latter is what he's good at.

 

Well done Windass. He gets an unfair amount of abuse, simply because fans want a certain player-type that just doesn't exist as much anymore. We slate him for the least wee thing. He's one of our best players at the minute. We praise Cummings for showing arrogance, but criticise Windass for it. Cummings has scored 1 goal; Windass has 7. And, as Ian posted above, he's very close to a double-double season of goals and assists; something no one in the league did last year. Several have their minds made-up, and whatever he does will get a response. He doesn't have to do it, but who cares? It's a GIRUY to those who think they can abuse players, then get in a state when something gets flung back. Well done Windass. He's showing a bit of back-bone. 

 

(I actually thought he was poor last night, but did the business, which is all that matters.)

[der Berliner 3,278]

As someone above said, players open themselves up to stick from the support if they behave "oddly". I can't say what sort of bother Windass received on the night, but even if, he should have known that we played rubbish and the goal will sure not redeem him from 45 mins of rubbish from him. You don't silence your critics with such kind of arrogance. All players get stick from the fans, whether Bears or those of the opposition. When it is undue, one sure can show a reaction, usually by scoring goals and clench a fist (which might earn you a yellow in Scotland). Playing rubbish yet having that glimpse of "magic" to convert an inch-perfect cross and tell people to shut it? We should not put it out of proportion though. Anyone seeing Murty's reaction when being asked about Windass saw what he makes of it. What were his words again? "If it had no meaning before, the word 'mercurial' could have been coined for Windass' performances."

 

By comparison, thus far I haven't seen any arrogance from Cummings. He ran his socks off last night and essentially set up Candeias to put the cross for Windass in. Ideally, it should be Windass doing what Cummings did and our striker being up there converting. BTW, Windass has 10 goals and 8 assists in 29 matches (2,388 mins), Cummings 1 goal in 4 (131 mins). Even though Windass played out of position early on.

 

I wouldn't mind using Cummings in the shadow striker role, where he sparkled for Hibs, and have Morelos up front. Just to see how this will work. Ayr is as good a place as any to do that.

[Bill 13,717]

There are some short memories around. Some of our best post-war players regularly “went missing” in games. Tommy McLean, Willie Henderson and Davie Cooper all did that. Josh Windass isn’t of that calibre but neither does h deserve the manic criticism by many who are simply conforming to the latest group-think targeting of certain players.

[der Berliner 3,278]

As I said above, I don't think he's become a whipping boy like others of late, e.g. Pena, Herrera and Co.. He gets criticism though, some of which simply is not undue.

[der Berliner 3,278]

A couple of remarks after watching the highlights again ...

 

Edwards' goal was being ruled offside, but it hardly looked that way? Anyone got a clearer view?

 

Just ahead of Sammon hitting the post, their Nr. 7 simply barged John out of the way. To me that looked a foul, only that their player went to ground while John staysed on his feet ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UyVCTbC0Qk

[ian1964 10,437]

2 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

A couple of remarks after watching the highlights again ...

 

Edwards' goal was being ruled offside, but it hardly looked that way? Anyone got a clearer view?

 

Just ahead of Sammon hitting the post, their Nr. 7 simply barged John out of the way. To me that looked a foul, only that their player went to ground while John staysed on his feet ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UyVCTbC0Qk

You forgot about the challenge their keeper made on Cummins and the ref(who was awful again!) gave a free kick to Partick!