match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 2 (Murphy 23; Tavernier 90+2 pen) - 0 FC Shkupi

[Gaffer 1,665]

2 minutes ago, craig said:

I’d be more concerned if we weren’t creating.... but we badly need a clinical goal scorer.

McCoist would be scoring 5 a game with these chances.  Some of them are just not difficult, but our strikers lack composure.

[Frankie 8,150]

It's really frustrating we've not added Sadiq until now but hopefully he can make the bench for next week as Morelos needs competition.

[buster. 4,808]

We are short in gametime and forwards.

 

2-0 is just about acceptable but still work to do next Tuesday.

[der Berliner 3,245]

Up until the (soft) penalty, this had Progres written (all) over it ... for all the chances and corners we had, we simply didn't put them away. Be that Windass, Morelos or Murphy. And these Shkupi chaps sure know how to play the game, as we saw how they kept the ball from us without doing that much harm. You wonder whether they had settled for that 1-0 defeat ...

 

With Candeias we lost much of our threat on the right, as neither Windass nor Murphy assisted Tav there that much. Ejaria took some nifty touches, but strolled about like we had all the time in the world ... whereas Middleton raced onto the scene like a flash. You wonder whether it might be a good idea to throw him on from the off next week, have him create the early away goal and then hit them on the counter.

 

You do hope that Sadiq guy hits the ground running, as - IMHO - we sure needed another real striker tonight (and for much of last season).

 

Main point of bother tonight was us not shooting from distance more often (if at all ... methinks only Flanagan did it once). But it IS early in pre-season so we probably have to be content with the win for the time being.

[Big Jaws 570]

1 minute ago, Gaffer said:

McCoist would be scoring 5 a game with these chances.  Some of them are just not difficult, but our strikers lack composure.

I thought we were poor from mid to front to be honest. The two CH did very well when they were called on to do anything Goldson was excellent and Katic read the game very well. I thought we stood off them too much in midfield and with that they just passed the ball through us. Their left back had Windass beat at every turn when he went to the right in place of Candeias. Morelos held the ball up well at times Murphy did well enough and took his goal well but we IMO tended to over play it and because of that we didn't really look that dangerous until Middleton came on. 

[craig 5,195]

2 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

Up until the (soft) penalty, this had Progres written (all) over it ... for all the chances and corners we had, we simply didn't put them away. Be that Windass, Morelos or Murphy. And these Shkupi chaps sure know how to play the game, as we saw how they kept the ball from us without doing that much harm. You wonder whether they had settled for that 1-0 defeat ...

 

With Candeias we lost much of our threat on the right, as neither Windass nor Murphy assisted Tav there that much. Ejaria took some nifty touches, but strolled about like we had all the time in the world ... whereas Middleton raced onto the scene like a flash. You wonder whether it might be a good idea to throw him on from the off next week, have him create the early away goal and then hit them on the counter.

 

You do hope that Sadiq guy hits the ground running, as - IMHO - we sure needed another real striker tonight (and for much of last season).

 

Main point of bother tonight was us not shooting from distance more often (if at all ... methinks only Flanagan did it once). But it IS early in pre-season so we probably have to be content with the win for the time being.

McCrorie had a long range hit too

[ian1964 10,413]

It is still very early as we know, so it's maybe  too early to be over critical, at the end of the day we scored 2 and kept a clean sheet, about as good as could be expected considering nobody knew much about the opposition! onwards and upwards

[Frankie 8,150]

2 minutes ago, Big Jaws said:

I thought we were poor from mid to front to be honest. The two CH did very well when they were called on to do anything Goldson was excellent and Katic read the game very well. I thought we stood off them too much in midfield and with that they just passed the ball through us. Their left back had Windass beat at every turn when he went to the right in place of Candeias. Morelos held the ball up well at times Murphy did well enough and took his goal well but we IMO tended to over play it and because of that we didn't really look that dangerous until Middleton came on. 

McCrorie seemed to sit too deep and when Jack came on it was obvious he was still a bit rusty whilst the addition of Ejaria meant another new player and it took him a while to settle into the game - though he quite impressed me with his directness (as did Middleton).

 

Other positives were the defence which looked very solid (though Tav was dodgy at their corners) and I was particularly impressed with Goldson.

[les186 271]

Well done to our captain for scoring a very important goal.

[alexscottislegend 2,059]

13 minutes ago, DevilBlue WeeThe said:

Room for improvement but happy with 2-0.

 

Tav needs to concentrate on his own game (far too many basic error/passes misplaced) and should not be and does not need the distraction of being captain.

 

Morelos needs a good kick up the ****...........far too lackadaisical.

Yes, I'm not a fan of Morelos. If we were really offered 6Million we should have bitten their hands off. Sooner we get the big lad Shafiq the better.