match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 1 (Goldson 41) - 0 FC Ufa

[ian1964 10,413]

 

[JohnMc 2,471]

We played well, didn't panic trying to get a second, kept it tight and go into the second leg with a lead and no away goals. That's pretty professional and mid-table Russian sides are no mugs either. 

 

Arfield caused them problems initially but they altered their shape to contain him and that worked. That gave Ejaria more space and I thought he had his best match for us. Our left hand side isn't working as well as it should. With both Flanagan and Kent being right footed we lose the ability to cross early and attack the by-line. Barasic obviously fixes that problem domestically. 

How big is Lafferty now? He was always tall but I don't remember him being so powerful looking! 

 

It's going to be hard over there but it's in our hands and we should create chances. 

[buster. 4,808]

A quick scan of our European history shows us having won the First leg 1-0,  at Home in KO ties (ie. not group stage) a total of 8 times with the balance of success in our favour.

 

We went on to get through the tie on 6 occasions but were put out twice.

 

75% success rate which is better than the general stats that say a 1-0 home victory in the first leg gives you a 61% of going through

https://kassiesa.net/uefa/forum/view.php?archive=2008.Q3&topic=20080919192651.xml

 

Six successful

 

60's: Rapid Vienna

70's: Young Boys of Berne and Lillestrom

80's: Katowice

90's: Anorthosis

00's: Red Star

 

 

Two unsuccessful

 

80s: Osasuna

2010's: Progres

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2018 by buster.

[DMAA 3,603]

28 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

Our left hand side isn't working as well as it should. With both Flanagan and Kent being right footed we lose the ability to cross early and attack the by-line

Spot on. This is why I felt Middleton should have been introduced far earlier. At least the gaffer spotted this problem when everyone thought left back was the least of our worries and signed Barisic.

 

Flanagan could be a better option for away games though, I haven't seen enough of Barisic defensively yet.  

[buster. 4,808]

57 minutes ago, DMAA said:

Spot on. This is why I felt Middleton should have been introduced far earlier. At least the gaffer spotted this problem when everyone thought left back was the least of our worries and signed Barisic.

 

Flanagan could be a better option for away games though, I haven't seen enough of Barisic defensively yet.  

Middleton is a good option to have on the bench. Signing Lafferty on at least provides another and not surprisingly, he immediately jumps Sadiq in the pecking order. IF we could get through to the group stages then Barasic solves the left-sided FB problem for the EL.

 

Wallace seems as though he's being brought back into the fold so you have a LB logjam or simply Flanagan becomes back-up for Tav. However if one day you have an eventual choice between Wallace and Flanagan for LB slot, I reckon SG picks Flanagan......so whether LW will get much gametime remains to be seen.

 

Any player signed now can't play the second leg so let's hope we get out of Motherwell unscathed.

 

 

[der Berliner 3,245]

6 mins of highlights courtesy of a TV programme from Ufa's homeland ...

 

 

 

Chances galore ... and we simply need to become more clinical.

 

I would assume that once Barisic plays regularly with a regular winger in front of him, the left side will click as much as the right. Candeias really looked up for it and Tav had a good game too. He probably needs to be more defensive next week though. Likewise, Tav needs to improve his dead-ball shots again. Long gone are the times when he scored a handful from a free kick.

 

You would still hope that we'll trial a 3-5-2, perhaps with Flanagan on the right of the back-3. It would depend on the opposition who would occupy the wing-back slots.

[DMAA 3,603]

1 minute ago, buster. said:

Middleton is a good option to have on the bench

On what we've seen of him I'd say he's earned a start because he caused Ufa and Shkupi's defences far more problems than the players starting ahead of him. His age doesn't matter as long as that is the case. If that ball hadn't hit Lafferty's arm he'd have won a penalty, and that's because he's trying to get in behind the defence instead of running in front of them all the time.

 

3 minutes ago, buster. said:

Wallace seems as though he's being brought back into the fold so you have a LB logjam or simply Flanagan becomes back-up for Tav

If we start to get cocky we could see Tav and Barisic being the European full backs and Flanagan and Wallace playing domestically so that all players get rested. What's not in doubt is that Gerrard has a fantastic depth at full back now.

 

 

[buster. 4,808]

Just now, DMAA said:

On what we've seen of him I'd say he's earned a start because he caused Ufa and Shkupi's defences far more problems than the players starting ahead of him. His age doesn't matter as long as that is the case. If that ball hadn't hit Lafferty's arm he'd have won a penalty, and that's because he's trying to get in behind the defence instead of running in front of them all the time.

 

If we start to get cocky we could see Tav and Barisic being the European full backs and Flanagan and Wallace playing domestically so that all players get rested. What's not in doubt is that Gerrard has a fantastic depth at full back now.

 

 

With rotation in mind, I'd consider Middleton for a start in the Motherwell game.

I doubt Hartley and his team would expect it.

 

First, Tav and Flanagan will have to help with a job that needs doing in Russia next week.

 

Contrast the depth in FB cover with centre halfs. 

We'll get one in but we'll probably end up with one of the FB's needing to play CH at stages during the season.

 

 

[buster. 4,808]

Team for Motherwell

 

McGregor

 

McCrorie... Flanagan........Goldson...........Katic

 

Tav......Halliday.....Arfield....Ejaria....Barasic

 

Morelos........Lafferty

 

 

#rotate

 

edit

I think McCrorie is suspended for this game  insert Flanagan

 

Edited August 24, 2018 by buster.

[DMAA 3,603]

9 minutes ago, buster. said:

With rotation in mind, I'd consider Middleton for a start in the Motherwell game.

That's certainly the kind of game you'd want to give him his chance in, allowing others a rest

 

9 minutes ago, buster. said:

Contrast the depth in FB cover with centre halfs. 

We'll get one in but we'll probably end up with one of the FB's needing to play CH at stages during the season.

I've advocated "quality over quantity" all summer and I'm delighted Gerrard has gone for that. We've brought in 12 and let 16 go. 

We need to be lean in order to make our money work harder for us in terms of our starting 11.

 

At CB, in order of priority we'll have Goldson, Katic, New signing, McCrorie, Wallace. That's plenty for me. With Rossiter returning McCrorie will be happy to cover two positions after his "play me anywhere" plea.