match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 2 - 1 Motherwell (Defoe 45+1; Helander 79)

[Bluedell 5,329]

34 minutes ago, RANGERRAB said:

I thought both Barker & Stewart struggled today which gave us a problem in we weren’t creating anything in wide areas in the first half. 

Plus Defoe struggled to keep the ball for much of the first half. We had no outs and it affected the whole team. 

[the gunslinger 3,366]

9 hours ago, der Berliner said:

What, Polster can defend and cover DM too?! That' all I am saying. Tav's defending is sub-(his)-standard and DM is sure not a place you see him that often. Sugar that cake with his rare contributions in terms of decent crosses, corners and free-kicks and you see my point. But I can spell it, if need be 

You have me confused here you want our right back to cover dm so the dm can go forward? 

 

As for the rest he won a pen and got an assist today. 

[JFK-1 1,666]

He's right of course, it helps absolutely nothing when fans send bad vibes at our own player and our captain no less during a game. It's our job to support the players through thick and thin and the managers job to sort out any problems. We can be guaranteed Tav is giving it his all.

[DMAA 3,603]

I’ve only seen highlights again but we would all have taken that result when it was 3 days after a game in Portugal against a Chanpions League level team. Those games after European fixtures (especially away) are going to be a real challenge and that’s 3 wins out of 3 so far. 

[Briton 314]

10 hours ago, RANGERRAB said:

I thought both Barker & Stewart struggled today which gave us a problem in we weren’t creating anything in wide areas in the first half. 

Stewrat surely?   ?   Did anyone notice that?  Great name, he should keep it.

[ian1964 10,386]

 

[BEARGER 1,829]

4. No one else think McGregor was poor at Motherwell goal?

[der Berliner 3,219]

3 hours ago, the gunslinger said:

You have me confused here you want our right back to cover dm so the dm can go forward? 

 

As for the rest he won a pen and got an assist today. 

No ... Polster is a right fullback that can defend (unless proven otherwise) AS WELL AS playing in DM, which he did for us and elsewhere. Tav has failed us in the former and has not been seen playing in DM either.

 

For all his assists and being fouled (sic!) for a penalty, we will never know how good or bad any other right fullback that we have will perform unless we replace Tav with those we have. Be it Flanagan or Polster, for that matter. And that also  goes with Bluedell's remark that Tav is vital for our style, BTW. One may also point at his utter lack in quality delivery from corners, free-kicks et al ... and one or two decent crosses per game do not cancel that out. For the best part of 18 months or so. Here the bucket ends in SG's hands, since he says who delivers and takes those. And at one point, you would have to say enough is enough. I simply expect a decent fullback to put in decent crosses every now and then or drawing a foul here and there, or score a goal from open play or free-kick. "But his goals last season" ... yeah, Morelos' market value would be 5 to 10m higher had he been our penalty taker.

 

People were criticising Barker and Stewart for not contibuting enough ... when being crowded out on either wing as much as Defoe was. IMHO, as I pointed out, we much more missed our attacking midfielders running into vital spaces around the area, as Motherwell was able to pick up any crosses into the area far too easily and unchallenged, with Aribo and Arfield nowhere to be seen. This only changed a little when Stewart moved a little more infield.

 

As for SG asking the crowd to help Tavernier ... a few weeks back he said that he would be "strong enough" to replace an underperforming player, even his captain. The captain still underperformed ever since and the crowd reacted accordingly. Discontent was and is due. 

 

And before people arm the FLAKs ... it is not always just black and white. We can't simply pretend that everything under SG is going super - despite what he and his folk did and where we are. No-one cries for his or Tav's head here. But likewise should we allowed to ask questions or raised concerns when thing could be done differently, if not (for lack of knowledge) to say better.

[Thinker 851]

26 minutes ago, BEARGER said:

4. No one else think McGregor was poor at Motherwell goal?

Not had chance to rewatch it in highlights yet, but though the shot was close to him and in the centre of the goal, I thought he was unsighted.

[Bill 13,717]

40 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

No ... Polster is a right fullback that can defend (unless proven otherwise) AS WELL AS playing in DM, which he did for us and elsewhere. Tav has failed us in the former and has not been seen playing in DM either.

 

For all his assists and being fouled (sic!) for a penalty, we will never know how good or bad any other right fullback that we have will perform unless we replace Tav with those we have. Be it Flanagan or Polster, for that matter. And that also  goes with Bluedell's remark that Tav is vital for our style, BTW. One may also point at his utter lack in quality delivery from corners, free-kicks et al ... and one or two decent crosses per game do not cancel that out. For the best part of 18 months or so. Here the bucket ends in SG's hands, since he says who delivers and takes those. And at one point, you would have to say enough is enough. I simply expect a decent fullback to put in decent crosses every now and then or drawing a foul here and there, or score a goal from open play or free-kick. "But his goals last season" ... yeah, Morelos' market value would be 5 to 10m higher had he been our penalty taker.

 

People were criticising Barker and Stewart for not contibuting enough ... when being crowded out on either wing as much as Defoe was. IMHO, as I pointed out, we much more missed our attacking midfielders running into vital spaces around the area, as Motherwell was able to pick up any crosses into the area far too easily and unchallenged, with Aribo and Arfield nowhere to be seen. This only changed a little when Stewart moved a little more infield.

 

As for SG asking the crowd to help Tavernier ... a few weeks back he said that he would be "strong enough" to replace an underperforming player, even his captain. The captain still underperformed ever since and the crowd reacted accordingly. Discontent was and is due. 

 

And before people arm the FLAKs ... it is not always just black and white. We can't simply pretend that everything under SG is going super - despite what he and his folk did and where we are. No-one cries for his or Tav's head here. But likewise should we allowed to ask questions or raised concerns when thing could be done differently, if not (for lack of knowledge) to say better.

I agree with all of that. Much as I'm impressed and delighted with our progress under Gerrard, I can't avoid a slight sense of unease about the Tavernier situation. Gerrard kept faith with Katic, Barisic, Jack and others to great effect and there's no doubt it's been to the betterment of the team. However, in other instances he has allowed players time out to recuperate and regain confidence. With Tav (and to a lesser extent Arfield) he has kept a starting place month after month for a player who is clearly struggling and who is in danger of becoming a target/scapegoat. We all want Tav in the team, performing at his best, but perseverance may be in danger of undermining that and turning into stubbornness. I hope Gerrard is right.