match thread (image) [FT] Dundee Utd 1 - 2 Rangers (Tavernier 26; Goldson 44)

[the gunslinger 3,366]

37 minutes ago, Frankie said:

Was funny when he suggested Alfie wasn't a team player.  Michael has clearly not watched the way we (and the wee man) play this season.

Yeah particularly stupid from him given his excellent play this season in that department.  

 

I suspect an attempt to negate the excellent part of his play this year in the eyes of rangers fans but you would need to be a moron to fall for that. Or as unfortunately may be the case only able to see games on sportscene. 

 

 

[DMAA 3,603]

Didn’t get to see the game yesterday, I’ve reached 60 minutes on catch up so will reserve most of my comments until I I’ve seen it all later tonight. 
 

But from what I’ve seen so far on forums/social media etc. it seems this game has been the tipping point for many on Alfie with regards to the current starting 11. I’m not sure why now tbh, probably because Itten was finally given a chance on Thursday so it has gotten that bit harder to deny that Alfie isn’t our best option. Defoe and Hagi have been hard done by up to now too though.
 

The question now is whether Gerrard is prepared to drop his highest paid player who we rejected a £16m bid for only a few months ago, and I’m not sure he will because that performance wasn’t that different to many others this season. 
 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by DMAA

[Gonzo79 13,585]

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

it seems this game has been the tipping point for many on Alfie.

I'm not sure about that.  I don't think opinions have altered much, excepting a few knee-jerk reactions. 

[DMAA 3,603]

13 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

I'm not sure about that.  I don't think opinions have altered much, excepting a few knee-jerk reactions. 

I only meant with regards to the first 11. I’ve seen/heard a lot say he should drop to the bench who weren’t saying it before. I’ve edited my original comment for clarify that. 

Edited December 14, 2020 by DMAA

[Rousseau 9,360]

I think the "knee-jerk" reactions are in regards to the potential red card. It was a moment of stupidity. But, actually, outwith that, he composed himself well and dealt with everything those thugs threw at him. I'm not concerned about that. 

 

Moreover, in general, his performance was quite good; it continues his good team play. Again, I'm not worried about his performances. The Manager seems to agree, going by the post-match interview. 

 

My issue is his goal-scoring form, and lack thereof. I've been disappointed for a while. He missed a couple of good chances yesterday. It seems like his goal-scoring confidence and touch has deserted him at the moment.

 

I just think a player like Defoe or Itten would have scored some of those chances. On the other hand, Defoe can't play every game, and Itten is a different style of player. Itten's played a bit recently and done quite well. 

 

I think these thoughts have been born out of @Bill's post, which has shone a spotlight on his form and position in the team. 

 

I wonder also if it's a reaction to the game itself, where it was really tight and stuffy. We're almost praying for someone to score rather than put in a good team performance. Morelos wasn't the only player to miss chances: Roofe missed a couple of good ones too, and Kent had an opportunity too, I think? It could have cost us points. 

 

In one sense, it is an knee-jerk reaction, to that particular game, but in Morelos' case, his goal-scoring form has been missing for a while. For me, maybe it's time to replace with someone who could score?

 

It's a tricky one for the manager: you don't want to mess with what is a high-performing team. 

[buster. 4,808]

17 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

I think the "knee-jerk" reactions are in regards to the potential red card. It was a moment of stupidity. But, actually, outwith that, he composed himself well and dealt with everything those thugs threw at him. I'm not concerned about that. 

 

Moreover, in general, his performance was quite good; it continues his good team play. Again, I'm not worried about his performances. The Manager seems to agree, going by the post-match interview. 

 

My issue is his goal-scoring form, and lack thereof. I've been disappointed for a while. He missed a couple of good chances yesterday. It seems like his goal-scoring confidence and touch has deserted him at the moment.

 

I just think a player like Defoe or Itten would have scored some of those chances. On the other hand, Defoe can't play every game, and Itten is a different style of player. Itten's played a bit recently and done quite well. 

 

I think these thoughts have been born out of @Bill's post, which has shone a spotlight on his form and position in the team. 

 

I wonder also if it's a reaction to the game itself, where it was really tight and stuffy. We're almost praying for someone to score rather than put in a good team performance. Morelos wasn't the only player to miss chances: Roofe missed a couple of good ones too, and Kent had an opportunity too, I think? It could have cost us points. 

 

In one sense, it is an knee-jerk reaction, to that particular game, but in Morelos' case, his goal-scoring form has been missing for a while. For me, maybe it's time to replace with someone who could score?

 

It's a tricky one for the manager: you don't want to mess with what is a high-performing team. 

Had he been sent-off very early in the game (and it was clearly a red card offence) and we had dropped points yesterday, the reaction would have been savage, with more than a little justification. Nor do I think the manager would have been so willing to defend the player.

 

We've got who was a potential 20 Million pound player, who has performed like a 2M pound player for nearly 12 months. That isn't a simple loss of form, it's a player who can't get his shit together, whether in specific moments it has been fitness, attitude, sharpness, form, heid turned, not wanting to be here, etc.

 

I tend to think that the longer we keep him, the more frustrated he'll get, the increased probability that red cards will follow, the ensuing media blitz and we'll end up with a 7 figure transfer fee. The main issue at this moment in time is if it will harm our title efforts? There is so much in the way of positive vibes we really could do without the risk factor that Alfredo brings....a risk factor that is no longer underwritten by consistent goalscoring. 

 

Not cashing in on the 16M bid was bad business then and it looks worse now.

 

[Gonzo79 13,585]

2 minutes ago, buster. said:

I tend to think that the longer we keep him, the more frustrated he'll get, the increased probability that red cards will follow, the ensuing media blitz and we'll end up with a 7 figure transfer fee. The main issue at this moment in time is if it will harm our title efforts? There is so much in the way of positive vibes we really could do without the risk factor that Alfredo brings....a risk factor that is no longer underwritten by consistent goalscoring

We have been performing well with him in the side.  His goalscoring form seems to be on the wane but he does significant work nonetheless, particularly drawing defenders out of position which creates space for others.

 

Your comment about his temperament getting worse if we keep him is baseless.

[MacK1950 2,231]

35 minutes ago, buster. said:

Had he been sent-off very early in the game (and it was clearly a red card offence) and we had dropped points yesterday, the reaction would have been savage, with more than a little justification. Nor do I think the manager would have been so willing to defend the player.

 

We've got who was a potential 20 Million pound player, who has performed like a 2M pound player for nearly 12 months. That isn't a simple loss of form, it's a player who can't get his shit together, whether in specific moments it has been fitness, attitude, sharpness, form, heid turned, not wanting to be here, etc.

 

I tend to think that the longer we keep him, the more frustrated he'll get, the increased probability that red cards will follow, the ensuing media blitz and we'll end up with a 7 figure transfer fee. The main issue at this moment in time is if it will harm our title efforts? There is so much in the way of positive vibes we really could do without the risk factor that Alfredo brings....a risk factor that is no longer underwritten by consistent goalscoring. 

 

Not cashing in on the 16M bid was bad business then and it looks worse now.

 

???

[DMAA 3,603]

13 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

We have been performing well with him in the side.  His goalscoring form seems to be on the wane but he does significant work nonetheless, particularly drawing defenders out of position which creates space for others.

We’ve been just as good if not better without him though, he hasn’t been a key player in our good form. I’d argue he’s been the least important player in the 11 to our form, who would people drop before him?The oft-repeated line about dragging players out of position and making space for others has been exaggerated beyond belief, and it completely misses the fact that it has been a tactical tweak in the team’s system and isn’t specific to Morelos at all. Roofe, Defoe and Itten have all done the same thing well too, and Roofe in particular did it much better than Morelos. 
 

[DMAA 3,603]

39 minutes ago, buster. said:

Not cashing in on the 16M bid was bad business then and it looks worse now.

I said this at the time on here. It was a huge risk and I was very surprised we took it.