match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 1 (Morelos 18) - 2 Malmo

[compo 6,116]

Will be interesting to see what changes are made if any before our next outing. 

Mon the gers 

[Rousseau 9,360]

Strangely, I'm not angry; I'm just disappointed.

 

I'm mystified, and quite concerned, as to how we can play so poorly over three games. 

 

I didn't see the first half, but by all accounts we were quite good. I did see the second, and what I saw was a team of 10-men outplaying us and scoring two well-taken goals. But, we looked terrified, and the space allowed for those goals was embarrassing; defenders not tracking the attackers, and the midfield seemed to be posted missing. And then we actually created 4-5 excellent chances, that should have been taken. I can somewhat understand why Gerrard would say it was tactically fine (defensive lapses are not generally tactical issues); score those chances and the game changes. 

 

However, you need to change things when you're chasing the game, and we didn't do much differently. 

 

We look out of sorts. Too many players are not up to scratch, yet. I feel like several of those players called on last night have not had a pre-season, or have had injuries recently (Barisic, Arfield, Hagi, Balogun, Aribo, Helander (OK--he didn't play), Morelos, and even McGregor has been in and out of the team). Some of those are unlucky injuries or after-effects of the Euro's, but you have to question whether we've just not prepared them properly. Covid has apparently affected us too. 

 

The formation is not the issue. The personnel are just not performing, for one reason or another. We need our players to show up, and/or make tactical changes to find alternate way of attacking etc; to find new solutions. It's a cop-out to base our struggles on the formation; the game is more complicated than that.  

 

That's not to say a change in formation can't be beneficial, though. I would certainly like to see the 3-4-2-1 seen in Europe, and even in England now who are usually late to these things. 

 

I don't think we've been "found out", either. Domestically we've faced one shot on target. The issue is we've not had the same zip in the final third. That needs to change. 

 

Our strength comes from our Full-backs and inside forwards, with a stabilising 3-man midfield that controls and penetrates with through balls and driving runs. All of those components have not really got going, though.  

 

I'd drop Kent for a bit; I don't think he's started well at all. Or, do you keep playing him to get him through it? 

 

It's up to the management to now get us through it. 

 

I'm disappointed. 

[Gonzo79 13,584]

Our next outing is against Dunfermline.

 

The changes (if any) made for next Thursday will be more interesting.  Certain players never seem to get dropped - Kent and Goldson in particular.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Gonzo79

[RANGERRAB 3,254]

11 minutes ago, Bill said:

It’s facile to keep spouting about 4-3-3. We could have played any formation last night but if players can’t control the ball, pass accurately or put in a decent cross then the formation is the least of our worries. We lost to Malmö because too many in the team let themselves and the club down. Fullbacks were dreadful, central defenders were a bombscare, etc etc. It’s about players, not formations.

We need more variety to our game. Teams are wise to the way we play. 
They don’t let our FB’s get forward & double up on Aribo and Kent. 

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,473]

Can't see many sales of the lilac strip shifting after last night. Not a fan incidentally. Looks cheap IMO. 

 

Why can't we just get a classy all white strip. Maybe with a blue star? Is it too much to ask in this year of all years...? 

 

Grouchy bar steward, Glasgow.

[PoohBear 1,074]

Always crossing the ball even though our frontline are not gifted aerial attackers.

 

Lack of runners from midfield through the centre.

 

Always playing in front of the opposition and never in behind.

 

Poor communication in defence.

 

What's happened?

 

[BlackSocksRedTops 3,473]

2 minutes ago, PoohBear said:

Always crossing the ball even though our frontline are not gifted aerial attackers.

 

Lack of runners from midfield through the centre.

 

Always playing in front of the opposition and never in behind.

 

Poor communication in defence.

 

What's happened?

 

This. With bells on. Watching those crosses being lobbed in aimlessly has been soul destroying. 

[ranger_syntax 3,762]

1 hour ago, DMAA said:

He is a much better defender than Balogun though and you don’t see him giving away goals like Balogun did last night. The stats show that Helander is our best traditional defender too, we always look vulnerable without IMO. 

Yeah, but Helander is very slow.

 

Are you still baffled by the decision?

[PoohBear 1,074]

3 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

Yeah, but Helander is very slow.

 

Are you still baffled by the decision?

I wouldn't say that one physical deficiency means he should be dropped. We had Weir playing for us for seasons and if he broke into a sprint his knees would turn to dust and his ankles would disintegrate. Managers never dropped Cannavaro because the opposition was too big either. Surely if you're a defender that can read the game then that is what matters? 

[craig 5,195]

We’ve been moving the ball far too slowly and rarely is it vertical.

 

Last night we played far, far too many square balls in defense and midfield.

 

Shifting the play from one side to the other is fine, but once you do so, you have to make vertical passes to get beyond their low block.  We didn’t do it.

 

we also moved the ball too slowly for playing against 10 men.  Last week they were out on their feet after 70 minutes get last night, for the most part, they were fine….. because we didn’t have them chasing anything.

 

So disappointing - such an opportunity to make the CL proper.

 

As said already, the formation wasn’t the issue.  We dominated them for the first 40 minutes and, in fairness, we could have been out of sight by half time.  I’m not even sure the personnel was the issue given that first 40 minutes.  But after the break we collapsed, mentally.  I do think we badly missed Kamara and even Roofe last night - so the fall out from Slavia has hurt us badly.

 

We also aren’t having any luck.  At various points last season we carried that wee bit of luck but so far this year we haven’t.  There were a number of efforts last night that were last ditch blocks that on another night would have went in.  But up 1-0 against 10 men we shouldn’t have to rely on luck.