match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 2 (Colak 40; Lawrence 70) - 2 PSV Eindhoven

[Frankie 8,148]

We moved to zonal marking over the summer and, for me, we don't yet look comfortable with the transition.  Goldson is used as the spare man but because both the scoring corners were towards the front post, there were too many bodies for Goldson to get to it whilst we lack height/physicality elsewhere at defensive (and offensive) set pieces.

 

Souttar, Helander and Davies would help but all three are unavailable so we we can only play the hand we've got.

 

PS: A word for McLaughlin who had two fine stops to keep us in the tie.

[stewarty 1,876]

Goldson got stuck under the man/ball for the second but there were others at the set piece that also failed to match runners and to get a block/header in.

 

Whilst we rode our luck a little, it was disappointing to concede from two set pieces like that.  A tough second leg coming up but I think we have a good chance.

[buster. 4,808]

3 hours ago, Frankie said:

We moved to zonal marking over the summer and, for me, we don't yet look comfortable with the transition.  Goldson is used as the spare man but because both the scoring corners were towards the front post, there were too many bodies for Goldson to get to it whilst we lack height/physicality elsewhere at defensive (and offensive) set pieces.

 

Souttar, Helander and Davies would help but all three are unavailable so we we can only play the hand we've got.

 

PS: A word for McLaughlin who had two fine stops to keep us in the tie.

It isn't working properly, nor was it liable to be this early in the season. 

 

It is like we wanted to make CLGS qualification as difficult a challenge as possible.

 

Do you know if Souttar is injured or on compassionate leave ?

 

 

 

 

[MacK1950 2,231]

The second was a corner to the far post and Goldson was beaten by the run of a number 9 who I believe was 3 inches taller and shouldn't have been still on park after persistent  fouling on. Goldson.

[der Berliner 3,240]

1 hour ago, MacK1950 said:

The second was a corner to the far post and Goldson was beaten by the run of a number 9 who I believe was 3 inches taller and shouldn't have been still on park after persistent  fouling on. Goldson.

Nine out of 10 continental centre-halfs, when being jumped over by an attacking player, would have gone down screaming - probably conning the ref along the way. Credit that Goldson didn`t do this, but once more he was at the centre of a goal-conceeding incident in a CL play-off. While you can accept that no centre-half will go through games or seasons without errors, miss-judgements et al, he has a knack of choosing the worst possible games. Still, I can forget this, as opposed to this horrible kick-abouts in front of our goal. Time and again we allow being pressed by even the minor teams and loose the ball. In case of doubt, whip it up the park and see what happens there. No-one wants inch-perfect deliveries from a centre-half 24/7, just give the opposition and their defence something to do and cope with our attackers, rather than bring doom upon us with pressed passes. Barisic was rather annoyed with all that short needless passing to him back at his own corner flag.

 

As for Sands ... he`s played as many games as a centre-half as he has as a DM. He is rather quick in pace and mind, even though not every ball from defence finds his own man. But that is normal for a defender, Amoruso, Gough, Brown et al were not better in that department - and we do not expect(ed) them to be. CLEAR THE DANGER. At 22, I reckon he can easily get better.

 

What we fail time and again is the quick passing game, the one-touch stuff. PSV demonstrated it a few times and opened us up with ease. That should be the way we play, not least in the league, yet only very few players can do that, Roofe, Hagi, Lowry and Davis on occasion last season, Colak and Tillman this season. Most of the others, not least Kamara and Jack, always take the ball and run with it before making a pass that anyone can see coming. We have to start to be quicker in thinking and releasing the ball. Should we manage the CL group stage, this will be essential. Of course, it is still early in the season, but we`ve seen it last season many a time. While we get excited over super-passes from Jack at the weekend or Davis last night, this quick-thinking and acute passing should be the norm, not a highlight every now and then. (Moaning at a high level, I know ... but we`ve come a long way and should strife to improve.)

 

EDIT: Just noted in the Amazon-Prime highlights that Goldson was also in the midst of the first goal, heading the ball down-ish almost straight onto the player`s feet. Some bad fate with him ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD2ERIYumm8

Edited August 17, 2022 by der Berliner

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Kamara was in front of the attacker at the second goal and didn't jump. Goldson was behind him and could do nothing. 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by the gunslinger

[Bill 13,717]

5 hours ago, Frankie said:

PS: A word for McLaughlin who had two fine stops to keep us in the tie.

Yes he did. He did his job yesterday

[craig 5,195]

15 hours ago, MacK1950 said:

Don't know how many on here were at the game but the team put in a lot of effort and were unlucky not to go over there with a lead.PSV number nine should never have seen end of game with his constant niggly fouls and his attempt to swap jersey's before end of game.

Another poor poor show from a referee and as for VAR how the hell did we not get a penalty.

I actually thought the ref had a good game

[craig 5,195]

15 hours ago, ranger_syntax said:

Yes, should have been replaced early in the second half.

 

Even in the first half I thought he looked too slow to do anything when he got the ball.

Yeah, he was expecting more time than he was ever going to get at this level.  Was off the pace for sure

[craig 5,195]

15 hours ago, Gonzo79 said:

Their first looked like a lucky break of the ball.

 

Their second looked like a free header.

 

Who was at fault for the free header?

I wouldnt blame any player - for me the blame lays on the system.  A zonal system always favours attacking players making breaks on the ball.  Goldson got caught underneath but the attacking player had a run and jump on it.  Personally I dislike zonal for that reason.