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

[craig 5,195]

On 17/08/2022 at 18:32, buster. said:

Trying to squeeze value out of signings is all very well but recruiting an injury prone Souttar when we already had an injury prone Helander was always liable to lead to this type of situation.

 

That isn't recactionary, I said it when Souttar signed.

 

Then to just make sure we made it doubly difficult for ourselves, we change to a zonal marking system as CL qualifiers come around.

I am fairly certain Soutter was recruited to replace Goldson as they suspected he wouldnt renew his contract.  Souttar now becomes the back-up rather than first choice - somewhat fortuitously given his lack of availability thus far

 

[craig 5,195]

On 18/08/2022 at 05:55, stewarty said:

I think everyone thought the same thing about Souttar in terms of his injury record, but on a free, on balance, I think he's a decent signing.  On top of that, as you rightly point out, Helander is also similarly out regularly and we struggle to get consecutive games out of him consistently.

 

Which is why I thought the comments from Super about Balogun were odd.  We similarly had to manage his fitness and he also struggles to string together games.  I'd much rather give King minutes when the need arises, and that seems to be Gio's view too.  

 

 

King is also comfortable in either side of CB, that versatility is important.  His time will come for sure

[craig 5,195]

23 hours ago, Tannochsidebear said:

Havent had a chance to comment on the game yet, but I thought the first half was one of the bests halves of football I have witnessed for a long time. Both teas playing at a pace and intensity you just dont see very often, with skillful players on show on both sides. Really enjoyed it apart from being so nervous and us conceding a really poor goal, thought we deserved to be in front at HT. Second half our legs went after the first half exertions, and Gio, who got it spot on tactically (zonal defence apart) which RVN admitted, couldnt change when we saw PSV changed their approach in the 2nd half, and as a consequence PSV were certainly the better side in the 2nd half. Our subs were not right, we needed legs and we bring on Kamara to stroll around, when it should have been Arfield and Alfie should certainly have had the last 10 mins or so as Colak tired after a great shift. Anyone else want to see them together, I think the two styles would lead to tons of goals?

 

Ok, the elephant in the room continues to be Goldson. Both goals are his fault, no doubt about it. The first goal he actually ducks down, a feeble header right into the danger zone then turns away on the net-bound shot. This despite him not having a man to mark (awful zonal system to blame for that). The second he gets outjumped by a midfielder. H simply MUST win those headers, or do enough to ensure it is not a goal-bound effort. I will say that i agree this system dictates that others must be blocking off these runs to add some protection, and they failed also, but he is our main centre half and is positioned accordingly at the most dangerous zone and it is his job to ensure that if the ball comes into his zone, he wins it. He failed. Again. Sick of it but he aint going anywhere or ever getting injured or dropped so I am left with hoping he can improve, and that his mistakes go unpunished. 

 

The first goal Goldson had virtually zero time to react as the ball dropped over the players in front of him.

 

The second goal he didnt get outjumped by a midfielder.  Obispo is a centre half.  Seems we fans make mistakes as often as Goldson.

 

Goldson was involved in both their goals but suggesting he is to blame for them is unfair IMHO.  First one, no time to react.  Second one was nothing to do with being outjumped, it was all to do with the zonal system - zonal system will ALWAYS give the attacking player the benefit when going up for a ball because he will be attacking it at pace, giving himself leverage - and the defenders have to somehow compete from a standing start.  Defenders will always be at a disadvantage.

 

Goldson often gets criticism and merited - but on Tuesday night there was little he could have done about either goal - IMHO of course. 

[ian1964 10,410]

 

[buster. 4,808]

1 hour ago, craig said:

I am fairly certain Soutter was recruited to replace Goldson as they suspected he wouldnt renew his contract.  Souttar now becomes the back-up rather than first choice - somewhat fortuitously given his lack of availability thus far

 

My point stands, regardless.

Two injury prone centre halves in a squad is not a good idea.

 

 

As for idea of replacing Goldson before he has gone.

 

How many games did they envisage a Souttar/Helander central defence play ?

[Tannochsidebear 2,306]

5 hours ago, craig said:

The first goal Goldson had virtually zero time to react as the ball dropped over the players in front of him.

 

The second goal he didnt get outjumped by a midfielder.  Obispo is a centre half.  Seems we fans make mistakes as often as Goldson.

 

Goldson was involved in both their goals but suggesting he is to blame for them is unfair IMHO.  First one, no time to react.  Second one was nothing to do with being outjumped, it was all to do with the zonal system - zonal system will ALWAYS give the attacking player the benefit when going up for a ball because he will be attacking it at pace, giving himself leverage - and the defenders have to somehow compete from a standing start.  Defenders will always be at a disadvantage.

 

Goldson often gets criticism and merited - but on Tuesday night there was little he could have done about either goal - IMHO of course. 

I can see what your saying but would, say, a Gough/Weir have been cowering down at the first goal or have gone and made sure he won it?  A fair point on the second, why o why does any side play zonal defence? Anytime I see a zonal defence in our opponents I know we will have chances to score from corners, and that takes into account just how bad we are at corners! I know I give Goldson a hard time but it seems every soft goal we concede he is right at the heart of the error, plus his very slow distribution, poor positioning etc. I can’t not see it now! 

[the gunslinger 3,366]

41 minutes ago, Tannochsidebear said:

I can see what your saying but would, say, a Gough/Weir have been cowering down at the first goal or have gone and made sure he won it?  A fair point on the second, why o why does any side play zonal defence? Anytime I see a zonal defence in our opponents I know we will have chances to score from corners, and that takes into account just how bad we are at corners! I know I give Goldson a hard time but it seems every soft goal we concede he is right at the heart of the error, plus his very slow distribution, poor positioning etc. I can’t not see it now! 

He wasn't cowering down. he was doing the only thing possible to get his head on the ball ffs. 

[Uilleam 5,409]

 

FOOTBALL

‘I had scored the winner – but Dick Advocaat barely flinched in the dugout’

Jorg Albertz recalls his winner against PSV in 1999 – and the scowl on his manager’s face

Fraser Mackie

Sunday August 21 2022, 12.01am, The Sunday Times

 

Albertz and Van Bronckhorst after ‘Der Hammer’s’ thunderous winner in Eindhoven

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-had-scored-the-winner-but-dick-advocaat-barely-flinched-in-the-dugout-f7zctw3cj

 

For some managers, a Thomas Tuchel-style touchline charge is the least likely way to display emotion after a goal.

Witness Dick Advocaat on the night of September 28, 1999, in Eindhoven where, according to the Rangers goalscorer Jorg Albertz, the static, stony-faced reaction from his manager said it all.

Albertz, nicknamed ‘Der Hammer’ for his lethal left foot, had just nailed a late Champions League group stage victory against PSV with a volley of trademark ferocity.

The German midfielder started the evening on the bench, a status he was all too familiar with through a saga of contentious non-selections by Advocaat on big occasions. “Under Dick, I couldn’t be 100 per cent sure of starting any game,” says Albertz.

Despite netting in the group opener 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich then following up with a weekend brace against over St Johnstone, Albertz was benched when Advocaat returne to the Netherlands.

A first-half injury to Claudio Reyna, however, thrust him into the action. Albertz started and spectacularly finished the counterattack that won the match six minutes from time.

The commentator Archie MacPherson described Advocaat’s reaction as “remarkably stoic” as a camera flashed to the dugout.

It’s impossible not to be tickled now by footage of the curmudgeonly Dutchman standing stock-still, arms folded. But, at the time for Albertz, it was evidence to back up his belief that not only was the Dutchman not his biggest supporter but also that the issue was personal.

Four weeks later, the fan favourite Albertz was back among the substitutes when PSV visited Ibrox and were soundly beaten 4-1.

Six points from Eric Gerets’s side wasn’t enough to progress from a section that, in addition to Bayern, featured a superb Valencia team.

Albertz says that “still does my head in after all these years”.

 

But the memory of his winning strike past the future Rangers keeper Ronald Waterreus in Eindhoven is an overriding positive.

Albertz, a £4 million Walter Smith signing from Hamburg in 1996, said:

“Scoring that goal was a fantastic feeling for me, knowing my family was in the stadium. Eindhoven is one and a half hours from my home city of Mönchengladbach so my mum, dad, brother and some friends went.

“I was very disappointed not to start the game. As a professional, there’s something wrong if I was okay about it. But to score just before the end was a dream come true. It was an important goal to get three points from an incredible game in a fantastic atmosphere.

“I went to the corner and pointed at my name on the back of my shirt. It had nothing to do with me being on the bench first then scoring. I just wanted to do that with my family there.

“On the TV pictures, they show Dick and he didn’t seem very happy. So, I don’t know if he was so happy that it was me who scored. To be fair, so many things can be said about him from my point of view but he was one of the best coaches in my career.

“We also had an incredible group of players. He could’ve picked any other player instead of me.”

 

Rangers return on Wednesday, with Advocaat’s protégé, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, at the helm and in opposition to the three-times Champions League top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Van Bronckhorst will doubtless be incapable of restraining his feelings on the touchline if Rangers book a group-stage berth.

It is 2-2 from the Ibrox leg and Albertz believes his old team-mate will succeed on the evidence of Van Bronckhorst’s shrewd stewardship of the Europa League final run.

 

Albertz was impressed by the tactical tweaks and personnel switches as tests against Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Belgrade, Braga and Leipzig were overcome.

“I’m very happy Gio is Rangers coach because he will know Eindhoven inside out and know exactly what to expect from them at home,” Albertz says.

“He’ll have a plan to go over there and the boys are capable of winning this game.

“Gio has got the big experience. Throughout his playing career, he trained under so many absolutely outstanding coaches.

“He’s got his own way. He has a Plan A but, if that doesn’t work, he’s got a Plan B too — and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s got a pretty good Plan C. He proved all that in the last European campaign. I’m quite positive about this game. Another 1-0 win in Eindhoven would be absolutely magic.”

 

PSV Eindhoven (2) v Rangers (2)
Champions League qualifying, second leg
Wednesday, 8pm
BT Sport 1