10 things we learned against Ross County

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10 things we learned against Ross County


Well after the chaos of the past few days, it was back to football today, and we did it! Ridiculous to contemplate it, but today was Rangers’ first 3IAR since December last year, an ignominious record of a year without registering three league wins in a row. While Ross County were hardly Real Madrid, Rangers’ hard-fought win over them finally ends that dreadful drought, but looking back on the match, here are a bunch of things we can take away from this encounter:

1: Kenny Miller is 100% finished. Look guys, you can spin this nonsense about ‘puts in a world of work’ if you want, but even that increasing myth is wearing thin. The guy is past it, and has been in atrocious form since the summer, and I barely think I counted a single moment of harrying or tackling from him in midfield, which is usually the line his supporters peddle. He has been a great servant for us, but it is time for him to retire and contribute to the club in another way.

2: Alfredo Morelos needed that break. Enforced break though it was, his cameo appearance today helped win the match, such was his strength up front and ability to stretch defences – he looked refreshed and ready to get going. He critically ended his horrendous dry spell too, and we would love to see him roaring back up the scoring charts again.

3: We saw the best and worst of Danny Wilson today. His loss of concentration for Ross County’s goal was superseded by his second goal in two matches, and an otherwise solid display at the back. We know the lad can lose the noodle a bit, today that happened. We cannot help but wonder if that concussion was completely gone.

4: Bruno Alves is immune from criticism. We have barely seen a word of it for his appalling defending where he let Curran get goal side and slam home a barely-challenged header. For us, Alves does not work hard enough and still thinks he is better than all this. Sure, he probably is, but he has not shown enough of that to justify it. Add to that his threats that if he does not play he will leave, and frankly we have had about enough of him. Nice guy, yes, but we are not convinced by his attitude.

5: Graeme Murty was weak in dropping David Bates, the MOTM last week, for Alves. There was no justification. Bates can feel very aggrieved.

6: My colleague Richard’s moaning about Jason Holt has been incessant, and today he was justified – the wee terrier ran his heart out but his tackling and passing was scandalously bad. We do love his attitude, but that quality needs to spike.

7: James Tavernier and Daniel Candeias have formed an excellent duo on the right. It seems Candeias gets the best out of Tav, and has taken his game to a new level. Both do the same thing, more or less, and even Tav’s defending has improved. It is good to have quality crosses from the right from both of them. It is a nice combination which is working for us.

8: It was the old Josh Windass today – trying too hard, failing, trying again, failing, then angering Morelos by completely ignoring him in the box when a slide rule pass rather than an ambitious shot would have been more sensible. When this kid calms down and plays for the team, he is a fine asset. But today it was all about him. And we do not like that aspect.

9: Jamie Barjonas has earned a starting berth. He has been flirting with the first team for a year now, and with no Ryan Jack for the next two, the guy deserves to start. His composure on the ball and maturity is every inch as good as anyone else, maybe better.

10: Rangers have not missed Graham Dorrans. Sad to say, but just that one decent display v St Johnstone is all the ex-Scotland international has to show for his time at Ibrox – Rangers have done better in his absence than they have with him. We know the guy has a game in him, but like Alves, he has barely shown it.

Any of your own?

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15 COMMENTS

  1. Barjonas, Bates and McRorie have earned a first team place. Match fitness and a good run would drive them on with increasing confidence.
    Ryan Jack along with Wallace and Dorrans can bring experience when fit but I have my doubts about our goalkeeper.

  2. Number 10 seems to be a bit of a contradiction btw, if u want to drop holt and Windass then he will need to come in to replace one of them

  3. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are all negatives, 2, 7 and 9 are the positives; a 3-7 defeat on sentiment. This was typical of the sort of match that the opposition played against Warbs' and Peds' teams, and we'd lose i.e. park the bus and hit us on the break. Today wasn't great, but Murty changed it at half time and we won (just). We do need a manager and a better squad, but I think it was better than 3-7 chaps.

  4. think your wrong about dorrans cant disagree with the rest .badly missed jack today .murty has got a lot to do next few weeks will give us a good idea if hes the man .will be some game on wedensday .we won today playing terrible not a bad sign .if we beat lennons mob .its murtys until end season

  5. I find your assessment of today’s performance with mixed support, probably in 70% agreement, with slight disagreement or additional comments in the other 30%.
    On points 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9 I totally agree, on item 10 am in agreement, but with Jack suspended for the next two games feel Dorrans experience in midfield would be a positive benefit, especially if McCrorie absent for Easter Road this midweek and next week.

    Item 3, Danny Wilson gets a lot of criticism, but to me he is a tremendous asset, yes he did seem sloppy at the goal we lost today, but his contribution today and if he can get fit for continuos games be the Rangers
    centre half for many years to come, so I’m part I agree with your comment.
    Item 5, is difficult for Murty, who let’s face it didn’t expect to be manager this weekend, but he had the guts to omit ardoso from the squad, to play Alves or Bates was a difficult decision, let’s praise Murty rather than condemn him as although it was hard on us as fans today, we have now achieved three successive victories.
    Item 6. Holt was poor today, but apart from McCrorie and Barjonas who replaced the former, midfield was poor. I think, this is a personal opinion, Holt suits Ryan Jack playing alongside him and Jack brings Holt into the game, in a positive way. Holt will never be a world class player by any means, but name me an other player on Ranges books who has the same movement as him? Holt does a lot of work off the ball, drawing players out of position. That’s my opinion others will disagree!

  6. 1. totally disagree, who would be better to play instead of Miller? Hardie? it's amazing how players on the sidelines are suddenly thought to be better than they are.

    4. Alves is our best defender by far. wins most in the air, best at passing out from the back and organises.

    5. Alves is better than Bates pure and simple and you play your best team.

    6. Holt gives us good energy and helps the team start to close the ball down which we need especially when Jack is suspended.

    9. another player who isn't playing so suddenly people think he's better than he is. good young player who will come good but no ready to be starting yet.

    10. rubbish Dorrans is our best passer of the ball, goalscoring midfielder and our best midfielder.

    Murty doing well. team finally won 3 games in a row so why are we being negative about the team on the park?

  7. here is another thing learned today, tom miller on rangers tv is the worst commentator in history, i was almost putting my foot through the screen at kenny millers first half performance only to hear the bold tom informing us that kenny miller was “inspiring rangers”? in the second half kenny shanked a cross that ended up hitting the bar only for the idiot to say kenny “saw the keeper off his line”, if you are going to commentate on things at least be sensible, and another thing, we are starting every game with 9 men, pena and miller are passengers, contributing absolutely nothing .

  8. The most striking thing today was that there can surely no longer be any doubt that Pena is a complete waste of money and time. Hooked again after 45 minutes. Getting rid of in January must be a priority.

  9. I could be wrong but didn't Kenny Miller win the ball and make the pass for the first goal? Sometimes you have to watch and see what he actually does rather than expect him to be nodding in from 6 years. Also he wacked the cross bar which would have killed the game had it gone in. He's alway working and committed and I recognise he's not at his all time best but take a look at what he actually does. Personally I'd tell him to goal hang and focus on banging goals in…

    Something else we learned is that with Pena starting any game we are down to 10 men. Maybe Pedro will buy him for his new club in Mexico… We beat Aberdeen twice with 10 men really.

  10. Simple Miller is far to old!!

    Windass will never be Rangers class!!

    Full backs should be Jack & Wallace with Tavi & John in front of them, that would make us harder to beat and stronger going forward.

    Rotate McCorie, Barjonas & Dorrans in the middle that will protect Alves & Wilson also.
    Impressed with both our young boys and now there is defo no reason to go after McLean as they offer more.
    As for Alves don't know where UR coming from he's the class act in our team, constantly organising all around him and playing RW yesterday trying to get us all 3 points.

    Morelos scares the shit out of defences but we need another approach apart from him, no matter what happens Mould must be got to play up front with him at 0001 01/01/2018.

    Pena & Herrera will probably join Pedro in the window for a cut price untill then 1 of them must partner Morelos.
    Holt runs all day but needs to spend 3 hours a day in the gym and put 2 stone of muscle on, honestly my daughter could push him off the ball and he needs to change that.

    Hope our DOF is having better fortune looking at players than a Manager, look at my posts I'm not backing the board but to be fair at this time who's going to do much better than Murty?? I know not the final answer but ok till we can get better.

    Lastly who ever released that statement that totally embarrassed our club should be beheaded at dawn!!!

    Robbies Xmas Wish!!!

  11. who ever released that statement should be knighted our club is to big for mcinnes ,the problem is were just meant to sit back and take this abuse from media ,milne ,smellies ,e,t,c , no chance mcinnes tried to make us look bad surely you know half scotland trying to destroy us .no surrender give it to them same as they give it to us ,we cant make another mistake ,pedro ,breadman , stevies xmas wish tel butcher. only if murty doent cut it.

  12. The first half of that game was torture,we actually made ross county look good, the amount of space and time we gave them to pass the ball about was frightening,don't know about anybody else but i could see that county goal coming ,why do we have to wait to half time to change something,the diamond every body was raving about was nowhere, the space in the central midfield area you could drive a bus through it,ok jack was out but what happens if he gets a long term injury who comes in.

  13. Blue Blue I agree . Miller is still Good IMO He moves He Does some brilliant short & Long passes , Yes a couple of Fliers over the bar. Plays for the team. I`d have him over Selfish Wind Ass any time.

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