Were we wrong about Graeme Murty?

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Were we wrong about Graeme Murty?


Last night’s victory over Hibernian might just have been one of the most bizarre wins Rangers have had in a long time.

One of Scotland’s most in-form sides and who nearly got a win against Celtic, dominant and worthy of more than their one goal lead when Graeme Murty’s team gasped its way towards half time, before two completely undeserved yet brilliant and clinically taken goals in the space of a few minutes turned what could and should have been a 3-0 half time lead (at least) into a staggering 1-2 reversal.

Us Bears could hardly believe it. In that first 45 we had been outplayed in every department with possibly the worst and most incompetent first half display this season and perhaps further back.

The defence was diabolical, the midfield simply did not exist, and the attack got absolutely no service at all.

Then Josh Windass scored.

Then Alfredo Morelos scored.

And everything changed.

Buoyed by the goals, whatever Graeme Murty said at half time absolutely worked – while the second half did not graduate to a truly great performance from the front two thirds, there was something incredibly Walter-esque about the defensive shape and reliability, and from the moment David Bates came on, Hibs were never going to score.

Let us make no mistake – this was a night which killed Hibs. Absolutely killed them. The better team overall on the night, but they could not finish off the most resilient and ‘Old Rangers’ display I think I can remember for half a decade.

This was classic Walter Rangers – soaking up everything, then hitting on the break, getting the goals, and seeing the match out.

Obviously the actual football was ghastly – let us not deny how utterly abhorrently our entire team played in that first half. From neither full back shutting down anything, to Bruno Alves borderline playing for Hibs, to Jamie Barjonas’ struggles to even get on the ball never mind impress himself, to Daniel Candeias’ inability to do a single constructive thing, it was a dysfunctional and horrific first half.

Until we scored.

And then David Bates came on.

That second half was what we expect. Sure, we still did not play very well outside our half, but boy was it fun watching Hibs huff, and puff, and fail utterly to blow our house down.

It was as if the spirit of Walter was on the sidelines screaming at his men, packing the defence and suffocating Hibs’ attack.

Sure, we got a bit of luck too – a possible handball, two cracks off the post, and some terrific stops from Wes Foderingham (one of his best displays in a Rangers shirt, incidentally) – but then so did Walter. You make your luck.

Graeme Murty has got something going right now. You could discredit the Aberdeen wins as being against a completely unsettled Pittodrie side in the midst of the Derek McInnes fiasco. You could discredit the County win as being barely deserved and against a horrific side. But there is no discrediting the lionhearts we showed last night and the tactical awareness from Murty who simply outfoxed Lennon entirely – we beat, with grit, determination and guts a fine team – Hibernian are a dark horse for the third place finish, and they could not for love nor money beat Rangers.

Graeme Murty has done in the past four matches what neither previous permanent manager with their pretentious drivel and ‘visions’ could even get close to inside the past year – four SPL wins in a row including three over top four teams.

While the Hamilton and Dundee results will sting in the memory, there is even a positive spin there too – Hamilton was a great performance, which just lacked luck and suffered an off-form Morelos. Meanwhile everyone is underestimating the impact Neil McCann is having at Dundee – since the 18th of November Dundee have beaten us, Ross County and got a point off Killie. They have a decent chance of surviving, or at the least, making the play offs.

So, Rangers, under Graeme Murty, have 6 wins from 8. It is literally the best run in the SPL for this club since before administration.

We said before that Murty was clearly not the right man, a view shared by many.

But it is getting harder and harder to preach that point.

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25 COMMENTS

  1. he should be given until the end of the season. give him a chance to grow into the role. if he does well we have a manager who knows the squad and was hugely influential in setting up the youth system. he'll have a better idea than anyone who is likely to step up from the youths.

  2. Outfoxed Lennon really??
    Lennon had him in his back pocket all of the game.
    How the fuk we walked out of Easter Road with 3 points God himself only knows.
    If there was any doubt that Murty shouldn't be manager last nite was it, it's not quantum physics to put on a extra defender when UR getting battered to death.
    We were total pish from start to finish and stole 3 points, Santa came early last nite, play like that against the manky mob and we will get destroyed.
    Gingers twice the manager Murty or McInnes Is, wish we had someone like him.
    We need a Manager before this fuking window opens, The people with long trousers need to get there shit together and NOW!!

    • Really can't believe your battering Murty and the team. We went 1 down and ended winning the game with 2 great goals after a no surrender performance. We are down to the bare bones of a team here – last night we had Barjonas 18 years old, McCrorie 19 years old, a guy who couldn't get in the Cardiff team (?) Windass 23 years old – Kenny Miller 36, Alves 36 and then another boy comes on for his second match of the season Bates…and all you can do is moan !! They won the bloody match, what the hell else do you want out of these guys who in Walters day none would ever see a Rangers jersey! They and Murty have done our club proud and its about time we stood up for them because they are never going to get any credit from the press.

      Murty is a first team coach and he should get that job BUT he is not a manager. He need to spend 3 or 4 years working under a senior manager then hell be ready.

      So support the team eh!! Look at were we are and the players playing for US, they deserve or support…

    • Buy that man a pint… Most sense I’ve seen on here on days 👏🏼
      It’s not pretty but remember getting played aff the park in Walters days but nicking a win. The 3 points is all the matters. Players play better with wins & confidence not constant bitching from the stands or social media… We stole that last night but I’m a happy Bear today 🔴⚪️🔵

  3. Last nights performance was reminiscent of a performance under Walter Smith as the article implies. Smith had a big advantage on Murty with better players, however the players in the second half dug in and got on with their task after we clawed ourselves back into the game in the only 5 minutes in the whole game where we dominated.
    Hibs played very well, but individuals for Rangers also played well, with Wilson, Alves, after his lapse early on in the first half, with decent work done by Holt and McCrorie. Praise too for both Moreles and Windass for their two goals.
    Tavernier will not get a tougher game than the one last night, he was taken to task by Barker.

  4. Give him the job. The guy clearly deserves a shot. He's better than the last two guys (combined) and the money saved can be used to improve the squad.

  5. If we got to win ugly albeit that's fine 3 points are more important than trying to walk it into the net. Important win last night. Time to concentrate on Saturday hopefully everyone is fit and ready to win another 3 points.

  6. Murty has the age old problem of going from work colleague to gaffer. It takes time to build your authority and to distance yourself from friendships. It was good to see him directing and making himself heard on the touchline last night which suggest some he is building his confidence to give a good old fashioned bollocking. I'm still not convinced he will be long term but he is growing on me. LEts see how this month pans out

  7. Murty has earned the job full time ,At the very least until the end of the season. Windass after the game said things have gone well since the new manager was put in place. A clear indication of how the players feel about Murty.

    What i found interesting was when Miller went off injured we changed to a 4-5-1 and obviously our game plan that would have been worked on all week was out the window. This upset the balance somewhat. Alves was massively at fault twice for the 1st goal , which without his touch was being comfortably saved. At 1-2 Murty changes tactics for a second time in the game , He earned the points last night. We were fortunate regards penalty call but that was all hibs deserved after the ibrox game when they should have had 2 red cards. Karma is a bitch.

    All of a sudden we look like a unit. Well done Murty

    • Disagree with Alves being at fault for the first goal. Jamie Barjonas was posted missing and did not mark the scorer who ran past him toward goal!

    • You are right that stevensons run was missed but my point was on murrays run in behind, Alves didn't close down, never got tight to his man, allowed Murray to turn in the box and lay the ball off. His deflection was a desperate attempt to rectify his mistake. Stevensons run should have been picked up though.

  8. That young brandon Parker is a cracking player. I'm just perplexed as to why hiv's managed to get him on loan and we got namane who has hardly got a sniff. Mark Allen blunder I think.

  9. You cannot play like that first half performance against hibs and county is was the same in the two games pure murder, some other team is going to exploit the midfield weakness and we will get hammered,that was pure get out of jail free card.

    • Fact is, we DID play like that in both games and won both. I'd rather get the 3 points and play crap, than play teams off the park and still lose (like the Dundee & Hamilton games).

  10. guys are fighting for jersey wasnt pretty last night we rode our luck ,but a brilliant win .lots of plus points morellos windass look really good up top keeper awesome, mcrorie ,holt wilson playing out there skin .when jack back we will be hard to beat ,murty and players doing great job .need to let murty pick players he wants in january not mark allen as there a few good players we can get for free ,even buy midfield player as we have saved a few qiud with mcinness carry on .murty until end season .

  11. I wouldn't discredit any of the recent victories, every one was thoroughly deserved. After that defensive performance last night who needs BENJAMIN MENDY?? 😁 In Murty we trust! WATP 🇬🇧

  12. We weren’t happy with warburton and press “nice” football, really we want wins that’s all that matters. I’d like to see Murty become manager but maybe an old timer come in as his assistant that knows the club, and has a decent manager record of there own

  13. Loving the win obviously,but if we play like that again against any other team we will be beaten.
    Make no mistake about that.
    What would the result be if we rocked up to Easter Road for a replay tomorrow?
    Fun and lucky as it was, we are fk if we play like that again.
    On another note, how many would Alf score if he got decent service?

  14. Played badly, won.
    Murty changes it (again) when it wasn't working and leaves Easter Road with Lennon raging.
    Love it.

  15. While we played poorly with a makeshift squad due to injuries and Jacks suspension ( miss his presence ). Yet we still walked away with 3 points it wasn’t pretty but it keeps us still in second spot ffs! Walters days are over it's not the same not close… Yet we expect the same performances with this squad?? Get a grip and be happy and try backing the players & Murty rather than slating them for any mistake made… Every man and his dug had us ritten aff before the start of the season… We got rid of Ped sit second yet the Bears still ain’t happy how is that? Moan moan oh aye moan..

    In Murty we trust!

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