Why this January signing must be fuming…

13
Why this January signing must be fuming…


So as you may notice today on Ibrox Noise, we are hardly exactly thrilled with yesterday’s display. Anyone who took anything other than three points as a positive saw more in the win than we did, and much of it was down to continuing bizarre management from Graeme Murty, who can hardly feel smug at winning 4-0 against a side who mostly outplayed us.

But what disappoints us hugely among all the odd selection calls is the recent wasting of Greg Docherty, up till the Motherwell match arguably the best player at Ibrox this year and the most consistent.

The 21-year old £600K signing from Hamilton had been absolutely stellar – a powerhouse midfielder dominating the middle, feeding the channels, breaking up opposition play and working like a dog to cover grass.

His partnership with Sean Goss was working well, in the sense of his own form. True, Rangers’ own was diabolical, and the QPR man wasn’t playing his best, but Docherty was, and the symbiosis with the deep lying playmaker in the form of the former Man Utd man suited Docherty perfectly.

Cue the last two matches where Goss has been hooked to make way for a completely out of position Dorrans.

Docherty’s game has gone AWOL, and he has looked infinitely less composed, dominating, and far more lost.

The deep-lying work Goss did is gone, and Docherty is trying to pick up the slack, and it’s affecting his own game.

Indeed, he was hooked yesterday thanks to how the new setup has dimished his own performance – unable to damage and feed in the middle of the pitch, he is being rendered much more impotent and isn’t having the impact he used to – because Dorrans is out of position and not covering the tasks Goss used to. There are reports Docherty was injured, but we’ve been unable to confirm it. And it’s a moot point anyway.

The duo doesn’t work. Docherty is being rendered obsolete and Dorrans can’t do much damage where he is.

Furthermore, some Rangers ‘fans’ suggesting the kid is ‘never a Rangers player’ and smearing him thanks to the past two matches are either even more fickle than us at Ibrox Noise or simply haven’t a clue what makes a real Rangers player.

It’s another real shame because the kid is a future Scottish international, and maybe even captain of Rangers, and he looked beyond devastated at being subbed off – but also annoyed, as if he knew he wasn’t being helped by a tactical shift that is currently hurting his contribution.

We really hope Murty sees sense and reverts to a working partnership if he must persist with the 4-2-3-1 otherwise Docherty is going to keep on struggling and Dorrans is going to keep on being ineffective.

And we need better preparation going into the cup semi and the split.

No posts to display

13 COMMENTS

  1. Agree 100% IN Docherty definitely an excellent signing and can be a great. The shape of the team is the problem and the lack of cohesion between the midfield to front …Dorrans ??? What does he give …as far as next week Mc Crorrie has to play and Goss yes Goss as he could open the door and he will have learned from his last OF game Miller and Morelos to start with Cummings at no 10

  2. Docherty was feeling unwell at halftime, it definitely showed, he had a poor game. We cant go back to Goss, he's too lightweight and we get over run with him in the middle. Dorrans isn't a defensive mid, why do managers try to be tactical geniuses by playing people out of position?? Dorrans should be playing in the windass position. Mcrorie should be alongside Docherty. Alves and Martin in defence, mcrorie in front of them to give some protection and he's able to cover for the fullbacks when they go forward. It's not hard, play people in their correct position FFS! Agreed about yesterday, 4-0 flattered us big time, we were shocking! Halliday made such a difference coming on, winning the ball and making simple passes. Anybody notice Jimmy Nic out giving instructions to the players during the game and out talking to Murty? 1st time I've seen that and I asked the question recently as to why he wasn't doing that.

    • We saw that too. Don't think these guys don't look at this site 😉 also yes, Halliday had a great cameo, but it said a lot that he was the first DM Murty turned to rather than Goss.

    • Stevie,

      Like the comments, agree with them. Dorrans is or should be fighting with Windass for a jersey, they play the same position, neither are much use anywhere else. So one plays, one is on the bench.
      Docherty is a box to box midfielder, but not a CDM. He needs a CDM behind him. We have Jack, Rossiter and Halliday who can play there. I think Goss is too lightweight, will struggle against in-your-face pressing tactics and I don't feel he can match Celtic in the middle. So either McCrorie steps forward or Halliday comes in. I thought Halliday was our best midfield player yesterday.
      Personally, I would have gone with McCrorie and Alves at the back, but that's why Murty sits in a room with Manager on the door. If you don't want Halliday in the team, and plenty don't, then McCrorie sits in front of Alves and Martin. Personally I think Halliday is a better CDM than Martin is a CB. Although, of course, CDM is not Halliday's position, he just took it to help us out. But I think he will have the energy we will need next Sunday.
      Glad to see Jimmy Nic doing what he was brought in for.
      Onwards to next Sunday

  3. At the moment Rodgers knows exactly how Rangers will set up and will easily set up his team to beat it. Murty must try something different. Change players, formation, tactics, something!!! But I fear he won't.
    There's an old saying "If you keep doing what you always do, you'll keep getting what you always get".

  4. Probably wrong article for this comment but just watched Hamilton get someone sent off in the 44th minute..Brenda brings on a striker during halftime! Take note murty! So frustrating!

    • Stevie.
      One thing Murty said yesterday that scared the shit out of me.
      When Murphy or John are out left Candias try get in the middle.
      Well God help us if that's not being adhered to in every training session both left and right!!!

  5. Seems to me that Goss was never brought in as a DM player, rather they are trying to use him the way Hoddle played in his later years – sitting deep in pockets of space and trying to pick out players with a range of passing. It worked ok until the OF game when it became painfully clear that he couldn't tackle his tea. If McCrorie plays alongside Doc next week, it'll certainly stiffen the team up but the distribution from that area will be limited – but that doesn't mean it won't be effective.

    • Hoddle? Goss?? If only! (He would still be at Man Utd) If Goss could be like Hoddle then Halliday came on and done his best Ray Wilkins (RIP legend) impression the way he kept the ball and passed with calm assured compusure. I get what you mean Bolton but I think particularly in Old Firm games we have to win the battle before we can earn the right to play and Goss isn't going to win any battles.

    • Agreed Stevie, that's why Goss doesn't play for me.
      Like him, but suspect he needs to put on quite a few KG of muscle and start getting an attitude if he wants to survive up here. Maybe a night oot on the Buckie would do it 🙂

  6. Was a Disgrace!
    Doche is 100% Rangers!
    …The next Ian Durrant & A Future Rangers Captain! 😃💙👍

    Murty! …Get your Shit Together!
    Enough is Enough

  7. Docherty was ill yesterday, however, if he felt ill before the game,he should have said to Murty instead of us wasting a substitute.
    I like Docherty, but it seems the weight of the jersey is starting to affect him. What the new manager has to work on is his consistency. At Hamilton, you can get away with playing inconsistently, but with Rangers, you cannot.
    He needs time to learn this, but I do like him.

Comments are closed.