Against packed defenses at Ibrox

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austrianger32

Well-Known Member
First of all I am happy that we won today, we are clearly capable of grinding out results this season, especially compared to last season. But my god, that was difficult to watch.

We seem to have our biggest problems at home against teams who park the bus, and not necessarily against your Hibs or Hearts who open up at times against us at home.

Watching us against Killie and today, I think we should not play Kamara, Jack, Davis AND Aribo in such games. I know that with Morelos and Tavernier we were missing two extremely important players. But I think in game like today, we need to see more of Stewart (when he is fit again) and even Ojo - and even more so, we probably need a new quality signing. We need a player who can create something against a packed defense, be it from midfield or right wing.
 
More often than not, when we create chances it comes through Tav, and when we score goals it’s scored by Morelos.
Don’t underestimate how big a loss these players are.
Coupled with the fact that we struggle to adapt our game with Defoe leading the line.

3pts in the bag tonight. Roll on Sunday.... That’s the big one. Need to get through that unscathed then welcome Alfredo back into the team.
 
RFC_Champions said:
More often than not, when we create chances it comes through Tav, and when we score goals it’s scored by Morelos.
Don’t underestimate how big a loss these players are.
Coupled with the fact that we struggle to adapt our game with Defoe leading the line.

3pts in the bag tonight. Roll on Sunday.... That’s the big one. Need to get through that unscathed then welcome Alfredo back into the team.
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I honestly think today might have been a very big one as well - and I mean that in a positive way. At Ibrox, we have been frustrating the last three games, but we have still won all of them.
 
austrianger32 said:
I honestly think today might have been a very big one as well - and I mean that in a positive way. At Ibrox, we have been frustrating the last three games, but we have still won all of them.
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Absolutely mate. Every three points is massive. None anymore than the other.

Sunday’s game is the type where we really need the likes of Alfredo. Tynecastle is seldom an easy venue regardless how poor they’ve been. Get through that without Alfredo then we’ll have a massive lift on his return.
 
Some fair points in here.

Kamara, Davis, Jack in the midfield at home against bottom 6 opposition is a problem. Yes they are all great players, but they aren't going box to box, beating a man and laying it on a plate for a striker or scoring themselves. You'd be better Aribo and Arfield further forward etc
 
With tav out, it was probably an opportunity to try 3 at the back. But tynecastle is next, and guys need minutes. I understand the selection and formation. I think it was just one of those nights tonight. Collect the points in any way possible and move on
 
It’s difficult to break down packed defences when you’re trying to cross high balls to a 5 foot 1 centre forward!
Also every time we had a chance to break we stopped and let them reform their 2 banks of 5,
Rather than driving on into an attacking position.
Very frustrating - but any it’s job done.
 
Stewart would have had minutes today if fit, he has the ability to help unlock these lower spfl level 12 man defences at home.

What amazes me is the amount of 6 yard box scrambles we get where it JUST WILL NOT fall right for us?!?! It's got the point I don't even expect to score! Defoe and Katic in first half, Katic and Defoe in second and then shot from Arfield late on!
 
It's easier to say it, I know, but in these situations we need more players willing to drive at defenders with the ball. Take risks, run out of position, lay the ball off for a shot. Low hard crosses to force errors. Mix it up. It was all a bit too casual and predictable at times. Winter break blues.
 
You need runners in this situation to go past defenders and not just pass the ball around, move it wide and cross into a tiny wee striker.
 
Tonight really was a major frustration, but like a few have said already, the positive is that we got the 3pts. I do have to say, however, that no matter how much these teams set up and play in this way, it still never fails to make my blood boil the hunger and ambition that they show once it gets towards the last 15mins and they get a sniff of sneaking an equaliser.
 
Very few SPL teams will come to Ibrox and try to play football and given that they know how much we've improved, this is just a problem we need to learn to deal with.

There's always been turgid games like this. Motherwell games in the 90's were particularly dire iirc, it's just that we forget those games when we win the league.
 
At home against these park 2 buses teams we need Tav and to some extent Morelos more than ever. With little attacking threat down the right they can just use an extra man to take Kent out the game.
 
I think we need to move the ball faster when attacking. Some of players seems to take 1 or 2 wee taps before passing 5-10 yards. This allows teams to reset their 10 man defence.
 
I was a little surprised we didn't have Arfield in midfield for this game. He gives more going forward.

Playing Flanagan meant we lost an attacker in Tav. I've never seen a FB offer so little in attack, even years ago when their main duty was defence. No need for him in games against opposition that park the bus
 
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Games like this when you're only a goal in front towards the end of the game there's always a chance the opposition get lucky from a set piece or a shot from range and you don't have time to react and get ahead again. It's always nice to get a 2 or 3 goal cushion but it's not always easy against a 10 man defence
 
We’ll get lots of this before the season’s done. We really need someone who can open up these defences at will.

At 1-0 we’re always at risk and when it becomes a war of attrition the entertainment level drops below zero.
 
lanarkshire_bear said:
Very few SPL teams will come to Ibrox and try to play football and given that they know how much we've improved, this is just a problem we need to learn to deal with.

There's always been turgid games like this. Motherwell games in the 90's were particularly dire iirc, it's just that we forget those games when we win the league.
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During Smiths 2nd spell teams like Falkirk, Inverness and Hamilton would come to Ibrox and dominate the ball for what seemed like most of the match. Last 20 minutes often involved us just sitting defending the box with a 1 or 2 goal lead. Match threads would have comments from several people who left Ibrox at HT.
 
The problem is we have 1 formation whether we are playing Barcelona at the Nou camp or Stranraer at home. It's a great formation against teams who want to play football and have a go but it's probably the worst formation for playing against park the bus teams. The midfield 3 lacks creativity and goals, why not have Aribo in behind Defoe and Ojo or Jones on the wing?
 
Aribo on the right works when the opposition is playing football but no use against packed defenses. He takes an extra touch slowing things down, Flannigan just exacerbated this tonight and Patterson should have started.

We need to play much quicker, the last two games have been painful to watch albeit we’ve done the bare minimum required.
 
Clydevalley said:
mentally challengeds don't seem to have a problem against those teams playing 10 man defences something has to be done
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Have you got any facts or figures to back this up? A quick look at the league table shows we've won a game less than them with a slightly worse goal difference with a game in hand, so I'd love to know how you reached that conclusion.
 
We need to come up with answers because we will be facing teams like that almost weekly from now on
 
Leif Erikson said:
Have you got any facts or figures to back this up? A quick look at the league table shows we've won a game less than them with a slightly worse goal difference with a game in hand, so I'd love to know how you reached that conclusion.
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Even better than that my friend, the only points we’ve dropped to anyone other than those cunts, were to Aberdeen, which on reflection was a complete anomaly - one of those games that comes around once every 5 years. We’ve made the changes required to ensure that doesn’t happen again.

How many goals have we conceded since that draw.....not fucking many
 
kbotw said:
Even better than that my friend, the only points we’ve dropped to anyone other than those cunts, were to Aberdeen, which on reflection was a complete anomaly - one of those games that comes around once every 5 years. We’ve made the changes required to ensure that doesn’t happen again.

How many goals have we conceded since that draw.....not fucking many
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Weve conceded 1 league goal since then and it shouldn’t have counted.
 
But ALL top teams have to contend in one way or another with lesser opponents who use varients of 'park the bus'. The difference is that really top teams find a way to cope with this tactic. What is of increasing concern to me is how easily Rangers become deflated when confronted with this situation, we rarely try to change tactics, our play become lethargic, there seems to me to a lack of 'big personalities' in the squad, guys with leadership who demand that their teammates 'bring it' irrespective of who they are playing.

That being said, we really do need a couple of decent players brought in during the window - not squad players - but players who are going to be considered integral to the 1st team squad.
 
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