Against packed defenses at Ibrox

[temperance]

The diddy teams are prepared to concede the wings and pack the middle to make it very difficult to get through, that’s why we miss Alfie so much, he can create out of nothing, and makes space for others.

 

[CaptainCourageous]

The tone was set early doors. Slow, pedestrian, sloppy play with not an ounce of urgency or movement.

Tried that extra touch or pass then resorted to long diagonal balls to Flanagan or into the head of Defoe.

There was a period later on in the first half were we sprayed the ball about with authority, pressed St. Mirren high up the park, gave them no time on the ball and not only did gals appear, but them became complacent and fell out of position.

Not the start I was expecting given the last league result and what was at stake. However, a wins a win but we've got to come out the traps a lot quicker.

 

[Buster]

Honestly, and I’m just sticking it out there. You’re walking into the last 10 / 15 minutes looking for whipped in balls to be put away, bring on Edmundson and stick Katic or Goldson up top. It‘s better than trying to keep 3 top tier strikers happy. As i said, it’s a problem that‘s difficult to solve (imo )

Said that in the past if we have run out of ideas and are just lumping high balls into Defoe why we need 3 midfielder in Davis , Kamara and Jack is beyond me.Take one off. Last half hour stick Katic up top bring Edmundson on to replace Katic , if we need him in midfield Edmundson at times during the last half hour he is capable .

 

[Buster]

Stewart was badly needed tonight along with some pace but they were very well
drilled,probably on a massive hate the Gers bonus.

Pace doesn't work when the full backs are always six yards from the byeline mate , what we need is shots from 20yards and fast skilful feet in the same area to dribble through them .Someone like Cooper who by no stretch of the imagination would anyone say had pace but he could get through packed defences with skilful feet .

 

[High Society]

I wish we had a set up for these games that involves 3 at the back. Use the extra man in the middle of the park behind Alfie/Defoe.

We can’t depend on Defoe up on his own. He can’t do what Alfie does. We need 2 up front at home and Kent needs to be hugging the touch line.

 

[Loyal Latina]

Would we have put 3 past kilmarnock,I doubt it.

Kilmarnock had a go at them.
Especially from the minute they went a goal down.
They scored to make it 2-1 and then pushed for an equaliser.

It's those kind of games we are winning 4 or 5 to 1 .
And its games like St Mirren both Rangers and Celtic are struggling in.

 

[Laudrup1]

mentally challengeds don't seem to have a problem against those teams playing 10 man defences something has to be done

I mean you look at the table and it suggests that they're not any better or worse than we are at it.

That's an awfully negative take on matters.

 

[Sheuchans]

Airfield instead of Kamara and playing in behind the striker especially when Defoe plays. Higher tempo required also imo

 

[Laudrup1]

We can’t depend on Defoe up on his own. He can’t do what Alfie does. We need 2 up front at home and Kent needs to be hugging the touch line.

If we can't depend on Defoe we should cut short his loan and get a player more in the mould of Alfie.

We're not going to play two strikers up front as it changes the entire system we play for the forward 6 places in the team for the few occassions that Alfie isn't available.

I'd also suggest that with a match winner last night and a match clinching penalty on Friday, it looks like we can rely on him to be as good a back up striker as you could possibly have given our situation.

 

[R.W.B.]

mentally challengeds don't seem to have a problem against those teams playing 10 man defences something has to be done

They seem to handle it better that us

 

[Mjolnir]

It can be torrid to watch against teams to come out and play against us in such a flat negative style.
Overall, it is our system that we rely on and players are interchangeable to a degree.

The squad is missing two key types of capability from the squad. There is no-one who will comfortably shoot from distance. I'm not talking about relying on an Albertz style 10+ screamers a season, but if teams know we have that in the locker, they need to push out further to stop the midfield too. That will decongest the forward line a little.

Also there is no 'long ball' option to keep the game spread. Not an Aberdeen style hoof-ball game, but someone (apart from Morelos) to pass long to, or win Hateley style headers.

Its mibbie a bit Mike Bassett from current methodology, but two skills that are missing.

Still overjoyed about how much we have progresses over last 12-18 months though.

 

[albertz85]

When we play with pace and purpose it doesn't matter how a team sets up, we open them up. Last night we just never got going, every team has games where it's a struggle but they get the job done

 

[ALASKA]

We better get used to 11 men behind the ball against the dross

And referees allowing thugs to assault our players without punishment.

 

[Allymcswally]

Sometimes we really lack someone who can just put their foot through the ball & have a strike from distance. A few are capable as we've seen but it doesn't happen often enough for me.

 

[Puffcandy]

An ultra fast tempo out the traps helps sometimes bit too passive allows teams like that to happily reset

I agree with this, it was the same against Stranraer in the very few occasions their back line pushed up a bit when we got the bell back we were too slow in pushing forward.

 

[esson_rfc]

Think this is going to be the norm going forward

 

[bjorklund-by-the-sea]

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.

I agree with this to a point - it can be hard to break these teams down and there’s a case to be made that at home we don’t need to play with so few attacking threats - but what I would say is that, from memory all the points the Old Firm have dropped this season (bar Aberdeen away) have come after losing the first goal - so while I understand the desire to have more attacking talent on the pitch, ensuring that we get the first goal and not conceding is equally if not more important. Any points we drop between now and the end of the season will likely be teams going 1-0 up and parking the bus - I know they do that at 0-0 but it’s much harder to break a team down that’s defending a lead. So I understand why keeping that shape works and trusting the forwards we have to do their job.

 

[cyl1690]

mentally challengeds don't seem to have a problem against those teams playing 10 man defences something has to be done

To be fair, we have a knack of not being able to break down teams, when they play like that. It isn't anything new and goes way back. We just don't seem to find a way through. I'm beginning to wish we would just keep the ball at the back and just pass it amongst ourselves, to see if any team is actually wanting to come out their own half.

 

[Aggieblue]

We break teams down by pace and quality ball retention and last night when Kent or Aribo drove at St Boo you could see the difference, sadly we didn’t do it enough last night, but a win is a win and now we need to move up a gear for Farts on Sunday!

 

[cyl1690]

They tend to shoot at goal in these games. We try to bore the ball into the net at times and make it difficult.

We always want to go wide, then wider and then wider again. Sometimes I think we are looking to pick out someone on Edmiston Drive. It is really frustrating, especially when we then try to cross the ball into Defoe, against 6ft defenders. The amount of times we are in a position to shoot at the edge of the box, but then look to pass it out wide instead, does my nut in.

 

[turks]

We need a battering ram / aerial threat up front

laff

 

[aldoblue]

I believe pace is crucial in a game like last night, Ojo was impressive in his cameo, we need to up the tempo and try and drive into the box.
I also feel we miss someone like Stewart last night would have been a great game for him to play in, I feel he finds space and can pick a pass.
3 points were crucial , it was stressful to watch but got there in the end.

 

[Nakedbear]

Always seem sluggish after a break and just as they are getting back into a stride... another international break.

 

[FullTimePint]

We had effectively an offensive six tonight of

Kamara Davis Jack
Aribo Defoe Kent

Against a team with virtually no attacking intent

Yet it was all Flanagan’s fault apparently

nothing to do with the lack of urgency from these six to get a man beat and the ball forward

spot on

 

[SouthCarolinaBear]

I really do think Alfie is a HUGE miss in these games. His hold up play draws the defences out a bit. Absolutely love Defoe but there are certain games that suit his style of play and I don’t feel like against packed defences fall into that category.

I’d actually go as far to say that against smaller teams such as St Mirren, St Johnstone etc... playing them away from home is easier as they don’t sit in quite as much.

The sooner Alfie is back the better.

 

[Buster]

The bigger issue here is the reason why teams do this which the SFA should address before they kill the game up here I can't really blame the likes of St Mirren , and the like they come and play open attacking football and we more than likely destroy them so the sit the whole team in their own box and play for a draw from the kickoff because the pressure on them not to be relegated .
Answer in my view is to go to a 18 top league worked in the past .Before this premier league never seen any teams play that way in the old first division

 

[MearnsUnionist]

I wish we had a set up for these games that involves 3 at the back. Use the extra man in the middle of the park behind Alfie/Defoe.

Oh aye and have 3 central defenders twiddling their thumbs against 1 striker?

That's a more defensive line up.

3 defenders instead of the usual 2.

 

[pollokparkloyal]

It would be hard for any team to break down a team with 10 players behind the ball. They swamp the defensive area making it very hard to get a way through.

Few more shots from outside the box and hope for some lucky deflections would change things up a little.

Did particularly bother me though. Did what we had to do!