Borna Barisic in stunning Rangers recovery as left-back ranked in top four Europa League defenders

I actually couldn’t believe what I was seeing last night from Barisic.

He was everything that we’ve expected from him over the past year now.

Fantastic performance. Strong in the tackle, strong in the air and driving forward with the ball at pace. Can’t remember him misplacing a pass also.

He had 2 in very quick succession second half but that apart was exceptional as you suggest SA.
 
Sorry to bring this up right now, but Fernando was a bit shaky- to say the least- at the start of his Rangers career. Look how he turned out. Tex Mex and I had the pleasure of speaking to RdB one time, who reckoned that Fernando was second only to Barry Ferguson at one point and every player who came up against him always had a nightmare.

Sometimes it just takes a bit to figure out what it takes. Borna can still become a great player for us, maybe not even as a left back.
 
The reason we've been so disappointed in Borna is because we expect so much. He was outstanding against us for Osijek and holds down a place for Croatia so we know he's capable.

Gerrard has to give him a run in the team now to build his confidence and momentum.

We're all behind you Borna

I thought he’s been at his best playing in the Europa league. Don’t know if it’s the oppositions style but he was also great in last seasons EL games.
 
People seem to get upset when you pick out Barišić weaknesses like you supposedly hate the guy.

Last night the weak areas of his game were non existent.

Letting balls bounce - not last night, he attacked them first time.

Positional sense - very good, even when left exposed by Ojo. He read the game well and Helander at the left side of CB certainly helped.

Weak in the tackle - he won't numerous challenges last night.

Looking for the easy ball - he wanted the ball last night, he travelled with it, he attacked.

Easily out muscled - he was strong against Feyenoord, stood up to them and cane out on top.

Simple balls down either side of him can leave him all over the place - he cut them out last night or got back into position and dealt with it.

Absolutely no negatives from Barišić last night. He plays well as international level and he's just come out on top against Feyenoord in Europa League football.

Simply has to keep his place on Sunday and kick on further.
 
People seem to get upset when you pick out Barišić weaknesses like you supposedly hate the guy.

Last night the weak areas of his game were non existent.

Letting balls bounce - not last night, he attacked them first time.

Positional sense - very good, even when left exposed by Ojo. He read the game well and Helander at the left side of CB certainly helped.

Weak in the tackle - he won't numerous challenges last night.

Looking for the easy ball - he wanted the ball last night, he travelled with it, he attacked.

Easily out muscled - he was strong against Feyenoord, stood up to them and cane out on top.

Simple balls down either side of him can leave him all over the place - he cut them out last night or got back into position and dealt with it.

Absolutely no negatives from Barišić last night. He plays well as international level and he's just come out on top against Feyenoord in Europa League football.

Simply has to keep his place on Sunday and kick on further.

Good summary CC. I was delighted for Borna last night.

As well as being left exposed by Ojo at times both Barker & Kamara let him down on occasions & he came through.

To me he actually played like a Captain last night.
 
But remember folk on here telling us our players don’t want to pass to him?

Or the fact he’s a Croatian internationalist doesn’t mean anything?

Where are they now?
 
Glad to see him do well.

A few would have been happy to cut our losses with him but it says a lot to me when a player stays and fights for their place at us when they could easily get a move back to their home country.
 
Glad to see him do well.

A few would have been happy to cut our losses with him but it says a lot to me when a player stays and fights for their place at us when they could easily get a move back to their home country.

I admit that I was one of those who wanted a new Left Back.

I didn’t call him a shite bag or that but I feared that he could cost us the league.

But I’m absolutely delighted when a Rangers player proves me wrong & he did big time last night. And I’m delighted for him too because I’ve never felt that his issue has been lack of effort.
 
I would just like to say he was brilliant last night and now has the confidence to go forward with the ball rather than cut inside, i now firmly believe he is going to be a great player for us and i never thought that a month or so ago, i am so glad to be proven wrong and eat my words.

Borna Barisic in stunning Rangers recovery as left-back ranked in top four Europa League defenders
Croatia international was in top form against Feyenoord - something that wasn't missed by UEFA.

Rangers enigma Borna Barisic might finally have announced his arrival at Ibrox after a starring role in Thursday's Europa League victory over Feyenoord.
The left-back has struggled to nail down a starting position under Steven Gerrard since his £2million move from Osijek in the summer of 2018.
Indeed he has spent much of that time watching from the sidelines as the likes of Jon Flanagan and Andy Halliday have been preferred on the left of defence despite that not being their natural position.
What makes Barisic's situation even more curious is the fact he is a first pick in the position for Croatia, who are hardly one of European football's also-rans.
However that could all be about to change on the back of a colossal performance from the Croat against Feyenoord .
Barisic was as strong in defence as he was a threat in attack and his showing was perfectly reflected in the lead-up to Rangers ' winning goal when he thumped into a 50/50 in the middle of the park to set-up Sheyi Ojo for the only goal of the game.

Such was the 26-year-old's impact that he has been named in UEFA.com's top four defensive performers for matchday one of the Europa League group stage.



The statisticians at European football's governing body crunch the numbers to come up with the best performances in each position on a points-awarded basis.
Barisic picked up 1983 points for a display which saw him claim an assist, play his part in a clean sheet and create a total of three chances against the Eredivisie side.
It's a radical turnaround for a player who has often been accused of failing in his defensive duties in his 14 months at Ibrox.



Barisic comes in just after Wolfsberg's Mario Leitgeb, Roma's Aleksandar Kolarov and Anton Nedyalkov of Ludogrets in the rankings.
Steven Gerrard demanded an aggressive performance from his players and he will have been heartened by his left-back's showing as he looks to finally nail down a regular starter in the problem position.
With a massive season ahead both at home and in Europe, Gerrard will be looking for Barisic to step up to the plate and make the position his own.

One swallow does not a summer make, but he did play well last night.
 
His match winning performance away to St Boo not do it for you?

In all honesty I dont think he played all that well that game, freekick aside. If he hadn't have scored that I dont think his performance would have been mentioned.

He did score it and it was vital, defo deserving of praise but last night was the type of performance I expected off him more regularly.
 
I have always stuck by this lad, but whilst I thought he was good last night, I didn't think he was that good, whereas in the past when people have said he was bad, I didn't see it to the extent they did.
Instead, I just think he is a cracking football player who is taking his time settling into Rangers.
I have always said that he will prove to be a very good purchase because he quite simply is a very good football player.
 
I have always stuck by this lad, but whilst I thought he was good last night, I didn't think he was that good, whereas in the past when people have said he was bad, I didn't see it to the extent they did.
Instead, I just think he is a cracking football player who is taking his time settling into Rangers.
I have always said that he will prove to be a very good purchase because he quite simply is a very good football player.
Yes, I agree. I have always stuck up for him and thought that given time, he could potentially reach his promise.
 
Best game in a Rangers shirt last night and happy to eat humble pie if it continues.
Also interesting concept left footed left back and left footed cb play well together.

I like that idea too. It means you don't get that inside right channel which is the weaker side of both the fullback and the central defender- it also is easier for the CH to clear crosses from their right wing.
 
The big guy was super last night best I have seen him play for us, it can only do him good, now he needs a run in the team, and if he can attack like so last night, then the place in the team is his.
 
But remember folk on here telling us our players don’t want to pass to him?

Or the fact he’s a Croatian internationalist doesn’t mean anything?

Where are they now?

Most likely on the bevvy still enjoying Rangers winning rather than sticking to the view people should have fixed, never changing opinions and getting angry at strawmen on the internet mate.
 
I ate shit on here for 2 reasons most of the summer.

Kent signing.
Borna coming good.

Just came on to say there's proof of the player we have, now we must harness his abilities, and unleash said abilities under the correct circumstances.

For me he is another Hemdani.
 
But remember folk on here telling us our players don’t want to pass to him?

Or the fact he’s a Croatian internationalist doesn’t mean anything?

Where are they now?

Conspicuous by their absence and the lack of sarccy “but, but he plays for Croatia” type comments.

Also don’t buy that bollocks about those folk celebrating the win, whenever we won and he had a poor game they were never slow in getting in to tell everyone how he’s a shitebag with the heart of a mouse and Croatia must be in big trouble if they’re having to select him.
 
He's always had the ability but just lacked the toughness you expect from a player from Croatia. Bit of a shitebag but hopefully kicks on from here, better than any other option we have even if he has an off game
 
He's definitely kicked on and had a good look at himself in the mirror since THAT Liverpool game, the change in attitude this season is very apparent. There's undoubtedly more to come from him, I hope he realises his full potential.
 
The damning of Borna that routinely took place on FF illustrates why we should view the opinions put forth by armchair experts in forums such as this with a healthy dose of skepticism. Here we had a guy signed after putting in really impressive performances for Osijek against Rangers that marked him out as a player of real potential. Moreover, he was a regular starter for Croatia, a side ranked way above Scotland by FIFA in the international standings. Yet despite all of this many Rangers fans were quick to write him off, urging the management to unload him for whatever the club could get.

In my own posts on the subject of Barisic, I always urged patience. He had nothing to prove as to his actual ability. What was at issue was whether the slow start to his Rangers career was attributable to his difficulty adjusting to life in Scotland, or more particularly, to life in the SPL, populated as it is by thuggish hammer throwers - a far cry from the technical, skill-based football played in his home country. Or was it down to a confidence thing, resulting from being a starter then relegated to a place on the bench over and over again.

The game he played against Feyenoord should have settled the 'quality issue', he was outstanding, Let us all hope that last night's game was a turning of the corner for Barisic's Ibrox career, and that he can go on the fulfill his potential - 'there was always a player there'.
 
I don't want to go all guns blazing for him to revert back to what is now the norm for him in domestic games, but I was buzzing off his performance on Thursday.

There was a moment in the first 10 minutes that he got the ball, done a step over and went by a man that massively pleased me. Something so simple, but something that shows he has a bit of confidence back. I've genuinely not seen him do that since his first few games. Its always a safe pass backwards or inside.

He continued to win his duels, go past men, be aggressive in tackles and show what we know he can do going forward.

I'm praying he keeps this going and turns in a similar performance on Sunday. If we get the real Barisic playing for us is a game changer, but its a big IF.
 
Was always going to be a player you dont hold down the LB position for Croatia if you dont have quality
 
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