Losing games to overtly physical teams

monkey magic

monkey magic

Well-Known Member
This has been a repeated occurrence through Gerrard's tenure. I genuinely don't believe that our players aren't up for a battle, but are instead wary of doing so as the yellow and red cards will be flashed, the ludicrous and discriminatory treatment by refs and pile of red cards awarded to Ryan Jack and Alfie as classic examples. Our team looks weak and passive, never mind inhibited in our play, when confronted by the hammerthrowers.
 
This is where we are failing repeatedly. We don't seem to have figured out a way of playing against Aberdeen kilmarnock hearts and St johnstone away from home and it is worrying that we still regularly struggle in these games
 
Although there's truth in the OP, we could have signed Cosgrove, Dykes, Ferguson and anyone else capable of looking after themselves in any "normal" Scottish domestic match.

By now at least one, if not two of them, would have been red-carded if they played as they usually do, but wearing Rangers strips.

Although we DO struggle against physically strong teams, until we sort out the inequality in match officiating (how we are reffed and judged thereafter) then we will play against "strong determined players" but if they ever sign for us they will be "cheating hacking divers".
 
skorn said:
Although there's truth in the OP, we could have signed Cosgrove, Dykes, Ferguson and anyone else capable of looking after themselves in any "normal" Scottish domestic match.

By now at least one, if not two of them, would have been red-carded if they played as they usually do, but wearing Rangers strips.

Although we DO struggle against physically strong teams, until we sort out the inequality in match officiating (how we are reffed and judged thereafter) then we will play against "strong determined players" but if they ever sign for us they will be "cheating hacking divers".
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This is exactly my point, mate. It wouldn't surprise me if the players are " warned " pre-match by the Gaffer not to lunge into challenges or be dragged into physical battles on the pitch as the ref will be gagging to issue yellow and red cards to Rangers players. We look inhibited in these type of matches, and its costing us big time.
 
BlueSevenTwo said:
We need to start finding a way or we will be having the same conversations this time next season.
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This is what concerns me. It doesn't matter who is in the Rangers dug-out, Gerrard or otherwise, when teams know they can kick the shit out of our team while the ref looks on, yet the yellow and red cards will be flashed to anyone in a blue shirt if we match the thuggery often heaped upon us. We are in a no-win situation.
 
HillsBill said:
Unfortunately our team is too often weak and passive. Not the Rangers way.
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Absolutely mate we have a bunch who don’t like it when the ‘big bad men’ in the other team leave a boot in harry them and don’t give them tome to show their ‘soccer skills’ and it’s now happened against Hearts Kilmarnock Aberdeen St Johnstone. It will happened again on Saturday and against Ross County. They need to ‘man up’ and get stuck in but I doubt they are capable of that.
 
monkey magic said:
This has been a repeated occurrence through Gerrard's tenure. I genuinely don't believe that our players aren't up for a battle, but are instead wary of doing so as the yellow and red cards will be flashed, the ludicrous and discriminatory treatment by refs and pile of red cards awarded to Ryan Jack and Alfie as classic examples. Our team looks weak and passive, never mind inhibited in our play, when confronted by the hammerthrowers.
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I agree with your post. This factor is not the reason to our travails but I am firmly of the opinion that it is a significant factor in the complex mix that is.

One simple example: yesterday Mr Collum, who I thought had one of his better games involving us, well through the first half outside the left hand side of the penalty area didn’t award Ryan Kent a foul when a St Johnstone defender barged him aside in his attempt to get the ball, which the defender didn’t have possession of. Mr Collum signalled that the St Johnstone player played the ball, which he did but only after barging Kent aside. Play then moved pretty much immediately 40 yards further toward our left back position where Andy Halliday made a comparable challenge on a St Johnstone player. Mr Collum awarded a free kick to St Johnstone.

To my mind either both are or are not fouls and this is an example of what I call ‘asymmetric refereeing’ is, I believe, undoubtedly affecting how our players contest challenges for the ball.
 
Blueknows said:
I agree with your post. This factor is not the reason to our travails but I am firmly of the opinion that it is a significant factor in the complex mix that is.

One simple example: yesterday Mr Collum, who I thought had one of his better games involving us, well through the first half outside the left hand side of the penalty area didn’t award Ryan Kent a foul when a St Johnstone defender barged him aside in his attempt to get the ball, which the defender didn’t have possession of. Mr Collum signalled that the St Johnstone player played the ball, which he did but only after barging Kent aside. Play then moved pretty much immediately 40 yards further toward our left back position where Andy Halliday made a comparable challenge on a St Johnstone player. Mr Collum awarded a free kick to St Johnstone.

To my mind either both are or are not fouls and this is an example of what I call ‘asymmetric refereeing’ is, I believe, undoubtedly affecting how our players contest challenges for the ball.
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I noticed that as well at the time. Our players also look terrified to make a challenge on the opposition running towards our penalty area. I think they know a definite yellow or worse is coming their way if they do. Hearts will be in our face from the first minute in this up-coming cup -tie. The ref will allow them away with murder, guaranteed.
 
St Johnstone aren't a physical team. they simply knew exactly what tactics we use, did exactly what Kilmarnock and Aberdeen did and played us like a fiddle. They just worked harder than we did. Not hard to do either.

Mark Warburton was derided for his plan A shite. Gerrard is little different. We need more flexibility, better tactics. No use getting it spot on for Braga and drawing with St Johnstone. We seem to go into this games with an arrogance that is totally misplaced.
 
Larkytrueblue said:
This is where we are failing repeatedly. We don't seem to have figured out a way of playing against Aberdeen kilmarnock hearts and St johnstone away from home and it is worrying that we still regularly struggle in these games
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It is hardly a new phenomenon however. Go back 10 years, 20 years, 30 years or whatever. We have always struggled a bit at Pittodrie, Easter Road, Tynecastle, Fir Park etc.

Where I do think we have a way of playing issue is on the plastic pitches. Far too much pedestrian, side to side ineffective stuff.
 
Our players look at an opponent and it’s a yellow card, maybe a red if it’s Thompson, Beaton or Clancy.
Meanwhile our opponents go in for two footed over the ball challenges and then the referee ponces around waving play on.
 
monkey magic said:
This has been a repeated occurrence through Gerrard's tenure. I genuinely don't believe that our players aren't up for a battle, but are instead wary of doing so as the yellow and red cards will be flashed, the ludicrous and discriminatory treatment by refs and pile of red cards awarded to Ryan Jack and Alfie as classic examples. Our team looks weak and passive, never mind inhibited in our play, when confronted by the hammerthrowers.
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I felt Braga were much more physical than us last week.
 
monkey magic said:
This has been a repeated occurrence through Gerrard's tenure. I genuinely don't believe that our players aren't up for a battle, but are instead wary of doing so as the yellow and red cards will be flashed, the ludicrous and discriminatory treatment by refs and pile of red cards awarded to Ryan Jack and Alfie as classic examples. Our team looks weak and passive, never mind inhibited in our play, when confronted by the hammerthrowers.
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You think its bad this season. If they get 9 then next season will be a lot worse as there no chance will the officials allows us a fair go next year.
 
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Physicality yes but tactically as well. Kilmarnock, Hearts and St Johnstone all got results with long balls to two centre forwards in 4-4-2 formations. Braga as well for an hour. We struggle against 2 striker sides.
 
Our centre half’s can’t handle big physical players, our full backs are more like the old inside forwards.
Dare I say it, Tav’s not been the same without Candeias
 
Rangers have been lacking physicality for years. Midfielders like Davis, Kamara and Hagi need some physical players alongside them. Goldson and Alfie apart we are powderpuff.
 
BlueSevenTwo said:
Based on both their current form it would have been interesting to see what they could have contributed.
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We seem to have too many that simply don't care,they 2 mentioned would care for a start and their drive would spur the others on.
 
We
JohnBrownsboot said:
St Johnstone aren't a physical team. they simply knew exactly what tactics we use, did exactly what Kilmarnock and Aberdeen did and played us like a fiddle. They just worked harder than we did. Not hard to do either.

Mark Warburton was derided for his plan A shite. Gerrard is little different. We need more flexibility, better tactics. No use getting it spot on for Braga and drawing with St Johnstone. We seem to go into this games with an arrogance that is totally misplaced.
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we didn’t get it spot on against Braga. We only recovered when we went with 2 up.
 
The pile of re
Ibroxroar said:
Rangers have been lacking physicality for years. Midfielders like Davis, Kamara and Hagi need some physical players alongside them. Goldson and Alfie apart we are powderpuff.
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The ludicrous pile of red cards dished out to Ryan Jack in midfield , or even Alfie, ensured we can't have a physical presence in the team.
 
biodoc said:
Our players look at an opponent and it’s a yellow card, maybe a red if it’s Thompson, Beaton or Clancy.
Meanwhile our opponents go in for two footed over the ball challenges and then the referee ponces around waving play on.
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You only have to look at the red card Power got vs the filth. Neither challenge was a yellow. Compare it to what any team has done against Rangers this season and you see how the refs protect Timmy. Had Killie been playing Rangers on Sunday with Clancy the ref, Power wouldn’t even have had a yellow card.
‘This is by far not the only problem but it is a problem. We play in a physical league and cannot play with any aggression. People point to Katic’s flaws at the weekend and they were there to see. But our defenders have to be the most tiptoe powder puff players in the league or they are on an instant yellow. That being a fact, how do you defend? How do you tackle? Maybe that is a contributing factor to our lack of urgency and our club’s acceptance of this can only take the edge off our players.
 
HillsBill said:
Unfortunately our team is too often weak and passive. Not the Rangers way.
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There’s a lack of grit and there’s a lack of leadership when we aren’t on top of games. It’s been our downfall this season - I’m a big fan of Aribo and I know there’s a player in Kamara but they aren’t in that mould and are still quite young - Davis isn’t driving the team forward like he used to and it’s not fair to place all that responsibility on Hagi, a loanee in his early 20’s. These guys need players around them that’ll let them play and can lift the team when it’s 1-1 with 10 to go away from home on a plastic pitch. We don’t have that.
 
monkey magic said:
This is exactly my point, mate. It wouldn't surprise me if the players are " warned " pre-match by the Gaffer not to lunge into challenges or be dragged into physical battles on the pitch as the ref will be gagging to issue yellow and red cards to Rangers players. We look inhibited in these type of matches, and its costing us big time.
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Highly doubtful as he has brought up not coping with the physical aspects of games we have dropped points in.
 
Another aspect of this is that the team as a whole don’t exert pressure on the ref or the opposition as a result of continued bad tackles. Far too nice in this respect.
 
It's Scottish football. It's not rocket science, it doesn't have to be fancy nor do we have to over complicate it - style of play or set up.

You don't have to rattle into tackles, hit them knee high or syth the opposition down to be physical, aggressive or hard.

You'd think after near on two full seasons in Scotland the management team would realise this.
 
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