Match Thread Spartak Moskva v Rangers - 17:55 Thursday - BT Sports

Very disappointed in how it turned out obviously but hopefully the players can pick themselves up quickly. The disallowed goal was cruel and a game changer so on another day we don’t lose that. Having said that, the defending was absolutely appalling at times. I don’t think the back 4 should be chopped and changed. It was performing well in the early part of the season and has only got worse. Leaving Jack out was a mistake in my opinion. He offers protection and stability we otherwise lack.
 
Just seen a few of SGs post match interviews.

I know we all expect him to give a bolloking in private - however the constant doing so in public has me worried.

I dont really see it making any positive impact over the last month.
 
A few thoughts:

The referee was excellent. The linesman was the opposite.

We really missed Barisic and Kent.

Gerrard leaves his subs for too long.

Katic was the best defender though not good. It's not helping him (being dropped), he should remain alongside Goldson.

Flanagan should not play LB ahead of Wallace (who want eligible tonight).

Flanagan is the slowest FB I've ever seen.

Goldson had a brain fart but should have plenty of goodwill in the bank.

McGregor was excellent.

Young Middleton will be a good player but is better as an impact sub just now.

Coulibaly looks nothing like the player he was pre injury.

Candeias was excellent. Joint MOTM with AM.

We are still in position to qualify but IMO must beat Villareal as Rapid away will be even harder if they need to win too.

I'm disappointed but you just knew that Morelos' goal was going to cost us. He keeps getting good goals struck off.

We had a good defence till the manager broke it.

WATP.
 
It looks like we’re going to come up short in this group now, but the EL was always going to be a bonus and finishing with a respectable total and some good results is significant progress.

55 is far more important and should be our main concern.
 
What an absolute sickener! Totally shocking defensive performance has probably cost us European football in the New Year. Flanagan was an absolute disaster from the start. I don't know why Gerrard persists with this guy. Always over commits himself and taken out the play far too easily. Goldson and Tav weren't much better. The captain has to improve if he is to stay in this side as it grows and as for Goldson, wtf was he thinking with that own goal. Far, far easier to clear it with his left foot but somehow he contrives to put it past shagger. Im absolutely gutted by that performance. No way should you lose a game away in Europe after scoring three goals. The manager's naivety on show once again with his indecision in changing things.He simply hadn't a clue how to turn round what was a terrible second half performance. To wait until 80 mins to bring on a sub was terrible decision making on his part. Halliday should have been on at half time for Flanagan, and I would have pulled Middleton early second half too (his goal aside he was pretty anonymous)

Sickened by that showing tonight. I know folk want the league more, but we had a golden opportunity to get out this group and we've shot ourselves in the foot. I can take getting beat by a beater team, but I can't handle beating ourselves
 
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December against them and the transfer window will tell us if the rookie is on the right path to delivering 55 in the next 2 years.

We MUST and I mean MUST avoid defeat in that game. If we lose that one, SG's first OF game at home, then he'll be up against it for a while - and that's putting it politely.
 
Not really, if Flanagan just hoofed it clear rather than playing a stupid pass to Ejaria the 3rd doesn't happen.

Defensively I thought Tav was probably the best out our back 4 tonight.
That's probably true about Flanagan, he had a bad night, another poor game.
However, the point about Tav remains, he saw the danger and didn't react and that gave their man a free header and we lost another goal at his post. All he had to do was position himself to prevent the Spartak player from having uncontested access to the cross but he had another brain fart. There is no excuse for that.
 
An absolute sickener and I’m still seething this morning.

Some serious questions need asked in training this afternoon.

All bar McGregor and the 3 front players badly let the team down last night, that’s 7 fucking players all having an off night ! Not for me, something isn’t right, are they happy with the manager ? Are they happy with the tactics ? Are they jaded ? Are they just not good enough ? Am I missing something because I’m perplexed.

Only Stevie Gerrard can answer that and he’ll need to do it quickly as we are bang in the middle of a slump and with Motherwell rugby club heading to Ibrox we need warriors willing to work their balls off for the team, not some half arsed performances like last night.
 
Even in defeat I thought we played reasonably well. As most on FF have stated, basic defensive errors cost us, plus the Morelos goal at 4-2 would have enabled us to shut up shop at the back. Saying that, the danger was Popov. Twice he swivelled on a sixpence and they got 2 gifts at the back. Flanagan should have had a second defender to cope with him. Spartak's first goal was because Tavernier and Candeias did not tuck in at the back post. Goldson's og was highly unfortunate. Normally it would have gone over the bar. We gave a good account of ourselves in the first half and had a weak second half. Given our financial constraints, the team is still better than certainly I expected this season. The gaffer has one eye on the Motherwell game and made the selection so as to prioritise the League. I agree with him.
 
Football can be so cruel thought Rangers were magnificent 1st half
Yep. We made defensive mistakes no doubt but the officials gave Spartak the victory last night. The fourth goal should have stood and they should have been down to 9 men. Popov got away with two further dives, whilst already on a yellow and Bochetti got away with about 3 fouls and booting the ball away whilst already on a yellow. That’s just not acceptable.

Feel sick this morning. Such a hard loss to take.
 
Let's be honest the defensive mistakes were absolutely horrific. Goldsons in particular was catastrphic, Sunday pub team stuff but this happens to the best.

As for the comments on dropping KAtic previously, the lads head must be all over the place. We must stick with OUR players as much as possible to develop them (not rocket science).

We looked dangerous going forward and it's the first we have looked a threat in a number of weeks; probably because it was an open game and both teams went for it.

Not Greegsys biggest fan when it comes to crossed balls but best shot stopper around. If it wasn't for him last night it could of been a hell of a lot more. Send out the end of season accolades right now cause there's only one man who deserves them!

Massive two games coming up.
 
Still disappointed from last nights result but still think we, given good fortune can still get to the next stage and to do this we must take it one game at a time, the next game being at Ibrox and taking on and beating Villarreal
 
Too many players are off form.

Arfield and Coulibaly for a start.

Can’t have two invisible players. Ejaria was poor too, but sometimes he’s been good recently.

The other two haven’t and Ryan Jack is a better option.
 
We need the Jan window to open soon. I love the fact it's a young team we have but last night proves an experienced "been there don't it" character (preferibly in the cm position) is needed. Lots of positive to take out the game and both sides where poor defensively. Personally I hate when a manager changes the two cb too often.
 
Our passing was torture tonight. As soon as things don’t go our way the heads go down and all of a sudden no one can trap or a pass a ball properly.

its mind numbing to watch

several times middleton was ready to be played in and the pass forward was just royally fucked

dreadful
 
Still in Moscow.

Spartak is one of the worst European teams I have ever seen us play and we've managed 1 point out of 6. Some atrocious defending and execution in the last third has cost us big time.
 
Goalie kept the score down second half
Poor performance from the defence. All 4 of them were dreadful.
Midfield missing second half.

Yet again we seemed to take the foot off the gas.
Also how many games is flannigan going to play. The guys garbage. Sooner barisic is back the better
 
Europa League is an absolute free hit for us this season! Anything we take from it is a bonus.

The league is where it counts and the league is where we’ll be measured. Onwards and upwards with 3pts on Sunday!

Absolutely everyone was saying this before we qualified and how we had done so well to get the groups no matter what happens. One defeat and as usual peoples pants are soaking.
 
Still in Moscow.

Spartak is one of the worst European teams I have ever seen us play and we've managed 1 point out of 6. Some atrocious defending and execution in the last third has cost us big time.

No chance are they one of the worst we have played. Not by a long shot.
 
Head 2 Head my guess

The head to head is massive in group stages, especially when the group is close like ours. They took a point at home v Villareal, and now we need to do at least that. We have been unlucky but being in Pot 4 means we were always going to be away in the 2nd head to head. One win and one loss from 2 games will probably see us through whilst 2 more draws could be glorious failure and possibly out on a head to head. Mind you, we could still win or come bottom in this group, as could any team.
 
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