Rangers 2-0 Kilmarnock. A few minutes in the second half

In the last days is a bit contradictory to talk about performance. Weighing firepower, starts sweeping the second half, the response capacity of the sea of doubts that arise at the start of matches, repeated failures of, or the ball to the opponent to advance in the field without opposition. Some times one falls into a commonplace carried away by the result and go into excessive triumphalism. I can not ignore the bland on the first half and many of those features that are usually evident when we transcend the borders of Scotland to play with lesser-known rivals.

But there are many ways to think positively in the future. If there is a common denominator in all these variables is that Magic Edu is becoming the owner of the midfield, tactically disciplined, running tirelessly, tight marker and this commitment to the team makes ir increasingly shows his technical skills. That can break loose and reach the rival area. But Friends, Edu can not mark only in the midfield. Need company that is clearly felt today.

With Ortiz, I have mixed feelings. I must admit that he does not meet my expectations. Before you arrive at the club, we just knew we had fallen to Almeria and little else. Against Kilmarnock, he played on the right side. On several occasions overflowed well and threw some accurate centers, bearing in mind that whenever Whittaker ended up giving the side the ball into Spanish with a striking insistence (¿Ally decision?), but lost the ball sometimes so naive. I think I made a remark here. Ortiz left the field a minute before the first goal and enters Wallace in place (thanks for back!!! In long term we are going to realize that it was not expensive purchase). It is interesting and quite innovative at one point running Wylde to the right side and Wallace on the left side. The game took a different pace, beyond the goal changed everithing radically.

Nikica Jelavic is a complete striker in the header area precisely what makes it dangerous for opponents. Although in this game, once he left the center of the area and went left side, went on to make the throw-up!! But the play of the first goal. A stop device of the ball ¿was prepared in practice? He was sight and opportunism. A gem.

After the affair Malmo, Steven Whittaker dropped to public scrutiny. Your participation in the team has been rising. It is always important, as resource points out, have a side capable of reaching the rival area by surprise. A clear example is Sasa Papac, who in the first half almost scored a goal. But back to Whittaker, surprised, was firm on the mark and contributed steadily to the right side.

Sorry to be repetitive, it is really dense repeat a point that does not change in the functioning of the team. In the first half, the Killie had the ball and their players were passing from one side to another without progressing in the field or little progress. Space but were not harmed. And The Rangers players watched, they approached the rival as a Kilmarnock player gave tha ball to a teanmate, our player back to his area, without even attempting to take the ball. At this point, it would have to change a key issue. The Rangers did not recover the ball or recovering a little, I remember some other plays of Edu and Lafferty, buy generally our team took the ball when the opponent failed to pass or on a force play.

Dunfermline 0-4 Rangers.The precious gift for Super-Ally

Rangers showed their supremacy against Dunfermiline, the differences were obvious from the beginning. The Rangers, in contrast to the decline in Falkirk, was ordered in the transit of the ball and the transition to the goal rival, kept his philosophy of play. One of the great strengths of his team is its offensive character (is it also failing?). But good teams are looking for alternatives, do not get stuck the same schemes. When this happens a team becomes predictable, repetitive. The resource Goian or Bocanegra to head in the penalty area is virtuous. The goal of “Captain America” shows that the search alternatives to be insatiable. Davis provided the assist for the goal. Another example is the use of Wylde to focus the ball stop area.

Steven Naismith was formidable, including scoring stage. Several high points, Davis, what to say in its class. The Ulsterman ran over 40 yards to enable Jelavic, who rolled the ball into the path of Naismith. There is an event that shows Naisy, its ability to adapt to any situation and his impressive talent. Goian was injured and was being treated by the doctor on the side of the field. At that time, had to restructure the defensive zone, Whittaker was to take the place of the Romanian in defense, forcing it Naisy recede. Right back, Steven rejeceted a ball, earning a smattering of applause, including mine, for his performance. He is a player from another planet.

Whittaker played very well in East End Park. Although it has a dynamic a little messy, or the best word would be frantic. At this time his performance was flawless, did not lose the ball, secured it when necessary. And at times his moves made features, when it goes right into the middle of the area and kicks on goal, wich in other times was a lucrative move.

In midfield there is a serious problem, without being fatalistic, and that exceeds Edu. The American is not as guilty as everyone say. We should stop posing on him the finger. He can sometimes play a more and lose it. But I think that is more consistent with my idea of pressuring the opponent and take the ball. Mo Edu was a brillant game. And not just for the great goal, he distributed the ball with much discretion to the sides. Mo can not press all alone, I think he needs support and structure the team with more offensive players, dispenses a mark player in the middle. McCulloch, no please, at least for now. ¿Ortiz? No thanks, the Spanish entered the second half by Lafferty and placed on the right, his play was erratic. At this stage of the season I wonder signing Ortiz is a thought or was the result of the emergency to hire someone to calm down?

I´ll be back for a moment the issue of pressure. Now I will use a phrase invented, contradictory, “press without pressing”. For me, pressure is a complete way of limiting the progress of the rival. Cancel. Do not let the next pass. Rangers players pressed but not cut the opponent´s game. Do not prevent progress. Before halftime, Dunfermline proved he could move forward without opposition. Paul Burns tested McGregor with a 25-yard drive and the midfielder´s follow-up effort was blocked after the goalkeeper could only beat the ball away. In other circumstances, with an opponent more difficult this would be a problem. Although Edu sometimes rivals over, not moving left. Here, for those who like statistics, tell me how many balls get our team in this game (and prior). The result could be surprisingly negative.

 

Falkirk 3-2 Rangers. Neither better, nor worse

I could not sleep last night. It was not insomnia. I was, until the wee hours of the morning, watching the game against Falkirk, the replay on RangersTV. Needed to understand the reason for this debacle, or at least come close to some kind of understanding. But I did not find, in the British press articles, some convincing arguments. Only the wrote in catastrophic terms descriptive aspects of the game (“an incredible five-goal thriller”, It was not a movie, was a football game!) and made elementary comparisons between the stage of Super-Ally as a player and his budding stage manager. We all know that McCoist was prolific as a player in this competition! And something that particularly irks me is the systematic comparison with Paul Le Guen since the beginning of the season.

Was one of those games that are lost every few decades. Nor is it uncommon to see the impressive number of goals lost by the team. A succession of moves wrong. At a time like those games of handball, where all attacking in groups. The Falkirk area was awash in red shirts (Laff, Goian, Davis, Papac, McCulloch –he kicked from all sides-, Wylde, all coming on goal) and this generated a series of lapses in defense and midfield, often poorly organized. As I watched I thought, it seemed, seemed to underline, that underestimated the opponent and potential counterattacks.

The overwhelming reaction of The Gers came when the score was 2-0. The Falkirk showed commitment at all times. Spaces generated massive jump forward in various places that were not covered eventually. This is the risk of tipping forward almost with abandon. Before the first goal from Falkirk, is a play that I consider a turning point, or a metaphor of what would happen after a Falkirk midfielder, whose name escapes me, had enough space to shoot from outside the area and he demanded Alexander, who sent the ball into the corner. From there, you could see, once again, the flaws in pressure the opponent, in the marking of the rivals. The team always looks forward, let the opponent play, spread and reach the area without pressure. Generally, the plays conclude so inconsequential because other variables come into plat random.

This bucket of cold water to stop teaching. I believe that to build a squad that can retrace their path not only for Scotland but at the continental level, we must first learn from these mistakes. Work on finding alternative ways of moving in the field and start having a winning mentality.  This occurs when the projects seek to consolidate, setting ideas and not just repeating that in the past have left us empty-handed.

Rangers 4-2 Celtic....WATP Style

Friends, I´m not going to dwell on the technical and tactical nuances that might see this day at Ibrox Park, I preferred to spend some words on salient aspects of the match. Enjoy this brillant and historic victory. It will be for the week, the roadmap on what can be improved in the future.

This, especially this, Old Firm match at Ibrox which will long remember. Typical of the mystique of the Rangers, with some bitter taste but with a finale, an epic!! These games are what define you, where you show your credentials. This was one such occasion. This is our identity. The honor brought into play and the willingness crystallized of people like Steven Naismith, who bravely showed all his quality. He was gone 90 minutes, fought every ball, showed great character and quality to define as in the first goal. Lafferty ges to the byline, far too easily, but his cross is poor. Poorer still is Kelvin Wilson´s clearence and it finds Naismith free in the box. He returns it with interest, smashing a superb drive into the top corner.

McGregor´s mistake. El Kaddouri lets fly from distance, McGregor can see it all the way but somehow allows it to slip through his grasp and between his legs. Unfortunately these things happen, everthing goalkeeper ever had an error of this size. But if you put it in perspective, this error was un the Old Firm and could have cost the game. For me, Allan has a lot of my credit. Recall that the penalty stopped him Samaras finally gave us the latest title in the SPL. And since the beginning of the season he had very good performances. Outside Glasgow his goal remained undefeated.

A huge result for Ally McCoist. I think that deserves to carry one of the credit for the brilliant performance Super-Ally, his baptism in the Old Firm as Manager. I must confess, when I finished the first time, how the team can go the second time when it was broken psychologically McGregor error? At these times my friend @Bluebelle89 (aka Natalia) dropped his usual wisdom words:“Always make life hard for yourselves. Ally get it sorted” and Ally manager this mess. The players came out with another vocation, inspired by the Old Firm specialist when he was a player.