Match Report

[nvager 498]

Rangers vs Motherwell Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

A GOOD START TO OUR FINAL TWO WEEKS

This was the one we needed to win and we did so. We had no margin for error. We got it done.

The first half was scrappy. We lacked pace and movement. Our distribution was poor. We just did not put Motherwell under pressure.

The second half was different. We put more pressure on the Motherwell defence with Novo and JCD wide and Barry pushing up more with Boyd in the middle.

We still lacked creativity, but looked very dangerous at corner kicks. After some near misses at corners we eventually scored when Barry Ferguson scored with a carbon copy of an earlier near miss. The ball broke to him and he took it on the volley and it went into the top corner over the head of the Motherwell full back.

Relief then in the 73rd minute.

Good news too in that Charlie Adam made a comeback in this game. Kris Boyd scored but was offside. The linesman gave a lot of offsides tonight!

A much better second half let the fans go home happy.

The team:

Alexander: - Not called upon to execute any heroics.

Rmed Verdict: - 8

Broadfoot: - Struggled at times and has to learn how to take a throw in. Distribution again dodgy. Never gives in and did well defensively.

Rmed Verdict: - 7

Cuellar: - Good game, strolled through the game.

Rmed Verdict: - 9 (MOTM)

Weir: - Good game but some poor distribution at times.

Rmed Verdict: - 8 (

Whittaker:- Steady, but little going forward.

Rmed Verdict: - 7

Thomson: - Never stopped running.

Rmed Verdict: - 7

Bazza: - Not in the game the first half, but a much better second. Took his goal very well.

Rmed Verdict: - 7

Novo: - Never stopped trying, but pretty poor at times.

Rmed Verdict: - 6

Davis: - Was the most likely to create anything and was a bit unlucky at times

Rmed Verdict: - 7

JCD:- Never quite at the races. Just did not work for him today. Tried hard though.

Rmed Verdict: - 6

Boyd - First start in a while. Had a couple of nice head flicks to JCD in the first half. Missed one swipe too. Scored, but it was knocked off for offside.

Rmed Verdict: -7

Adam;- (On for JCD): - Did quite well for 15 minutes.

Rmed Verdict: - 4

Cousin:- (On for Boyd): - Did not add too much in 13 minutes.

Rmed Verdict: - 3

Smith: - Played two up front, but the players just could not get it done today in the first half. He must have blown a fuse at half time because we upped the tempo substantially. JCD and Novo played more out wide and Barry pushed much more with Boyd. The extra pressure and our more up tempo game gave Motherwell many more problems and we dominated much more in the second half. The main thing was obtaining three points. We did and we can relax until Saturday.

Rmed Verdict:- 8

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

Not bad, and not far off what I was going to write! :harhar:

[nvager 498]

Not bad, and not far off what I was going to write! :harhar:

I knew that!!

:harhar: :harhar:

[followfollow21 0]

2nd half was ALOT better! Could have easily been 4 or 5 - nil !! but I'll take 1 - Nil!!

4 more wins to go....and #52 SPL Trophy coming home.....and yet another page in the record books for The gers!!!

[nvager 498]

Alexander did nothing...how can he get an 8?

Quite calmly kept a clean sheet and did everything he could very well.

[ScotBear 144]

My scores would be.....

Alexander 6

Broadfoot 7

Cuellar 8

Weir 7

Whittaker 5

Davis 6

Ferguson 7

Thomson 6

Novo 6

Darcheville 5

Boyd 4

[docspiderman 1,225]

Nvager, you are even nicer and more kind than Bazza. Must be the relief in us at last winning a game in 90 minutes.

I thought that once again the 3 main midfielders were very poor for much of the match, poor movement, unable to be creative, and unwilling to take responsibility apart from the lazy pass back to the central defenders to bypass them with a long ball--- not what I am looking for in midfield.

After the break and probably a good rollocking their work rate at least improved and after we took the lead they imposed themselves a bit more. To me a 6 for each only because we won.

Novo was the only one who seemed to want to win and once again his work rate in attack and in defensive situations was incredible. 7 for me.

Whittaker, I felt was a great help to Motherwell with his impressive distribution to their players-and his rugby like kicking into touch- 5

Broadfoot- for comedy value especially his run when he forgot to take the ball with him which for a short time took my mind off his hopeless distribution and painfully slow thought process and his failure to realise where his opponent was merited no more than a 5-- thankfully time after time Cuellar saved the day for him.

Boyd maybe we can say he was rusty and because of the lack of help from most of the midfield he fed on scraps but then again if he was more aware and could move now and again he might have done better- 6

JCD; not very good, had little luck added to bad decision making and the lack of midfield help, does not look fit enough- 5

Weir; did everything needed and forced again to be a main playmaker by the midfield-7

Cuellar , as Weir but even better as well as playing the role of central defender he had to cover for the weaknesses of his full backs-9

Alexander- no shots at goal to deal with, good distribution- for that and attending the game -7

Subs

Adam, gave a more solid look to the left side and was composed

Cousin, did nothing wrong or did very little for the short time he was on.

A long tense game, the only good thing about it was that we got 3 points and no injuries but we made very hard work against a Motherwell team that came out to frustrate but especially in the first half gave a lesson to Thomson, Ferguson and Davis how to pass and move keeping possession with ease, thankfully their forward line and full backs were poor.

We have to play better!

[nvager 498]

Nvager, you are even nicer and more kind than Bazza. Must be the relief in us at last winning a game in 90 minutes.

I thought that once again the 3 main midfielders were very poor for much of the match, poor movement, unable to be creative, and unwilling to take responsibility apart from the lazy pass back to the central defenders to bypass them with a long ball--- not what I am looking for in midfield.

After the break and probably a good rollocking their work rate at least improved and after we took the lead they imposed themselves a bit more. To me a 6 for each only because we won.

Novo was the only one who seemed to want to win and once again his work rate in attack and in defensive situations was incredible. 7 for me.

Whittaker, I felt was a great help to Motherwell with his impressive distribution to their players-and his rugby like kicking into touch- 5

Broadfoot- for comedy value especially his run when he forgot to take the ball with him which for a short time took my mind off his hopeless distribution and painfully slow thought process and his failure to realise where his opponent was merited no more than a 5-- thankfully time after time Cuellar saved the day for him.

Boyd maybe we can say he was rusty and because of the lack of help from most of the midfield he fed on scraps but then again if he was more aware and could move now and again he might have done better- 6

JCD; not very good, had little luck added to bad decision making and the lack of midfield help, does not look fit enough- 5

Weir; did everything needed and forced again to be a main playmaker by the midfield-7

Cuellar , as Weir but even better as well as playing the role of central defender he had to cover for the weaknesses of his full backs-9

Alexander- no shots at goal to deal with, good distribution- for that and attending the game -7

Subs

Adam, gave a more solid look to the left side and was composed

Cousin, did nothing wrong or did very little for the short time he was on.

A long tense game, the only good thing about it was that we got 3 points and no injuries but we made very hard work against a Motherwell team that came out to frustrate but especially in the first half gave a lesson to Thomson, Ferguson and Davis how to pass and move keeping possession with ease, thankfully their forward line and full backs were poor.

We have to play better!

Yes the relief of getting the win coloured my view a little. That and the fact they played a lot better in the second half. Generally speaking the midfield is poor - continually plays far too much sideways and backwards - and the strikers not great either, but obviously lack good service/supply. I thought Novo and JCD were a bit off the whole game. Broadfoot and Whittaker cannot make a good forward pass. Weir too struggles with all his long balls. So Doc on reflection you are probably nearer the mark, but I was in such a good mood with the win!

:harhar: :harhar:

[Andy 69]

My Rating

Alexander - 7

Broadfoot - 7

Cuellar - 9

Weir - 7

Whittaker - 7

Novo - 6

Thomson - 7

Ferguson - 8

Davis - 7

JCD - 6

Boyd - 7

Adam - 4

Cousin - 3