Rangers boss Ally needs to find answer to striking problems

[Bothwellbear 1,392]

Rangers boss Ally needs to find answer to his striking problem

A WIN over Livingston should have quelled the unrest that is growing steadily among the Rangers support.

Matthew Lindsay Sports Journalist

Monday 06/10/2014

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Rangers' matchwinner Lewis Macleod shakes hands with Livi keeper Darren Jamieson

It should have silenced the more vocal critics of the Light Blues players and their boss Ally McCoist after two poor displays and results.

And it should have got the Ibrox club's faltering pursuit of the SPFL Championship title firmly back on track.

Yet, if anything, Saturday's 1-0 victory at the Energy Assets Arena raised more questions than it answered.

As the Rangers fans headed home from West Lothian many were moaning about all the same old things.

Is Marius Zaliukas really the solution for the team in the centre of defence?

Is Steve Simonsen reliable enough to keep goal for the Glasgow giants?

Should McCoist give someone else - like Lewis Macleod for instance - a chance to show what they are capable of in central midfield?

Will David Templeton ever manage to hold down a place in the first team?

Is this side good enough to catch Hearts - who stayed six points clear with a 3-0 win at Queen of the South - and take the one guaranteed promotion spot as league champions?

And, should a misfiring Kris Boyd be dropped from the starting line-up?

That last issue is a crucial one for Rangers as they head into the international break.

The 31-year-old striker has now gone seven games without a goal and has not scored at all in eight league matches.

Against Livingston, Boyd once again worked tirelessly up front for his side. Once again, though, he had nothing to show for his efforts.

He was brought back to the club to score goals and his inability to do so is becoming a serious concern.

BOYD had a simple chance to hit the target at the start of the second half after good work by Richard Foster.

He squandered the sitter with a fresh-air swipe that missed the ball completely.

If the former Scotland internationalist was on form then Rangers would not be in their current predicament.

The imminent return to fitness of his old strike partner Kenny Miller will surely help his cause. But Boyd needs to rediscover his killer touch in the final third. And quickly.

"Kris is leading the line well," McCoist commented, "but obviously he needs a goal.Like most strikers, he is judged on his goals. I feel for him and can see his frustration.

"But I think it will turn for him. I think the fact he is still getting into positions to score would indicate the other parts of his game are fine.

"But it's a worry. We want to finish teams off, so we have to start taking our chances."

McCoist made five changes - one of them enforced - to the side that capitulated to Hibs so meekly five days earlier.

Macleod and Nicky Clark recovered from injuries to start in place of Dean Shiels and Stevie Smith, who dropped to the bench. Meanwhile, the Honduran Arnold Peralta - who was hooked at half-time in the 3-1 loss to Hibernian - found himself out of the squad altogether.

Fraser Aird took over on the right side of midfield. And, at right-back, Darren McGregor was replaced by Foster.

That was perhaps harsh on the former St Mirren defender who had performed fairly well since arriving in the summer despite being mostly played out of position at right-back.

YET two of the goals lost by Rangers in the loss to the capital side last Monday had originated on his side of the park and he paid the price.

Gers gaffer McCoist will have to be completely ruthless if he is to lead his side to the title - or, failing that, promotion via the play-offs - and hold on to his position.

Zaliukas started at centre-half in place of Mohsni, who was starting a three-game suspension after his latest lapse of discipline.

But the big Lithuanian then limped off at half-time to be replaced by McGregor, who did well in his favourite role.

GOING into the match against John McGlynn's side, McCoist was under more pressure than he had been at any stage in his turbulent reign as manager.

He saw his team get the perfect start with a sublime opening goal from Macleod in eight minutes. He met an Ian Black cross with a spectacular overhead kick.

It was not the first time the talented youngster has netted in such a manner - he did the same in a League One match at Ayr United last season.

The goal was the 20-year-old midfielder's sixth in 11 competitive matches this term.

That is an astonishing strike rate given that he's not playing in his preferred position in the middle of the park.

If his team-mates could have matched his ruthless streak in front of goal Rangers would have won this comfortably.

Lee McCulloch, Boyd and Clark all passed up chances to add to their lead.

The home team also had their opportunities to level.

Livingston's players and management insisted the ball had gone over the goal-line before Ian Black headed clear a Kyle Jacobs effort late in the second half.

The visitors certainly lived dangerously at times. They say a good team wins when playing poorly and Rangers certainly achieved their objective at the weekend despite not being on top of their game.

There remains much work to be done if McCoist's side is to complete the final stretch of "The Journey" and return to the top flight.

[siddiqi_drinker 14,635]

"Kris is leading the line well," McCoist commented................. that comment by itself tells you all you need to know about our manager.

Not sure how fit KM is but I'd play him and Clark up front together at least they'll work hard and are pacier than Boyd or Daly.... then again so is a tortoise.

Lewis deserves to be running central midfield and Law needs to be pushed forward at which point if he still fails to perform should be benched.

Templeton has ability but only ever seems truly motivated when making an appearance as a sub, odd?

[STEPPS BOY 75,034]

I'd play Miller and Clark up front against Raith..

[there'sonlyoneamoruso 1,724]

That miss by Boyd against Livi was shocking. It's time he was dropped for a few games.

If Miller can get fit I'd like to see him and Clark up top.

[Skyson1872 2,923]

I'll second what everyone said with Miller and Clark, if we need someone tall then Hardie

[Hamie 4,855]

McCoist seems to have the uncanny ability to take a previously decent scoring striker and turn them to shit.

[Gooseman 889]

I think that the situation with boyd is just a symptom of other issues within the team. Boyd is the high profile stricker so it's obvious that all the focus would be on him, but what of the other stickers? Why have they not been putting the chances away of late? I make no secret of my ill feeling towards Black, I personally think that we have a stuttering midfield. Take black out of the mix and you see that the players around him perform better. Such as they did when he was out, but he is only one problem. We don't have the flanking players that can get the crucial pass in at the right time...

[bluenose48 953]

Boyd's miss at the start of the second half was ridiculous.

IMO if Miller is fit young Hardie should be given a run up front with Miller.

MacLeod in central mid with Black, Temps wide left and Aird right. We would at least have skill and pace in the midfield.

Unfortunately our defence is really crap just punting long balls down to Boyd.

Maybe Foster - Jig - MacGregor - Wallace might work.

[bluenosebrad 452]

There are options just Ally wont use them simple as that, but what I will say he has no faith in the young player but I bet the first two names on the team sheet is Clark and McLeod, does that not say something Ally its worth giving the youth a chance to prove they have what it takes. I bet we ould get more out of them than some the ones wearing a blue jersey at the moment.

[PromDeAnglais 5,689]

We don't need to change the strikers.

We need to change the manager whose tactics starve them of service.

Miller, Boyd, Clark should be getting goals galore in this division. Fucking pathetic "heef the baw" tactics from our so called manager.

[True Azure 1,414]

The answer to the problem is, stop blootering high balls to our front players who want the ball played to their feet.

[gogzy 31,195]

play Boyd and clark and give them proper service. it's that simple.

Or play any other mix up of two strikers, and give them the service they need, and they will score us goals.

Its not rocket science, we need to keep the ball on the deck as often as possible, boyd doesn't like high balls, he needs it into feet..... Clark does like the high ball over the top of the defence, he runs into good positions.

the problems ALL stem from defense IMO. It is so leaky that everyone else int he team is also worried about them, when they start to panic they start firing balls right over the top of our midfield, which is absolutely redundant and any decent CB pairing will lap that shit up all day long.

It's the same in the other direction, our defenders are so bad that a simple ball down the middle, fucks us up way more often than it should, we flap at high balls and crosses, and basically look like schoolboys in defense.

Sort out the defense and the rest will all fall into place IMO.

[OneDavidCooper 2,505]

The answer is to sack the fucking manager.

I think we'll then find this league is much easier.

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

You might as well drop Boyd and play Jig up front.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,925]

The answer to the problem is, stop blootering high balls to our front players who want the ball played to their feet.

boyd doesnt even do balls to the feet, he needs us to dominate outside the box and set him up inside it, boyd has always been a liability outside the box

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

I've lost count of the amount of balls to his feet chances he's missed in the last few games.

[hammer93 15,113]

Boyd scored 22 goals in a poor Kilmarnock side now he all of a sudden is garbage.

His confidence must be shot, he needs the ball from wide areas, if we can't do that

then he shouldn't be playing.

[sendintank 35]

Move Macleod inside,start Templeton,try Clark and Gallagher up top

[Clyde Valley 234]

I think that the situation with boyd is just a symptom of other issues within the team. Boyd is the high profile stricker so it's obvious that all the focus would be on him, but what of the other stickers? Why have they not been putting the chances away of late? I make no secret of my ill feeling towards Black, I personally think that we have a stuttering midfield. Take black out of the mix and you see that the players around him perform better. Such as they did when he was out, but he is only one problem. We don't have the flanking players that can get the crucial pass in at the right time...

This is the problem.

I wouldn't say its Black who is the problem in the centre as it could be Law.

On the flank we rely on Templeton/Macleod or Peralta/Aird.If they are not fit or not playing well then we have a huge problem.

Our midfield is the problem not our strikers.

[Dietspam 733]

Clark is our number one striker. It isn't happening for Boyd at the moment. Why we sent Gallagher away i have no fucking idea. We should be calling him back immediately.

[Malvern 11,329]

Bit out of left field here but maybe the management team could sort out a formation and play to players strengths and not just getting the ball lumped forward. a bit more training at our top facilities may be an option too,