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*****Official Livingston v Rangers Match Thread*****


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1 hour ago, Amato said:

By

Gary Holt

08:59, 10 NOV 2019

As a manager I attempt to keep any grievances private.

If something has flared up and requires a response then my style would be to have a quiet word in someone’s ear the next time I see them.

But on this occasion I feel the need to make an exception.

It was the naivety in the comments about my club Livingston from Rangers manager Steven Gerrard that surprised me.

Ahead of our game against Rangers on Sunday, he called for ref Nick Walsh to ensure hisplayers were protected.

Protected from what? It’s the Tony Macaroni Arena they’re heading to – not Madison Square Garden.

There’s a bit of background to his concerns and, annoyingly, a bit of history being rewritten.

Back in our League Cup game in September, Ricki Lamie was mentioned for his part in an incident that left Rangers’ Joe Aribo requiring stitches to a head wound.

Gerrard claimed an elbow had been thrown and the incident would have resulted in a red card in any country in the world other than ours.

His remarks were relayed to me at the time.

There was also a suggestion that I hadn’t shown concern for Joe at the time – this was
absolute nonsense.

The facts are that it wasn’t an elbow that was thrown.

It was Ricki’s shoulder that was involved in the collision and, as for Joe, we had a conversation after the game when I checked on his welfare.

As for his claims the collision merited a red card, again it’s a difference of opinion. I just didn’t agree with Gerrard on that. I kept my own counsel.

Gerrard claims medical teams were on the park four or five times in the first half. Again it’s something that I’d suggest needs fact checked. 

And if you look at the match stats that night you’ll see Rangers committed 14 fouls, three more than my side.

But what concerns me is a remark that the Rangers boss has tied into the recent media focus on head injuries and the impact of concussion.

It’s not on to suggest that the way my players approach a game puts opponents in greater harm.

Football is a contact sport. Injuries are sustained – it’s an occupational hazard. Our game hasn’t introduced protocols for concussion and that’s a concern. I’d support whatever measures were deemed appropriate. But to suggest our club is one where head injuries are the norm is way offside.

I’d rather go pay Rangers the compliment of saying they have some superb players.

If you afford average players the freedom to get on the ball then you will lose more games than you will win. But if you allow class operators, of which Rangers have many, to play they’ll run all over the top you.

We can’t allow that to happen so we’ll develop a system and approach designed to cause them problems and make it uncomfortable. We must play to our strengths and I’ll make no apologies for that.

We must never be ashamed to do what we’re good at.

Anyone who thinks a club with Livi’s resources should be embarrassed at not
allowing the opposition to play or getting into their faces is kidding themselves.

When I first read Gerrard’s claim for protection it also triggered another thought.

Ahead of a game between Livi and a club the stature of Rangers, would someone such as Walter Smith have made similar comments?

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50 minutes ago, bigsasasfloopyhair said:

Mcgregor 

Tav Goldson Helander Barisic 

Jack Davis Kamara/Aribo 

Arfield/Stewart Morelos Kent

I think Gerrards only real considerations are over the 3rd midfielder and wide right positions.

3-1 Rangers Morelos 2, Kent 1 

Decent line up but I have a funny feeling defoe will start. And ojo for kent 

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For the most part today our fans want 3 points by any margin however narrow.  This is realistic not like the bold pre match boasts v. Septic & Hertz.  I.m hoping that as expectations in the main are not set too high that this may work in our favour and we could win more comfortably than expected. But I do expect the usual hard slog.

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31 minutes ago, Smile said:

Just get a win with no injuries as Holt will have them bashing players after Gerrards comments which were spot on.

One of those rare occasions when we’re pretty much all on the same wavelength.

Would love a comfortable win but three points and zero injuries and we’ll be happy.

Get it done Rangers.

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24 minutes ago, JM1872 said:

1-0 and 3 points would do me today. Taigs have a tough game (if Mwell turn up) so we need to take care of our own game and see what happened elsewhere afterwards.

motherwell wont turn up they never do  it will be around 3 nil to the tims   hope i am wrong

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2 hours ago, fanaticCR said:

I’d be fucked off if that’s the case. Morelos on fire and Livi are a very physical side. Need to start our best player.

Agreed, Morelos's physicality is  requirement for this game. Defoe could really struggle against these hammer throwers, and so might our creative players that need to feed Defoe by anything other than a ball lumped up the park.

It makes sense to rest Morelos if we were playing against a team that were less physical but not that's not today.

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The back 5 picks itself, Morelos and Kent have to start and a midfield of Jack Davis and Arfield would be what I go with, not sure who we stick out wide Right tho probably Ojo but there’s no real quality options in that position. 

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6 minutes ago, Lloyd said:

The back 5 picks itself, Morelos and Kent have to start and a midfield of Jack Davis and Arfield would be what I go with, not sure who we stick out wide Right tho probably Ojo but there’s no real quality options in that position. 

Unfortunately.

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