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Brilliant man. That was a tough, tough game.


British_Empire

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That's a tough a game as I've witnessed in any of the 3-seasons so far under Gerrard.

Some of these points I made in the match-thread but just humour me.

Massive 3-points make no mistake. 

I also think that's the longest 20-minutes I've ever sat through after we scored. On a par with fenian games when we're 1-0 up.

Never write off (or under-estimate) what Morelos gives us. I know he scored, but I don't totally mean just that - when he came on, our normal shape restored for the last half an hour and we looked more like ourselves both defensively and going forward.

Defo not a good performance, maybe some will scoff, but it was maybe on a par with Livingston away a few months ago - only in the sense of what we done with the ball - I know Livingston provided nowhere near the same attacking threat that mob did.

I do really like Roofe, think he's got the ability/talent but if he's to play it has to be as a sort of hold-up/support/in-feed to Morelos rather than instead of Morelos. He's a support player rather than a pressing player (which a lot of our game centre's around).

Was sticking up for Hagi at half-time, but the wee man was awful second half. Looked nervous and kept picking wrong option - Gerrard made the right subs at the right time including bringing Jack on for Arfield to give the defence a wee bit of help and take some pressure off them (before it get's to them).

I think what I'm happiest about most, is we weren't that good bar maybe first 10-minutes and maybe a 10-minute spell either side of our goal, but if we can not be at the races in that way, but still pull out a big 1-0 like that (and YET ANOTHER clean sheet) then we're in a right good place.

I loved Smith as a manager, but that's the type of European game At Ibrox we'd get beat 3-0 under him, usually.

No injuries, momentum maintained and in good shape for a massive game on Sunday. :crabflute:

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Morelos is far more direct than anyone else on the pitch.  When he gets the ball he’s looking to have a shot at goal.  Sometimes you need that.

Poznan were a much better team that they were made out to be.  Physically big and well organised.  We’ve played 2 games and have 6 points.  Even if we get nothing from the Benfica games we should be able to secure our place in the knockouts in those final two games.  I’d honestly view anything we take from Benfica as a bonus because they are a very good team.

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Roofe is a good player. It’ll fall into place for him soon enough. 

I’m glad we got a lethargic performance out the system before the biggest game of our season on Sunday. 

Morelos scoring only strengthens us on Sunday. 

Our defensive shape at the moment is bordering on ridiculous how good it is. 

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Agree with most of that.

Think we looked a bit leggy tonight and it doesn't suit us being favourites. But an under par performance matched with a win isn't a bad thing. 

Re. Roofe, I wasn't convinced by him before we signed him. His scoring record is average and his injury record is worse. So far his Rangers career has almost echoed that. When Alfie came on he linked up almost immediately with the defenders and midfiled and changed our dynamic. In saying that, it's still early days and Roofe can still improve. Hagi seems to dip in and out and seems to maybe be trying too hard. His raw ability and potential is great though. He needs space and when he gets that he has the ability to open teams up. Also important to remember he is a young lad in a foreign country still settling and who is under constant enormous pressure playing for Rangers, living up to his dad's name and national team pressure.

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10 minutes ago, British_Empire said:

That's a tough a game as I've witnessed in any of the 3-seasons so far under Gerrard.

Some of these points I made in the match-thread but just humour me.

Massive 3-points make no mistake. 

I also think that's the longest 20-minutes I've ever sat through after we scored. On a par with fenian games when we're 1-0 up.

Never write off (or under-estimate) what Morelos gives us. I know he scored, but I don't totally mean just that - when he came on, our normal shape restored for the last half an hour and we looked more like ourselves both defensively and going forward.

Defo not a good performance, maybe some will scoff, but it was maybe on a par with Livingston away a few months ago - only in the sense of what we done with the ball - I know Livingston provided nowhere near the same attacking threat that mob did.

I do really like Roofe, think he's got the ability/talent but if he's to play it has to be as a sort of hold-up/support/in-feed to Morelos rather than instead of Morelos. He's a support player rather than a pressing player (which a lot of our game centre's around).

Was sticking up for Hagi at half-time, but the wee man was awful second half. Looked nervous and kept picking wrong option - Gerrard made the right subs at the right time including bringing Jack on for Arfield to give the defence a wee bit of help and take some pressure off them (before it get's to them).

I think what I'm happiest about most, is we weren't that good bar maybe first 10-minutes and maybe a 10-minute spell either side of our goal, but if we can not be at the races in that way, but still pull out a big 1-0 like that (and YET ANOTHER clean sheet) then we're in a right good place.

I loved Smith as a manager, but that's the type of game we'd get beat 3-0 under him, usually.

No injuries, momentum maintained and in good shape for a massive game on Sunday. :crabflute:

Completely agree. For me, one of the biggest differences you can see is being able to talk about options we have.

Hagi and Arfield didn't have great games for me, but we bring on two players who could easily have started the game, and they give us something more. Makes all the difference in getting over the line in these games. 

McGregor once again having nothing to do, despite this feeling like one of our weakest performances speaks volumes.

Edit: I think that's the type of game where a crowd would have helped lift the side to their usual standards in possession. 

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Just now, McKissock said:

Agreed 

Completely agree. For me, one of the biggest differences you can see is being able to talk about options we have.

Hagi and Arfield didn't have great games for me, but we bring on two players who could easily have started the game, and they give us something more. Makes all the difference in getting over the line in these games. 

McGregor once again having nothing to do, despite this feeling like one of our weakest performances speaks volumes.

That's a good (but strange) point actually. 

You are correct, but for a team that seemed to threaten our goal so much, I don't think McGregor made anything other than 1 sort of routine save. 

Credit to the defence for that, that's down to a lot of dirty/off the ball work in key areas.

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On another night we could easily have lost that game, we dug in and got the 3 points in the bag that will hopefully go towards getting us out the group stages.

Collectively we are much more professional and even on a night we have a few players below par we have others who can step up to the plate and win the game for us.

Good 3 points.

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That's the way Hagi plays in most games, except minus his goal or assist. 

That's two victories in the group stage, and in both our front 3 were pish. Which is weirdly impressive.

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Just now, STEPPS BOY said:

Not seen anything from Roofe so far that makes me think he can take Morelos’s place or eventually replace him.

He looks slow and ponderous.

He's never a Morelos replacement. Roofe is a different option, a squad option - and a decent one to have to mix it up/play differently if needed.

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I thought we were really good all night at 0-0 but after we scored, I thought we weren't as good.

Still, we really know how to play European football and grind out results.

I fucking love watching us play at the moment.

Already, I can't wait until Sunday...

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7 minutes ago, TMB said:

Morelos is far more direct than anyone else on the pitch.  When he gets the ball he’s looking to have a shot at goal.  Sometimes you need that.

Poznan were a much better team that they were made out to be.  Physically big and well organised.  We’ve played 2 games and have 6 points.  Even if we get nothing from the Benfica games we should be able to secure our place in the knockouts in those final two games.  I’d honestly view anything we take from Benfica as a bonus because they are a very good team.

Provided we avoid defeat next week in Lisbon, we're basically through IMO provided we don't lose the next 3-games.

Of course that's numerically not the case, but it's just the way I see it.

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Fair points mate not far off what I was thinking as well 

I get morelos wants away and some ppl think we should keep playing roofe and itten but that’s cutting our nose of to spite our face morelos far more deadly a goal scorer than either of them and far better linking up in the final 3rd 

I just hope when he does go we find somebody else to fill his shoes cos itten and roofe are a different type of player to him and could never replace him without making us a weaker team

in saying that if our team are bang at it we don’t need a morelos winner to get us 3 points we probably win comfortably, but he was the bit of quality we needed tonight

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OP bang on 👍🏻
 

Not convinced that Roofe is a 9 like Alfie, think he would be better playing off a main target and use his movement to get in behind the defence, not convinced he is match fit either.

Was very nervy without them actually bringing a save out of McGregor.

Great 3 points especially when we can play a lot better.

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19 minutes ago, plumbGER said:

On another night we could easily have lost that game, we dug in and got the 3 points in the bag that will hopefully go towards getting us out the group stages.

Collectively we are much more professional and even on a night we have a few players below par we have others who can step up to the plate and win the game for us.

Good 3 points.

Welcome back bud👍

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9 minutes ago, ayro said:

OP bang on 👍🏻
 

Not convinced that Roofe is a 9 like Alfie, think he would be better playing off a main target and use his movement to get in behind the defence, not convinced he is match fit either.

Was very nervy without them actually bringing a save out of McGregor.

Great 3 points especially when we can play a lot better.

I agree on Roofe not being the number 9.

He can play across the front 3 so I'd give him a shot on the right side of the front 3 with Morelos through the middle. 

 

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24 minutes ago, Malkytfp1 said:

Agree with most of that.

Think we looked a bit leggy tonight and it doesn't suit us being favourites. But an under par performance matched with a win isn't a bad thing. 

Re. Roofe, I wasn't convinced by him before we signed him. His scoring record is average and his injury record is worse. So far his Rangers career has almost echoed that. When Alfie came on he linked up almost immediately with the defenders and midfiled and changed our dynamic. In saying that, it's still early days and Roofe can still improve. Hagi seems to dip in and out and seems to maybe be trying too hard. His raw ability and potential is great though. He needs space and when he gets that he has the ability to open teams up. Also important to remember he is a young lad in a foreign country still settling and who is under constant enormous pressure playing for Rangers, living up to his dad's name and national team pressure.

Could Roofe be the long term RW solution feeding Morelos? 
 

Kent left

Morelos middle 

Roofe right

Just a thought

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