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* Match Report - Aberdeen vs Rangers *

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Written by Nvager

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Aberdeen vs Rangers at Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Our spirits are/were high after a good set of results last weekend, but the Rangers team has just been announced and Walter has shocked all of us. We are all a little taken aback to say the least. Instead of going all out to attack the Dons and go top of the SPL, Walter has decided to go the safety first route and he has set out a Rangers team not to lose! Out goes the best goal scorer in Scotland, Kris Boyd, and in comes a seldom-used Lee McCulloch to play in the unusual position of sweeper in front of our defence. What a shock to begin this match. Will Walter’s big gamble work? What does that say for Walter’s confidence in his defence?

FIRST HALF

0:35 K. Miller offside.

1:51 Poor ball by Ferguson straight to Langfield in the Aberdeen goal.

The play is scrappy as there are too many players in midfield for both teams.

3:58 A shot by Fleck goes sailing over the bar.

Rangers tactics seem to be punting a long ball up to K. Miller. It is not working. That is obvious even this early.

6:28 Aberdeen win a corner but it is cleared.

7:00 D Weir wins the ball and beats his man but then takes ages to decide his next move and is dispossessed in a dangerous area. This leads to an Aberdeen free kick from which McGregor makes a good save and concedes a corner. Severin heads back across goal and an Aberdeen player shoots wide.

11:48 McCulloch fouls Mulgrew. A free kick is awarded to Aberdeen.

12:24 B Ferguson to Miller who is offside.

13:00 A Mackie shot is saved by McGregor.

13:50 Miller and Severin collide and Miller looks to have taken a knock.

The game is very scrappy for now and not entertaining at all. Rangers look toothless. Miller again is poor up front and has no support anyway.

16:50 Davis to Ferguson whose shot is deflected for a corner, taken by Fleck, which is cleared.

17:00 Good work by Mendes results in a corner to Rangers. Sadly no danger arises from the corner.

17:50 A quick break by Aberdeen but Papac clears for a throw to Aberdeen. A long throw but Bougherra clears.

18:50 Mackie gets in front of Papac, but the ball is eventually cleared.

19:00 Mendes passes to Broadfoot to Fleck who shoots over the bar.

20:00 Broadfoot passes to Mendes to Davis who crosses into the hands of the goalkeeper.

20:56 A free kick to Aberdeen.

21:32 A poor header by Miller sets up a quick Aberdeen counter attack.

22:21 Papac fouls Lee Miller.

23:00 Fleck and Davis break into attack, but a very poor cross by Davis.

23:30 Aluko beats Broadfoot, but his cross is cleared.

24:28 A long throw by Mulgrew is back-headed across goal but the danger is cleared.

Long balls up to Miller are routinely returned by the Aberdeen defence.

25:50 Mendes to B. Ferguson but a poor pass breaks up the attack.

26:00 Aberdeen find more space on their left, but the cross is cleared by Weir.

26:20 Another Aberdeen attack and MacDonald heads over with McGregor stranded.

26:40 Rangers break forward and McCulloch lets fly with a long hard shot that Langfield saves, but spills, and Miller misses an easy chance. Luckily for Miller he was judged to be offside.

30:34 Davis crosses straight to Langfield.

The bright sun has been troublesome but the play is decidedly scrappy.

31:59 Mendes tries a through ball but is fouled. Fleck’s free kick is too near the goalkeeper.

32:48 A free kick is given away by Ferguson.

33:39 Ferguson crosses but Miller heads way over.

35:00 A lot of passes and pressure but no clear openings.

35:30 Broadfoot is fouled on the right side. From a Fleck free kick a Bougherra shot is deflected for a corner which is cleared.

37:00 Weir hits an awful through ball to Langfield in the Aberdeen goal.

37:30 McCulloch fouls L. Miller. From the free kick Severin heads back across goal, but the danger is cleared.

38:50 Davis and Fleck break and there is a claim for a penalty – hand ball – as Fleck shoots.

39:00 Poor defensive play by Rangers.

The play has continued to be scrappy with few clear cut chances for any team.

42:53 Fleck and Mendes combine with Mendes forcing a save from Langfield.

43:58 A free kick to Aberdeen. Easily saved by McGregor.

44:50 Davis to McCulloch whose deflected shot wins a corner, from which Bougherra heads over.

45:00 HALF TIME: Aberdeen 0-0 Rangers

A drab first half.

Walter’s tactics are working defensively, but Rangers are playing far too tight and are slow and predictable. We will never score at this rate. Even with McCulloch as a sweeper our defence at times is shaky and McCulloch gives away a lot of free kicks in dangerous areas.

SECOND HALF:

47:10 Mark Kerr fouls Mendes. Mendes shoots from the free kick but it is blocked.

48:46 Mendes breaks well but is short with his final pass to Ferguson.

49:00 Mendes hits a great ball to Broadfoot who makes his way along the by-line and hits a low cross in front of goal. Miller catches the goalkeeper on the face with his boot and badly cuts his lip. A substitution is required as Langfield is replaced with Bossu a French giant 6’ 10” tall.

More scrappy play ensues. No goals likely at either end for now.

59:00 Bougherra takes off on a 70 yard run and then hits the ball aimlessly out for a goal kick.

60:00 Broadfoot concedes a throw-in. Aberdeen take a long one and two of their players stumble in the box. No penalty is given.

61:50 A poor header by Weir out of defence.

62:00 Miller breaks up the right to earn a corner which is cleared.

62:34 K Boyd replaces a poor K Miller, but it is still just one up front?

63:00 Handball is claimed at the corner, but no penalty is given.

66:10 McCulloch is given a yellow card for another foul.

67:00 Davis to Boyd to Fleck, but a foul is given against Boyd.

Ferguson and Fleck have been invisible so far this half.

70:00 A Mulgrew shot is easily held by McGregor.

71:00 Bougherra feeds Ferguson, who’s through ball to Boyd is so very close.

More scrappy play.

Boyd is working hard and getting a few flicks and headers although no goals so far.

75:00 Some Aberdeen pressure.

76:02 Novo replaces Fleck.

76:44 Boyd sets up Ferguson who shoots wide.

79:00 Good work by Davis and McCulloch, but Novo cannot get a decent ball in to play.

80:34 Mendes sends in a great ball to Novo at the back post. Novo chests it down magnificently but then pulls his shot against the post. He then hits the goalkeeper. A great chance not taken, but we are now playing at a good pace and have Aberdeen hemmed in at last. Too little too late?

86:00 Papac crosses and Boyd peels off his marker. A good header, but it is deflected off Severin to the goalkeeper.

86:44 Bougherra to Broadfoot who earns a corner. More RFC pressure.

88:00 Aberdeen break and look to have scored, but Mackie’s header just inches wide. A big let-off for Rangers.

Four minutes of injury time.

92:00 Broadfoot, Mendes and Davis combine, but the danger is cleared.

92:53 Bougherra fires over. Frustration is setting in.

94:03 A desperate cross from Broadfoot towards Novo, but the goalkeeper saves.

FINAL SCORE : Aberdeen 0 – 0 Rangers

Rangers Team today:

McGregor: Did all that he needed to.

Rangers Media score: 6.0 points

Broadfoot: Tried hard, but lacked quality.

Rangers Media score: 6.0 points

Bougherra: Tried hard, but not overwhelming at all.

Rangers Media Score: 6.0 points

Weir: Not at his best at times. Dispossessed in a dangerous area and some very poor distribution..

Rangers Media score: 5.5 points

Papac: Tried hard without ever really succeeding.

Rangers Media score: 6.0 points

McCulloch: Tried hard and had one great shot at goal. Gave away a lot of free kicks in dangerous areas. Not his usual position but did not disappoint too much.

Rangers Media score: 5.5 points

Davis: Not his best game.

Rangers Media score: 5.0 points

Mendes: Not as good as usual. He had no real support apart from Fleck in the first half.

Rangers Media score: 6.0 points

Ferguson: Came on to a better game towards the end but was invisible for a lot of the time.

Rangers Media score: 5.5 points

Fleck: A good first half, but faded badly in the second and was substituted.

Rangers Media score 5.5 points

Miller: Continued his run of poor form.

Rangers Media score: 4.0 points

Substitutes:

Boyd: On after 63 minutes for Miller. Worked hard and got onto a lot of flicks and headers. Actually held the ball up for others.

Rangers Media score 5.5 points

Novo: On after 76 minutes for Fleck. Should have been on much earlier. Worked hard, provided a boost and was unlucky not to score.

Rangers Media score: 5.0 points

Manager: Hard to know what to say. He obviously saw in his mind a way to nullify Aberdeen after their win last week against Celtic. However in nullifying Aberdeen he nullified Rangers too.

It also sent out a very negative message to our team and encouraged Aberdeen. Why once again does Walter play not to lose instead of going all out to win the prize?

He got what he set out to do in preventing Aberdeen from scoring, but who did he expect to score for Rangers? Miller is a hopelessly off form striker. The midfield has been struggling too. Fleck is 17 years old and only in his second game. If you do not think Boyd is suited to a 4 5 1 formation why then stick to that formation when you bring him on in lieu of Miller? Why not take off McCulloch and Miller and bring on Novo with Boyd and go 4 4 2. Novo was only on after 76 minutes! If Fleck was tiring then replace him with Aaron. That way we might just have scored.

Rangers Media score: 4.0 points.

Man of the Match: No one today. Really no one deserved a MOTM award today.

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