It was definitely the weakest performance of the season by Rangers so far in the 1-0 defeat to Livingston in the SPFL. This wasn’t a match where Rangers were unlucky, or profligate in front of goal. Livingston fully deserved the win, and the Rangers players looked poor on the day. Here are the ratings on the day for each player with analysis of their performance.
ALLAN McGREGOR – 6
McGregor made a good save in the second half which kept the score down. He was lucky in a sense as a few chances went just past the post when he looked well beaten. At set pieces, Livingston kept the ball away from him so as to put the pressure on the defenders which got them some joy. McGregor didn’t have a lot to do overall.
JAMES TAVERNIER – 5
Tavernier had one of those matches where things just weren’t working for him. He got into good crossing positions but the ball in was often overhit. A couple of decent corners and free kicks could have led to more, but that was really all he offered in the attacking sense. With Rangers dominating possession, he spent a lot of the match in advanced areas.
CONNOR GOLDSON – 5
Goldson looked uncomfortable throughout the match. He wasn’t as dominant in the air as he usually is. On the ball, he was taking a lot of touches which slowed the play down considerably. One mistake in the second half almost led to a goal for Pittman, and he couldn’t seem to connect with the ball when attacking set pieces.
JOE WORRALL – 5
Worrall had a very similar performance to Goldson. He wasn’t able to impose himself in the air as he’d have liked. On the ball, he was a little loose, trying to get forward but taking too long to make passes. As the game wore on, he became prone to hitting long balls which didn’t work.
BORNA BARISIC – 4
Barisic was brought back in and didn’t look settled at all. He’s been in and out of the side since his signing, and clearly needs time to get into a rhythm. His crossing in this match was erratic, with only a couple leading to decent chances and most being easily dealt with. He was very poor at the Livingston goal and never done himself justice at all.
LASSANA COULIBALY – 4
Coulibaly was substituted at half-time after a largely ineffective display. He gave away the foul that eventually led to the goal, and the decision somewhat summed up his day. He was slow on the ball, and not making any real impact on the match.
OVIE EJARIA – 5
Ejaria was willing to get on the ball and try to make things happen. Unfortunately, he was prone to taking one touch too many, and nothing came off for him. He missed a couple of chances himself, one header, in particular, being a great opportunity. Despite being one of the few players willing to take responsibility, he was unable to deliver.
SCOTT ARFIELD – 5
Arfield made a decent start to the match. One through ball to Barisic, in particular, suggested he was going to have a good game. He faded out of it though, and the change in formation in the second half didn’t suit him. Should have done better with the Livingston goal, and had chances to shoot which he didn’t take.
DANIEL CANDEIAS – 5
Candeias certainly showed some energy, but the quality was lacking. He rarely got running at the defenders, and when he did the cross would be easily dealt with. Usually, Candeias will link up well with Tavernier and Morelos and support their play. In this match, none of them were able to make an impact.
ALFREDO MORELOS – 5
Morelos didn’t look like he was entirely up for this match. He dropped a fair bit deeper than he usually would. Halkett was able to dominate him physically, which never happens when the striker is playing well. By the end of the match, he was cutting a very frustrated figure.
KYLE LAFFERTY – 4
Lafferty lost the ball often and really struggled to find a pass. One moment in the second half pretty much summed up his day as he came short to link up then played the ball straight out for a throw. There were no shots of note from the striker, and his physical presence was somewhat dealt with.
RYAN KENT – 4
Kent ran at Livingston and tried to make things happen. He played a great pass to Morelos for a good chance early in the second half. After around 60 minutes, every player made poor decisions on the ball, and he was no different.
GLENN MIDDLETON – 2
Middleton was given some time to try and change the game. The way the team was playing, he had no chance of making an impact.
How did you rate the players on the day? Tweet us @abouttherangers with your thoughts.
