It’s almost impossible to truly analyse anything from the game against Hibernian on Sunday. The lack of defending from both sides meant the game was nigh-on ludicrous in nature. For what ended up a meaningless league match, it was certainly entertaining. Neither side will have been happy with how they played, though.
Given all of that, below are my opinions on the ratings for each player. They are almost certainly more based upon emotional reactions than anything else…
JAK ALNWICK – 6
It seems strange to give a goalkeeper a normal rating after conceding 5 goals. It was clear that none of the goals were in any way his fault, though. He was strong in his area, claiming a few crosses well. With the poor defending unfolding in front of him, it would have been understandable had he let frustration take over. The fact he kept his cool and didn’t make any real mistakes was to his credit.
JAMES TAVERNIER – 6
Tavernier sparked the comeback with a great goal. Up until then, though, he’d struggled. In the first 20 minutes, like most of the team, he couldn’t find a pass or keep possession. Defensively, he was caught out a few times, and was too narrow at Hibs third goal. In the spell Rangers were dominating, though, he was excellent. He scored the first, was unlucky with a chance in the second half, and really hurt the Hibs defence. Sadly, as Hibs came back into it, he struggled a little again, and will be annoyed by the way he defended for the final goal of the game.
DAVID BATES – 4
Both centre halves really struggled in this match. Bates started poorly, conceding the penalty and being caught out of position more than once. Any time Hibs ran at the defence, he looked to be struggling to handle their pace. When Rangers settled, he got a bit better, able to win the ball more often and play out from the back. Much like others, though, he struggled when Hibs worked their way back into the match. For his last game with Rangers, it’s one he’ll want to forget.
RUSSELL MARTIN – 4
You could almost take the above on Bates and apply it to Martin as well. He also struggled with his positioning and ability to handle players running at him. When Rangers changed to a back three and settled a bit more, he was asked to man mark Kamberi. For that spell, he performed a lot better. That role seems to suit his game a lot more. However, it was clear he had a poor day overall, and much like Bates, he won’t want to remember this one.
ANDY HALLIDAY – 4
This feels a little harsh, mainly because Halliday was asked to play 3 different positions in the match. At left back, he really struggled, and never really got his positioning or body shape right. When at left wing back, he seemed to improve, linking up better and getting forward well. Sadly, when moved into central midfield, he struggled again, and his booking summed up his day. Caught on the wrong side, unable to catch up, he just dragged the man down. Not his best day.
SEAN GOSS – 2
Goss really struggled, and it was no surprise he was substituted midway through the first half. He had been booked, and looked like receiving another as he was a yard off the pace defensively. Beaten to the ball too easily for the second Hibs goal as well.
JORDAN ROSSITER – 8
Rossiter was excellent for the 60-odd minutes he played. When everyone else was losing their composure and caught up in fear, he was winning tackles and keeping the ball. His leadership was evident, and he demanded more from his teammates. The determination and composure to score his goal was brilliant, as was his aggression in midfield. He got back up from a very bad challenge to continue to impress, which will help him a lot. The mixture of the knock taken there and some cramp forced him off, but he done enough in an hour to suggest he’ll be key next season if he stays fit.
JASON HOLT – 7
Holt found the start of the match really difficult. It passed him by as Hibs won every second ball and played at a high tempo. Once he found his feet, he was really good. Set up the first goal, scored the fourth, and saw his shot deflected into the net by Windass for the fifth. His ability to get around the park saw him win a lot of the ball. However, his daft sending off drags down his rating a little, because it was completely unnecessary. In many ways, his erratic performance summed up the entire match.
DANIEL CANDEIAS – 6
Candeias looked a little shell-shocked by how the match was going in truth. He worked hard and had some nice moments, but the pace and nature of the game didn’t suit him. Unlucky with one pass which was clearly handled in the area and should have been a penalty. That aside, there weren’t many noteable moments for the winger. He was also asked to play more centrally when Rangers changed shape, which would have affected his performance.
JAMIE MURPHY – 8
Murphy set up 2 goals, won the free kick which Alves scored from, and was unlucky not to get a goal himself. The pass for Rossiter to score was perfectly weighted and a real moment of quality. When he was moved into a central area, he really caused Hibs a lot of problems. Most of his runs had to be stopped by fouling him, which gave Rangers a real outlet. His header from a cross by Tavernier was something of a sitter in many ways, but his overall performance was very good.
JASON CUMMINGS – 6
Cummings worked really hard, and got himself into the game as it progressed. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to finish a great chance in the first half, but his play did open things up for others. He tracked back into midfield to help win battles there, and gave Ambrose plenty to think about. In many ways, it was his hard work which probably prevented him from scoring. When he latched on to the ball played back short by Ambrose, it looked perfect to be lifted over the goalkeeper. His composure would have been affected by the work he was putting in, and he made the wrong decision.
BRUNO ALVES – 6
Alves made a real difference when he came on. He helped allow Bates and Martin to get tighter to the Hibs strikers. That in turn made winning second balls in midfield easier. His free kick was a cracking effort, and he showed leadership throughout.
JOSH WINDASS – 4
Windass will get to claim the fifth goal, but there was a lot of luck involved there. He linked up play well and offered a different threat to Cummings.
LEE HODSON – 4
Hodson slotted in well at left wingback, and was generally solid.
Any ratings you disagree with? Tweet us @abouttherangers with your thoughts!
