Despite losing Ross McCrorie to a red card in 30 minutes, Rangers won comfortably against St Mirren. The performances of the players overall were strong. However, being a man short made it impossible to know for certain just how well the team was doing. Here are my opinions on the ratings of each player on the day.
ALLAN McGREGOR – 7
McGregor didn’t have a lot to do yet again, as Rangers defended very well. He was very good at leading and organising the players in front of him. A few crosses which he claimed or punched clear helped take pressure off of the team. There was no notable saves for him to make, and he’ll be happy to have had a relatively quiet afternoon.
JON FLANAGAN – 7
Flanagan started at right back, and ended up on the left for the last half hour of the game. He was solid in both positions. At right back he got forward a bit more than he usually would, until the red card for McCrorie changed the dynamic of the match. Won most of his tackles and looked comfortable throughout the 90 minutes.
CONNOR GOLDSON – 8
Goldson was given man of the match by the sponsors. It was easy to see why with this performance. He was excellent in defence, rarely giving St Mirren anything resembling a chance. His header for the goal was a great finish. He almost scored a second from a Ryan Kent corner, with his header coming back off the post. Before all of that, he had shown his passing ability with an excellent ball to Morelos almost leading to a goal.
NIKOLA KATIC – 8
Katic was also solid in this match. He read crosses and cut-backs really well to prevent any danger coming from them. His passing was generally good, although he had a couple of loose moments there. It was clear St Mirren were looking to target him in the physical battles, and he won them all very well.
BORNA BARISIC – 7
Barisic was booked in the first half, which I believe led to his substitution in the second half. During his time on the pitch, he showed why so many fans are excited by his signing. He was strong defensively and pretty much never beaten in any of his duels. Going forward, he used his pace and strength to good effect, and his crossing was excellent. The free-kick which assisted Goldson’s goal was very well taken, and he celebrated like he had scored the goal himself.
ROSS McCRORIE – 3
McCrorie had started the game pretty well. He was winning the ball back when St Mirren tried to break. His passing was efficient, and he was dominant in the battles in midfield. His red card was a daft decision, though.
LASSANA COULIBALY – 7
Coulibaly was all over the pitch as usual. His energy levels and pressing meant that even with 10 men, Rangers were dominant for most of the match. With fewer options to hit in attacking areas, his passing was generally safe. One run towards the end of the match was a highlight, though the way he was brought down may have left him injured.
OVIE EJARIA – 7
Ejaria also put in a great shift in midfield. He created a great chance for himself when he won the ball from McGinn in the St Mirren area, but couldn’t beat the keeper. His tackling and ability to knick the ball from players created chances for others as well.
RYAN KENT – 7
Kent was causing St Mirren problems with his direct running and pace. However, his game was somewhat stunted by the loss of McCrorie. That meant he had to play a deeper, more defensive role. Despite that, he was unlucky not to finish with a couple of assists.
JAMIE MURPHY – 7
Murphy must be quite frustrated of late. Both league matches, he’s started the game well, then had to deal with a change in role due to red cards. In this one, his pressing and great pass led to the first goal. He created chances for Morelos with good passes in both halves. He’ll be desperate just to get a game where he can truly focus on doing what he does best.
ALFREDO MORELOS – 8
Morelos was my man of the match. He opened the scoring, through both good pressing play and a composed finish. His performance overall was excellent, especially when the team went down to 10 men. He held up the ball really well, linked up play, and made sure the St Mirren defenders couldn’t beat him physically. Unlucky not to score a second goal with a good chance in the second half.
JAMES TAVERNIER – 5
Tavernier came on for Barisic, and played well. He offered a strong attacking threat on the right hand side, whilst defending comfortably.
ANDY HALLIDAY – 3
Halliday slotted in to midfield when he came on, and looked solid. Kept the ball moving at a good tempo.
UMAR SADIQ – 2
Sadiq didn’t get very long to make an impact. Looks somewhat ungainly on the ball, but we’ve not seen enough of him to judge yet.
How did you rate the players on the day? Tweet us @abouttherangers with your thoughts!
