| RANGERS RATTLED BY OLD SCHOOL
OLDHAM
Rangers crashed to their first home defeat since
November 2001 against an Oldham team that outplayed us as well as
out fought us. In what could hardly be described as a classic
encounter, both teams struggled to carve out clear-cut chances in a
match that was fiery and committed throughout.
Holloway had little choice but to
field a front pair of Connolly and Thomson despite their pitiful
showing against Bristol City in the LDV midweek. Dennis Oli was
taken off in that game and was only fit enough for a place on the
bench. Bircham also appeared on the bench despite having suspected
glandular fever. Other than that, Rangers went in with the normal
back three of Palmer, Shittu and Carlisle. Williams and Forbes were
at wingback with Rose and Langley inside them. Jerome Thomas filled
the floating role behind the pedestrian front two.
Rangers couldn't have made a better
start, hitting the front after only two minutes. Tommy Williams
found a good position on the left and fired in the first of many
shocking crosses for the day. Thommo did well to make something of
it at the near post and turned the ball across goal for Rose to slam
high into the net.
The battle for physical supremacy was
already heating up in the midfield and Darren Sheridan, who could
best be described as committed, was booked early on. It would amaze
many in the ground that he managed to stay on the field for 97
minutes given the fact that his tally of free kicks conceded was
well into double figures. However, he had made his mark and seemed
to have got to the make weight pairing of Rose and Langley.
The equaliser had more than a hint of
controversy about it. Following an Oldham set piece, Josh Low was
freed on the right hand side. He looked to be a couple of yards
offside and then seemed to control with his arm. Williams was
nowhere to be seen and Low had plenty of time to pick his spot past
the woefully exposed Royce.
Rangers had a chance to get back into
the game only minutes later when a right wing cross picked out
Thommo in the six-yard box. He contrived to slam his shot into the
floor and over the bar. It was a glaring miss and one that Rangers
were soon made to pay for.
Oldham attacked down the right hand
side and David Eyres had an attempted cross blocked by Forbes. The
ball spun out for a corner but referee Wilkes turned in possibly the
poorest in his long list of poor decisions and gave a throw on.
Rangers seemed to switch off for a moment, the throw was taken
quickly, and the ball crossed. Royce didn't deal with it and left it
to Palmer. He inexplicably tried to head it back over his own head
rather than out for a corner. The ball held up on the breeze and Lee
Duxbury stole in for a simple headed goal.
There were only three shots on target
in the first half and all of them went in. That said something for
the type of game this was, with plenty of huff and puff and fierce
challenges and not much of a spectacle for the fans.
Rangers needed to change things, pace
was needed up front and some bite was needed in midfield. The game
was crying out for the introduction of Oli and Bircham but Holloway
stuck with the players that had ended the first half strongly in the
hope that they would find the breakthrough.
It was more of the same second half
only the challenges were now becoming a bit more tasty and Mr Wilkes
yellow card was getting a fair old workout. The problem was he was
trying to take hold of the game by dishing out yellows and never
managed to get hold of it at all. For a Premiership referee he
seemed to have little idea of what was going on.
Oldham thought they had added a third
late in the game when Chris Killen had the ball in the net only to
be denied by the offside flag. It is a shame the lino had been a bit
keener in the first half! As Killen fired home he collided with
Royce and left the on loan Leicester man in a heap. It was a sad
sight to see him leave the field on a stretcher and we can only hope
it is not too serious. First impressions were that it didn't look
too clever. Dangerous Digby replaced him and in truth only had one
save to make.
As the game plunged deep into the
seven minutes of injury time added on by Wilkes and Thomson had a
fantastic chance to salvage a point. The ball dropped high from the
air and Thommo smashed a stinging volley toward goal. It was shade
to high and just clipped the bar as it flew into The Loft.
The run was over and it was as much
about Oldham's tenacity in the challenge and physical presence as it
was about our own lacklustre performance. In short Oldham bullied us
and we never came to terms with it. Holloway has said that we will
come up against some ugly teams and Oldham have been created in
their masters image. Rangers must learn to get in first with the
rough stuff or we stand little chance of progressing. Pretty
football is all well and good but will ultimately count for little
if you don't have the steel to back it up.
Williams was as bad as I have seen him
today. People acknowledge that he ain't much cop defensively but
today he was even worse going forward. The amount of crosses that
hit the first defender was unforgivable for a professional player.
In the five minutes that Gino was on the field, he showed he has
more in both departments that Tommy. If the rumours about if he's
fit he plays seem to be being borne out as any other player would
surely be dropped after his last few displays.
In midfield Rose and Langley were fine
going forward but had little in the way of fight and Duxbury and
Sheridan bossed them all day. It was crying out for a half-fit
Bircham to get in there, put himself about, and show that we won't
just stand for the rough stuff.
Up front Thommo was practically
non-existent and despite his hard work Connolly finds it hard to
play with a partner that cant make up for his lack of pace. When Oli
came on he was a breath of fresh air and he must surely get the nod
at Wigan on Tuesday night.
The real star of the show for Rangers
was Terrell Forbes who didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon. If he
can get the distribution side of his game sorted out then he will be
a fantastic player instead of the good one that he currently is.
We have an arguably more difficult
game than this coming up on Tuesday night at the JJB Stadium. Unless
we raise our game considerably it is going to be a bloody depressing
drive home for the Rangers die hards that make the long trip north.
simon@qprnet.com |
