| GALLEN GOAL SHATTERS HATTERS
Another three
points, another shocking performance and another reprieve for
Holloway. Having taken ten points from the last fifteen available
the uneducated observer could be forgiven for thinking that all is
rosy in the Rangers garden. Unfortunately, that couldn't be further
from the truth.
Holloway sprang a surprise on
everybody by not changing the team after the win at Peterborough on
New Years Day. This meant that Culkin was behind a back four of
Forbes, Shittu, Carlisle and Rose. Bircham, Langley, Palmer and Cook
were in midfield to support the front pair of Angell and Gallen.
And, as is now the norm, three players were out of position.
It was Stockport that started the
brighter and Rangers could have been in bother if the word composure
was in Ali Gibb's vocabulary. Three times in the opening ten minutes
he found himself in good shooting positions. Two went into The Loft
and the third smashed into the windows of the executive boxes!
Stockport's leading scorer Beckett should also have done better with
a couple of early chances. The second of these was a twenty five
yard chip that just cleared the bar following a horrendous ricket
from Shittu.
There hadn't been any shots on target
from either team until Gallen shot tamely at Jones after he had
managed to squirm an opening for himself. Stockport were not being
helped by their obsession with launching balls at the rotund Ben
Burgess. It would appear that Blackburn saw them coming and stitched
them up good and proper as he is an absolute carthorse. How he
managed to score all those goals at Brentford last season is a
mystery to me.
Bircham should have put Rangers in
front when he managed to get on the end of just about the only pass
Palmer played on the deck all game. Birch was in acres of space but
wanted five touches to control and set up for a shot. In the end he
missed his kick and fell on his arse. It just about summed his
afternoon up, lots of huffing and puffing but with little effect.
The most alarming thing about the
first half performance was the constant hoofing from all of the
centre halves we had playing. I include in that the one at left
back, the one at right back and the one in central midfield. Langley
must have gone in at half time with a ricked neck as all he seemed
to do was watch the ball fly backwards and forwards over him.
Another fact that didn't help the game was that Carlton Palmer and
Dave Challinor were as obsessed with the aimless punt as we were, in
fact it was a toss up who was the worst Palmer on the field.
There were bright spots to the half
though. Gallen was excellent whilst trying to make something of the
shocking service he was receiving and Lee Cook was at his
effervescent best and wanted to get the ball down and skin his man
everytime. If Holloway has any funds available to him he could do a
lot worse than make Cookie a permanent signing.
The second half didn't get any better
as both sides continued to see who could kick the ball the furthest
and into the most space. I think Rangers had the edge in this
department if not just for the fact we had more people willing to
have a try! Cook had a goal bound effort, albeit a weak one, blocked
and Rangers did seem to be having the better of the less than
scintillating exchanges.
Brett Angell was hauled off with
twenty five minutes remaining and not before time. He had won a few
headers but didn't really manage to direct any of them toward his
team mates. His replacement was Richard Pacquette fresh from his red
card blighted three months at Stevenage Borough. The game
immediately kicked up a gear as Pacquette showed something the front
line had been lacking badly, pace.
Gallen almost scored immediately and
was only denied by a stunning save from Jones. Gallen managed to
free himself on the right side and sent a screamer toward the top
corner. Jones managed to fling himself high to his right and get a
strong hand on the shot.
Pacquette soon found himself in his
favourite position for an attempt at goal, thirty yards out, two
defenders to beat. He managed to lose his men but his effort was
weak and straight at Jones.
Minutes later it was Pacquette's turn
to again go close. A high ball was slung in from the right and there
was hesitation in the Stockport defence. Defenders left it to
keeper, keeper left it to defenders and Pacquette nipped in to get
his head to the ball. It was lacking power and agonisingly came back
off the inside of the far post. You got the feeling it was going to
be one of those days.
As the clock ticked down Rangers
managed to produce some passing football and Gallen and Pacquette
found themselves running at goal with three defenders to beat.
Pacquette drew two toward him then released Gallen for a run on
goal. He jinked into the box past the last man who then thrust out a
leg to bring Gallen down. It was a stick on penalty and the only
shock was that no red card followed as Gallen would surely have
slotted past Jones.
Now, Kev is no master from the spot.
The last pen I remember him taking was for Huddersfield in front of
The Loft at he almost rolled it into Ludo's hands. This time was
different, there was purpose in his run up and he smashed a low
right footer past Jones and into the corner. It could have been 2-0
minutes later but Langley wanted to showboat rather than release
Pacquette for a clear run on goal. By the time the front man did get
the ball he could only fire into the side netting.
Let's not dress this up as anything
other than a lucky win and a crappy performance. Again! Palmer in
midfield helps nobody and I cannot believe that Holloway can't see
it. I also think he is hindering Langley as he has to do the running
of two men and he doesn't seem keen. Carlisle is playing as poorly
as I have seen him and doesn't appear to link well with Shittu. I
would like to see Rose with Carlisle and a proper left back at left
back.
Whilst I am happy that we are picking
up points again I hope that Holloway does not think that points =
acceptable performances. It doesn't, clearly, and I worry that it is
only the fans that see this and not the management.
simon@qprnet.com |
