Stroll for Athletic as R's Are Pathetic
Rangers suffered a 3-0 reverse in a dire
encounter against Charlton Athletic at Loftus
Road this evening. In a game that was played at
a snails pace, there was never any urgency from
the R’s players and The Addicks barely needed to
break a sweat to see them off easily.
Olly named a starting XI of Cole, Ukah, Shittu, Shimmin, Rose,
Rowlands, Bean, Bircham, Brown, Furlong and Santos. New signing Marc
Nygaard had to make do with a place on the bench due to the
deployment of a centre half in attack!
Rangers went a goal down after ten minutes when Darren Bent found
plenty of space on the right side of the box. His shot was fierce
but Jake Cole should have done better as he seemed to get both hands
to it. The power was sufficient to see the ball nestle in the
corner. In truth it was all Rangers deserved as we had barely
touched the ball since kick off.
Chances were virtually non existent and this was hardly surprising
with Santos and Furlong playing so far apart. Olly was imploring
Georges to get involved but he showed that he provides little more
than nuisance value when played up top. Who he causes a nuisance for
is open to debate however.
Shimmin, Shittu and Ukah seemed to be having decent games but they
were getting little in the way of cover from Bean and Bircham.
Watching them play in the first half tonight made you realise how
good Doherty actually is!
Shortly before half time it was 2-0 and how Darren bent can claim
this one is beyond me. He picked up the ball on the by-line and
fired it in only to see it cannon off Cole and into the goal. Cole
was little unlucky as he was still recovering from an attempt to cut
out the initial cross when the ball hit him.
Olly made plenty of changes at the break with Henderson, Bignot,
Hislop, Miller, Doherty, Cook and Gallen replacing Cole, Ukah, Rose,
Bean, Bircham, Brown and Santos. Things did improve a little as the
central partnership of Rowlands and Doherty tried to move the ball
around, far more than the first half incumbents had.
Still no chances came and it was becoming patently obvious that the
players had all but given this one up. The only Rangers effort of
note came courtesy of Danny Shittu. Picking up the ball at the back
he strode through the Charlton midfield before hammering a
piledriver from forty yards that smashed against the bar. It was a
staggering effort and one that nobody in the crowd was expecting.
The
third goal came when the woeful Marcus Bignot gave away a penalty
that was converted by Bent for the third of his alleged hat-trick.
Biggy was continuing his awful pre season form and I can’t see any
way that he will be picked ahead of Ukah for the game at Hull. He
finished last season poorly and the injury he picked up late on last
term seems to have robbed him of any pace he had left.
This was a shocking game and the ones that stayed away did the right
thing. The paltry crowd of 3500 was more than this fare deserved. I
would have thought that Olly will have plenty to say to the players
in the morning at training as they will need to get their ducks in a
row before the season gets under way.
There were positives though. Shimmin was excellent alongside the
equally impressive Shittu and Ukah did well before going off at the
break. Brown looked bright and Doherty and Rowly linked up well at
times in the second half. Henderson in goal was once again a mixture
of good and bad but there does seem to be something to work with and
I think he will be signed. Nygaard played for half an hour but it is
hard to judge him given the lack of decent service into him.
Roll on Saturday…
simon@qprnet.com |
