HEARTS ATTACKED

What a difference a week makes!! Rangers outwitted and out played Hearts with a quite superlative display today. It started with PLG tactically outdoing his counter part by switching the system that he had stuck to in the first three games. The four-four-two surprised us, but more importantly, Hearts, who appeared onto the pitch lining up in a four-three-three to counteract our system. PLG also rang the changes in the side dropping Hutton, Sionko, Adam and Buffel and putting in Burke, Boyd, Martin and debutant Bardsley, which turned out to be another masterstroke.
Rangers took a little longer to settle but when they got going they destroyed Hearts with great wide play, great delivery and great finishing. In the last few weeks our “feel good factor” had ebbed away a bit with a couple of less than convincing performances BUT today it came rushing back in spades and long may it continue!!

Today’s team: -

Letizi: - Showed none of the calamitous touches from last week and had to make a couple of saves. Not as busy a day as he might have expected
Rmed Verdict: - 6

Bardsley: - Got a surprising debut against one of our main opponents and handled himself very well. Nothing spectacular but looked solid and composed.
Rmed Verdict: - 7

Svensson: - The beginnings of a partnership? Looked more solid today although still a bit suspicious under the high ball.
Rmed Verdict: - 7

JRod: - More commanding or just growing more confident of the defence around him. Controlled the threat of Jankuskas and Bednar very well as they hardly got a sniff.
Rmed Verdict: - 7

Smith: - Had to play a slightly more disciplined game and didn’t push forward quite as much. More due to the very attacking play of Martin than formation change.
Rmed Verdict: - 7

Hemdani: - Reasonable without excelling, same as the last three games to be honest. He IS a good player, he just needs to give that extra ten percent
Rmed Verdict: - 7

Clement: - Took ten minutes to measure the opposition and then controlled the rest of the game. Great engine, vision and passing and is already a mainstay of the side.
Rmed Verdict: - 8

Burke: - Good to see a young Scotsman terrorising defences and he did that today. Having Sionko nipping at his heels in competition for his place will also do him the power of good.
Rmed Verdict: - 8

Martin: - Wow!! Tore Nielsen to shreds down that left flank, tremendous play by the big man. Has pace, power and tricks but also has work rate. The one other thing he has is delivery, from set pieces or crossing, which Rangers as a team has been missing for a long time.
Rmed Verdict: - 9

Prso: - Showed us some of those powerful, driving runs that we’ve become accustomed to. Could also have had a goal with a screamer that rattled the sanction.
Rmed Verdict: - 7

Boyd: - Turned to, to supply the finishing touches to the silky football that we have started playing and we could not have turned to a better man. Great game by Boyd and showed a killer instinct that not too many strikers possess. Stamped his name firmly into PLG’s head for the next run of games. Went off to a standing ovation.
Rmed Verdict: - 9 (MOTM for his clinical finishing alone)

Hutton (On for Bardsley): - Stepped back into his natural position to cover for a slight injury and will have to play, and train, hard, to get back in the side.
Rmed Verdict: - 6

Sebo (On for Boyd): - PLG trying to give Sebo some match time. Would have been tremendous for his confidence to bag a goal. Unfortunately wasn’t to be.
Rmed Verdict: - 6

Buffel (On for Burke): - Had no time to make any impact.
Rmed Verdict: - 4

PLG: - Used his tactical know how to out manoeuvre his counterpart and wasn’t afraid to ring the changes. Turned out beautifully for him!!!
Rmed Verdict: - 9


I feel we had lost a bit of our fear factor with the teams in the SPL over the last couple of years but with this performance today teams will be a bit more wary in the future. The revolution is starting to gather momentum, be afraid, be VERY afraid!!


WATP

Baz.