Last night’s cup quarter final win over Partick Thistle was a game of mixed performances. If your focus was on the negative, you’d have seen a lot which bothered you, but there were positives. Thistle played better than they did in the league game, and away cup ties are rarely easy. In terms of individual performances, there were a few with a claim for man of the match.
First up was Declan John. His running and attacking intent from left back was a real threat, especially in the first half. When you consider it was his first start in a while, he showed real confidence and ability. He was comfortable running on the outside, or driving in if forced to do so. His speed doesn’t seem to be affected by being on the ball, and he showed some good skill on the ball under pressure. If the Wallace injury is to be long term, this performance suggests we’ll be more than ok for cover.
Another strong candidate for man of the match was Daniel Candeias. Despite an erratic performance, he finished with two assists and a goal. In many ways, he epitomised the way the team played. He was determined, and full of running, yet also prone to mistakes. He missed a glaring sitter in the second half which would have killed the game, and that would have been on his mind when Thistle equalised. Despite that, he scored the second and set up the third very quickly in extra time. His mental strength and attitude certainly can’t be questioned, and last night was more evidence of that.
When Caixinha stated at the end of last season that he wanted players who offered a 7 out of 10 performance even when poor, Candeias was probably the player he was thinking of. He’s proving to be a very smart signing.
Man of the match, however, was clearly Jak Alnwick. He made an outstanding save in the first half, and a couple of good saves on top of that. Some of his distribution wasn’t great, but it’s worth remembering that he hasn’t played since the last cup game against Dunfermline. Without a reserve league to help with his sharpness, his performance last night was even more impressive.
Alnwick hasn’t had many chances to show us what he can do. Last night is the first game he’s been involved in where the opposing team created a lot of chances. For him to be able to play so well is encouraging, as many will expect Foderingham to become a target for clubs in England. It would seem we have a good replacement in Alnwick if Foderingham does move on any time soon.
Who was your Man of the Match last night? Tweet us @rangersnewsuk with your thoughts!