A solid win against Partick saw most of the players do well in the game. In many respects, they weren’t as good as against Hibs in the second half, but the very different nature of the game didn’t call for that. Here are my opinions on the match ratings:
WES FODERINGHAM – 7
Foderingham didn’t have an awful lot to do, despite some moments of pressure. His most impressive save was the one which he made early from Edwards, but the player was offside. He made a strong block from a Sammon chance at 0-0, and commanded the area at set pieces.
JAMES TAVERNIER – 8
Tavernier was annoyed about the mistake at the weekend. Against Partick, he looked to make amends. His goal was a fantastic strike, and his all-round play was very good. Unlucky not to score earlier in the second half after some lovely football put him through on goal.
DAVID BATES – 8
Bates had one of his best games for Rangers so far. Completely dominated the physical battle with Sammon, and looked good on the ball. In the second half, he seemed to win everything that Thistle cleared. A particular highlight was his run out from the back and ball through to Murphy which led to a good chance.
RUSSELL MARTIN – 7
Martin defended well, and kept the ball moving quickly from defence. He missed a great chance in the first half from a Goss free kick. Thistle have pace up front, but Martin never looked exposed in any way. His experience and leadership were key in ensuring the team picked up their level as the game went on.
DECLAN JOHN – 5
John looked to continue a good second half against Hibs. His runs forward were causing problems and he won free kicks in good areas. However, the team took some time to get going in the first half, and he seemed inconsistent defensively. Looked to take a knock just before half time and was substituted.
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JASON HOLT – 8
Rangers started the match a little slowly. It was primarily the energy and pressing of Jason Holt that inspired better performances as the game progressed. He refused to give the Thistle players any time to settle on the ball. His workrate meant that Bates and Martin could play a bit higher up the pitch which helped the entire team. Very much a captain’s performance.
SEAN GOSS – 7
Despite a slow start, Goss was solid overall. Got involved defensively when required, and covered really well for the left back when Thistle tried to counter. On the ball, his passing wasn’t as ambitious as previous matches, but he was effective and accurate. Unlucky not to get an assist from his set piece delivery.
DANIEL CANDEIAS – 8
Yet another assist from Candeias led to the first goal, which was reminiscent of Windass’ goal against Aberdeen. His workrate was high as always, and he had touches and moments of quality in the second half. Defensively, he was able to assist Tavernier a lot in the first half. His energy allowed Tavernier to tuck in and affect the game more in the second half, which led to the goal.
JOSH WINDASS – 8
A goal and an assist for Windass in what was a decent display overall. He was trying to affect the game early when Rangers started slowly, but runs and passes weren’t finding the mark. His goal came from a great, determined run that Candeias was able to see quite easily. He also had some nice passes and link up play in the second half which led to chances being created. As will be discussed in the Talking Points article, though, his display on the night won’t be remembered for that.
JAMIE MURPHY – 7
Murphy showed a lot of intelligence with his link up play and runs. Unfortunately, nothing quite came off for him as well as he’d have hoped. A good chance in the second half was blocked by a defender, but the way he found space in tight areas was impressive. He gives the impression that his first goal will just be opening the floodgates to more.
JASON CUMMINGS – 7
Cummings started the game a little awkwardly, not quite finding his range with his link up play. As the game progressed, he started to make a real difference. His movement meant that Thistle couldn’t settle at the back. The pass and move for the first goal was excellent. Unfortunately, he never really got a sight at goal himself, but it was a good performance.
ANDY HALLIDAY – 5
Halliday replaced John at half time, and looked comfortable at left back. It’s a position he’s played in the past, and suits his game somewhat. He won tackles and made himself an option for midfielders.
ALFREDO MORELOS – 3
Morelos came on for Cummings quite late in the game. He was almost set up twice for tap-ins, which forced last ditch defending from Thistle. His strength and movement kept Rangers on the front foot.
GREG DOCHERTY was brought on for the last 5 minutes and had no time to make an impact.
Any ratings you disagree with? Tweet us @rangersnewsuk with your thoughts!