The 2-0 win at home to Motherwell wasn’t a pretty match, but it was a more than deserved win. Here are the player ratings as I saw them.
WES FODERINGHAM – 6
Didn’t have an awful lot to do in truth. A very early Motherwell chance was hit straight at him but no other saves were required. His distribution was inconsistent on the night, with a couple of clearances not hit well. He was also prone to overhitting the ball out wide right when going longer. He got a clean sheet and a relatively easy night, so he’ll be happy enough.
JAMES TAVERNIER – 8
Tavernier had a good game defensively and was very influential going forward. He linked up with the forwards well and got the ball into their feet early often. The formation meant that Motherwell got a lot of time on the ball from their fullbacks, especially in the first half. Tavernier was very disciplined defensively and rarely let the ball get in behind him. He’s been accused in the past of not doing well in physical games, but he was more than able to stand up to it this time around.
BRUNO ALVES – 7
Both centre halves came under a lot of pressure from long balls and set pieces. Whilst they lost the odd header, they won most, and Alves was solid throughout. There were a couple of loose passes and mis-hit clearances but, overall, he more than done his job. As captain on the night, he was also influential in the fight the team showed to get the result.
DANNY WILSON – 8
Not only did Wilson also defend well, he scored an absolute screamer to put the team ahead. He certainly won’t hit another ball like that and it’s probably our goal of the season. He was strong in the air and not at all bullied. Despite a mistake in the first minute (which could have led to a goal), he played with confidence and authority on his 26th birthday.
DECLAN JOHN – 6
In this formation, Declan John has a hard job. He’s always more comfortable going forward but will be stretched defensively playing behind this diamond midfield. There were a couple of nice runs and touches in the first half and he was always available for the ball in the second half. However, the fact most of our threat came down the right hand side showed that it wasn’t his best game.
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ROSS McCRORIE – 6
I was surprised when McCrorie was announced as man of the match at the game. For me, he was a little bit away from his best. He was down injured within 5 minutes and it seemed to affect him overall. He gave away a few fouls where he normally wouldn’t and got caught in possession more than once in the first half. Despite this, he had moments of really good play, was certainly an asset in a physical match and showed great mental strength.
RYAN JACK – 4
Injured early in the game. Up until then, he was playing ok, trying to allow our midfield to dictate the tempo. The tackle on him, which resulted in what looks like a bad injury, was a shocker.
JASON HOLT – 7
Holt was energetic as always and in the second half he really pressed the game and made our performance better. From an individual perspective, he could have been better on the ball but the job he’d done for the team was key. Another player who is often deemed as poor in physical matches but this season he’s put a lie to that.
NIKO KRANJCAR – 6
Kranjcar had a number of really nice passes and one in particular almost led to a Morelos goal. As his focus is so attacking, he’s always going to give the ball away a lot as he tries things which aren’t the easy option. He looked very much up for the game and at one point he was arguing with the Motherwell manager. On the night, he spoke to the referee about his decisions and was very much in the face of the opposing players when the chance arose. He showed a side to his game we hadn’t seen before.
EDUARDO HERRERA – 5
I think this rating is a little harsh on Herrera in truth. However, there’s no doubt he struggled overall. Whilst his workrate and some of his link up play was good, he only really had one chance to score. Service to him in the first half was poor, and there were times he could have done more with what he was given. For a player who has barely played more than 5 minutes in weeks, a lot of this was to be expected.
ALFREDO MORELOS – 7
Morelos put in a great shift and got his goal. He missed a real chance in the first half that he should have buried and some of what he tried didn’t come off. It’s a testament to his attitude, though, that he kept going and got his goal. He showed for the ball and linked up well throughout. His movement into the wide areas also created spaces for others to play in.
JAMIE BARJONAS – 6
Barjonas came on for Jack and looked pretty comfortable. He’s a lot like Ryan Jack in his style of play, being composed on the ball and keeping passes relatively simple. He had a good strike at goal in the second half which was well saved. Despite being a young player who is not the biggest physically, he’s not afraid to get stuck in, which will serve him well.
RYAN HARDIE – 2
Came on for the last 7 minutes to allow Morelos to get off the park.
CARLOS PENA – 2
Also came on for the last 7 minutes. Had a few touches but the game was being played out by that point.
Any ratings you disagree with? Tweet us @rangersnewsuk with your thoughts!