Let’s have a look at the player ratings from the 3-0 win against St Johnstone last night.
WES FODERINGHAM – 7
Wes made a couple of decent saves in the match, and was tested overall by the physical play from St Johnstone. There were a number of corners and set pieces, and he had to deal with a player trying to block him constantly. His distribution was excellent, creating some attacks, and he helped the defence stay organised under pressure.
JAMES TAVERNIER – 8
Tavernier had a great game, both defensively and going forward. His crossing created both goals for Pena, and St Johnstone created very little on his side of the park. Ably assisted by Candeias, he showed yet again this season why he’s rated highly by many fans and the management team.
FABIO CARDOSO – 7
There are a number of fans not convinced yet by Cardoso. Last night, he was pretty solid, winning the majority of his aerial duels and reading danger well. He always looked for a forward pass when on the ball. The team were put under a lot of pressure in spells defensively, and he stood up well to that.
BRUNO ALVES – 9
Alves had his best game for Rangers, and showed all of his defensive class. His leadership kept the team strong during the more difficult periods of the match, and he was dominant in the air against a physical side. He played some good passes from the back, and looked like someone unwilling to concede a goal on the night. As much as McCrorie could feel a little aggrieved for not starting, Alves showed why he’s invaluable to the team.
DECLAN JOHN – 7
John struggled a little defensively, with St Johnstone getting in behind a couple of times. Going forward, he was confident and direct, but not as effective as previous games. He is still learning at this level, and this sort of game will teach him a lot. Much like Cardoso, it’s difficult to justify any criticism when the defence keeps a clean sheet under the pressure they encountered.
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DANIEL CANDEIAS – 7
Candeias wasn’t at his most effective going forward, but worked really hard for the team. His energy and pace meant that there was always an outlet on the break. He only had a couple of effective crosses on the night though, and was unable to really impact the game in an attacking sense. Much like the Hamilton game, he showed that when he’s not at his best, he’s still able to contribute to the team strongly.
JASON HOLT – 7
Given that Holt hasn’t started many games this season, he never once looked out of place. Full of running and energy, he finished with an assist and never had any moments which could be criticised. Given the injury prone nature of other midfielders who are deemed to have more talent, this performance may have pushed Holt ahead of them as someone who can be relied upon more.
GRAHAM DORRANS – 9
Dorrans was outstanding throughout the game. In the first half, he was asked to play the position Ryan Jack would normally fill. He controlled the tempo well, and kept the ball brilliantly. In the second half, he got forward a bit more, which resulted in his late goal. This was his best performance for Rangers, and I say that as someone who doesn’t feel he’s been as poor as many suggest so far. I hoped that his performance against Hamilton was the start of him finding his best form, and last night was even better.
JOSH WINDASS – 7
Windass was involved a lot in the game in the first half. Whilst not being directly responsible for any chances, his movement and workrate gave St Johnstone some issues. Like much of his games this season, he faded in the second half. He is still looking for that level of consistency you hope every player in your team can show. At the moment, he’s the best option on the left-hand side due to his pace and direct play, but an improvement is required if he’s to make the slot his own.
CARLOS PENA – 9
Two goals, a much better performance overall, and a real justification of his selection. there’s still a lot to be proven for Pena in terms of how effective he’ll be over time. Last night though, he really had a huge impact on the game. there were many who suggested he only scored the goals and did nothing else, but that is a harsh judgement. He was a big part of much of the attacking play, passing the ball forward well. He has some strong link up with Morelos. It’s clear that he doesn’t like playing with his back to goal. But by far the strongest part of his game is his movement. To get on the end of both crosses from Tavernier from midfield was testament to that. He got a great reception coming off the park, and hopefully he’ll kick on even further from here.
ALFREDO MORELOS – 8
Missed a great chance in the second half, but even without a goal he contributed a lot to the game. He gave the St Johnstone defenders real problems with his movement and strength. He was involved in the first and third goals with his link-up play. He’ll be frustrated at not scoring again, but there’s no doubt he’s contributing hugely to the team.
ROSS McCRORIE – 3
Only played the last 5 minutes or so, and slotted in well in midfield. It was a real testament to his previous performances that Caixinha brought him on first.
EDUARDO HERRERA – 2
Not even sure if he touched the ball! A late substitution to run down the clock.
AARON NEMANE – 2
See above – another late sub as Caixinha didn’t want to disrupt a strong performance from the starting team.
Do you agree with the ratings? Tweet us @rangersnewsuk with your opinions!