If we’re being honest, no Rangers player deserved a man of the match award on Saturday. The entire team just weren’t at the required level at all, and there was no real positive to take from the defeat. However, we’re going to attempt to highlight two players who showed little signs of something good.
The first of those is Greg Docherty. Whilst his play on the ball wasn’t at his best, he was really good off the ball. His running, interceptions and strength at least kept him competitive in midfield. One moment in the first half somewhat summed up his game. Under a little pressure, he lost the ball and sent Kris Boyd through on goal. Docherty got himself back, used his body well, and won the ball back just as Boyd looked set to score.
Going forward, it was a frustrating day for Docherty. Passes weren’t finding the mark, and a couple of good runs were ended by him losing balance at the critical moment. The closest Rangers came to scoring was from Russell Martin’s header hitting the bar. It was Docherty who won that free kick with an interception and good run. It’s a decent sign that even when he’s not playing well, he can have an effect on the game.
If there was a man of the match for Rangers, though, it was Jamie Murphy. In the first half hour, he was the best player on the pitch. Only five minutes in, he won the free kick Goss was close with. He beat the Kilmarnock players numerous times, and was unlucky with a few cutbacks which could have led to better chances. One pass in particular in the first half, finding a smart run by Windass, was a rare moment of quality in the match.
Sadly, Murphy was dragged down by the overall poor play from Rangers as the game wore on. In the second half, he wasn’t able to find good spaces to run into. The runs from John at left back were being crowded out, leaving options limited. When Kilmarnock scored, this became even more difficult.
The fact no man of the match announcement was made in the stadium summed up just how abject Rangers were overall. It was a bit of a stretch to pick out two performances of any note.
Do you agree with the above at all? Tweet us @rangersnewsuk with your thoughts!