Friday, March 11, 2011

Why is Rangers defensive formation Anti-Football but other teams are a tactical masterclass?

Rangers produced probably their best defensive performance since the 1st of May 2008 in Florence in Eindhoven on Thursday night holding PSV Eindhoven to a 0-0 draw. Rangers even had the best chance of the match through Kyle Bartley when he forced Andreas Isaksson into a fabulous save to keep it at 0-0. The media, however, are reporting it as "Rangers Park The Bus" or "Anti-Football Returns", yet two days previously when English Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur did the exact same thing against AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League, Harry Redknapp was praised for it? What's that all about?

Of Course Spurs aren't the only side thats praised for it, the defensive counter formation has been the Special One's favoured tactic for years, Mourinho who is dubbed the best manager in the world plays a very defensive formation but yet again this is a defensive masterclass and Mourinho is called a tactical genius yet Walter Smith's tactics are called Anti-Football? Now, look at the group of players Inter had in their squad last year, they had Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Etoo, Diego Milito, Goran Pandev, Dejan Stankovic and David Suazo who are all very formidable attacking players who could destroy any team in the worlds defence yet they took the more defensive approach and it's called a masterclass? Now, no disrespect to Kyle Lafferty or El Hadji Diouf but lets face, none of these are players that will strike fear into defences around Europe so Walter Smith plays to Rangers strengths he gets shot down for it, Rangers goalkeeper and defence is the best area of the team, Allan McGregor is one of the best goalkeepers in Britain while the defence has 5 very good defenders, on Thursday Rangers had Neil Alexander in goals followed by a back 5 of Richard Foster, Madjid Bougherra, David Weir, Kyle Bartley and Steven Whittaker. Normally Allan McGregor would be between the sticks and Sasa Papac would be in for Richard Foster.

I, personally think it's ridiculous and credit should be given to Walter Smith and his men for a fantastic run so far in Europe, hopefully they can prove everyone wrong and make it all the way to Dublin.

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