Match Report from www.qprnet.com

STUNNING ATTACK BUT CACK AT THE BACK
Saturday 28th November 2009
by Simon Skinner


Rangers somehow contrived to throw away two points against Coventry City at Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon. Despite dominating the game for the most part and cutting the visiting midfield and defence to ribbons, park defending at two set pieces meant that the win the attacking deserved was tossed away.

Following the poor showing up at Doncaster there were plenty of changes to the side. Cerny was in goal behind a reshuffled back four of Leigertwood, Hall, Connolly and Borrowdale. Buzsaky, Watson, Faurlin and Taarabt were in midfield with Routledge supporting Simpson in attack.

Both sides had exchanged early chances when despite Rangers having most of the ball they fell behind. Buzsaky gave away a free kick five yards inside the Coventry half and left back van Aarnholt pumped a hopeful ball into the box. Leon Best attacked the delivery, Matt Connolly did not, and the Eire striker looped a header over a stranded Cerny into the corner. It was criminal defending; there was no pressure on Best whatsoever as he met the ball.

Rangers got straight back on with attacking, Watson screamed one inches past the post and Simpson did slot home after slick interplay on the edge of the box but was flagged for a tight offside. Westwood denied Taarabt whilst at the other end Connolly made amends for his slack marking for the goal with a superb clearing header from under the bar after Gunnarsson headed a McIndoe free kick goalward.

The equaliser soon arrived and it was outstanding. Crisp passing in midfield ended with the majestic Faurlin receiving the ball thirty five yards from goal. He floated a perfect through ball over the Coventry defence into path of Simpson who had timed his run to perfection. The young Gunner got there just before Westwood a deftly touched the ball past him into the net. It was a fabulous pass from Faurlin in what was his best display since arriving in the summer.

Rangers missed two more excellent chances before the break as Routledge saw an effort saved by Westwood and Simpson headed an excellent Borrowdale cross over the bar after mistiming his leap slightly. Rangers were quickly out of the blocks in the second half with Taarabt firing straight at Westwood. At the other end Borrowdale, excellent on his return against his former employers, put in a superb tackle to deny McIndoe a chance to shoot.

Taarabt was in the mood now and one dazzling moment saw him leave a defender sliding along on his arse before he stood up an outrageous chip that left Westwood for dead but crashed back off the face of the bar. Had that gone in I think it would have topped his wonder goal from earlier this season against Preston. It was wave after wave of Rangers attacks now and the City tackling was becoming increasingly robust as they tried to halt them.

For all the pressure the next goal when it came was helped in by a wicked deflection. A Faurlin corner was cleared to Routledge and his shot was deflected into the path of Buzsaky. The Hungarian, not at his best once again, struck a sweet left footed volley that clattered off of Wood, wrong footed Westwood, and flew into the net. It should have been a stroll to the finish now for Rangers, Coventry weren’t getting much in the way of possession, with ten minutes left Magilton made a change and sent Reid on for Taarabt. This was an odd one, Taarabt was tearing Coventry to ribbons, and a more likely candidate would have been Buzsaky who was breathing out of his backside.

A tiring Buzsaky gave away a sloppy free kick on the Rangers left flank. McIndoe came across and sent an in swinging ball toward the near post, it should have been Cerny’s ball to claim but he just stood there as Wood stepped in front and stooped to nod into the corner for the most undeserved of equalisers. Two goals had been given away from set pieces that had been defended in such a way that it would cause embarrassment to the second XI of the Dog & Shit. We need a settled back four and keeper, Magilton has to stop tinkering and sharpish in this area.

City skipper Wright was sent off late on for a second yellow. He had picked up his first by cynically scything Leigertwood down as he burst into the Coventry half. His second came when he went through the back of Buzsaky on half way. So angered was he by getting booked twice for two blatantly bookable offences that he threw his armband at the refs head! Very bright and a shining example to team captains everywhere.

Rangers were able to capitalise, Reid drew a good low save from Westwood before Watson and Buzsaky both shot over the bar. The final whistle brought a few boos as usual but more than anything it brought a massive sense of frustration that we hadn’t managed to turn over an awful Coventry side.

simon@qprnet.com