Anthony Ralston

I wondered that as well, as in it drove me mental all game.

 

He plays fine as well on the ball, although I feel the same as you like you are waiting for him to mis control it or lose it all the time as he's not a slick technical footballer. You are expecting bad touches or for it to bounce off him but it never actually happens.

You are always awaiting a mistake from passing from the back or him being caught on a ball.

He's a wee bit like CCV in that, not class footballers but they rarely actually make a mistake and are well controlled on the ball I think even though I don't trust them as much as guys like Taylor, Jurnanovic even Starfelt who are sharper and look more in control.

 

Started after Van Veen bullied Taylor last season. Him or Johnston now always hang back at corners.

Would 100% have Ralston involved at corners and similar. Always a threat.

 

Aye one of the few pass marks.

No issue with him being our back-up RB, but it's sad when he's arguably better than our first choice this season.

 

He's in an almost impossible position, with the lack of communication back there. He is the closest thing we have to a leader in that defence.

 

I thought he was absolutely murder in the 2nd half constantly putting us under pressure or turning in to trouble

 

Aye

That 2 minute period where him, Welsh, Scales and Hart were trying to play out from the back was brutal. None of them look remotely comfortable with a ball at their feet.

 

And O’Riley, who got the ball beyond the press twice, turned around, passed it to Ralston under pressure, who passes to Welsh under pressure, who passes to Hart under pressure. Until eventually Ralston ran to CB and smashed the ball to McGregor beyond the press. Which was also dodgy as * but it worked.

7 months of BR coaching the play it out the back to beat the press that. Masterclass.

And 3/4 * times btw, Harts rushed out to punt it to a winger to start a counter, slipped, scuffed it and its went either out or to somecunt whos no in a Celtic strip. 2/3 games in a row

 

Watching the goals back there and it highlights a problem I've mentioned a couple of times with Ralston. He just stands with his hands behind his back and watches their player cross the ball in. It's baffling.

He's absolutely murder at stopping crosses.

 

Seems to be a modern full back thing and I * hate it. Aye in the box maybe, but on the wing, * close the ball down stop it from the source.

Ralston’s majorly over corrected with that as well, because he used to just throw a tackle, his body, the wall he’s building and everything else possible trying to stop the cross, but too much, was easy to just move the ball and he’d fly by.

He needs the middle ground between that * hands behind the back, five yards away, and aimlessly hop pretending ye can head the ball that seems popular these days and diving in shitely and either wiping * out or winning it a belter that looks amazing and a * cheer at but it’s 50/50 when it works or no.

just close the man down, close the angle, push them towards the touchline or byline

 

Everytime he comes back in and has a couple games to build up a head of steam and bit of form, and shows that he can do something like the assist he done today - every time it’s happened, *, sometimes the same exact *, are surprised he has that ability in him.

His passing ability is underrated as *, it’s like people overlook that he does * like that all the time because he’s a big trier, wins 50/50’s, the bricky patter around him.

He keeps his spot because he’s the most creative and dangerous fullback that we have right now. And that ball for Kyogo will be largely forgotten about because how the * the game finished and us being weak as * mentally once again

 

If he hadn't played today good chance we'd have lost.

 

Aye cos we were lucky not to anyway mate. First half I thought he was excellent, not just the quality for the goal, he picked up every 2nd ball that went near him and was driving us forward. After the break, and the change of shape again, and Taylor going off he was a bit lost.

Not the only one, changes * the things we were doing positively, * the balance, left too many gaps and players were left confused about if they push forward or drop back, if they cover space (and there was so much space between our players) or do they stick rigid to their own role. And then in a 45 minute period he’s trying to link up with the guy infront of him, that at various times was Maeda, Yang and Kuhn.

O’Riley ended up high up that wing last ten minutes or so, when to guard the 1-0 lead, and this must be tactical this - we desserted our midfield pushing two of them to wings, we push out DM controlling midfielder forward, and we keep 4 defenders flat at the back.

Honestly, I don’t want to know if that was genuine tactics or if our manager has such a lack of grip on what the team does on the pitch that players have lost shape and wandered somewhere that they shouldn’t be that he can’t do a thing to stop them from doing it. I don’t know what prospect is worse

 

Always think it meself he’s so slow to get out to block crosses, gives them far too much space. Bernabei was dreadful for their goal. Powderpuff midget

 

Just noticed this on the replay too. Why he didn't at least close the player down to try and stop the cross is mental.

 

He's actually had two decent performances at left back.

 

Ralberto Carlos

 

Obviously struggles to cross from that side but thought his his diagonal balls into the box and distribution was good.