Nile Ranger

Let me down today. He did.

I've always bigged him up in that he just needed a start, and needed to get into the game from the beginning.

Today was his big chance. His first ever start. Unfortunately, he wasted it.

I honestly expected him to come out all guns blazing on his first starting opportunity, but he didn't. He shyed away from a lot of headers and was too greedy with the ball. I noticed that McLovin was in a lot of great positions, but Ranger opted to have a go himself and waste the opportunity. He also ran like a donkey and generally looked lazy.

Unfortunately, he's still too immature to play regularly in the first team in my opinion. He's also too inexperienced. He was being led on by defenders and fell for some common tactics which experience would teach you.

The major problem is that Ranger has this attitude where he doesn't want to be seen like he's trying too hard, so if he fails at an attempt, then he isn't being mocked for his 'true abilities'. It's a defence mechanism, and it's a typical teenage thing to do in many walks of life. He's afraid of putting his absolute best on the line in case it isn't good enough in-front of thousands of fans, so he purposely takes a laid-back approach and essentially sabotages himself.

You do get some clever youngsters, but you also get some stupid ones. There's no denying that Ranger doesn't appear to be particularly intelligent or clever. He can't seem to get his head around what's needed to succeed in mental focus AND tactics.

And I know this is only his first start, but this is where we should have seen him at his best - at his first ever opportunity to start, impress the boss and potentially get more starts. Instead, he just came across as lazy and tried to look laid back. It's an immature trait which he'll hopefully, one day, iron out.

This match has been a real eye-opener, so I'd personally get him out on loan now in a lower league club, so they can hopefully sort his mindset out.

 

Pardew, and Chris Hughton before him, were lambasted by many for not starting Ranger, but now I think we can see where they were coming from.

 

Would be good for the lad to be loaned out and see how he get's on.

 

His selfishness annoyed me. Choosing to go for glory when Lovenkrands was through on goal. He wasn't like that in the Championship, his link up play was very good, but he now seems obsessed with making a name for himself. He's probably had his head turned by all that money Liverpool have offered Carroll.

 

Nice article Chazz unfortunatley we have a team full of guys like that. but ill rate this a 5

 

Good thinking about the Carroll thing. He seems to be very arrogant, and what hasn't helped that is people telling him that he will be better than Carroll, so he thinks he will be getting a transfer for about £50 mill.

 

Totally agree with you and AG's comment. Both spot on!

 

To be fair to Ranger, Lovenkrands is **** and I wouldn't pass to him either. Once again, a youngster has too much pressure put upon him by us the fans - that only works if you have the right temprement, Ranger clearly hasn't and so we need to get off his back, cheer him and let those around him ala Nolan and Barton to tell him the errors of his ways

 

He's not a team player he's a one man army and that just doesn't work. He needs to work with the team like everybody else and understand that a great pass which creates a goal can get you as much glory as a goal from yourself.

 

This. People say he looked lazy etc, but seen as his strike partner was next to useless for most of the game he was onto a lost cause for most of the match. Even when he won headers there was no help at all around him. I like Lovenkrands, and at home he can still do a job, but the last couple of away games he's been almost non existent other than his chance at the end v Villa. Ranger playing with a different striker and we could see a different side of him. If Ameobi is fit I'd play him and Ranger.

 

That's another point like. I don't think it was the best idea for Ranger's first start to be away in-front of thousands of opposing fans. Perhaps his first start would have been better in the comfort and support of SJP with the home crowd.

 

Possibley. I want him to do well. But he needs to up his ''game'' and up his attitude if he wants a future at this club.

 

That's a f*cking excellent spot mate. I actually do the same in every day life and i'm sure a lot of us do. It really does stop you from being all you can be!

I hope he can be coached out of it. Loan him out to championship club with a good manager, or maybe even a newly promoted team like QPR (when they're promoted).

 

We should loan him out to a league two side as he would be half decent at that level then he will gain confidence and experience. Personally I think he will never make it with us in the premier league but he is still young so I wouldn't sell him just yet. Kuqi is now ahead of him in the pecking order.

 

Very frustrating today, I play striker for my club and play with a similar player (obviously not at the same level, but sometimes I wonder...) that is so lazy and does nothing to link up with me! I can probably imagine what Lovenkrands was feeling like today.

 

Ranger had a very bad game.

 

this may be a bit harsh but i can honestly say I can not imagine Nile Ranger ever ever making it as a Premiership striker. I've been of this opinion for ages and today's performance has done nothing but confirm that.

I also think we are safe now and I'm glad we've got the points in the bag at this point of the season. I cannot see us progressing in any way from the league position we are in now.

My god i am never this negative

 

If I was Lovenkrands I'd have smashed his head off the changing room wall at half time. If he passed twice, Lovenkrands would have been through twice and we would have scored twice. He is even lazier (that takes some doing) than Shola and worse in every department other than pace.

 

I agree with everything here, rep for having a decent opinion

 

I think he's clearly feeling the pressure to score, he's got around 40 apps for the club and 3 goals, and knows full well he will be judged a failure or a flop if he doesnt score goals so instead of his real game (see debut v Leicester) we're seeing a selfish side, desperately trying to get a premier league goal. He has a future with us IMO, but we need to handle him better, a suitable loan club next year then if he does well, ease him into the first team when needed and see if his game has improved and the nerves are gone.