Definitely like the idea of 4 at the back but would be tempted to put Strain in there and move Luca to midfield and drop Fatah.

Im thinking..
               Kucherenko
Strain Iovu Esselink Keresztes
Stephenson Sevelj Camara Ferry
                           Sapsford
                   Moller

In a 4411 stylee

Gives us the likes of Dolcek and Trapanovski to throw on later if needed

Last edited by Arabdownsouth (17/10/2025 6:41 pm)

United giving them far too much respect. Bert turned inside out for the goal.

First half played out like i thought the whole game would, a less toxic ibrox with the rangers keeping it simple and just playing football, was worried when they were 1-0 up as their fans were right behind them and aasgard looked dangerous everytime he was on the ball. So hats off to jim and the players for the comeback but cant help feeling its another missed oppurtunity, i think last year our team holds on for the win at 1-2

Decent point after an appalling first half.

So much better in second half with moller through the middle.

Surprised fatah survived the HT and Dolcek got hooked, number of times that’s happened now. Carrying an injury?

Camera when he came on was absolutely brilliant- top player.

Great battling display by the lads, and a deserved point, after being not at the races in the first half.

For me the introduction of Camara and Trapanovski on the hour mark transformed us completely and we instantly looked like a team.

Disappointing not to win in the end and a deep frustration that for the fifth time already this season we can't see out a win when we have the game by the scruff of the neck (Rapid, Falkirk, Hearts, Hibs, Rangers). 

That said that's back to back score draws at Ibrox. Not to be sniffed at, and we were also entertaining today once again at times. The last 20 minutes were wildly open. Almost like a basketball match. It was a good watch tbqh.

Player ratings -

Kucherencko - 8/10 - I must commend this young man, he was excellent once again today and kept us in it for the first hour of the match. He has bounced back from his horrorshow at Easter Road a few weeks back so, so well. That shows a strong mentality, as well as his obvious raw talent.

Stephenson - 6/10 - Not his best performance in a United jersey and was chasing shadows (like everyone else) in the first half. Grew into the game more in the 2nd half. Still a young player learning the game, we must remember that.

Esselink - 7/10 - Turned inside out for their 1st goal, but you have to credit big Bert, he never chucks the towel in and always seems to overcome disappointing moments to still perform well over all.

Kerezstes - 7/10 - Solid if unspectacular.

Ferry - 6/10 - Fairly quiet afternoon from Ferry. Felt he could have got closer to his player for their equaliser, but maybe i'm nit picking slightly, it was a good move/finish.

Sevelj - 6/10 - Not his best performance in a United jersey. He's been strangely out of sorts at times this season imo.

Sibbald - 7/10 - Chasing shadows in the first hour but had a great last half an hour and topped off of course with his spectacular goal (our best goal at Ibrox in many, many years). A great response from him in his first start for us in two months. Been a bit of a stalwart at our club and an unsung Hero.

Eskesen - 4/10 - Genuinely not trying to single this guy out or pick on him in anyway, but i just don't get why he was signed or what his role in the team is supposed to be. In Norway he was described by his previous clubs supporters as primarily a No.10, but someone who was also a bit of a 'box to box' midfielder. I just don't see it. He seems to have been given a bit of a free role in the team, but you have to be a helluva midfielder to justify that, and he at the moment seems an empty shirt who's contributing nothing on the ball (and little off it imo).

Fatah - 5/10 - Poor tbh. For all his obvious talent he has to offer more when he starts games. Only showing his potential in 'flashes' and then goes missing for a game or two. Not good enough.

Sapsford - 6/10 - Game was passing him by like most others, but he woke up that last 30 minutes and reminded us what a good wee player he is when he's on his game. Assisted Trapanovski's goal and started to look dangerous again for the first time in weeks. That said should have buried his one on one after a great through ball from Sibbald. He has to work hard on that in training because that's a couple of 'one on one's' he's wasted. Needs to add that clinical side to his game. If he can do that, then he'll have a fine career. Never let's you down with his work rate.

Dolcek - 5/10 - Not a great 1st half from Ivan, but was he our worst player? Definitely not. That is the 2nd game in a row he hasn't came out for the 2nd half and the 3rd game in a row he hasn't made an hour. For all his raw talent i worry that Goodwin has already marked him out as being 'lazy'. I really hope there is no fall-out there. Too good a player for us to let slip through our fingers.

Subs -

Trapanovski - 8/10 - He impressed me in his first cameo in 3 months against Livi, and today he took it to another level. Looked so dangerous and an immediate upgrade out on the left wing. Brilliant finish for his goal and another great effort that produced a fine save form Butland. If we can keep him fit, then we have a player on our hands. Loved his goal celebration (despite the yellow card).

Camara - 7/10 - Instant upgrade in central midfield. He just seems everywhere. And that's what i love about him for Utd. Despite his possession and passing not always being on point, he always wants the ball and just seems a huge figure for us in this team, both metaphorically and physically.

Moller 7/10 - I'm still not completely sure about Moller as a Striker. He all too often doesn't get in great positions for me, and i think his movement off the ball could also be better. Too often near a Defender and never seems to find the space for someone to pick him out. I had this same criticism of Jort Van Der Sande. Similarly to VDS however,  i actually think he is a good footballer, his little cushioned chest pass for Sibbald absolutely beautiful and a great bit of play. I'm just not convinced he will ever really score many at all, and is a lesser option than Watters in terms of goals (and maybe even Stirton). Though time will tell and i hope i'm wrong. He does do some good things that i can acknowledge and give me hope, unlike say, Eskesen (so far).

Strain - 6/10 - First kick off a ball since Una Strassen in July. Tough game to be thrown into late on, but no disasters accounted for and that's pretty much all you can ask for from someone thrown into such an end to end match after months of inactivity. Swung in a dangerous cross very late into injury time that almost brought about a United winner.

Naamo - 5/10 - The now obligatory 90th minute time wasting sub of Dario Naamo. I'm still unsure of him or what his role is really meant to be. Again, i don't think he's a bad player, but he isn't going to be 1st or 2nd choice RB/RWB (Luca/Strain) or 1st or 2nd choice RW (Dolcek/Fatah). It still baffles me somewhat that we made him a priority signing rather than just give it a bit of time to assess him further, but again, time will tell if that was money wasted or a shrewd piece of early business.
 

Tek wrote:

Great battling display by the lads, and a deserved point, after being not at the races in the first half.

For me the introduction of Camara and Trapanovski on the hour mark transformed us completely and we instantly looked like a team.

Disappointing not to win in the end and a deep frustration that for the fifth time already this season we can't see out a win when we have the game by the scruff of the neck (Rapid, Falkirk, Hearts, Hibs, Rangers). 

That said that's back to back score draws at Ibrox. Not to be sniffed at, and we were also entertaining today once again at times. The last 20 minutes were wildly open. Almost like a basketball match. It was a good watch tbqh.

Player ratings -

Kucherencko - 8/10 - I must commend this young man, he was excellent once again today and kept us in it for the first hour of the match. He has bounced back from his horrorshow at Easter Road a few weeks back so, so well. That shows a strong mentality, as well as his obvious raw talent.

Stephenson - 6/10 - Not his best performance in a United jersey and was chasing shadows (like everyone else) in the first half. Grew into the game more in the 2nd half. Still a young player learning the game, we must remember that.

Esselink - 7/10 - Turned inside out for their 1st goal, but you have to credit big Bert, he never chucks the towel in and always seems to overcome disappointing moments to still perform well over all.

Kerezstes - 7/10 - Solid if unspectacular.

Ferry - 6/10 - Fairly quiet afternoon from Ferry. Felt he could have got closer to his player for their equaliser, but maybe i'm nit picking slightly, it was a good move/finish.

Sevelj - 6/10 - Not his best performance in a United jersey. He's been strangely out of sorts at times this season imo.

Sibbald - 7/10 - Chasing shadows in the first hour but had a great last half an hour and topped off of course with his spectacular goal (our best goal at Ibrox in many, many years). A great response from him in his first start for us in two months. Been a bit of a stalwart at our club and an unsung Hero.

Eskesen - 4/10 - Genuinely not trying to single this guy out or pick on him in anyway, but i just don't get why he was signed or what his role in the team is supposed to be. In Norway he was described by his previous clubs supporters as primarily a No.10, but someone who was also a bit of a 'box to box' midfielder. I just don't see it. He seems to have been given a bit of a free role in the team, but you have to be a helluva midfielder to justify that, and he at the moment seems an empty shirt who's contributing nothing on the ball (and little off it imo).

Fatah - 5/10 - Poor tbh. For all his obvious talent he has to offer more when he starts games. Only showing his potential in 'flashes' and then goes missing for a game or two. Not good enough.

Sapsford - 6/10 - Game was passing him by like most others, but he woke up that last 30 minutes and reminded us what a good wee player he is when he's on his game. Assisted Trapanovski's goal and started to look dangerous again for the first time in weeks. That said should have buried his one on one after a great through ball from Sibbald. He has to work hard on that in training because that's a couple of 'one on one's' he's wasted. Needs to add that clinical side to his game. If he can do that, then he'll have a fine career. Never let's you down with his work rate.

Dolcek - 5/10 - Not a great 1st half from Ivan, but was he our worst player? Definitely not. That is the 2nd game in a row he hasn't came out for the 2nd half and the 3rd game in a row he hasn't made an hour. For all his raw talent i worry that Goodwin has already marked him out as being 'lazy'. I really hope there is no fall-out there. Too good a player for us to let slip through our fingers.

Subs -

Trapanovski - 8/10 - He impressed me in his first cameo in 3 months against Livi, and today he took it to another level. Looked so dangerous and an immediate upgrade out on the left wing. Brilliant finish for his goal and another great effort that produced a fine save form Butland. If we can keep him fit, then we have a player on our hands. Loved his goal celebration (despite the yellow card).

Camara - 7/10 - Instant upgrade in central midfield. He just seems everywhere. And that's what i love about him for Utd. Despite his possession and passing not always being on point, he always wants the ball and just seems a huge figure for us in this team, both metaphorically and physically.

Moller 7/10 - I'm still not completely sure about Moller as a Striker. He all too often doesn't get in great positions for me, and i think his movement off the ball could also be better. Too often near a Defender and never seems to find the space for someone to pick him out. I had this same criticism of Jort Van Der Sande. Similarly to VDS however,  i actually think he is a good footballer, his little cushioned chest pass for Sibbald absolutely beautiful and a great bit of play. I'm just not convinced he will ever really score many at all, and is a lesser option than Watters in terms of goals (and maybe even Stirton). Though time will tell and i hope i'm wrong. He does do some good things that i can acknowledge and give me hope, unlike say, Eskesen (so far).

Strain - 6/10 - First kick off a ball since Una Strassen in July. Tough game to be thrown into late on, but no disasters accounted for and that's pretty much all you can ask for from someone thrown into such an end to end match after months of inactivity. Swung in a dangerous cross very late into injury time that almost brought about a United winner.

Naamo - 5/10 - The now obligatory 90th minute time wasting sub of Dario Naamo. I'm still unsure of him or what his role is really meant to be. Again, i don't think he's a bad player, but he isn't going to be 1st or 2nd choice RB/RWB (Luca/Strain) or 1st or 2nd choice RW (Dolcek/Fatah). It still baffles me somewhat that we made him a priority signing rather than just give it a bit of time to assess him further, but again, time will tell if that was money wasted or a shrewd piece of early business.
 

 
A few additions to that Tek.

Kucherenko- IMO  is one of the better keepers we've had in recent years.  Again IMO he is better than Walton.

Sevelj- yesterday's performance was the normal level we see from Sevelj. He always gives 100% so his flaws tend to get overlooked by some, similar to the way John Rankin was.

Dolcek It was picked up on the highlights that his Cross field pass was intercepted, which created a dangerous attack for Rangers and he just stood still making no attempt to chase back. Talent is nothing without hardwork.

I'm sure like most Arabs I would have accepted a draw at the start so onto next and another hard game.