Six new signings were in tonight’s Rangers starting line-up at Ibrox, but it’s a Pedro Caixinha signing drawing plaudits from some fans after the first half against FK Shkupi.
It’s a case of so far, so good from Steven Gerrard’s side this evening, getting themselves ahead against the Macedonians thanks to a Jamie Murphy strike midway through the first 45 minutes.
A noisy, sold out crowd at Ibrox is buoyant and enjoying their first taste of competitive action of the 2018/19 era.
Despite all the new faces though, it’s Daniel Candeias catching the eye for many in midfield, combining expertly with the likes of Josh Windass and James Tavernier on the right flank so far. It’s a combination paying dividends, with the trio looking extra motivated and vibrant compared to last term.
Candeias has been deployed in a more central role than under previous managers, Gerrard clearly believing his creativity can damage teams through the middle and out wide.
We can’t wait to see what the second half holds.
These fans took to Twitter tonight to share their thoughts on Candeias’ performance so far…
This Windass – Candeias – Tavernier triangle on the right side looks like it could potentially be very interesting. A bit like a cut-rate version of the Messi – Rakitic – Alves triangle of a couple years ago.
— Alex Lawrence (@thetenspace) July 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/ChurchofLaudrup/status/1017486214339940352
Fantastic goal. That link up play from Tav and Candeias was class
— Paul McCrory (@PaulMcCrory94) July 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/SDF1872/status/1017487116736126978
https://twitter.com/kirsten93_/status/1017487166098886657
Rangers on the whole look exactly how you would expect a team with six debutants in there to look – a bit slow and sloppy.
However, the goal was really nice. Smooth combination play down the right side between Tavernier, Candeias and Windass.
— Jack S. (@JJSuggitt95) July 12, 2018
Forgot how much I loved Candeias & Tav together ❤️❤️❤️❤️
— Mazza (@ScotsGeekGirl) July 12, 2018
How do you feel about tonight’s performance against FK Shkupi? Let us know in the comments below…