All Stoked Up
Fansided

How does a 35 year old right-back score twice in a game?

By Duncan Kwok

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: Angel Rangel of Queens Park Rangers during the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic at Loftus Road on August 25, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: Angel Rangel of Queens Park Rangers during the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic at Loftus Road on August 25, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The match against QPR may have seemed your everyday humdrum match particular for Stoke City fans as they see the Potters once again drop points but really it was extraordinary for the fact that 35-year-old right-back scored twice in a game when his own manager, Steve McClaren instructed him not go past the halfway line. We are of course talking about QPR’s saviour against Stoke City, Angel Rangel.

Stoke City are redefining what is possible at the moment, letting a 35-year-old right back score his first goals for QPR is truly a moment that reflects Stoke City’s season perfectly, an utter disappointment. The fact that Rangel managed to run into the Stoke penalty area unmarked to power a header past Jack Butland is incredulous, even his manager Steve McClaren was pissed off that his right-back was in such an advanced position. More importantly, this shows the deep defensive problems at Stoke City are still there. The lack of concentration to not notice Rangel was clearly an error but the positioning of the Stoke City defenders provided a clear run for Rangel, there was no obstacle in the form of a player in front of him and that is deeply disturbing.

The second goal reinforces the fact that Stoke City are still not learning from the past, once again Angel Rangel manages to get himself unmarked by any player and just taps the ball into the net for the second goal, the first goal was a warning but Stoke City seem to not heed the warning, Gary Rowett deep down will be concerned.

So the answer to the question of how does a 35 year old right right-back score twice in game, is by playing Stoke City