Reflecting on Allan McGregor saving two penalties in as many minutes on Wednesday, the Rangers Review wrote:
“Some moments in football require a look around to check what you’ve just seen is real.”
Within the calamitous time period that saw a red card, penalty, saved penalty, goal, retake and another saved penalty, such glances were required. It is a moment that is overshadowed ultimately by defeat and the bleak ending to Napoli’s 3-0 victory in midweek, but worth revisiting all the same.
This was after all McGregor managing more heroics. At 40, many felt he should’ve retired this summer and the improvement playing out from the back with Jon McLaughlin instated as No.1 so far this season has been clear as day.
Even when McGregor endured difficult periods of form last season his shot-stopping was always generally reliable. Over the course of 2021/22 his Goals Saved Above Average, GSAA, was 0.90.
GSAA is defined as: “How many goals did the keeper save/concede versus expectation (post-shot xG faced)? This is representative of how many goals the goalkeeper's saves prevented within a season.”
It was however a significant drop from the 5.22 goals he saved above average the season prior and as this writer wrote in February, Rangers needed to start a No.1 better with the ball at his feet under pressure to evolve in possession.
And still, while all this is true, the reality of McGregor’s shot-stopping ability continues to exist and defy expectations, even as he approaches the age of 41.
For a period of time yesterday, until Napoli eventually scored from their third penalty of the night following a Borna Barisic handball, it felt as though McGregor's intervention could've catalysed another famous night at Ibrox.
To keep out Piotr Zielinski’s first penalty, which would be retaken, the keeper guessed correctly and got down quickly to stop to his right.
When the referee ordered a retake Zielinski quickly picked up the ball, demonstrating his intention to correct the earlier miss. He had to wait a long time as the referee received information from the VAR room and during the interlude likely considered his options. Should he go to the same side, opt to hit his shot at the same height?
McGregor was in conversation with the referee Antonio Lahoz, seemingly to ensure he was not being penalised in any way for leaving his line. And likely to extend Zielinski's waiting period.
As Zielinski shaped to shoot, the keeper held a similarly straight pose to his first save. Not trying to put off the taker in any way or offering any clues as to which direction he would spring. He guessed correctly, got over quickly and ensured he got strong contact on the ball.
According to StatsBomb, the second penalty had a Post-Shot xG of 0.88. Meaning, based on the quality of strike it would be expected to find the net 88 of 100 times.
Napoli would have the ball in the back of the net three times before the final whistle but as demonstrated by McGregor’s save map below, his full-time GSAA of 1.39 indicates his positive impact over the 90 minutes.
"We know how he [McGregor]will play. Of course, it was a disappointment he didn't start the season but I told him to be ready and he's definitely ready to play as he's shown today," Giovanni van Bronckhorst said after the game.
The double save was a reminder of his best attributes and an indication of his continued ability to provide big moments in big matches.
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