Jump to content

 

 

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/10/19 in all areas

  1. After a 5-0 rout over Aberdeen last Saturday, coupled with a Europa League matchday one win over Feyenoord, confidence couldn't be much higher in the Rangers camp ahead of tonight's match against Young Boys in Bern. BSC Young Boys Tonight's opponents will be no walkover though. Like Feyenoord in the opening game, despite a few injuries, the Swiss side remain unbeaten domestically this season and only went out the Champions League qualifiers on goal difference to Red Star. They were defeated 2-1 by Porto in their opening Europa League game but came back from 0-1 down to win their league match 3-2 with Sion at the weekend. A recent 11-1 away win in the Swiss Cup - albeit over fifth tier club Freienbach - shows Young Boys certainly can score goals at home or away. Tactically, they may well play two up front, including their target man Jean-Pierre Nsame (who equalised against Porto) and look to use their wide men to provide the ammunition for their strikers. On a positive for Rangers, they don't look quite as strong defensively so their artificial pitch may work in the favour of Morelos should we need to use the channels ourselves. Rangers For their part, the Ibrox side will have enjoyed a few days rest since Saturday's stroll over Aberdeen and, one or two injury doubts aside, Steven Gerrard will have a strong squad to pick from this evening. The recall of Niko Katic to the starting XI at the weekend may suggest he'll again be Connor Goldson's partner tonight considering Filip Helander didn't look at all comfortable on Livingston's own artificial surface last midweek. The aerial threat of Nsame and Young Boys' preference for playing directly and from wide areas may also play to Katic's strengths in the air so any changes from Saturday's back five appear unlikely. James Tavernier and Borna Barisic will have big nights ahead as well though with the Swiss wide players, one of which may include former Celtic right back Saidy Janko. Moving into midfield and the attacking areas, changes from how we setup against Aberdeen are expected. Ryan Jack and Steven Davis will be amongst the deeper three players but Scott Arfield is likely to be returned to his more familiar forward role leaving Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo and Greg Docherty to fight it out to play on the left side of our usual deeper three. Given Aribo's recent head injury and Docherty's recent non-involvement then the Finnish international has to be favourite to start, despite some poor form this season. Interestingly centre-half George Edmundson did impress for 20mins in a holding role on Saturday and his height may tempt Steven Gerrard into doing the same tonight but that would represent the kind of risk the manager isn't renowned for in his short coaching career. The attacking three positions should be be fairly easy to predict. As touched on above, Arfield should be moved forward and will be keen to build on a fine display versus the Dons. Meanwhile, Sheyi Ojo hasn't quite persuaded every Rangers fan of all his qualities yet but it would be a surprise if he didn't start tonight given the threat he offers on the counter. For all his foibles, the attacker is fairly adept at finding space and using his pace to maintain possession further up the park. As usual, our focal point will be the fantastic Alfredo Morelos and the Colombian will surely use his usual brand of guile and strength to lead the line effectively for us tonight. His recall to the international setup is a deserved reward for his form this season. Conclusion Despite Young Boys' status as the group's second seeds, Rangers will rightly fancy their chances of a positive result in Bern this evening (remember it's a 5.55pm kick off!). However, we cannot allow understandable confidence to write off our opponents who will be equally keen to recover from defeat in Portugal to get themselves back into the group. As such Young Boys are unlikely to sit deep and whilst Rangers may well deploy different tactics to what we seen against Feyenoord, we'll also be eager to get forward and create chances ourselves. The last time we played Young Boys was 42 years ago and we managed to progress from a two-legged Cup Winners' Cup qualifier on the basis of a 1-0 home win at Ibrox and a 2-2 draw in Bern. Now, a group competition is rather different from knockout stages but I suspect most Rangers fans would settle for that this evening with a 1-0 home in December's return. However, I'd also imagine the kind of players involved in those 1977 matches, including John Greig, Derek Johnstone and Gordon Smith (all of whom scored across the tie) might demand a better outcome from their modern-day counterparts this year. Rangers didn't have a good European campaign at all that season and went out in the first round proper in their next match. However, we did go on to win a remarkable domestic treble after winning nothing the previous season. We've already done fairly well in European terms this season but a successful Scottish league offensive is arguably even more important. Even so, Europe and Scotland needn't be exclusive of each other and momentum can be an important factor in any success. Another positive result tonight will certainly be most welcome in that regard... Possible Starting XI (4-3-2-1)
    5 points
  2. It really is quite annoying coming on here after a defeat!!, so much finger pointing and scapegoating! no perspective whatsoever, so I think I will log out for the rest of the night.
    3 points
  3. After we pay the settlement, we're still in the same position. The contract still exists and we've still got to give SD the chance to bid for our contracts. There's an injunction us using Hummel next season so goodness knows what's going to happen. My understanding is that the club failed in its attempt to limit the damages to £1m. The judge said "I am satisfied that damages are not an adequate remedy for Rangers’ breaches" so the damages clause is irrelevant. I fail to see why we're in a better financial position now. Previously we had SD for another 7 years, now we seem to have them forever. I'm not sure why James Blair is still in his position. His credibility is shot and his competence has to be seriously questioned as well.
    3 points
  4. One longer term issue may be the injury to Jack who was again immense tonight and we missed him when he went off. That made a bad night even worse. Should mean an opportunity for King though.
    2 points
  5. And that, in a nutshell, is what pete's point is always about. He has a hard-on for having Katic in the team and will invent an argument to make it correct. Even when it isn't the case.
    2 points
  6. I am not just looking at the 2 goals, I am looking at the whole game. As a point Goldson and Helander didn't exactly cover themselves in glory at the first goal. The defence was certainly not a confidence boosting platform to build on. I can't say Katic would have won us the game just as you can't say he wouldn't have. So that point is just as much rubbish. Katic may or may not have cut out the cross. He is certainly far quicker than Goldson who has been shown up for speed time and time again. Katic is far stronger in the air than both of them together so the game may have taken a different wending with more confidence in the defence.
    2 points
  7. Correct, our game management from both players and manager was woeful. Schoolboy stuff.
    2 points
  8. Tav played well at the weekend but has been well below par this season so a rest would be sensible on Sunday. No reason why Polster can't play there at home vs Hamilton.
    2 points
  9. For me the reason we lost it in the end was the whole team went upfield to try and score the winner and we weren't organised when they punted the ball back down the field after Goldson had headed over from an offside position. We nearly lost out minutes before when Tavernier took a booking after another "everybody up to get the winner". We were naïve and should have seen the game out for a point.
    2 points
  10. Did he win a defensive header apart from when no opposition players were near him? Also why do we keep taking corners for Goldson to head over the bar. Surely we can think up some other options.
    2 points
  11. Am I the only one that thinks Hellander is a bomb scare too? Tavernier needs dropped, I said that on a post a few days ago. However, why are we playing Hellander? It’s because he cost money not because he makes us sit any easier watching it!
    2 points
  12. Problem with that is I'd be very surprised if Feyenoord and Porto don't take six points off YB.
    2 points
  13. Very disappointing. The mistakes were not unfamiliar though.
    2 points
  14. Despite opinions to the contrary, Filip Helander has played well. Best to judge after the game, not before it ?
    2 points
  15. That's his trademark move to get rid of defenders. What a player he is .... so strong and quick. Al-Fred-o
    2 points
  16. I attended the European Cup Winners Cup match between Rangers and Young Boys in August'77 at Ibrox. I remember John Greig scored our goal in a one-nil victory and the majority chat centered around that day's death of Elvis. I'll take the same result tonight, Apparently, Elvis expired sitting on the porcelain holding a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.
    2 points
  17. Just so you know, we've not had a costly kicking yet so this can't be "another" one. I'm not read in on the detail of this - only the lawyers will be, but I did read the previous judgements and I posted about them on here a few months ago. Just to be clear, the only costly kicking was the one the previous board gave us when they signed this deal with SD. Since then I think this board has done brilliantly in getting us into a position where we now profit from these sales. We have not escaped the clutches of SD yet but that time is coming within the next 18 months I'd imagine, and in the form of a final deal. At the moment various parts of judgements are going in our favour and then others in SD's favour. That's just normal in these types of circumstances, and certainly nothing that should be news worthy. This was always likely to rumble on in the background until a settlement is agreed, but because it's Rangers it's understandably of more interest to so-called journos and obviously for our fans given the recent times (where skepticism and mistrust is seen as a good thing). Here is what will happen ..... the cases will continue for a few months more, until both sides agree that a settlement is the best way forward. I know there are some who believe tha SD will not settle, but they will. Lawyers use the courts to wear away some terms of the contract in the hope that it will strengthen their hand when's it comes to the final settlement. All of these individual court appearances are about preparing for the inevitable final settlement. I bet both sides know what the final settlement is likely to be and could probably agree it tomorrow, but unfortunately that's not how lawyers work and therefore advise their clients. They build their strongest case to justify a particular sum of money (or other conditions) and then when the other side does the same, they then negotiate into the final sum. It's a waste of everyone's time, money and effort, but until someone can change the way this works, we are stuck with it. Afterall, these poor lawyers need to earn some money somehow. The final settlement will be somewhere between Rangers' offer of zero, and SD's claim that it will be "millions". The simple fact is that the current cap of £1m in damages still exists and unless they successfully challenge that in the courts, that's the maximum. I think it's unlikely that it will be overturned, despite SD's strong arguments in the previous round. I'm quite sure they know it's unlikely too. This leads me to believe that the final settlement will be around £500k. This is purely my opinion based on years of experience so take it or leave it, but I don't think I'll be far wrong. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst! So having said that, even if this turned out to be up to £2m (which is highly unlikely), Rangers are still in a much better position financially than we would have been before these challenges. What we were faced with previously was a disgrace and I still wish we had taken criminal proceedings out against the previous board. That being said, the sooner we get this settled the sooner we can put all of that period behind us for good. Afterall, our board has got title winning parties to arrange and that should be the focus!
    2 points
  18. Reference Ewan Murray. I first came across Ewan Murray amid the early Spring dappled sunshine of Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon. It was the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup against the Sporting Club de Portugal, anxious anticipation was in the air. A group of half-a-dozen had gone over on a five day trip, Monday to Friday, took in the vineyards and the Fado. It was the day before the game and we sat in a street-side cafe, enjoying the coffee and the local custard tarts. An ambiance of frivolity darkened as two chaps in matching chinos, pastel shaded shirts, and careless pullovers around shoulders entered and sat opposite. It was Spiers and his then Catamite, Ewan Murray. They talked golf grips, demonstratively so; then inquired if we could recommend a restaurant? My mate, Colin asked if they enjoyed chocolate? He took their nonplussed look as an affirmative, and offered, "you can eat each other". We left. True story.
    2 points
  19. ICT asking shareholders for cash to ward off admin, apparently. This is for information only. I don’t trust myself to comment. I have a reputation for fairness and moderation to protect.
    1 point
  20. I was surprised that King did not come on when Ryan Jack had to go off. I felt he would have added a bit of calmness to midfield and it would have meant that Arfield could remain as one of the front three. With respect to Tav, although his performances have not matched those of last season if Flanagan was used as right back we would lose some attacking flair. Polster might be an alternative but we have not had much opportunity to see if he can perform at a consistently high level and provide an offensive threat. Finally, when we saw the group we were in it was apparent that it was going to be tight and after two games we still have all to play for though it would be useful to get a result in the next match against Porto.
    1 point
  21. While it's a disappointment at the very start of the Euro qualifying campaign my view was that making the group was close to critical but that if it were achieved then the bulk of the potential money from it was already banked so results in the group for were deemed not irrelevant but not critical. I would rather this had happened here than at any ground in the league this season and we all know the team can play a lot better even before game changers like Kent come back into it. And we're still well in this.
    1 point
  22. The seagulls flew over the dustbin and shat in it.
    1 point
  23. Can't believe we never got a penalty when Morelos got clipped when he was about to score!!!
    1 point
  24. It's relevant because he also likes to give quotes which mean nothing to the context given.
    1 point
  25. Are you Eric Cantona ? Completely irrelevant statement when you said Gerrard played our "worst" defence. So, again, you are saying Barisic isn't the best option in his position - otherwise it cant possibly be our "worst defence".
    1 point
  26. Wasted chance. Honestly, the game was woeful. No cohesion on either side, far too often just hit and hope ... usually for an error. Not as diabolical a pitch as they have in Scotland, but woeful still. Why did Ojo stay on at HT? He produced nothing. Again. Not sure how this can be talked good now. In these games, people have to deliver. Stewart instantly brought directness ... oh what a game this would have been for Jones! King and Defoe might also have been options. Then Tav again with a decisive error ... he's old and experienced enough to have learned that by now. How many times must this be said? That goal at the end was just the result of sheer luck, which Morelos's escaped a few minutes earlier. Fastnacht just hammered it ... and it could have gone anywhere like so many crosses and shots tonight. It didn't ... and this time the ref did't stop the game halfway into an attack. People may blame this or that guy for the defeat, IMHO, we again did not react to what was on show, didn't bring on the right or enough players early and now stand there empty handed.
    1 point
  27. Gutted. I know it’s easy to start having a go at players after we lose a game but we’ve got a few underperforming in there. Goldson lacks aggression, he gives his man too much space for my liking. Ojo just looks a very young player. We know he can score from nowhere but you have to wonder if he should be keeping his place as a stick on starter. Tavernier obviously made two big mistakes. All in all just gutted we couldn’t hold onto a lead. We moan about rubbish teams making it hard for us to score by parking the bus most weeks but we don’t seem to be able to do that ourselves when we have to.
    1 point
  28. Pick your worst defence and then play You mean ours? Pick your worst defence and play defensive. Good tactics Steve!
    1 point
  29. I also thought we should have made a sub before the free kick we got with a minute or two to play.
    1 point
  30. I can say with some certainty that Tavernier won’t be getting MOTM this time either ?
    1 point
  31. That was a clear penalty for the clip on Morelos
    1 point
  32. We weren't looking too clever either until Morelos scored. We should settle down now and try and pick them off as they press.
    1 point
  33. For tonight Katic & Stewart out and Helander & Kamara in WHY????
    1 point
  34. I've heard that the play a narrow 4-4-2 and their width is supplied by the full backs. Could make for an interesting match-up.
    1 point
  35. As exclusively revealed by me 3 weeks ago ?
    1 point
  36. Currently 1-0 to the bears after 30mins...
    1 point
  37. I guess it depends on the wording of the contract, something none of us have seen. "Damages" as defined within the contract may cover certain breaches but obviously not what we have done. Part of our problem is that the person we sent to the hearing is "untruthful" and "unconvincing" and that's not going to help the judge look favourably on us when it comes to this sort of thing. That's why the club need to bin Blair now and bring in someone who has credibility.
    1 point
  38. I believe if he keeps scoring goals and leading the line in the way we know he can he will be a 25 plus million asset prices are bonkers these day's and I hope we get a bonkers fee when he does leave .
    1 point
  39. 1 point
  40. I think your proposed team is spot on Frankie. I think we can scrape a win tonight, but I do think they'll score so we need our forward players on good form because they'll need to score at least 2 to get the 3 points. p.s. I didn't realise it was an earlier kick off so thanks very much for saving my evening of viewing. ???
    1 point
  41. Watched the Chelsea game last night and it was a good result for the pensioners
    1 point
  42. Apparently it will be only the second time we have played young boys the last being a cup winners cup qualifying round in 1977/78 resulting in a 1-0 win at Ibrox and a 2-2 draw away to go through on away goals. Rangers v Young Boys Of Berne European Cup Winners Cup Preliminary Round 1st Leg 17.8.1977 1-0 Attendance 30,000 Rangers Goalscorer, Greig. The Rangers Team McCloy, Jardine, Greig, Forsyth, Jackson, MacDonald, McLean, Russell, Parlane, Robertson, Cooper Substitutes Used, Smith, MacKay While I and I expect most people would accept a draw as an acceptable result obviously a win would be tremendous and despite the fact YB are clearly a useful side I feel it's doable. On transfermarkt their squad value is estimated at around £60 million while ours around £44 million. And just in passing the yahoos listed at £87 million pretty much double ours and I would deem us capable of going to their patch and beating them too. I feel confident it can be done because the team is playing well and what a record Gerrard has in Europe. And when you think about it Europe is what he was already more than familiar with rather than the tribulations he faced in becoming familiar with Scottish football. He made 130 appearances in Europe for Liverpool scoring 41 goals in the process. I think it's fair to say he might be considered a bit of an expert when it comes to Europe. And what can be said about 23 games with only two losses. It's the type of statistic that means we can go into these games feeling a degree of confidence that we can take something from it. I have read that Gerrard declined an invitation to train on the astro turf and if that's true i'm wondering why he did that. Wouldn't it be better to have accepted it? I listened to an interesting discussion on the properties of plastic pitches recently. As is probably well known they don't all respond the same to actual play. A pass dependent on contact with the surface can fall short on some of them but typically not on grass and not on some other plastic. It was speculated that it can take 15 to 20 minutes to 'play into' the properties of an unfamiliar surface. And speculated further that Rangers should be extremely cautious in these first 15 to 20 till they really get the feel of it. And having said all that it made me wonder why they would decide not to train on it.
    1 point
  43. Liverpool take a 3 goal lead then are pegged back to 3-3 before Salah nets a winner. I typically expect them to be defensively sound. Is this the difference a goalkeeper can make? Allison has been out since August 9th.
    1 point
This leaderboard is set to London/GMT+01:00


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.