Leaderboard

my first real hero.

Souttar for me, immense all night. I've said before and I stick by it, there should be adult conversations about whether Goldson carries on at RCB especially if we're looking to bring in a ball playing LCB in the summer. Souttar is the best defending centre back at the club imo and is quietly a bit of a creator when he steps out and crosses too.

I have no complaints over the aggregate score over the tie, we competed and were not disgraced. Even after last week's admiral 2-2, I felt the Portuguese had too much width, pace and, guile for a leggy injury compromised Rangers at Ibrox. However, the three goals conceded were the perfect storm : 1. a VAR awarded penalty; Souttar heads the ball on to his arm and I feel the decision was contrived? 2. a Goldson own goal, cracking finish. 3. a three minute VAR check for a correctly awarded goal at Ibrox. The penalty is the only one I would take issue with but, the trio as a collective has a certain uniqueness.

We would have got a severe tonking off any of the remaining teams imo and yes I think Liverpool or Leverkusen will win it

There were a handful of corners where it looked like Benfica were going to score on the break. Definitely needs looked at.

I've been arguing for a set-piece coach for ages - and a throw-in coach.

Well, stop posting it on here then please. You're really trying my patience.

Can we take it to PM please gents...

I couldn't fault the players last night. Everyone gave everything and we can't ask for more. We were beaten by a better team. Had our injury situation been different I think we may have won it. I kept hoping right until the final whistle. The manager and players deserve enormous credit. Some were dead on their feet but the manager was constrained in what he could do because of a lack of fit players.

I dont know what we were doing at corners last night. Especially the one we lost the goal from, we seemed to push everone up? Plus the quality of the corners from both sides of the park were dreadful

Best ever Brazil team?

Only thing that will stop Liverpool winning it is if they rest players for the title run in. Even then, they'd still be favourites to win it.

There wasn't a lot between the teams over the 2 ties. The first leg is what killed us. Unlucky with the pen decision, and then Goldson putting in his own net. Last night they took their only real quality chance that was created. Hopefully, the reception the players got at the end, will give us a reaction for the Dundee game, and we get that one out the way comfortably.

Two flying Scots Clarke and Stewart

So you're saying they're spawny b@stards?

Juan Fangio posing for the camera in a F1 winning Maserati.

Third of the thirties Ms, Meiklejohn, Morton and Bob McPhail, referred to by McCoist as “Mr McPhail”. McPhail’s book is worth a look.

Was literally going to say can they not give it a rest. Its like being at fucking primary school

It was plain to see that we just don’t have the quality of players to compete at this level we’ve done well to come this far but it’s now up to the manager to take what he’s got and win the league then a clear out and the board to come up with sufficient funds to let him strengthen his squad.

Also, the sooner we get Matondo off the wage bill, the better

They will get that for the two lads the boy #4 Antonio Silva and the young boy in midfield #87 i think. Two phenomenal young players already Portuguese internationals. The boy #4 never gave us a sniff and looks top drawer.

He had a good game last night. Looked most likely to create something.

Clement isn't far from deity status with what he's achieved with this squad. It's a near miracle.

Listen, when you're gutted that Benfica have scraped past you with injuries up to your eyeballs then it probably tells you the clubs in rude health in European competition. Beat Dundee and give the lads a few days with their families because they've put in a good shift since the winter break. In Clement we trust!

I just look forward to a time when the game topic isn't reduced to this sort of petty and pointless bickering over who said what to who. I mean, it's as tedious as it's predictable.

Just my opinion but I thought Benfica got it spot on tonight. They pressed us last week and we picked them of and arguably could / should have won the game. Tonight they sat in and gave us the ball in areas they knew we couldn't hurt them, then hit us on the break. I'm sure our XG was 0.5 and there's was 1.57. The lack off creativity killed us tonight, but their number 87 was brilliant, controlled the game and snuffed out our forward players. The positives are that we've had another really good European campaign, generated much need cash but ultimately ran out of steam. We were never going to win the EL so now we can put all out energy into securing the league title. If we were offered the league Cup in the trophy cabinet, the last 16 of the EL, 2 points ahead in the league and semi-final of Scottish Cup at this stage of the season before a ball was kicked, we'd have all taken it. Also, if anyone had said we'd be in this position when PC took over, they would have been sectioned.

I don't think we need to give Benfica any credit. They are a good side but they are currently going through a bad spell. If we have our full complement of players we could have beaten them. Alas! We didn't have a full team. We played well for the most part. I felt we just lacked quality in the final third. I think Sima, Cortes and Danilo make a difference. I do think it has been another good European campaign, though: to get out of the group is a superb achievement.

David Meiklejohn, another of the great captains.

Tom Lawrence stays fit - we will win the league

My Dad rates the 1962 side as best ever, the 1st side I remember was from 1974. Read alot about the 1970 and know they are highly rated!

I think Sunday will take care of itself and we won't have too many problems staying at the top of the league. This isn't the team that folded on a whim under GvB and Beale.

I was surprised he didn’t get much of a mention last night because I thought he was excellent and consistent throughout the game.

Thought Tav, Goldson and Souttar were all very good but once again Lundstram really led the team in everything we did.

He's even got Scott Wright looking a half decent player...... OK I have maybe taken that too far

Yes...they were shit...but we couldn't best them...so what does that make us? If you are truly better than the other team...you walk the dog on em. All this "they were offsides...VAR...blah blah woof woof" If you go out and stomp ass all that falls by the wayside. We were never any real threat. Thems the facts.

Benfica ... "never in real danger" 🤪 They got a penalty, after VAR. They got an own goal to level the first game, now they got a offside goal ruled good by VAR. This lot didn't deserve to go through any more than we did, but given our lack in strength today, we can hold our heads high. This looked every minute a one-error-game and so it proved. This season is not about Europe, so no real harm done IMHO. NB ... we need to cut this holding of the ball in our own half and playing essentially "keep ball" amongst our centre-halfs, even when time is ticking away at an alarming rate. Do a Souttar or a Balogun and run on your own!

Both sides are level on shots, yet they've got 1.54 xG compared to our 0.40 xG. We just don't have the quality in the final third.

... no, he was still in his own half, else he would have been off.

A Portuguese legend

This subject was always going to rear it's ugly head again. The undeniably facts are that most big clubs (and some smaller ones) in Scotland have an issue with a certain element of their fanbase. We are no exception and until we can get our own house in order (which we had for a while) we can't say or do anything about other clubs. I remember writing a piece many moons ago using Northern Ireland fans as an example of how a loud, passionate and proud support could reinvent itself without losing the pride a d passion. The Blue Order and Union Bears have reintroduced some old classic Rangers songs and the UBs have invented some new classics as well. But as the article says, if we continue to sing TBB, 50p Flute, Bobby Sands and berate a player who was obviously in distress on the field of play, we continue to give our detractors open goals. But hey, the "We Are Rangers and We'll Sing What We Want" fans will ensure we will continually be under the spotlight.