der Berliner

Wednesday, 03 February 2021 - 19:45 The Scottish Premiership Ibrox Stadium v Referee – David Munro Assistants – David Roome and Graham Chambers Fourth Official – Gavin Duncan Missing: Nikola Katić (cruciate knee), Scott Arfield (ankle), Alfredo Morelos (suspension), Jack Simpson (Covid-19 protocol) Live only on Rangers TV

Was it mentioned 367 times by Crocker? I think not. Perhaps once or twice. Yet, that naughty BBC chap who wrote this during the live text will soon get the appropriate letter: Tshibola got his due from Clancy soon after https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/55845524/page/3 Killie boss Fowler afterwards ... Dunno, "slightly" is rather generous ... And the "penalty" incident again ... wow, just wow. https://streamable.com/ro4lpy

Livi on a good run, but dreary me, Aberdeen wasted every chance to get close to the Scum in 2021. Not seen the highlights yet, but from the soundbites on FF, the Scum had more than a fair share of good fortune and help from the specsavers union tonight. Brown might have been off for an elbow 2 mins before he scores, they get a penalty from a dive and Edouard then scores from an offside position ... but will have to see that first before any further comment. Funnily enough, over here in Germany, a cup game between Borussia Dortmund vs lowly Paderborn, 2-1 and in the last embers of the 4 mins of extra time, the ball gets into the Dortmund area, initial shouts for a hand-ball, then a guy goes down during the clearance. The cleared ball gets up to Haaland, who puts it away, 3-1 all in one go. But VAR was signalled ... and flagged the penalty area incident. The ref watches it again, no hand-ball, but the clearance almost halves a Paderborn attacker without touching the ball. Penalty, 3-1 goal chopped, instead it is 2-2 and ET. Dortmund snatch an ET winner. Wonder what it had made of a game like today at Rugby Park though.

Quick round-up (also in OP) SIGNED in Winter 2020/21: IN - Scott Wright (23) - Scotland, LW - Aberdeen, contr. till summer 2021 - LINK - TM - SIGNED - SIGNED permanently (4,5 years)IN - Jack Simpson (24) - England, CH - Bournemouth, contr. till 6/2021 - LINK - TM - SIGNED - SIGNED permanently (4,5 years)IN - Nnamdi Ofoborh (21) - Nigeria, CM - Bournemouth, contr. till 6/2021 - LINK - TM - SIGNED pre contract (4 years)GONE in Winter 2020/21OUT - Josh McPake - on loan to Harrowgate Town till end of season after loan to Morton cut short due to injury - LINK - Done: LINKOUT - Kai Kennedy (18) - on loan till end of season to Raith Rovers - LINKOUT – Glen Middleton – loan to St. Johnstone for the remainder of the season - LINKOUT - Jordan Jones - on loan - Link - to Sunderland till end of season - LINKOUT - George Edmundson - on loan - Derby County till end of season - LINKOUT - Brandon Barker - on loan to Oxford United till end of season - LINKOUT - Jamie Barjonas - Orange County SC - LINK to comeOUT - Cammy Palmer - Linfield FC - LINKOUT - Umaro Balde - left by mutual consent - LINKOUT - Ross McCrorie (22) – CMF / right-back - joined Aberdeen (loan and sign option) - LINK - deal made permanent as part of the Scott Wright transfer above CONTRACT EXTENSIONSKai Kennedy (18) - new contract till 2023, on loan till end of season to Raith Rovers - LINKCiaran Dickson - LINK

Regarding Ofoborh https://twitter.com/JordanC1107/status/1356214953074585603

Transfer deadline day stuff ... Simpson is a possibility today, Wright looks less likely. Ofoborh seemingly goes to Wycombe for the rest of the season, Barjonas about to sign for Orange County SC permanently.

We will probably accept, as Alfredo made it easy for them. What we should demand is the reason why the incidents below were not looked upon ... https://twitter.com/i/status/1354545483281260549 https://twitter.com/i/status/1354551905234640900 ... and you wonder why the players and clubs on the receiving end did nothing.

Alfredo charged, McGregor cleared ... quelle surprise Andy Newport @AndyNewportPA9 Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos faces 3-game ban after being handed notice of complaint for his alleged stamp on Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous - But Darren McGregor will face no further action for trampling on Gers midfielder Glen Kamara during Wednesday night's game Rangers have until 3pm on Monday to respond to the charge - hearing set for Tuesday. If Rangers do not challenge the appeal, Morelos will be banned for games vs St Johnstone, Hamilton and Kilmarnock https://twitter.com/AndyNewportPA9/status/1355183914579537928 Can anyone explain to me how he gets a 3-match ban when a red card would have resulted in a one- or two-game ban? BTW, Clancy booked McGregor and hence no further action.

If you search for a good picture of McGregor`s stamp on Kamara, you`ll end up with umpteen results for Morelos (despite his name not in the search mode) and if you get a picture, it is before or after the actual stamp. You have to revert to gifs made over at FF to see the incident in full, the SPFL highlights obviously missed out on that as well.

So he can now take up the role of SPFL AND SFA boss full time and correct the obvious failings of Doncaster and Co. this season.

On a semi-related topic, Jason Cummings has joined Dundee from Shrewsbury. Looks like after an initial good start in England, he became some sort of archetypical journeyman. Might be a loose canon at times, but sure has the talent to be a good goalscorer. As many others, was asked to play a role at Rangers that was never his ... and come to think of it, only this season we have found the players to play it. Sometimes you wonder whether it would have been better to adjust the system to the task at hand and the players available instead of going Plan A time and again ... sadly also true for SG up until last March.

As I said elsewhere, intentional or not, Alfredo hit the guy on the ground, so it was at least reckless. In Scotland that would probably mean a yellow card (given what you get away with elsewhere). Same with the above, methinks McGregor first rugby-tackled Kamara t the ground, than stood on his leg. Reckless again, yellow. Be that as it may, I would expect that should the CO come out of hiding and charges Alfredo, we SHOULD demand similar action for other tackles previously unpunished. Sideonte: is there any other country in Europe that has such a post-match shadow cabal punishment institution?

Added: Simpson on pre-contract IN - Jack Simpson (24) - England, CH - Bournemouth, contr. till 6/2021 - LINK - TM - SIGNED

BBCeltland listeners have to be consoled a lot these days, you know.

Maybe the highlights are better used here than in the match thread of yestereve ...

February looked pretty cramped with fixtures, we are due to play Antwerp just three days earlier. Just 2 league fixtures in March, though European games and cup re-arrangements / next-round fixtures may add to that, as will the game postponed above.

Why, Stephen was a solid defender?

NB: Given Covid-19 rulings on lower tier games et al, today`s game has been postponed.

Hughes` pre match article ... fair words. Yogi: ‘It’s a whole different ball game’

Another "record" broken ...

CMs ... well, recently SG was saying that he`d like to extend Davis` deal for another season. Then we have Jack, Kamara, and Zungu. Arfield, IMHO, is more an battling attacking MF than a CM/DM. Then there are those not-too young youngsters on loan, or e.g. Dickson. That would suggest that we won`t go along with siging Zungu after his loan, if we take on Ofoborh. Likewise, the arrival of Simpson may very well mean the departure of Edmundson.

BALA DEVI CHATS WITH BENGALURU FC PLAYERS LIZZIE ARNOT VOTED SWPL PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER The 24-year-old played a key role in the Gers two matches in December, scoring four goals for the club. LIZZIE IS LOVING LIFE AT RANGERS LIZZIE Arnot says she is loving life at Rangers after making the move from Manchester United in June. Next game this Sunday: SWPL 1 RANGERS TRAINING CENTRE - 24 JAN 2021 - 2:00 PM VS

Scripted ... ?

Which was scripted of course. Maybe I should moan before ANY game ...