der Berliner

He's on 108 senior goals (115 assists). So that means half of all his goals have come from the spot, in roughly 390 senior games. Borna's on 15 (72 assists) in 316 games.

Well, we don't play that well for quite some spells, but grind and now hammer out results.

32 shots, 11 on target, 5  goals ... not that bad, despite the first half "agony".

Good to see Balogun back, solid as ever. Ridvan was lively, Lammers finally gets some reward, Danilo the new predator.

But for the Dundee goalie, this would have been a rout ...

45 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Jack looks miles off the pace

Don't tell anyone now 😱

We can easily get Jack off, Dundee is offering no threat the others can't cope with. I'd just send Dessers as a second striker and press them more. Cantwell is needed at the weekend.

Start at full throttle, suddenly remember the petrol price and go down into gear 2 (at best).

We should be out of sight here ... but then the DMs and CDs remember that they are Premiership kings of tiki-taka and bore us to death. Clement should whip some bums here!

We should be out of sight ... but dreary me, that's some shocking football at times.

Shouldn't the kids be in bed by now?

  v  

Referee - Kevin Clancy

Assistants - Calum Spence and Drew Kirkland

Fourth Official - Peter Stuart

Video Assistant Referee - Gavin Duncan

Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Jonathan Bell

Missing - Steven Davis (Knee), Tom Lawrence (Calf), Rabbi Matondo (Knee), Zak Lovelace (Muscle), Borna Barisic (Muscle), Kemar Roofe (Knee and Calf), Dujon Sterling (Ankle), Nicolas Raskin (Ankle), John Souttar (Muscle)

Live on -  Rangers TV

3 minutes ago, CammyF said:

It will include penalties. 

 

It is conceivable that Tav could become our all time European scorer by overtaking Alfie. 

 

Let that sink in. 

 

 

... and most other defenders, right-backs etc. in Europe too. No-one denies these feats, nor any to come. Cut the penalties out and his return would most likely be "somewhat" more moderate and normal for a right-back. He's been better this season (so far) than last, yet, like others, his standards dip considerably from game to game, and even within games. He's but one piece of the puzzle though.

Highlights and stats for the game don't look that bad, but once again, 6 mins of quality football can't be our standard.

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Since we're discussing Tav....

 

Rangers F.C. captain James Tavernier now has scored more Scottish top flight goals than any other player currently playing in the country 

Reminder that he’s a right back 🤯 

1. Tavernier (67)
2. James Forrest (66)
3. Liam Boyce (62)
4. Stevie May (51)
5. Eamonn Brophy (46)
=6. Johnny Hayes (44)
=6. Kyogo Furuhashi (44)
=8. Callum McGregor (39)
=8. Martin Boyle (39)
10. David Turnbull (37)

Not aimed at you, just picking it up here ...

I am  late to the show, but did you count out all the penalties he's scored? Had Morelos taken them, he'd be away with the European record for seasons to come.

Tav never gives up, and that's a credit to him. But how many dire game performances have been papered over - like yesterday - with one good cross and/or a penalty goal? If Clement desiced to play him as a right midfielder in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, we might see some good years still with us. But as soon as we get a Ridvan-like successor to Tav, we should grab that chance. I have seen nothing from or in Sterling that suggests that he will be that man.

I know people will come about and say that we won't cherish enough Tav's input until he is gone, yet, Rangers always marched on without iconic people. On Thursday I was almost willing to write that we miss Kent ... for getting fouled in or outside the area and an early goal. But then I remembered Sakala and forgot all about Kent.

It remains fact that some folk won't carry us to the limits we required these days. I watched the highlights and Lammers and Dessers once more had chances and did some good work, but ultimately somehow don't seem to click. We are where we are right now and can but hope that Clement gets the best out of the current players. I am not sure that some have it in them to succeed here, or should remain ahead of others because of season's past.

It shifted when Wright came on ... and Sparta ran out of steam.

Let's give Danilo a run with Sima, they look capable. 

Fair share of points - all things concerned.

Looks like the ref did a course with that baffoon Robertson ...

Maybe some chaps simply cannot cope with playing the system of the likes of Aberdeen, Hibs, Sparta and Aris, the change in ability and tactics of these teams. At least now. They need far too much time to get going every other game.

Any word why Roofe isn't on the bench?

Would not have started with Lammers, as Wright is the better option for a press and did well at the weekend. Cantwell through the middle would be better. Raskin a  shadow of what he played against Hibs, Sima and Dessers hardly get the ball, Tav at his mediocre best. 

Not much Clement can do with these players now, other than whipping them up to 100 %.

Butland

Tavernier -  Goldson - Souttar -  Davies

Lundstram - Raskin

Cantwell - Lammers - Sima

Dessers

Subs: McCrorie, K. Wright, Jack, S. Wright, King, Devine, McCausland, Fraser, Lyall, McKinnon, Danilo.

Only Jack, Wright and Danilo true options on the bench. Whoever made the decision to leave Balogun and Ridvan out of the EL squad should be chased ... oh, well ... 

We might go 3ATB and thus have a better defensive block, with Lundstram the main DM. Let the rest focus on attack.

Let us start this ...

Thursday - 26. October 2023 - 17:45

Europa League

epet Arena

     vs    

Referee - Sascha Stegemann (GER)

Assistants - Christian Dietz (GER) und Christoph Günsch (GER)

Fourth Official - Florian Badstübner (GER)

Video Assistant Referee - Sören Storks (GER)

Assistant Video Assistant Referee - Pascal Müller (GER)

Missing -  Steven Davis (Knee), Rabbi Matondo (Knee), Tom Lawrence (Calf) & Ridvan Yilmaz, Kieran Dowell, Leon Balogun (not in EL-squad)

Live on - TNT Sports 3 UK

Who says it was a mix-up? The BBC?

On 23/10/2023 at 08:09, Devil's advocaat said:

Hearts play an awful kick and rush football, it's dreadful to watch, and very easily beaten.

Two Sunday encounters against them on the trott. Let's hope we put them to the sword ... alas, Lowry won't be playing.

Credit where it is due, the BBC has started to give the SWPL more attention and you get line ups and stats for the game nowadays.

They make good reading for the Old Firm game, the win means we are topping the table now.

Highlights

The only vermouth's drop (as we say over here) was that we know HOW we can play, but so far never really did it often enough.

All round super-solid performance, with some sparks of brilliance and quality play on top. 

2 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

There's a recognisable structure in the press, and a verticality to our attack. 

 

There's almost too much of the latter (verticality) as we're not quite linking up well enough, but I think that will come as players get used to the system. 

 

This is the same team that Beale lined-up with and there's a marked difference in approach. 

A few times I spotted a neat 4-4-2, BTW.

Circus is missing a clown today ... what a bampot Robertson is.

Some folk are in dire need to collect all the toys around their prams, it seems. They must be empty by now ...