der Berliner

For Rousseau ... when the second goal went in, it was a full-blown ... ... moment!

They served up some Claret sh*te and got the right reward. I doubt St. Johnstone will play anywhere like that at home. Possession - 82-18 Shots - 20-4 On target - 8-2 Hagi made the most impact, providing a real outlet on the right, then Aribo got back to his best too. Itten did the real damage with the second, that essentially blew their game plan out of the water. So great to listen to unbiased folk at RTV, McCann and Kerr.

A double-5 camped 10 to 20 meteres from the half-way line is special though.

No! Hagi in for Arfield as a creator (and someone who shoots from distance), Defoe in there to keep them occupied in the middle and someone to convert chances that fall loose. Get Itten in there for heading ability and physical approach and ball-winning ability.

A can moan as much as I want, as what you write goes without saying. Its just a shyte attempt of playing football, nothing new against us (or them). Would bring on Hagi for Arfield, as the latter has provided not much, maybe Itten soon after.

Two walls of 5, playing for time, drawing fouls, what a rancid "style" of play.

Well, just make 55 save as early as possible, than grab European silver ?

Itten is good ... last night was about support from flanks and midfield ... which was not there. Roofe and Itten worked their socks off against thuggish defenders, Kent was running all over the place, Arfield, Aribo and Zungu were - by our standards - disfunctional. Itten at least was up to their physical antics.

After a night's sleep ... I still have to remember hard to find a game where a team went out as "physically" as St. Mirren did last night. Initially I thought the ref would step in when he booked one of theirs early on, but it went on and on and on, which eventually allowed the St. Mirren chaps to become ever bolder. Right to the point where that clown Goodwin screamed at the ref when Roofe was kicked by two of his charges right in front of him, demanding a throw in. The "assault" on Balogun wasn't even a foul, mind you. That was stuff w ewere used to in League 1 and the Championship, both in terms of tackles and refereeing. Generally, I try to look at a game from various angles and thus not only from a Rangers perspective. I see quite a bit of the latter here and on FF, when people lay into our people like there is no tomorrow, blaming solely us on what befell us last night. IMHO, that's just half the tale. Anyway, going into that game I thought the line-up was good enough for the Buddies, indeed rather attack-minded. Despite their close attentions, we played well enough, indeed played not much different throughout the game than we did before in other games. What caught my eye rather early was that Aribo is still at 75 % of his best, he was loosing too many tackles and 50/50s. Likewise, Kent was rather ineffective and that went on till the last minute (maybe credit to the St. Mirren defenders). In that respect, we were almost 2 men down throughout. I only noted that Bassey was actually on the park 5 mins before their penalty. Maybe we are used to the presence of Borna on the wing, but on that side little went on - of course, Kent was running around everywhere. Zungu did his job, but there is a difference between him and Kamara, who's ball control and eye for a pass is right now much better. Maybe SG has to ask himself if the combination of Arfield and Zungu was too bold from the start? For that defensive/creative department, combined with Aribo, provided little for Roofe and Itten to work with. Speaking of Itten, he was sure up for the physicality and - as opposed to what others thought - was doing his job quite well. As was Roofe, though both were usually outnumbered. That he midfield was not working became apparent when we reverted to long balls far too often, essentially going down to a playing-level St. Mirren are familiar with. So I had hoped that we remove Aribo and Kent early in the 2nd half for Defoe (with Itten going left) and Hagi for Aribo, as well as getting Davis and Kamara on for Arfield and Zungu. When part of that materialized, it was too late. Davis and Kamara restored some order in midfield though. My personal "icing on the cake" was that cross into the box for 3-2, when Davis clung to the right post, moved away a little, but when the danger persisted, he went back to that place. Yet Kent on the left post was running away from that job as soon as the ball was half-cleared (20 secs in), leaving McCarthy stealing in the score almost unapposed. While I don't want to single him out, he sure contributed rather little yesterday, yet was kept on for the whole game. As is often the case. Alas, Saturday is not that far away and given that the Scum aren't playing a league game, we can stretch our lead at the top further. You would hope that this defeat was a timely reminder what has to be done in the future.

What? That pile of scum they have for a manager demanded a throw-in when Roofe was kicked twice 1 meter in from him. They got away with dozens of heinous tackles that would put some Division 2 teams to shame, someone sent Balogun to hospital jumping into him and it was not even a foul, mind you. Sorry, we might have not played well, but that was some shyte served by St. Mirren, bar their 3 goals from 4 shots at goal (incl. a penalty). Sidenote, Kent had a stinker of a game and should have been hooked instead of Itten. Aribo looks at 75 % at best and remained on for too long as well. With Kamara and Davis we got our MF in order, too little, too late. Upwards and onwards, yet SG will have to answer that once more a chance of silverware goes out of the window.

Quite some time that I have seen a side being constantly thuggish and brutal ... and getting away with it. Hope we find another gear soonish.

What is that for a tactic, kick us out of the park? Quite nasty creeps those ...

McGregor Tavernier - Goldson - Balogun - Bassey Zungu - Arfield Itten - Aribo - Kent Roofe Or even a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 ... who knows. Subs: McLaughlin, Bariŝić, Helander, Patterson, Hagi, Davis, Kamara, Barker, Defoe

Wee reminder that this was looked into by the CO last season ... after being missed / ignroed by the referee. Due to "insufficient evidence", no action was taken:

... snatched straight from our German board, hence the nice colour and badges. Quarter Final scores and fixtures Dunfermline 1 St. Johnstone 1 aET (St. Johnstone won 5-4 on penalties) Alloa 1 Hibernian 2 Livingston vs Ross County St Mirren vs Rangers

Scottish League Cup SMiSA Stadium v Referee - Andrew Dallas Assistants - Graeme Stewart and John McCrossan Fourth Official - David Dickinson Missing: Nikola Katić (cruciate knee ligaments), Jordan Jones (suspended), George Edmundson (suspended), Alfredo Morelos, (suspended), Ryan Jack (knee) Live on Premier Sports!

Viewing this from afar ... who cares what "we" think? The point - much like us being the same club as before - is what the world makes of this. And to the outside world, who hardly know what befell us or how the league in Scotland is run, it reads: Scum FC has won 9 titles on the trott, Covid-19 or not. It doesn't matter that a 30m-pound squad went virtually unchallenged against teams that were challenging their own mediocrity, teams that where humbled out of Europe by also rans from Bulgaria, Moldova and Co. long before any group stage. Even with us in the equation, the outside world had and has a low view of the quality of the Scottish game and league, never mind the competitiveness of the league as such. So as much as we laugh off their 10iaR-claim or we laugh at them when they claim that we are a new club, to the outside world they go for 10iaR and we are one and the same club that was founded 1872. On a personal note, their tites during our absence carry the same relevance as if a full strength Bayern Munich side had won the Bundesliga 3 for 5-6 years on the trott. The gulf in finances and quality were beyond any sort of competitive edge, even though the Scum managed to throw away a few pieces of silverware. Even when we returned, the gulf was there, only that the CO as well as the refs managed to find new levels of depths that they have even up till now difficulty to climb up from. Right to the "vote" to end last season early. What beggars belief is that all the CO stuff, the refereeing madness and the "vote" went on in full view of the public with hardly any reaction from media, authorities and politicians alike. If someone in Hollywood would present a screenplay wlike that, he'd be adviced to find a job at Burger King. Not so in Scotland. You just hope that no madness will end this season by anyother means than it being played on the field of play and that we shatter their "illusive quest" for a 10th title in as many seasons.

Well, my glass is usually half full and I view things positively. Maybe it is just that some of our fellow board-members are far more clued up on these things, not least with regard to Club 1872. Yet, from day 1 you feel a certain level of negativity and minute dissection of anything Club 1872 says and does. While it seems clear that not all is well at Club 1872 (IMHO, that is to be expected of a supporters organization whose board is probably made up of people who are not exactly made/trained for that role), I doubt that a) they have anything but the best interest for club and support in mind and b) there is no need to repeat the personal distrust time and time again in every other post. Don't hold back if you need to, but remind yourself that things in that respect won't change overnight nor will people have that short memories to forget post from the last page et al going on about the same issue. As far as I can see it, Club 1872 has been given 3+ years to acquire King's shares. They will have to sort quite a few things out in that respect and quite a few questions need to be answered. They will sure buy more new shares if opportunity arrises and I expect them to offer investing supporters the choice how they shall use their money. As of now, nothing has happened though and I wonder why there is need for this constant FLAK and animosity. Club 1872 might not have clad themselves in glory about this, but people should likewise not claim that they are clad in shame either. They've done a tremendous job for our fan base so far and some ill-advise remarks and actions doesn't throw the former out of the window. I would assume they have taken the criticism on board and will change their cause of action accordingly. Sooner or later. BTW, imagine they say that due to the investing supporters vote, they will stand back from the "deal" with King. That will essentially mean that someone or somepeople else will probably snap his shares up, which adds a more powerful shareholder or new (probably unknown) shareholders to the table. Would that be a good choice? Wouldn't that decrease the influence of the sole supporters shareholder vehicle? Just asking. Obviously, as long as we have Rangers supporters as major shareholders, much of the current discontent and stormy debate is of no earthly use. Hence my inital remark with regard to personal discontent with Club 1872 for one reason or another, which seems to have taken over part of the discussion.

... and that was never beyond question, I would assume. IMHO, King`s offer to Club 1872 was also made with a view that no new "major" shareholder arrives at the scene as well as giving Club 1872 as the main supporter`s vehicle first pick.

In this case, Rangers have no leg to stand upon. YET, we should make a stand against selective banning of players, usually via trial-by-TV, not least as our games are more often on the screen than say Hamilton`s. And likewise we should ask why scenes like these are not reviewed: https://twitter.com/StAnalysis/status/1335944114030997504

Sidenote: as opposed to previous seasons, we have Roofe, Itten and Defoe filling his boots should he get a suspension - both physically and in terms of goals. A more immediate concern might be: who will fill Tavernier's boots should he gets injured or suspended? ? EDIT: That was a tongue-in-cheek-remark.

The have had previous, both with charging players that have been penlaized in the game as well as turning blind eyes on people who haven`t, latest sample Brown vs O'Halloran ... which ended that latters game.

WHen you remind yourself that he played 21 games this season, it clearly shows that he is/was part of the steep upward turn in performances too ... and the gaffer chose him time and again, like he did on Sunday. He wouldn't do so if he views Alfi's performance levels as some supporters do. McCoist actually remarked on Sunday what a scary thought it must be to think how games would go if Alfredo finds the goalscoring touch of last season on top of our performances. As has been said, I'd also throw him in on Wednesday, maybe alongside Itten.

Game`s finished as a 5-0 away win against Glasgow City, probably their highest home defeat in Scotland thus far. Carly Girasoli got the fifth Women`s Squad Gallery from today