der Berliner

Had they given the Chinese 4bn and said make it happen in 5 years, they would have done it in 4. This was like the "Stuttgart24" rail station fiasco one hell of a cockup. As it is tax-payers money, they threw it about like confetti ... nigh criminal. But I was more referring to the Teutonic efficiency in football ...

As one chap noted on FF, Arbroath has never been beaten in Europe in 140 years!!! Anyway, they are another unknown entity as many of the sides were which we met in recent years. With Belgian teams you never know. Some are bang average on the day, others will play you of the park. I assume we will play our game and be as pragmatic as we usually are, almost Teutonic efficiency, as another FFer remarked.

Indeed. It is about players and staff being responsible and professional. If they don't, authorities might decide what to do with such teams and/or players. Well, in a normal country ...

Season up and running now, the Women started away to Hearts and came back as 5-1 winners Rangers Open Season With Comprehensive Win Gallery: Rangers 5-1 Hearts REACTION | Malky Thomson | Rangers 5-1 Hearts REACTION | Zoe Ness | Rangers 5-1 Hearts

Probably the most comfortable Old Firm victory for us that I ever saw. As with the European away games, we seemingly play a certain plan and tactic like a machine, sometimes hard to look on, but nigh always successful. Just keep it going, use the squad to its full ability and watch us go!

Wouldn't mind Hagi or Jones instead of Barker from 60s or the like. In fact, I'd first take Jones, as he's more direct. Obviously, Barker will score/assists a couple now.

If we go about our business and produce a performance reminiscent of our European games, would should be fine. The old saying that the "form book goes out of the window when the Old Firm meets" won't help today, as both teams have been winning most of their games anyway.

I await a comment by TLB and his mhedia-lickspittles regarding Beaton having "to be strong" ...

For the time being, I just hope all our player return from Covid-19-lands without any baggage ... and then we'll see what line-up is actually available.

Which I was thinking, since Edouard was tested positive almost instantly when arriving in France. Here was me thinking that it needs some time before symptoms become active ...

Final pre-season game against Spartans finished 3-1 to our Women's team, twitter text feed here ... https://twitter.com/RangersWFC Goals Lizzy Arnot (2), Chelsea Cornet

It was noted elsewhere that West Ham has released Jack Wilshire (and "we are interested"). Unless I am mistaken, we can still sign freebies after tonight, as per usual. As for Zungu, let's see him play in our midfield and then - again as per usual - see how he copes. It probably is not too bad that they are not exposed to the 50k of groaning and cheering Bears from the off ?

Bacuna at 23 from Curacao looks stats-wise more like a midfield "destroyer" than "attacking MF" chap. One year left plus option for another.

BTW, the corresponding thread over on Follow Follow

Alan Nixon @reluctantnicko Rangers. Search for an attacking midfielder. Inquiry for Bacuna at Huddersfield. Loan with a view. Rejected at this point. Juninho Bacuna at TM

It's those games that need to be won, games no-one remembers in a months time and who will yet be one puzzle-stone that brings you silverware. You would hope we finally learn how to play against the "low block" a.k.a. the brickwall sides, even though the Stags did not dug in that much. It was more like the case that we tried to pass our ball into the goal rather than someone actually shooting. Alas, we're off to the Scumhut next and seemingly do better away from home. A Willem II result would do nicely.

Same story as before. We play against a team that hardly opens up with two DMs that provide little spark for the attack line and are ultra-hesitant to take a pop themselves when in a decent position. We could easily bring on Hagi and have Arfield a little further back.

Someone on FF just mentioned that a player is already in Scotland and staying with a management staff member, finances in place ... and he hasn't been rumoured or mentioned before. ?

Yeah, but if Tav gets a naughty one, you would want someone with a bit more experience. Then again, Bassey ain't much older.

You'd hope the Scum get some tasty folk like Leicester, Milan and Wolfsberger, so no points come their way. Now we'll probably get Napoli, Real Sociedad and Nice ...

Quick look at the pots for today's draw. https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/draws/ Our friends from Braga and Rapid await, and quite a few unknowns in pot 4.

I'm inclined to say that Aribo ain't a CM, much more like a AM. Jones would have done well yesterday, I would assume, as he harasses people and is a little more direct as Hagi, who again took his time to get going. He ain't a real winger as Jones is though, more the creative type. To think that we have Roofe and Aribo out there still to bolster our line-up gives you some courage. One slot that ain't covered that well seems to be right-back, but maybe Balogun can ship in there.

Always amazing how we navigate our way through European ties. Good good stuff!

Well, Hagi and Arfield seem not to work too well, the latter is sure wanting to get forward, the former is not offering too much. A bit lucky with that challenge in/just outside the box. Would have been food & drink for some Scottish refs. Maybe we should introduce Jones soonish, they play rather open.

Can't say much about Gala's current form and quality, so it is the same as it was with Willem II, Braga et al. Let's see what happens. If we go on as pragmatic and concentrated as before, we can take on nigh anyone. Listening to SG, Kamara, Aribo, and Itten are out, Barker and Jack possibilities. I would assume we'll have Davis and Arfield in CM though, with Kent, Hagi and possibly even Jones again in AM.