der Berliner

Speaking to BBC Scotland, Rangers manager Philippe Clement on Jefte's second yellow card: "I've seen the images back, it's clearly not a foul. He jumps higher and that's everything that happens. "He is not moving his arm towards the man or whatever. It's a crucial decision in this game. Everyone who watched this game saw we were the better team on the ball against a good Dynamo Kyiv team. "We had a few chances to open up things and we knew they would get tired in the second half, then we get the red card five minutes into the second half. "It's a big moment in the game. But even then, with 10, I'm really proud with my players and what they showed. "Until the goal, we were the team getting the better moments even within. The decision was a gamechanger. One decision of one person, you take away the dream of others. It's really hard." https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/c3vxly6qyl4t#LiveReporting

We've been playing a shit system for ages now. I had high hopes of Clement changing this, but they are shrinking fast ...

Wee sidenote ... that's Raskin, Cortes and Ridvan out injured even before the season has started in earnest.

Very true. Still, we have been a work in progress ever since Warburton took over and - despite all the money the Scum has to dwarf our budget etc. - we simply cannot get our act together with rather obvious things. It never helps if important games like these are essentially happening in pre-season, but for all the new players Clement brought and brings in, we continue this 4-2-3-1 trash and are seemingly unable to learn from previous - glaring - mistakes. It really is a test to my love of football seeing us toil on and on with no real progress in sight. Tonight was just Part 342 of it.

Truth be told, we have a knack to grab managers who can't spot the obvious. Last season's two weeks of madness cost us this year's CL millions. This game was just the icing on the cake ... and IMHO, we wouldn't have gone past Salzburg anyway. Atrocious refereeing aside, this team lacks a creator in midfield, while we squabble over Hagi's wages. And now we won't have the money for him, nor any CL cash. Pure madness. All three creative chaps we had at the start of last season are there, but we don't use them ... for one reason or another. The last time I checked, e.g. Cantwell still gets paid? While I laud his left side formation, our DMs are dysfunctional. Their work their socks off, but essentially do the job of one guy. Lawrence hasn't been there at the weekend, yet he starts again and does effectively nothing - again. Instead of changing the obvious, Clement swaps the most creative chap McCausland for Cerny. The latter does his job, but why swap McCausland? And what is wrong with Danilo? We need attackers for counter-attacking football ... and nothing happens. Well, we didn't deserve CL football for that sort of management and play. Not that the Ukros deserved it either. Alas, Europa League is up next. Goodness me, I could puke all day thinking that we once again gifted the Scum these millions because of the shyte we produced last season and now. And knowing that a simple change in tactics might have turned the corner ages ago ...

Slava Ukraini ... remember?

We have Danilo and Wright on the bench, we need to play on the counter. Can't envisage that with Lawrence ...

Scum does as scum does ...

That was dire from us. Essentially the last 20 mins of the weekend in replay mode. Workload aside, Barron and Diomande are a dysfunctional partnership for us. Far too similar and not creative/attacking to have both of them on the pitch. And with Lawrence supposedly the creative/attacking/whatever link virtually non-existing, the rest just toils on and does Plan A ... give the ball to Le Capitan and start praying. The final balls in the attacking third are more often than not very poor and robs us of any good forward play. Money aside, imagine we face Napoli, Liverpool and Co. again with a performance like that.

Well, I was expecting this line up at the weekend, rather than today. McCausland ahead of Cerny and Lawrence still in there through the middle. We shall see ...

Well, the stats we have of him clearly point at the left-back role, yet, he looked rather promising last week and at 20, has all the time in the world to find his place. That, and with Ridvan behind him, they can overlap, attack, and defend in tandem. We shall see.

You read it here first ... well, there -> Rangers to open transfer talks with WSG Tirol over 7-figure Mahamadou Diarra signing Rangers and WSG Tirol are about to open transfer negotiations over a move for Mahamadou Diarra, Africa Foot reports. According to the outlet’s website on 12 August the Light Blues want the 20-year-old striker for around €2million [£1.71m] and have already started discussing matters with his agent. Several European sides are said to have the youngster on their transfer lists having completed just one season in the Austrian Bundesliga after arriving from Stade Malien last summer. The Light Blues have already signed one young striker this summer after bringing in Hamza Igamane from AS Far Rabat after agreeing a deal for a reported £2.5million [Scottish Sun, 22 June]. https://www.ibroxnews.com/2024/08/13/rangers-to-open-transfer-talks-with-wsg-tirol-over-7-figure-mahamadou-diarra-signing/

... incoming remarks about "a left-back playing as left-winger after 20 good minutes in the first leg". Ooops, I wanted to quote Frankie's post. Anyway, while I agree with the line-up above, I do assume that we will see Wright on the left wing and Lawrence in the AM slot. I hope PC proves me wrong after all, but the gut feeling is that he won't.

... he did say Russians, didn't he?! 😱 As it happens, I think I still have a Morning Star (you know, behind the Iron Curtain there was not that much Western printed papers about) as well as some Soviet paper reporting on this match.

Out-of-favour Rangers midfielder Jose Cifuentes is expected to arrive in Thessaloniki on Monday for a medical and to sign a one-year loan deal with Aris that includes a mandatory purchase of £4.3m for the 25-year-old. (BN Sports) Rangers will have to pay part of Jose Cifuentes' £860,000 per year salary when the 25-year-old midfielder joins Aris on loan. (Sport 24) Jose Cifuentes agreed terms with Aris last month, but the loan move from Rangers was delayed because Cruzeiro had to cancel his loan with them first and the Ecuador midfielder then encountered complications because of Brazilian work permit regulations. He is expected to be paraded at the weekend after completing his medical. (The National) Cagliari have reignited their interest in 29-year-old Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers amid the possible departure of Gianluca Lapadula. (Tuttomercato) Cyriel Dessers was initially targeted by Cagliari early this summer, but with the signing of Roberto Piccoli, Rangers' Nigeria striker is no longer seen as a viable option, although that could change should Gianluca Lapadula leave the Serie A club. (Soccernet) After his hat-trick in a 5-3 win over Derby County playing for Rangers' B team, Ianis Hagi posted a photograph of himself captioned "home is good", which is being interpreted by some fans as a suggestion the out-of-favour 25-year-old Romania midfielder now wants to stay at Ibrox. (Scottish Sun) Thoughts ... This Cifuentes thing is littered with question marks. Aris wants to buy him for a set 4.3m (what?!?!) next summer, but can't pay his current wages, so we have pay "PART of his wages" of 860k (WHATT???!?!). Who made that wage offer? Who thinks that Aris will have 4.3m to spend on a de facto no-mark midfielder? Dessers won't go. Never say never, but I think he's happy where he is, while we have no backup ready just now. It would essentially be suicidal, just like Aberdeen letting Miovski go ... even though they sure need the money. Hagi and Cantwell need buyers, or they and Clement will have to talk again.

3-4-3 is the way ahead! https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/czjy9gzmvp0t#Line-ups

85' We've Got Lizzie Arnot Aberdeen 0-10 Rangers Another well-worked goal as Tess Middag lays it off to Lizzie Arnot within the box who sends a lovely curling effort beyond the keeper. Rangers make it 10 in Aberdeen! 0-10 Lizzy Arnott (Tes Middag) 90' Go on Laura! A perfect way to finish the match. Aberdeen 0-11 Rangers 0-11 Laura Berry (Austin)

67' A Perfect Strike Aberdeen 0-7 Rangers A perfectly worked corner as Lizzie Arnot and Laura Berry take it short before picking out Liv McLoughlin on the edge of the box who fires a lovely strike beyond the keeper. A great bit of play from the Gers. 0-7 Liv McLoughlin (Laura Berry) 70' Go on Wilko! A hat-trick on her debut Aberdeen 0-8 Rangers Another goal from a corner and another assist for Lizzie Arnot this afternoon. She whips the ball in to meet the head of Katie Wilkinson with a cool finish to secure her hat-trick. 0-8 Katie Wilkinson (Lizzy Arnott) 73' Katie Wilkinson ... Again Aberdeen 0-9 Rangers 0-9 Katie Wilkinso (Tes Middag) 76' A couple of changes for Rangers. Katie Wilkinson comes off after scoring four and Sophie Black comes on to make her senior debut.

We are underway in Aberdeen in our first game of the 2024/25 season. 6' What a start for Wilko - An early goal on her Rangers debut. Aberdeen 0-1 Rangers Great work from Lizzie Arnot to win the ball back out of possession before delivering into the box to find Wilkinson. A perfectly-timed header beyond the keeper secures an early goal on her debut. 0-1 Katie Wilkinson (Lizzy Arnott) 11' Guess Who's Back - A perfect start at Balmoral Stadium. Aberdeen 0-2 Rangers Chelsea Cornet's powerful strike rattles the post before falling into the path of Rio Hardy who is able to tap it in. A positive start for the Gers in Aberdeen. 0-2 Rio Hardy (Chelsea Cornett) 32' A stunning strike from Kirsty Howat rattles the crossbar and is cleared to safety. Some positive build-up play to create the opportunity. 33' Rio Once Again! Aberdeen 0-3 Rangers Another lovely assist from Lizzie Arnot as she whips the ball in from the left flank allowing Rio to send a first-time finish beyond the keeper. Rangers dominating in Aberdeen. 0-3 Rio Hardy (Lizzy Arnott) 38' Go on Lizzie! Aberdeen 0-4 Rangers 0-4 Lizzy Arnott (-) 40' Moments after Lizzie's goal, Mia McAulay's cross is whipped in front of the Aberdeen goal and deflected in by one of their own players. 0-5 own goal (Mia McAulay) 45' What a finish that is Wilko with her second on the cusp of half-time. Aberdeen 0-6 Rangers 0-6 Katie Wilkinson (-) Half Time

And now for something completely different ... PRÖPPER ... these nice German Umlaute can be transcribed rather easily. By default, you just add an e, so if your keyboard lacks the letter, it would be ö -> oe ä -> ae ü -> ue ... and Pröpper's ö would be pronounced like the first "er" in Herbert. And lo and behold, the day was already worth it!

Some snippets from FF .... Been noticing this for weeks now, Attacking player out wide Tav just looking at him defending from the edge of the 18 yard box, Time and time again ball goes to attacker and Tav has 20 yards to make up, Then player passes him and he gives up like for today's own goal, Then starts blaming everyone else, He has been way off it last 6 months just doesn't look interested. For weeks? Been the same for years, literally. late in the second half Mcausland was back in the box covering for him when he hadn't even got back to the halfway line. He thinks he has licence to go anywhere up the pitch rather than do any defensive duties, only useful for penalties nowadays, i would put Cerny on free kicks Just watched it back and still can't understand why he is not closer to him he was marking no one where he was positioned And was well aware the ball was going to the wide man, yes it was someone else's man but he should be bursting a gut to stop him Ambles about like he doesn't give a %^*&. A proper full back would have got out quickly to close down the cross. The excuses that are continually put forward for him are unreal. I know folks want Sterling in midfield but as soon as he is fully fit he has to go into the RB position. If we go to the pigsty with him at RB we are in deep trouble The biggest problem for their goal was their player being able to bring down a hoof up the park in the middle of our half and turn, with nobody within 10 yards of him. Everything else afterwards was caused by that. Some see mostly sunshine with Tav, others stare at the abyss. The truth is in the middle, but as always, a defender's job is to defend. Maybe Tav has got licence to roam about, but even in these last few games, he's popped up in the middle time and again, sometimes even ahead of the winger or next to the shadow striker. Which as such generally not that bad (if we are 2 goals up), but he hardly ever scores from there, it should be a real attacker in there, not him ... and time and again, once our winger loses the ball, Tav's defensive area is an open field for half-decent attacker to explore via a simple ball over the top. And the latter is exactly what we have seen time and again. Ridvan likes his forays too, but he's got the legs to chase backwards. IMHO, the best way to exploit attacking "wingbacks", not least in our environment, would be a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2, where you can have these same wingbacks, but all defensive duties fall on the back three and one DM max. In case we use Sterling - Souttar - Pröpper this way, either may step out to cover a wing-slot, or grab the ball and go for a walk, with a wing-back slotting in the vacant defensive position.

Regarding Hagi, someone on FF posted Clement's comments on the topic: Is Ianis Hagi in your plans this season? No, we had clearly talked with him before the pre-season already, and with his agents, about that. We need to look, like I said, at a lot of things with the club, about wages, about how many players you can have in a position, with the budget we have, and to get a budget to make transfers. It was really clear that the idea is to sell. That's what he wanted also. So, that's the clear situation. For some reason, our problem (and one can hardly blame anyone for this) seems to be that our stalwarts of ages past, some of which we rated highly (once), doesn't attract that many buyers. Jack, Roofe, and McLaughlin saw their contracts expire, same with Barisic and Lundstram. Morelos last summer, likewise Kent, whom we paid 6.5m for. On Sky there was supposedly a bit of talk of us bidding for Whittaker again. We've just signed a right-winger, have 2 waiting, while our left wing is down to ... Wright again. That, and we only have two recognized strikers. I wonder how many late bids will fly in for Dessers.

Those funny stats don't clock up how many times a full-back is not doing his duty at the back. Who's not able to track and stop that cross from the right for "their" goal? I also noted that Le Capitan has taken over all duties at corners and free-kicks again. Two fine shots that the goalie saved, and a hatful of poor crosses and a corner that will still cause horror among the earthworms at Hampden ...

Meanwhile, over at the RTC ... 14' A great strike from Archie Stevens Robertson delivers a great ball to Stevens on the right flank and whips a great ball passed Shattell. Rangers 1 - 0 Derby County 25' Hagi The ball falls to Ianis Hagi on the edge of the area and his effort flies into the far corner. Rangers 2 - 0 Derby County 28' What a strike! Rangers were awarded a free-kick following a foul on Hagi. He steps up and takes the free-kick and whips a great ball into the top corner. Rangers 3 - 0 Derby County 57' Hagi Devine sends a long ball across to Hagi and his first-time effort flies into the far corner! Rangers 4 - 1 Derby County 71' Alex Lowry is composed from the spot. Rangers 5 - 2 Derby County ... what exactly is wrong between Clement and Hagi?