der Berliner

I would assume that the soon-to-be owners have people in mind, as well as a certain sum set aside for him and the upcoming playing staff. How this money can be implemented according to UEFA rules (which somehow seem to hamper only clubs from certain countries) is an interesting matter, too.

Nope. Minimal at best. The one big failure was the starting line-up at Dundee. He has his hands tied behind his back with players unfit and unable to meet the demands, and there is no reason to believe that Clement or anyone else would have done it any differently than him. McCausland and Pröpper did their worst, and substitutions were no worse than what we have seen before. At the end, you need to have players up for it, and here's the one big problem that we have had all season. It didn't and doesn't really matter who we put out on the field, it always looks like a team that doesn't know each other, what positions they supposedly play, how to pick a good pass, where the goal stands ... and usually a combination of all that at various stages of each game. One can probably count a handful of good and solid displays for 90 minutes during the league season (yes, I am being kind), while, for some reason, the European games were better. Barry beat that lot at the Scumhut, maybe we can at least retain the bragging right this season with another good show at Ibrox, as little as this might mean.

Thankfully, I was enjoying the evening at the first of the final Best-of-Seven series for the German ice-hockey title and got home with happy memories. Scanned the thread in here and over at FF and, given our state and the fact that we were never in with a chance, it is still amazing how decisions go against us in vital games and moments. Be it the League Cup Final, or yesterday's non-penalty. The German commentator of the highlights had a wee chuckle at the referee's ineptness. Since I haven't seen much else, I spare any thoughts on selection and substitutions. Just one observation from previous games (and months). Jefte will probably make a decent left midfielder. Perhaps a decent defensive left midfielder. But I don't think he is made for the demands of Scottish football and, as much as I like him, should be an asset for the summer window. The complete opposite is Nsiala. All that aside, we need to make sure that the next manager comes in as early as possible, and is a manager who knows what is required in Scotland. No four months settling period, no test fields, no projects. Unless he gets enough money to get people in who beat all the dross in Scotland hands down. Not many aside from Gerrard spring to mind, but his line-ups still give me the creeps too ...

On Wednesday, the Ladies beat Glasgow City away, moving to the top of the table ...

Let's hope we don't manage to hand them their next tainted title at Ibrox. The rest is just as expected from the SPFL.

.... maybe you did not seem trustworthy? Anyway, not everyone is as clued-up as some Bluenoses about the pedigree of this or that person who they meet at social events and, what was it, DeterMND activities?

An Aberdeen boy not really enchanted by the late equalizer ... ... and the equalizer itself. https://streamable.com/m6ov71 And Hagi after the game ...

We have hardly seen anything of Fernandes just yet, yet, I doubt we will buying him from Lille, his contract there runs till 2028. We need to find someone who is willing to buy Pröpper, since we paid 3m for him last summer. I don't think he is that bad a defender, but we either revolve our centre-halfs like there is no tomorrow, or hardly ever. How shall Pröpper, Fernandes, Nsiala, Sterling et al create a settled defensive partnership with Souttar or Balogun, if they are constantly shifted in and out. Probably also a problem of not having a B team to create a partnership 1, 2, and 3, who can come in as a "block". Similar to changing "blocks" in ice-hockey, i.e. defensive lines and attack lines. People know one another and can cope with situations. More often than not, we throw on make-shift combinations and end up with headless moments time and again, if these chaps come under pressure. Having watched how people play, you wonder whether we can adopt this three at the back, but with someone like Sterling (if fit, but he played well there before) or Nsiala in front of them. That area is seriously lacking bodily strength and, Diomande apart, the vision to spot danger quickly enough AND react appropriately (like Lundstram, Davis, and Jack did in the past). Nsiala has the strength and pace to do this. IMHO, our current best CH partnership is Balogun and Souttar. Neither are world beaters, but they click and compliment one another better than the rest. Put someone decent (see above) in front of them as extra cover, and we could breathe a little easier in most games.

Table Glasgow City - 60 pts (84) ... 4-0 vs Motherwell Hibs - 60 pts (GD 60) ... lost 1-2 to Hearts at home today Rangers - 59 pts (106) https://x.com/RangersWFC/status/1911478795493691710

All in all, not much worse than one can expect from this make-shift selection, line-up, and some few untried players. I think there is a player in Nsiala (and we already have him), but no matter whom we play, our defence simply doesn't get the ball away from our area without much labour. With Diomande, a true DM arrived and cleared much of their threat, albeit the usual ball-dancing. Would have replaced Curtis at HT and kept Danilo on, who needs game time ... but what do I know.

Let's spent a silent thought on the poor sheep (the four-legged animals) up there.

... what was Tav doing there?

We start defending too deep again ... while Nisbet obviously want a gig at Ibrox himself, going by his missed chances.

... if you have three centre-half, one of them should see this and cover that flank. Same with Curtis. The DM should step back and cover any centre-half doing this, or do it himself. That's how you play a 3-at-the-back. What we did is play "youngsters" at three at the back, a youngster at wing-back and a seemingly frustrated McCausland on the right. Bajrami was no-where to be seen. Let's see what happens now with Diomande and Jefte.

The linesman on the far side "saw that clearly", no angle from the slow-mos showed that it was fully over the line.

Nice Sunday-afternoon shot ... but it was coming. There is no central midfield, dunno whether Bajrami has had a touch so far. The front-line loses the ball far too easily, so there is attack after attack coming our way.

I wouldn't tire punching Shinnie ... such an aweful being. ... well done, Ross. 🙊

That's all an attempt at Look and Find, with a tendency towards Find. Barron should play DM, Bajrami no-where to be found. Oh, hey, an injury to a centre-half ...

Give us 3 to 10 mins and we figure the chaos out.

Lawrence again not even on the bench and no mention. A bit strange this, but perhaps something private (i.e. family).

This will be interesting, hope everyone is up for this and will do his duty!

There we go ... RANGERS: Kelly, Nsiala, Propper, Fernandes, McCausland, Barron, Bajrami, Cortes, Curtis, Danilo, Igamane Subs: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Dessers, Diomande, Jefte, Hagi, Hutton, McCallion. Kelly Fernandes - Pröpper - Nsiala McCausland - Barron (C) - Curtis - Bajrami - Cortes Danilo - Igamane

Tough week for the ladies starts this afternoon, which may go a long way to decide the title. Rangers - Celtic today (16.10) Glasgow City - Rangers on Wednesday (12.00 ... a bit strange) Hibernian - Rangers on Easter Sunday (12.00) https://www.rangers.co.uk/matches/womens-fixtures/ihCA5Xhj8hmm64XcLy1LM?selectedTab=Fixtures Table Hibs - 60 points (GD 61) Rangers - 58 (106) Glasgow City - 57 (80)

IMHO, we should give "fringe" players a run out today ... Pröpper won't be there on Thursday, Cortes neither. Aberdeen will be up for this, if only to hand the Scum the title. (Which I wouldn't mind, so they don't have their mob celebrating it during a game ... ) Kelly Tavernier - Pröpper - Nsiala - Ridvan McCausland - Barron - (Bajrami/)Hagi - Cortes Danilo - Igamane ... not least in this striker combination.