der Berliner

2 hours ago, CammyF said:

Dennis isn't injured and has had his loan terminated. Had a great season in EPL with Watford. 

 

Don't know much about Alzate, but if it's true Brighton are touting him around, I'm assuming his isn't injured. 

Yeah, maybe. I was just checking his data at TM.

Emmanuel Dennis is currently loaned from Nottingham Forest (contract till 2026) to Basaksehir till 6/2024. And he's had an unknown injury since November. That's what TM says.

Steven Alzate has currently a syndesmotic ligament tear, received in mid-December.

Wow ... 

Haven't read all posts since the game, but came across this article regarding the offside that never was. I do remember that at least one more offside that was given against us in their area with McGregor heading the ball clear and Goldson was flagged offside - but never should have.

Rangers penalty controversy takes new twist as IFAB ruling emerges

Stewart Wilson

Sun, 31 December 2023 at 4:26 pm CET

The Rangers penalty controversy during the recent derby against Celtic at Parkhead has taken a new twist after an IFAB ruling on the scenario has emerged.

An incident in the first half was highlighted as Willie Collum did not feel that referee Nick Walsh had made a clear and obvious error by failing to award the Ibrox side a penalty following a handball by Hoops defender Alistair Johnston.

Collum believed that Walsh had been correct just to give a goal kick because he felt the Celtic player's hand was in a natural position when it made contact with the ball after watching a replay back at Clydesdale House.

Television footage later showed that Rangers forward Abdallah Sima had been in an offside position when John Lundstram played the ball in to him.

But Walsh did not indicate that was the reason why the penalty was disallowed at the time and the goal kick was then taken by Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart.

And now a ruling has emerged which appears to suggest that Sima would not have been offside in this particular scenario.

The IFAB rules outline that for the scenario of when attacking player in an offside position (Team A) runs towards the ball but does not play the ball or prevent the opponent (Team B) from playing or being able to play the ball, the referees decision should be that : "It is not an offside offence so the referee allows play to continue. The attacking player is only penalised if he/she plays the ball or interferes with an opponent."

Ibrox boss Philippe Clement made his feelings clear at full time. Speaking to BBC, he said: "I'm also really curious why this handball wasn't given because it's a really decisive moment in the game to come back to 1-1. I'm really curious about that.

"It's a clear handball so it's a penalty and I think everybody who sees that clear handball will say it's a penalty."

When the BBC reporter then suggested that the VAR pictures showed an offside prior to the flashpoint.

Clement responded: "Yes, but after the game. In the second half. We never got this information in the first half so that was not in account at that moment.

"So it's strange we didn't get this information that there was an offside and that there was no clear signal that it was offside.

"It's not an offside situation given with the ball there in the position which he was offside.

"So it's an explanation afterwards to cover a decision that was wrong."

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/rangers-penalty-controversy-takes-twist-152600257.html?guccounter=1

Now, January started with a few "bombshells" ... or let's call them "media brain-f...ts"

Rangers are said to be in talks with Hellas Verona over a deal to bring left-back Josh Doig back to Scotland in January, according to Toro Goal. It is said that any deal would cost up to £5.2million with Italian intermediaries working to get the defender a move in the next 31 days, with fresh talks starting with Torino. 

While we also look to get Sima in on a permanent basis, with said media citing 10-15m valuations. 

Fabio Carvalho (Liverpool) might be a target for a January loan say others, after being recalled from RB Leipzig.

Still laughing about Johnston not being off ... three clear yellow-card offences, alas, the creep didn't manage to score later on.

There was, performance-wise, not much between the teams. One hit-and-hope volley through 6 players and one Kyogo-special. McCausland alone notched up three good chances, yet we again wasted too many for a game like this. In the end, they struggled to keep the result against 10-men.

I feared the worst when Tavernier and Goldson started their short-passes in defence again, which promptly lead to danger. Neither player is the future for us, maybe we can use Tav in a more forward role in right midfield, but for all his penalties and odd-good flanks per game, we need to see better defending. And I am saying that based not on today's game. No hatchet job.

Balogun solid as ever, they will say that this was a goal-scoring opportunity, and he was the last man, so going by the rules, we'd probably want a red card too.

Lundstram and Sterling work well together, they kept them at bay and the passes were okay too. Sterling was even pressing late on near their box.

Cantwell needs to make better, quicker decisions, especially in our half. Teams like the Yahoos will snap the ball off him and that creates danger.

Dessers up top worked his socks off, had few chances and probably wasted the one where he should have hit the ball instead of waiting for the foul.

Sima his usual self, dropped in and out of the game a little, but worked tirelessly too.

Butland rock solid. No chance at either goal, steal of the summer.

Star players then: McCausland and Ridvan!

That young winger showed no signs of fear in any game so far, not even at the Scumhut. Ran his socks off, created goals, tried his luck too. That side of our attack is in safe hands.

The Little Tiger likewise showed no signs of awe. Instead he gave us speed, agility and was always willing to have a go - both at goal and opponent. I think Borna's days are numbered.

Another OF game this season wrecked by the men in black('n Green), we'll have to soldier on and will do so.

Gut feeling says that 2024 will be good to us!

Games' done and the ref hands out yellows to them like confetti. 😂

look at McCausland, grabs the balls, runs half the pitch and it needs four Yahoos to stop him. 

Is Johnston the new Scott Brown? That would have been his third yellow card ...

Maybe we should swap Wright and Cantwell, the latter is somewhat off today ... and has a tendency a play himself into trouble in our half.

Now Riley has a nose-bleed from nothing? What a farce.

Well, we play rather well, going by our standards. McCausland and Ridvan stand-outs so far, not impressed by the howling whatsoever.

Overall, not that much football, mostly kick'n rush and counter-attacking. We carve out enough good chances, McCausland 3 alone, dunno why Dessers didn't attempt to shoot - and why there was no VAR. Same with Johnston vs Sima late on.

What was it that saw Cantwell's goal chalked off? McGregor headed the ball to McCaulsand? Was Goldson offside when the Ridvan's cross came in?

My contempt for this lot hasn't lessened these last few years, so I hope we repay them in kind for the last OF game. While the omens look good, one never knows with OF games.

Anyway, Clement has come in, cleared the mess that Beale and Co. left behind and has brought us within touching distance with the same players. No little feat. Whatever happens today, we've got two games in hand and quite a few ahead of us. So I expect the worst and hope for the best.

Haven't checked ... will this season's Scottish champions go straight into the CL group phase?

21 minutes ago, yuddie said:

Wagner's also a racist apparently, suspended recently for it:

 

https://theathletic.com/5040649/2023/11/07/kai-wagner-racial-slur-union-revolution/

 

Apologies if it's behind a paywall.

 

 

Probably as much "a racist" as you and me. "He who throws the first stone ..." or whatever the line is. 

Throwing a word in the heat of the moment doesn't make you "a racist" and I know for fact that many of my fellow Turkish-German citizens have a neat variety of words thrown at "white" Germans every day without notice, some in anger, some in irony or jest. Only that most other Germans don't understand their Turkish words. And you could add Poles, Russians, Ukrainians etc. to that list.

True racism is another matter, though.

Obviously, these are different times and the PC code demands that incidents like the one mentioned above needs to be investigated to its core, Wagner's CV been screened to his great-grandfather and whatnot. I take it that the inquisitors over at Kerrydale Street are already at it.

Wagner himself:

Wagner himself on Instagram: “The last few days have been very difficult for me and my family. “I said something in the heat of the moment that I deeply regret. I sincerely apologize and will work to improve myself and my actions. That’s not who I am.”

We sure need another striker. I can't see us parting with 5m for Shankland after spending 14m on Dessers, Danilo, and Lammers - unless we sell someone for serious money. Silva, like everyone else, probably needs some time and only Fortune knows what the Scottish defenders will do to him.

These left-backs are low-key squad players, one could come as a freebie and German defenders are usually quite good.

I just hope that Clement and Co. find another striker that can fit in straight away, whether old or young does not exactly matter in the here and now.

If we play anywhere near to our capabilities, we should be fine. As per usual, the form-book goes out of the window. And as we have seen last time around, the better side with the better chances does not always come out on top. That Cantwell wrecking by Maeda inside the area, the goal by Roofe wrongly chalked off ... you just hope Karma comes around tomorrow.

Added these two to the OP. Interesting, Wagner has no great CV, but is a freebie in 2 days time. His stats are okay, the US league is not that bad, so who knows. Oppegard is essentially a youngster with virtually no top tier football experience (not least if compared to Silva of the same age).

IN - Kai Wagner (26) - LB, German, Philadelphia Union, contract till 12/2023 - TM - LINK

IN - Frederik Oppgard (21) - LB, Norway, PSV Eindhoven, contract till 6/2025 - TM - LINK (see Wagner above)

2 hours ago, Scott7 said:

Wagner looks like a defender. 

Wagner ... that name rings a bell 😎

On 27/12/2023 at 18:15, BlackSocksRedTops said:

I would honestly take Jermaine Defoe back before wasting time and funds on Silva. Van Veen (or a player of that like) fits the bill IMO. Experienced, knows his way to goal, knows the rigours of our mad game. 

I would have kept Jermaine Defoe at the time. No idea about Silva, I am generally not fond of the idea of loanees that we have no chance of signing later on.

As it seems, Mr. Clement did not agree with either of us.

A reasonably reliable source on FF said that we have no interest in van Veen. 

Meanwhile ... and for lack of other rumours:

Rangers have registered their interest in Wolves striker Fabio Silva ahead of a potential January move, sources have told Football Insider.

The Premier League club are willing to listen to offers for the 21-year-old, who moved to Molineux from Portuguese giants Porto for a club-record fee of £35million in 2020.

Philippe Clement’s side are eager to bolster their attacking reinforcements this winter and are eyeing up a move for the forward.

Fabio Silva (21) - Striker, Portugal, Wolverhampton Wanderers - contract till 2026 (with +1 year option)

Source: https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-rangers-make-move-for-fabio-silva/

TM: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fabio-silva/profil/spieler/505653

His overall stats are okay, his time at Wolves not so. Looks very much like an investment-player of the Porto school, at 21 he's already been with Porto, Anderlecht, Eindhoven, and Wolves, who paid a whopping Euro 40m back in 2020.

On the other hand ...

John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, Leon Balogun, and Jon McLaughlin (yep, still with us) can talk to other clubs in 5 days time.

It probably happened before and may happen again. While it is good to have a game off before the OF, winning today and at the weekend would have seen us entering 2024 being top of the table.

Dunno whether money in Stagland is so dear that they rather have their players on a coach on a match day than give them a night's rest in a Glasgow (area) hotel?

Anyways, I was looking forward to tonight's game, so I'll stay grumpy for the time being ...

Some whispers over on FF about whispers from the Hearts camp that Shankland is a done deal for 4m in January. If it doesn't come off, blame the Hogfather!

Allen hier ein Frohes Fest!

A thousand stars erect a dome
in quiet earth-embracing night.
A candle blooms and spreads its shine
and fills our hearts with great delight.

In this silence we rejoice,
a light that pierces through our hearts,

the high cathedral silvery swings,

quietly wafted by the breath of Christmas.

All the darkness falls away
for we have lit this light of ours.
Into next year it leads our way,
through these silent, starlit hours.

We somehow stopped playing football in the second half, when we did we cut them open easily enough. A bit unlucky with Dessers' two offside calls, but solid 3 points on that turf.

Balogun and that "Little Tiger" Ridvan MotM for me, Butland solid as ever.