CammyF

Going into today’s game against Motherwell with 9 first team regulars missing through injury or suspension, the first test of the day was going to be trying to 2nd guess Walter Smith whilst deliberating our starting 11. Some of us were predicting and hoping for a return for Stevie Smith, but I don’t think any of us would have guessed at his return being at left midfield! There was the surprise inclusion of Andreas Velicka who partnered Kris Boyd in the Rangers attack. The inclusion of the Lithuanian suggests that Walter Smith will use him to spearhead our attack in the coming weeks given that we visit Easter Road next week, then entertain Celtc after the split. I can see Walter Smith revert to a 4-5-1 for those games. We were given a huge incentive prior to kick-off with Hearts holding The Mopes at Tynecastle in what was a very entertaining game. Given our record of failing to capitalise on their slip-ups, I was expecting a nervous start to the game. However, once again, Rangers came flying out the traps and were 1-0 up inside 2 minutes. A superb Stevie Smith cross caused havoc in the visitors area and a slack back-pass allowed Valicka to prob home from close range. If this goal was scrappy, Kris Boyd’s was straight out the top drawer as he rifled an unstoppable shot high into the Motherwell net. So, 10 minutes gone and we are on easy street, playing some wonderful football and looking like giving Motherwell a going over. John Sutton had something to say about that, and got Motherwell back into the game with a goal to rival Boyd’s. A sense of dÃ?©jÃ? vu spread around the stands at Ibrox and as Motherwell grew in confidence gotten from Sutton’s strike and a nervousness crept into Rangers play. Thankfully we held out to half-time without losing another goal. We started the 2nd half with a renewed purpose and regained control and began creating chances again. We were able to impose of passing game and were awarded a penalty when Mendes was upended in the area. Kris Boyd stepped forward to kill of Motherwell’s challenge with his 98th (or is it 99th?) Rangers goal. Once the penalty was converted, we never looked back and could and should have added to our tally. In the best move of the match, Smith and the very impressive Whittakar combined brilliantly down the left with the later cutting into the box and firing an angled drive of the bar. All in all, a very crucial victory and a decent overall performance given the injury problems we currently face, but we did appear to lose our way for a period of time after going 2-0 up, not for the first time this week. Thankfully, we were able to readdress this and ran out comfortable winners. Whilst questions will be asked regarding team selection, formation and tactics, there were very few negative performances with worryingly, only Steven Davis (once again) displaying a substandard performance. Valicka and Smith did well considering they have had very few opportunities and little playing time. Both tired and were rightly substituted. The back four were again impressive and there was little they could have done to stop Sutton’s wonder strike. The midfield performed well with Edu once again showing that he can make an impact for us this season. When we are playing our free-flowing football, Pedro Mendes looks a class player. He links brilliantly when we are flowing, using intelligent flicks and first time passes to ensure that possession is kept and that the moves continue to move forward. However, when we drop of the pace, he looks ordinary as the flicks inevitably fail to find a Rangers player. Up front, Kris Boyd had one of his best games in a Rangers jersey and when we get players in and around Boyd, he is a completely different player and we are able to utilise his strengths. When he gets isolated, the opposite happens. So we go into the last game pre-split trailing Celtc by a solitary point and the destination of the SPL title is in our own hands. Ratings Alexander – little to do and had no chance with Suttons shot – 6/10 Dailly – a fine game at right back both defensively and offensively – 7/10 Weir – solid game from the veteran Captain – 7/10 Boogie – as above – 7/10 SW – MOTM for me, had a brilliant game both defensively and offensively and linked up well with Smith– 8.5/10 Davis – another substandard performance from Davis, not as anonymous as previous games, but still not good enough – 4/10 Edu – built on his recent performances and is grasping his opportunity with both hands – 7/10 Mendes – everything that was good in our performance came through Mendes – 7/10 Smith – surprise inclusion in left-midfield and put in a decent shift considering lack of chances – 6/10 Valicka – another surprise inclusion and IMO his recent inclusions point to him leading the attack in a 4-5-1 in coming games – on the score-sheet but little else – 5/10 Boyd – as I said above, one of Boyds best all round performances in a Rangers jersey. Took his first goal brilliantly and stuck away the crucial penalty superbly and closing in on 100 Rangers goals – 8/10 Nacho Novo – a replacement for Valicka and did well when introduced – 5/10 Naismith – replaced the tiring Smith and had little opportunity to impress in the 15 minutes offered to him – 5/10 Cammy F -

No, I'd rather promote youth players like Ness, Wilson, Campbell, Wylde etc than sign run-of-the-mill SPL players. Cammy F

Once again, Mr Liewell has done a fantastic job in ensuring that his player come out of this smelling of roses. There were reports that Rangers would make an official statement once the SFA had released theirs. Are we waiting with baited breath or are we expecting another cop out from our custodians? Cammy F

No further action against Ferguson and McGregor and no mention of any of the other 'boozees'.... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7991629.stm Cammy F

Sorry, none of those mentioned above are good enough to enhance Rangers IMO, no matter if they are Jack McGinn's grand-son or not. Cammy F

By way of a boot in the baws :box: Cammy F

That was a terrible tackle on Beasley last night - so much for the referees protecting football players from the hammer throwers. Should have been a straight red-card - a premeditated assault on Beasley. Cammy F

Steven Whittaker for me also, closely followed by Edu. Steven Davis and Steven Naismith were nothing more than passengers last night and both could be dropped / rested. Said after the Falkirk game that Naismith would benefit from an extended run in the reserves and then a full pre-season training. The lad looks lost. Davis is a harder one to explain, but it can't be denied that he hasn't performed at all this season. Mendes showed in patches last night just what a football player he can be, but he must be more consistant and show the same form over 90 minutes. Back four looked OK until the loss of Papac - not a slight on Dailly who did OK when introduced, just think the switch upset the ballance more than anything else. Boyd did well, and you can see the difference when we get players around him (opening 25 minutes). However, as soon as Naismith, Novo, Mendes etc dropped deeper, Boyd was isolated and we negated his threat (btw - miss of the season at 1-0?)..... Boyd was also unlucky not to get a penalty when his header was handled in the 2nd half. Have to say that Potter (IIRC) should have been red carded for his assault on Beasley - a shocking challange. Most worrying asspect is the inconsistancy over 90 minutes and the inability to kill teams off. That game should have been done and dusted by half-time and we should have ran out comfortable winners. Cammy F

Chelsea were awesome last night - probably their best performance since Jose left. Played the game brilliantly and nillified Liverpool and got the goals that their play deserved. Cammy F

Actually, was watching a few older games on RTV recently that featured Scott Wilson and he is as good as anything we've had recently....! Cammy F

I'd like Wilson to be given a run alongside Boogie next season. Cammy F

You one of the eejits with the ski-hats on Mines was half Rangers half Chelsea for what is worth.... Cammy F

Think you are also missing mine Given me a Rangers squad filled with 12 players from Holland and Germany, with a few Scandinavians thrown in for good measure. If we get these Europeans early enough, we could have half our squad from outwith these shores..... Cammy F

We can sign any player from any European EU nation without worrying about a work permit. Or, are we to believe that Brazil or South America is the only continent producing decent players? Cammy F

How can we increase the countries hatrid? It is already evident. The press hate us, the SFA hate us, vast sections of the TA hate us, opposition fans hate us. Can't see this being anything other that a roaring success. But however, as per normal, we allow a anti-Ragners establishment to roll all over the top of us. Time we took a stance IMO. Cammy F

Unfortunately, our club doesn't have the balls to do something like that - mores the pity. You could imagine someone like Graeme Souness instructing his players to ignore the SFA and the trophy tho Cammy F

Agreed, if they are good enough. From what limited games I've witnessed, only Ness and Wilson look good enough (at the moment) to enhance our first team squad. Cammy F

If they have skill, guille, craft, passion, ability - we need 11 (no matter what age they are). Cammy F

IF we get to the Scottish FA Cup Final, what a brilliant opportunity it would be for an organised Anti-SFA display from the Rangers support. In fact, if we won the Scottish FA Cup, I would support the Rangers team, captained by Barry Ferguson snubbing the SFA pre and post match - yes, that would mean NOT going up to LIFT the Cup. Just a celebration in front of the Rangers fans and leave the cup sitting on its podium. Cammy F

Villarreal are also offering free season tickets for next season to those who have been made unemployed and are offering a mini-season ticket package for the unemployed for the remaining home games of the season - this was cost E20 for the four games. In 1991 Villarreal were a local team playing in a local league with an average attendence of 169. Cammy F

Saw this photo on another forum, and it reminded me of the amazing game that the photo was taken at. It was the final OF game of the season and with neither able to win the title, it was classed as a 'nothing game' - as if any OF game can be classed as a nothing game! One reason why I will always remember this game was that we missed our RSC bus that night, and with the game being 'pay at the gate' (�£1.50 Boys Gate) we decided rather than trudging home, we'd make our own way to Parkhead. So four of us set off to Falkirk Station and got the train into Glasgow. From Queen Street Station we grabbed a taxi to take us to Parkhead. The driver must have been a Tim as he dropped the four of us (average age 16!) off at the Celtc End. Thankfully this was after kick-off and with only a smattering of Tims floating around, we negotiated a safe passage to the Rangers End. We payed our �£1.50 and hurried over the over and under turnstyles at Parkhead. We got into the game 10 minutes before half-time and by that time, Peter McCloy had saved a retaken penalty from Roy Aitken. We were standing in the Rangers end close to the Jungle, just to the left and rear of the assembled casuals. Probably the most Ski-Hats that I had ever witnessed. The Cetlc tramps, sorry casuals, were massed in the jungle. Anyway, as predicted there was a bit of bother between them, bottles and the likes getting thrown between the sets of supporters and IIRC, a policeman got hit square on the jaw by a flying bottle. The game itself was a lively encounter, with Ally Dawson and Davie Cooper being red-carded for Rangers. It looked like we were going to lose the game 1-0 until Roy Aitken conceeded a late penalty, dragging down Ally McCoist in the box. Super Ally converted the penalty. We actually have a great chance to snatch a late, dramatic winner when McCooist burst clear, fired the ball across the Celtc box. Ian Durrant slide in and missed the ball by a matter of centimeters. In fact, the guy behind me exclaimed that if he hadn't cut his toe-nails he'd have scored! After the game, there were major incidents with mounted Police charging fans on Janefield (sp) Street. Thankfully, our night had a better ending than beginning. On the way out of Parkhead we bumped into a couple of guys from the RSC and managed to get the bus home! Cammy F

If he offers a full public apology and a full private apology to Walter Smith, SDM and Martin Bain, Barry Ferguson will be able to save his Rangers career. It appears that the ball in his in his court. Information gotten from another forum. Cammy F

Yip, it also got me thinking to the last time we played them in the CL (2005 IIRC) where we defeated them 3-2 at Ibrox and draw 1-1 in Portugal. Given the RFC line-up from the home leg I can't believe how well be done against them. Waterreus, Ricksen, Rodriguez, Kyrgiakos, Bernard, Namouchi (Novo 72), Ferguson, Murray, Lovenkrands (Buffel 56), Prso, Jeffers (Thompson 84). Subs Not Used: Klos, Andrews, Alex Rae, Pierre-Fanfan Maybe AMc wasn't as bad a manager as he was made out to be :devil: From what I remember, Ferguson and Prso were outstanding in the game at Ibrox. Cammy F

After watching the first legs of the CL qualifiers last night, are there any lessons that we (as in Rangers) could learn from the mightly impressive Porto last night? Recently, they have dominated their domestic league and won both the UEFA Cup and Champions League playing in a similar standard of domestic league as we do. They have a similar sized stadium to Rangers (in fact, their average attendence is just over 37,000 but you can get a ticket for their games for as little as E15), probably receive the same amount of tv money as we do and as far as I am aware they pay lower wages than Rangers. Given that, how can they sustain domestic dominance and quality in Europe on a yearly basis, yet we 'have' to accept downsizing, financial missmanagement, a terrible scouting system (Ewan Chester claimed on RTV recently that Sergio Porrini was his best 'find' - that'll be Sergio Porrini that had won domestic championships and the CL before signing for us!!!), a youth academy that hasn't delivered the standard of player required. Cammy F

You ever been to Bathgate Cammy F