Dorin Goian warns Rangers to be wary of Maribor

[ian1964 10,875]

Romanian defender knows how dangerous the Slovenians can be after watching them in Europa League action.

Dorin Goian has warned Rangers of the threat Maribor could pose in the Europa League after witnessing first hand just how dangerous they can be.

 

The Scottish champions travel to Slovenia for Thursday's first leg of the play-offs, knowing they will be under pressure to take a step towards the group stages having already crashed out of Champions League qualifying to Malmo.

 

Goian is set to feature in the heart of defence 12 months after his former club Palermo defeated Maribor to book their own place in the Europa League group stages.

 

The Rosanero appeared to be cruising after a 3-0 win in Italy but lost 3-2 away from home and were so impressed by their opponents that they immediately snapped up two of their players, Armin Bacinovic and Josip Ilicic.

 

Goian said: "On Thursday, we are going to play a good team and I know that from last year because I played against them with Palermo.

 

"We have to be careful. They are good especially when they play forward. We won the first game in Palermo 3-0 but we lost away in Maribor 3-2. That's why I have to say that, at home, they are a good team."

 

Goian has played just two Clydesdale Bank Premier League games for new club Rangers but has already featured alongside three different centre-halves.

 

He partnered Madjid Bougherra at St Johnstone and then paired up with Kyle Bartley at Inverness yesterday before the Arsenal loan signing was forced out of action and was replaced by debutant Ross Perry.

 

Rangers are now sweating over the fitness of Bartley, who has a groin strain, ahead of the European clash, with skipper David Weir still struggling with a hamstring injury and Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker both suspended.

 

Goian said: "We just hope that everybody will recover soon and we hope that it's nothing serious with Bartley.

 

"We need all the players to be well. Whoever is going to play the next game, I'm sure that it will be a good game.

 

"Ross Perry came on and had a very good game, he is a young player and I think he has a good future.

 

"This is the second time that I have played for Rangers and the second time that I was playing with a different player. Now I have had three partners!

 

"It can be a problem, it's a problem when you have injured players. I just hope it's nothing serious and that everything is going to be okay."

 

Rangers at least have been boosted by a 2-0 win in the Highlands, with Nikica Jelavic converting from the penalty spot before Maurice Edu - later sent off - netted the rebound after Jelavic had a second spot kick saved following a tumble in the box by Goian.

 

The Romanian added: "We had a difficult game but it's good that we won. These three points are very important. My penalty was a penalty - 100%. The most important thing was that we won."

 

Caley Thistle boss Terry Butcher disagreed, claiming: "I didn't think the first one was anywhere near a penalty. The second one was nowhere near a penalty either. The player possibly made more of it than he could have done."

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/rangers/266231-dorin-goain-warns-rangers-to-be-wary-of-maribor/

[Guest Dutchy]

I've just read that on the STV site and I know we have to be careful of these teams, but I think we give them far too much credit and we should start playing with a bit more belief instead of hyping up the oppostion, contiuously.

[Zappa 0]

I've just read that on the STV site and I know we have to be careful of these teams, but I think we give them far too much credit and we should start playing with a bit more belief instead of hyping up the oppostion, contiuously.

 

In this case I think they deserve some respect, but I really want us to go out to the away leg and NOT play defensively. I want us to go out there with the intention of scoring three goals or more. Our defense is possibly going to be slightly makeshift, so the tactics shouldn't be to patch it up and defend for our lives, the tactics should be to not have to defend very often because we completely control the game and keep attacking them without leaving ourselves overly exposed.

[GovanAllan 0]

Have a go at them please Ally.

[Gazza_8 233]

After the shocker against Malmo we shouldn't be taking anyone for granted anymore.

[Guest Dutchy]

As I said, I know these teams need to be 'respected', it's just the language seems to all be so defeatist, from the start.

 

Why don't we use language like Maribor are a hard team to 'beat', rather than we'll have to be very careful of Maribor. Surely Maribor should be worrying about us rather than saying to each other, listen to the way them Scots talk, lets get stuck in, we've nothing to lose.

 

It cerrtainly seems that way to me at times.

[Super_Ally 0]

I'd like to think it's a case of saying one thing publicly and another privately. Hopefully the club have briefed the players to say nothing controversial or inflammatory in the press. We don't want to be doing opponents team talks for them like Celtic have over the years. Yet in our dressing room I hope our players are all talking about how we will beat them if we apply ourselves properly.

[Danny 0]

After the shocker against Malmo we shouldn't be taking anyone for granted anymore.

 

Malmo were rubbish though. We beat ourselves that night.

[Gazza_8 233]

Malmo were rubbish though. We beat ourselves that night.

 

They were the team who progressed. If they were rubbish then god knows what we were?!?!?!

[Danny 0]

They progressed because we lost our discipline.

 

Do you really believe, especially in the second leg, that they were the better team?