match thread (image) [FT] Maribor 0 - 0 Rangers

[DMAA 3,603]

4 hours ago, Frankie said:

All three players have travelled (as have Sadiq and Middleton who played last night for the under 20s).

 

4 hours ago, buster. said:

Second, we need to counter with menace and not be camped on our 18 yard box.

I really hope we see Middleton get a game. His pace and direct running up the wing could be invaluable if we play on the counter. 

[buster. 4,808]

2 hours ago, Walterbear said:

A goal for us will almost certainly take the tie beyind Maribor. I feel we need to score so it’s how to go about that whilst  remaining defensively solid. Watching videos of their previous games and the first leg they are more dangerous on the break and like to cut the ball back to onrushing midfielders from wide positions. 2 sitting in front of the defence is essential for us and remaining tight on the flanks too. Morelos and Murphy really need to take their chances. Of course winning free kicks and corners is another route for us. We have good delivery and an aerial threat.  If we can keep it scoreless to half time we will get more space to kill the tie in open play in the second half. Losing an early goal may be fatal but if we do I wouldn’t then sit on it as we wouldn’t hold out imo. Thus lot are the best team we have played this season especially as they rack up goals at home. 

If you look at their results in summer qualifiers over the past three years (including this), several things stand out.

 

- they usually score an away goal----------------------------------------tick

 

- they usually keep a clean sheet at home---------------------------(middle to front isn't our strongest suit)

 

- they usually go through--------------------------------------------------.?

 

 

They seem to have become adept at finding a way to get through that is probably slightly above their level as a team.

 

However, the one qualifier they did lose to Gabala FK (Azerbaijan) back in 2016, they lost the first leg away from home 3-1 (then won the home match 1-0).

Ironically enough, guess who put Gabala FK out this season ?.......Progres Niederkorn   spooky how they are following us around.

 

 

Had it finished 2-1 at Ibrox, I'd have made them slight favourites.

For me, the third goal makes us slight+ favourites.

 

 

edit

Bookies have us as firm favourites to go through at odds (1/6) that IMO doesn't represent the situation (I'd say 2/5 more accurate)  but probably more the money placed on the market.

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by buster.

[JFK-1 1,675]

4 hours ago, craig said:

How many times have you watched Osijek and how many times have you watched Maribor to come to the conclusion Osijek is better than Maribor ?

I have seen Osijek 3 times and Maribor twice. And Osijek looked better. 

[the gunslinger 3,366]

Osilek did look better in what little i saw of both.

[craig 5,199]

2 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

I have seen Osijek 3 times and Maribor twice. And Osijek looked better. 

Not enough, IMO, to come to your conclusion.  But fill yer boots

[JFK-1 1,675]

4 minutes ago, craig said:

Not enough, IMO, to come to your conclusion.  But fill yer boots

Probably seen then as much as the management team had prior to playing them. We can't watch these teams for an entire season to form an opinion on them so i'm pretty much doing what they did.

[craig 5,199]

20 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

Probably seen then as much as the management team had prior to playing them. We can't watch these teams for an entire season to form an opinion on them so i'm pretty much doing what they did.

Sorry JFK but I find that incredibly hard to swallow.  You, an armchair fan, will have watched a European opponent as much as our management team.  Either you are incredibly dedicated or they are incredibly amateurish.  If they only watched two or 3 games of European opponents then I would be highly surprised.

 

But, as I said, fill yer boots.

[JFK-1 1,675]

4 minutes ago, craig said:

Sorry JFK but I find that incredibly hard to swallow.  You, an armchair fan, will have watched a European opponent as much as our management team.  Either you are incredibly dedicated or they are incredibly amateurish.  If they only watched two or 3 games of European opponents then I would be highly surprised.

 

But, as I said, fill yer boots.

It's not difficult to do. Can do it all day long if you feel like it. Like this.

 

 

[craig 5,199]

Nothing to do with difficulty.  I think you were being unintentionally disrespectful to our management team by suggesting they’ve only watched 2 Maribor games and 3 Osijek games,

[pete 2,499]

10 hours ago, craig said:

Sorry JFK but I find that incredibly hard to swallow.  You, an armchair fan, will have watched a European opponent as much as our management team.  Either you are incredibly dedicated or they are incredibly amateurish.  If they only watched two or 3 games of European opponents then I would be highly surprised.

 

But, as I said, fill yer boots.

If we are taking everything to word here and throw away statements cause 200 letter posts, then what has he to fill his boots with? You will probably get me. I didn’t really count the letters.