Popular Post buster. 4,808 Posted August 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 22, 2018 Here we are in the Europa League Play-off round with the majority of our support convinced that the tie against FC Ufa is pretty much a formality.....Who'd have thought it ? Not me, I saw the EL group stages 2018/19 as unrealistic, but an excellent, solid start from the new management team together with good recruitment and a slice of luck in the draw see us 180 minutes from making the groups and all that follows from that. FC Ufa stand in our way and the general vibe of optimism amongst us is well founded given our performances to date but given we don't know much about them, has to be toned down a tadge if we don't want to get complacement (can't imagine SG allowing the players to get complacent). According to the Gersnet prediction league, a 2-0 win with the first goal coming from Morelos is a cert and bookies may go out of business on Friday !! I'm not going to go into heavy research mode to compile a dossier on the Russians but here is some info posted earlier in the week by someone who does know a little about the club. http://russianfootballnews.com/who-are-rangers-europa-league-opponents-fc-ufa/ What I will point out is that if you go by the co-efficient table, Russia sit in 6th place. That is to say that outwith the 5 Big Leagues, they come next, comfortably ahead of the likes of Portugal. This tends to suggest the level of the top half of the Russian top division is very decent and we have to take into account and respect that Ufa finished 6th last season. They ain't no minnows. Its curious, but the team that we beat to win the Cup Winners Cup in 1972 skelped FC Ufa 3-0 on Monday (Ufa were resting several players) and the team that beat us in the UEFA Cup Final in 2008 are the team Ufa will play sandwiched between their matches with us. Also curious is that the only three times Russian teams* who have managed to make a European Final, two of them have seen Rangers in opposition, Dynamo Moscow ('72) and Zenit ('08). * I don't include teams that are now Ukranian, ie. Kiev and Tiblisi Another thing about what is a 4th qualifier,....Only five times in our history have we successfully negotiated 4 stages of European competition on the spin and three of those were when we made the Final. I appreciate that that is a somewhat unfair comparison given how qualifiers heavily feature now but all the same, it would be only the 6th time IF we get past FC Ufa. There can't be many teams playing in European competition that can say they have never lost, perhaps FC Ufa are the only one who can. The context being that this is their first season in European competition and to date they have 1 win, 3 draws and 2 successfully negotiated ties, both being settled with late goals, away from home. Thu 26/07/18 UEL Ufa 0 - 0 Domžale More info Thu 02/08/18 UEL Domžale 1 - 1 Ufa View events More info Thu 09/08/18 UEL Ufa 2 - 1 Progrès Niederkorn View events More info Thu 16/08/18 UEL Progrès Niederkorn 2 - 2 Ufa 'Sources' say that their strength is in defence, keeping things tight and counter-attacking. We'll only know to what level after the game on Thursday. The atmosphere at Ibrox should be fantastic and should give us impetus to put them under pressure early doors. It goes without saying that an early goal for us would be welcome and help set-up the night. I'd imagine that McGregor and Flanagan will come back into the side and hope that Goldson and Katic are fit. Jack will probably be back in with Arfield and Ejaria. Candeias and Kent supplying some width and Morelos in and around the penalty box. Candeias and Ejaria are one booking away from a suspension. All things considered this is a huge game and it'll take another excellent performance to get the result we want. I think we'll get the win but we could do with the uniform gersnet prediction coming in, at least two goals of advantage and for them not to get an away goal. 13 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,372 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trublusince1982 243 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Great preview thanks buster Game is only live in the UK through RTV. Good on the club get that money in 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,131 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Someone else that knows how to use the correct pefixes... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluedell 5,329 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 10 minutes ago, buster. said: Even more curious is that in all the years of European competition, despite playing three different Russian teams*, we have only hosted one in a competitive European match at Ibrox (CSKA). Only three times have what are now Russian teams ever made a European Final and we've been involved in two of them, against Dynamo Moscow and Zenit. * I don't include teams that are now Ukranian, ie. Kiev and Tiblisi Alania Vladikavkaz? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 4,808 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 3 minutes ago, Bluedell said: Alania Vladikavkaz? Thanks ! Edited 09.12.1992 1992/93 CL Group stage CSKA Moscow - Rangers 0:1 (0:1) 21.04.1993 1992/93 CL Group stage Rangers - CSKA Moscow 0:0 (0:0) 03.08.1996 1996/97 CL Qualifying Round Rangers - Alania 3:1 (1:1) 21.08.1996 1996/97 CL Qualifying Round Alania - Rangers 2:7 (2:4) 27.09.2001 2001/02 UC First Round Anzhi - Rangers 0:1 (0:0) 18.10.2001 2001/02 UC Second Round Rangers - Dynamo Moscow 3:1 (1:0) 01.11.2001 2001/02 UC Second Round Dynamo Moscow - Rangers 1:4 (1:3) 10.08.2004 2004/05 CL Third qualifying round CSKA Moscow - Rangers 2:1 (1:1) 25.08.2004 2004/05 CL Third qualifying round Rangers - CSKA Moscow 1:1 (0:0) 14.05.2008 2007/08 UC Final Zenit Sankt-Peterburg - Rangers 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 4,808 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 (edited) Regards our record in Europe and winning 4 stages on the bounce. I used this link Note the blue ticks for ties/stage successfully negotiated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangers_F.C._in_European_football Edited August 22, 2018 by buster. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,372 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Is Lafferty available for this tie? if he has indeed signed? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walterbear 557 Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Looks like a clean sheet and win however narrow are vital tomorrow. They may not feel so comfortable if they have to come at us chasing goals in UFA. A 2-0 win would be excellent. A 1-0 would give us a big chance. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 4,808 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 (edited) 20 minutes ago, ian1964 said: Is Lafferty available for this tie? if he has indeed signed? If he signs and gets all relevant paperwork done by 11pm (UK time) tonight then I reckon he might get on the bench tomorrow. The same goes for playing any part of the play-off round. Edited August 22, 2018 by buster. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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