And so it all comes down to this....Rangers v Lyon

[alanmidd 0]

So it all comes down to this. Wednesday 12th December 2007, 7:45pm Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. Eleven against eleven, 90 minutes of blood, sweat and tears (hopefully theirs!)

 

Wednesday sees the culmination of the group stages of the Champions League campaign. Lyon visit Ibrox knowing a win will see them book a place in the last 16. Rangers are safe in the knowledge that avoiding defeat at Ibrox will see them join Europe's elite (and them) in the latter stages.

 

Walter Smith's men have given themselves a fantastic chance of making the last 16 for only the second time. This is largely down to the start made to the group. A battling 2-1 against Stuttgart was followed up by a wonderful 3-0 against Wednesday's oppenents in their own back yard. Barcelona arrived at Ibrox on Matchday 3 and met a Rangers side who defended doggidly. They restricted Barca to very few clear cut chances and could have almost snatched victory, had Daniel Cousin taken his last minute chance. A 2-0 defeat in the Nou Camp coupled with a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat in Stuttgart has left Rangers requiring a point to secure their passage to the last 16.

 

Another injury to Jean Claude Darchville is a blow. The big Frenchman's strength and running power would have been key if, as expected, Smith goes for his favoured 4-5-1 approach. I'd expect Cousin to be the lone striker, a role he played very well in the corresponding away fixture. Cousin will be looking to recapture that form. He's looked off the boil and dissinterested in recent weeks amid rumours of a move to the Premiership. I expect the rest of the team to be as you were, with Papac returning for Whittaker.

 

 

_________McGregor________

 

Hutton___Weir___Cuellar__Papac

 

__________Hemdani___________

 

Naismith__Ferguson__Thomson_McCulloch

 

___________Cousin____________

 

Prediction

 

Rangers 1-1 Lyon

 

Barry Ferguson

[townhead ranger 0]

Great read mate.

 

I am absolutly bricking it !

 

The thought of they lucky beggars making and us not doesn't bare thinking about.

[pete 2,499]

Nice one Alan.

 

Come on the Gers!!!!

[ian1964 10,419]

At the end of the day,can any one of us have expected us to be in this position when the draw was made ?,don't think many would have,however here we are just needing a draw from the last game in the group of death,with european football guaranteed in the form of the UEFA CUP after a great performance,so far,in the CL.It's in our own hands now if we get through to the knockout stages,and for me I am delighted with our progress,so win lose or draw it is a definate improvement on the last couple of seasons and I truly believe we are on the way back to where we should be,the best team in Scotland,so what ever happens on Wed. we have made great strides forward,and for what it's worth I believe we will get the result we require to progress,and if we don't then i'm still happy the way we are back challenging on all fronts.

[mainstandbear 0]

This is what its all about...its where Rangers should be every season with big games against top opposition in the CL...and with a team we can be excited about...

 

We are the people!

[Davy 0]

To say I'm nervous, is an understatement

[alanmidd 0]

If you were told we'd be going into the final game at home and we only needed a point, you'd have bit their hand off. I'm nervous too I think we all are, but we can do it!

 

WE ARE THE PEOPLE!!!!

[Wija 0]

WATP.

 

Come on Rangers, show these froggy surrender merchants what the fuck its all about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please!

[Gribz 743]

Cheers Alan.

 

Have to say Im not nervous at all but just excited.

 

Id say Alan's team is pretty close with the possibility of either Adam or Whittaker starting in place of Naismith then switching McCulloch if required, but personally id rather see Naismith been given a chance than those 2. And everyone knows Id flung Buffel at least on the bench for this game.

 

Lyon are picking up after a slow start but they still aren't the side of a 2-3 years ago when I backed them for the CL and they were very unlucky at times.

 

The approach Id take is to have Hemdani sit infront of the defence then allow the rest (including Hutton) to simply have a real go at the French. Id play as far up the park as possible because if we get the first goal it means Lyon have to attack and get 2 goals which could leave them open at the back.

 

1 other thing we need on the night is a good referee.

 

I'll go with 1-1 but could also see us nick it by a goal.

[Frankie 8,151]

Thanks for that mate... Now online:

 

http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=564&Itemid=2