ian1964 10,416 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 RANGERS are ready to unleash Jean-Claude Darcheville from the bench against Lyon tonight as they go for Champions League glory. The Frenchman is poised to make a shock comeback just a fortnight after suffering a recurrence of his long-standing hamstring injury against Kilmarnock. Walter Smith will name Darcheville among his substitutes with Rangers only requiring a draw to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. However, Smith will turn to the influential striker as a last throw of the dice if his side need to chase the game in the closing stages of the crucial Group E tie. The Ibrox boss knows bringing back the injury-plagued Darcheville so soon after yet another setback represents a major risk. But with �£5million on offer for joining Celtic in the knockout phase of the competition it's a gamble he's willing to take. Smith said: "Darcheville is touch and go and he is far closer than I thought he would get. The awkward thing for us is that he could suffer a recurrence of the injury and we would have to take him back off again. "Effectively he could play although we will just wait and see. "I still don't think he will be fit enough to start the game." Smith admits his players are feeling the heat ahead of tonight's showdown with the French cracks at Ibrox. But he reckons they are well equipped to handle the pressure-cooker situation after beating Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade in a winner-takes-all qualifier to reach the group stage of the competition. He added: "There are games like this all the time. How can you say the qualifiers weren't bigger games? "The games on a sectional basis are easier to handle than the qualifying games to reach the group stages. "They are really quite intense because there are so many millions available. "Obviously, when we reach this stage it becaomes a big thing to reach the last 16 and hopefully we can do that." If you're fit enough for the bench then you're fit enough to play IMO,Walter is he fit ? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,151 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I had a sneaky feeling JCD would maybe make this game mate. I agree if he's fit enough for the bench he should be fit enough to start. Similarly, if he's not fully fit, we have too many important domestic games coming up to risk him in this one - no matter the benefits. PS: Got your text last night but was in a meeting in Glasgow so couldn't answer. My battery then ran out and I forgot to lift my mobile this morning after leaving it charging overnight. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,416 Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 I had a sneaky feeling JCD would maybe make this game mate. I agree if he's fit enough for the bench he should be fit enough to start. Similarly, if he's not fully fit, we have too many important domestic games coming up to risk him in this one - no matter the benefits. PS: Got your text last night but was in a meeting in Glasgow so couldn't answer. My battery then ran out and I forgot to lift my mobile this morning after leaving it charging overnight. No worries mate,looks like we'll have to get the train through 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I hope the unjury has healed. If not, we could be missing him for a lot more games. I hope Smith knows what he's doing if he does play him. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Tough one on JCD. Even if he is fit, do we risk him getting a reaccurance? Good to see he is nearing fitness anyway, we will need him for the upcoming schedule. But for tonights match we would play 1 upfront anyway if he was fit and Cousin showed against Barca he can play the role well enough. JCD can make the bench but id be happy just to see him fit for the OF game in Jan 2nd 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buba3d 0 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 JCD will not start tonight, according to other sources he lost his fitness battle. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ascender 352 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Lyon don't expect us to come out and attack, but I think we should. And if that means going for it from the start with JCD on for however long he can do, I think that's worth it. The only thing is that due to the nature of the injury and the sort of player he is, there's every chance of it reoccurring. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudbertz 0 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I dont think he should even be on the bench if he's not fit enough, there's no point risking him being injured for even longer by making him play tonight. If we cant get at least a draw with missing one player then we dont deserve to go through. I think we will get a draw though, just for the record. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buba3d 0 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 confirmed he's not playing (bench?) -----------mcgreggor hutton - carlos - weir - papc -----------hemdani---------------- whittaker - thompson - bazza -super lee -----------boozan----------------- 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza_8 233 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 confirmed he's not playing (bench?) -----------mcgreggor cafu-crazy hair- old man - no balls -----------hemdani---------------- whittaker-thompson-bazza-super lee -----------boozan----------------- So not only aree we going defensive by playing 1 upfront but we're also going with a RB in the RW position. We need to break early doing the wings so I feel that wee Novo would've been ideal for tonights game. We're playing with 5 defenders, 2 defensive midfielders, 1 midfielder, a winger who isn't a winger and a lazy striker. Not the recipe for success in my opinion. Time will tell. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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