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After what was a fairly frustrating European night at Ibrox during the week, the big games keep on coming for Rangers. The clocks might only be going back later tonight as we approach Halloween but already we've played 22 games this season. And, so far at least, progress has been pretty good. Sure, league defeats away to Celtic and Livingston may have blotted Steven Gerrard's copy book and our form generally has actually been quite inconsistent as opposed to exceptional but you'd be hard pressed to find a truly unhappy Rangers fan considering where we were this time last season after the sacking of Pedro Caixinha exactly a year ago. With a plethora of new players brought in by Gerrard and an almost entirely new backroom staff as well, the turnaround in quality has been notable, if not (understandably) wholly reliable yet. Indeed, it was interesting to catalogue the palpable disappointment after Thursday's draw against Spartak Moscow. Rangers fans' expectations are always high so hell mend any player or manager who doesn't appreciate that - even if the bigger picture is often ignored by some critics. Strangely enough though, we're still only 5th in the Ladbrokes Premiership and although we sit top of our Europa League section, without genuine demonstrable success and a real challenge to Celtic it's difficult to consider any progress made so far as anything other than circumstantial. To that end the only way to change the status quo is to keep winning and to bring silverware back to Ibrox. Winning the Europa League is improbable but lifting the Scottish League Cup is achievable and we can take another step towards that by beating Aberdeen at Hampden tomorrow afternoon. Aberdeen, for all their own faults, will present their usual stiff challenge. Yes, their fans may not have bought into Sunday's game (literally it seems going by their embarrassing ticket sales) but you can be sure their players will. They might be five points behind us in the league but, just like Hamilton last weekend, they will raise their game and if we show the same kind of complacency and poor form we did in Lanarkshire then passage into the Betfred Cup final will be far from certain. Interestingly, it may be in attack that both sides could have trouble tomorrow. Rangers have scored plenty in their 22 games this season but will have no recognised striker tomorrow. Meanwhile Aberdeen have only scored 16 goals in their 13 games so we'll be hoping they struggle up front once more. In terms of the Rangers team, replacing the impressive form of Alfredo Morelos will be our most difficult task at Hampden. The Columbian has scored just four goals less than the whole Aberdeen team this season so far but his creative play and leading of the line may arguably be missed more. With usual deputy Kyle Lafferty ineligible and our only other striker Umar Sadiq unreliable, it's very difficult suggest an alternative. Glenn Middleton can score goals so may be the most favoured candidate but can he live with the physical nature of the Aberdeen back line? Or does Gerrard move in-form Ryan Kent further forward given Eros Grezda still looks less than match-sharp? Might Ovie Ejaria be the best option to take the ball in and link with others and what of the usual 4-3-3 system? I don't think we'll know the answer to that conundrum until around 3.30pm tomorrow. Could Gerrard surprise us all? Moving back through the team, there's also the question of matching Aberdeen's physical strength in the middle of the park. Could this mean another 90mins in the rehabilitation of Jordan Rossiter or can Lassana Coulibaly improve his recent poor form? Ryan Jack is surely a certainty to start and he'll be looking to have Graeme Shinnie's head on a pole to annoy his former supporters after the game. We certainly have plenty of options and finding the right midfield blend will not only go a long way to determine tomorrow's outcome but our season as a whole. Scott Arfield returning would be a big creative boost as well. At the back, the manager has said he's still to decide on his goalkeeper and as much as Allan McGregor has been top-class this season, Wes Foderingham has been very good when called upon (especially in our away win at Rugby Park) so we're lucky with our quality there. James Tavernier will surely captain the side again from right back and I'd expect the same back four that started against Spartak given the creative threat of Aberdeen from wider areas and set-pieces. Nevertheless, all things being equal, Rangers fans will be expecting a win tomorrow and despite the loss of Morelos, we have every right to be confident. A score-draw despite wrongly losing the same player to a red card and the loss of a late, late equaliser in our first league game of the season showed we have more quality than Aberdeen. However, Gerrard's 'class above' comments after that game will be used by Derek McInnes to fire up his players so anyone expecting anything other than a hard-fought, physical tight game would be well advised to rethink their analysis. Ultimately, although the Rangers manager did qualify his comments to that one game, it will come down to Gerrard to prove his earlier claims are correct. Win through and all remains rosy in the Rangers garden. Anything else and the pressure will increase. Fortunately, Gerrard demands success and understands Rangers fans are impatient for it. Occasionally our expectations are unrealistic but a win tomorrow is not. We must step up and show our desire for success is authentic. Let's go indeed. Possible starting XI (4-3-3): Foderingham Tavernier | Goldson | Worrall | Flanagan Coulibaly | Jack | Arfield Candeias | Ejaria | Kent

Gerrard is dreadful at making in game changes. Blame him today he should have changed things up earlier. That aside same issues week after week. Sort the god damn corners out and tell them to drill the crosses when we get out wide and keep them low. This constant floating crosses and hitting the first man is infuriating. Coulibaly is a defensive mid we are wasting him in the position we are playing him. We don't need two defensive mids against teams who sit deep and let us play. Grow a set and get another attacking midfielder in there.

P.S. Don't throw the towel in just yet lads.

Aye but we look like “blowing teams out the water” all this nonsense about being miles miles better than everyone else except Celtic is just that, nonsense. we dominated play but could have played for a week and not scored. I’m with Rousseau - so glad we didn’t hire McInnes because that brand of football would have me in tears. It’s absolute garbage. We’ve come a long way in a very short space of time under Gerrard, but today clearly shows we have a very long way still to travel.

Revisionism ain't what it used to be. It's a European night of football, two Scottish clubs are involved, one received nearly four and a half hours of coverage, the other gets a dozen lines amounting to five minutes. It is a Pacific Quay production. Sellik got beat, in performance terms they got beat bad. There is no mention of Sellik carrying the Scottish standard, there is no talk of the co-efficient, and the only comfort lies under a twenty tog rated quilt of revisionism. Snuggling under last evening was Big Dick presenting, joined in the studio by Tom English. In Leipzig, the continental warmth was shared by Liam McLeod commentating and Pat Bonner roaring on ra Sellik. Wullie Miller took it in turns to spoon with both. The BBC Scotland quilt reaches East Germany, but not Ibrox. Rangers and Rangers supporters are out in the cold, Meager heat is generated from Steven Thomson sat atop the Naughty Step watching the TV. Each of his four updates on the Rangers/Spartak game, was treated by his colleagues as if he had farted under the quilt. From 17.30hrs until 22.00hrs, the mixture of Dandy Dons and Yahoos chorused revisionism. Sellik were playing their second string, wracked with injuries, and how do you fill a hole left by Broonaldo? Empathy echoed from the Dandies, they played Burnley under similar circumstances? These last three years, Sellik cannot be compared to Rangers, no PQ employee will utter the phrase, 'old firm'. Sellik are managed by an experienced Boss, Rangers by a Youth team coach. Sellik are a fiscal example to all, Rangers are a shambling chaos. Oh, and Aberdeen are the second best team in Scotland, the Dandies are proud to shelter under ra Sellik's protective shadow. No comparisons? Well, Liam led the charge. Sellik, like Aberdeen are the recipients of the toughest of tough draws. The quilt raised as the murmurs of approval expelled hot air. Rangers are playing in a vastly inferior group, again the temperature rose. Big Dick enthusiastically threw in, "a full strength Rangers had to play extremely well throughout in Spain, to achieve a draw with an under strength Villarreal". Gripping the fantasy that ra Sellik can rely on beating anyone at Parkhead, Bonner had them qualifying from the group. Miller must have kicked the quilt off, when he offered, "Celtic cannot defend in Europe". It would appear that comparisons with Rangers are sometimes necessary? Here's a comparison for PQ to chew on, at the half way stage in the Europa Cup; your favourites have accrued 3 points from three games. Rangers have secured five points from three matches, whilst on an eleven euro game unbeaten run. Don't worry, it's just a temporary inconvenience. The Rangers team was available from 18.30 hrs, Radio Snyde broadcast it almost immediately. Beeb Scotland were amid their live commentary from Germany, but half time is fifteen minutes long, minimum. They did not inform license paying Rangers supporters of the Rangers team until 19.54hrs, six minutes prior to kick-off. Steven Thomson's contributions were the team, an update on the twenty-fifth minute after Brendan's long interview. A half-time and full time report lasting a couple of minutes. How long will it take for the quilt to suffocate the lot of them, we should be told?

Couldn't lace their boots!!!! he couldn't even lace his own boots,let's hope we can off-load him in January.

Hope is a bastard sometimes. Especially in football We are making progress and we've brought in some good players. Another thing to remember is that outwith McGregor, Lafferty and Arfield the average age of our squad is very young

Because Aberdeen are garbage.

We seem to be incapable of breaking down a defensive setup. SG does not make substitutions when most of us can see plan A is not working, sometimes you just need to change personnel and see what happens. Also SG does not seem to make changes quick enough, as some said he is reactive not proactive. I still have faith in the manager, he will learn. We have made great strides, Rome was not built in a day.

You could have written the reactions to this game before we played , if we had won we would be the best thing ever , we lose we are shite , the worst team ever to play football , the reality is we didn't do enough in the last third .We were beaten by a set piece , it happens we need o move on , however the over reaction online is as it usually is way way way over the top. I thought the manager was spot on in his post match interview , January will be very very interesting .

Our crossing today was shocking.

Aye they were playing for a draw and penalties. At best hit us on break or at a set piece (which they did).

I've not watched a replay yet but it looked like Sadiq dived from where I was sitting. I have no idea why he dives in that situation. To me it looked like he should have stayed up to score.

A few things are becoming clear after this match. The attack is heavily reliant on Morelos. We can probably manage ok with Lafferty but Sadiq can't play that role at all. Coulibaly has put in a few underwhelming performances recently. Starting to wonder if this is what we can expect from him. A return to pre-injury form would make a big difference. Flanagan is a good defender but looked like he doesn't have the pace to compete with some players. I'm hoping for Barisic to return as he will offer more to the team overall.

Grezda was surely a better option today? Too many aimless high balls to Sadiq IMO. I also hate the fact that we made reactive substitutions as opposed to proactive changes.

Possession and stats go for nothing good football goes foŕ nothing it's goals that count and the record book will show an Aberdeen victory Stevie G and his staff have their work cut out here .

Must have watched a different game. There is no point in playing if you don't create chances. We were awful today. The only up side is we have saved ourselves a hiding in the final

One positive: I'm mightily relieved McInnes is not our manager. Brutal football. It's embarrassing that it gets so many plaudits.

I agree with what you guys are saying. We've dominated this and must have had 70% possession. Jack looks so comfortable and it's great to see him back in the team after injury. I'm surprised a time how well Sadiq has played. We need a goal and if we get one this could be an easy victory. I'll be nervous until we do. Having said that, some of the football we are playing here is excellent to watch. It'd be even better when we are a goal up.

Banner for today

I wish the lad a speedy recovery

Where Facebook and Celtc are concerned, cynicism is absolutely essential. Both are untrustworthy, at best. Stories 'doing the rounds' = Chinese whispers.

I'd be tearful if my mum didn't know what a full stop was. ? And stopping kids fighting doesn't make someone a 'nice guy'. It's what any responsible adult would do.

Fair enough mate, you are entitled to your opinion. But if you think that that is work rate and putting himself about, you'll be blown away by a player who shows real desire and determination to succeed. He tried occasionally but for the most part he swanned about like Tore Andre Flo. I'll predict that that will be our final glimpse of big Umar unless we have no fit forwards or attacking midfielders available for selection.

We missed Morelos today, however I think the man we really missed today and Thursday was Arfield. Arfield is the experienced man who drives our team forward. I hope the pain of seeing celtic lift another trophy spurs the team on.

Our delivery is consistently poor. Candeias and Tavernier crossing is not up to standard. Coulibally has been poor for a number of games now. I was very surprised there was no Arfield in the starting line up? Then when it’s clear Melman belongs with the gazelles we don’t make a change?? Baffling???

I really hope Grezda can step up and provide something different as we badly need a player like that. Kent is lively but his decision making and end product are poor IMO. Too many blind alleys for me. Candieas is another that is also full of energy and is a worker but his final pass lets him down. Today's result was a really, really hard one to swallow as Aberdeen were truly rank rotten.

There has been something not quite right for a few weeks? We seem to run out of ideas? Maybe teams are working us out? Having said that I would have played Arfield and Grezda from the start. Would have been a different result imo.

We wouldn’t be able to as he left on freedom of contract

I hope Morelos seen today how much his temper has cost Rangers. He would have made a difference today. However, we still need a Gazza-type player. You either have to take on a packed defence or use defence-splitting passes. We had a dearth of both today. Damn, it is frustrating and leaves you spent.

As Frankie touched on earlier, SG can be too slow to make changes.

Absolutely gutted by that result!!!,

Our final ball was terrible all afternoon.

Totally dominated the match but ultimately we never created any chances, terrible result!.

That's a big gamble. He has looked clueless so far.

How patronising that anyone should feel they can tell someone it’s too early for a poppy?

I still think Grezda will start, makes sense!. Wonder which Rangers player will be sent off?

Only one man can save us:

You've got it bang on with your team selection Frankie, hit them with pace. right i'm away to get the car i'm on my way.

Our recent record in semi finals is dreadful. I'm nervous about today. Our players need to be up for it.

His contract ended, no?

What happens on Facebook should stay on Facebook.

Just coming back to this topic after being out for a bevy. LOL the kid was near greeting because a Celtic reserve gave him the time of day? And his dad posted an illiterate rant on FB with hashtag Celtic FC ???. Have we established yet that this isn't a tim on the windup? And based on the OP's previous tendency to seek out and get offended by random nonsense online I'll stick to my guns that he didn't post this because he was inspired by Hayes. Hayes did what any normal adult would have done. Thank you Hayes. The retarded Facebook post has no relevance here. Thank you OP though. We've had some amusement here!

People will probably differ in opinion, but constantly playing Bates and Martin in CD ahead of Alves and Cardoso was bound to cost us and did. Perhaps the latter needed time to adjust that wasn't there, but Murty sure liked it old-school British with imposing and physical CHs ... only that neither were of the standard demanded. BTW, and despite what Bates said later on, it was him signing the contract with Hamburg in mid-season, he sure was not forced out or made to sign the contract at that stage. I reckon he was biting himself hard when hearing the news who our next manager was going to be. No hard feelings, but likewise we shouldn't dwell on him too much in the here and now.

Shame to be so cynical the issue was reported on 24th September and I must say that as much as I loathe the mhanksI had no hesitation in thinking it was a good thing and gesture from Hayes.

Hashtag Celtic fc at the end? His son near tears because Hayes sent him something? It sounds like trolling to me, particularly with the horrendous grammar. Honestly, the amount of illiterate drivel I see on our FB pages is unreal. This topic doesn’t belong here.

You're bang on, this is exactly the role Club1872 should be adopting and devoting their energies and resources to. I'd like to see them engaging legal representation to challenge BBC Scotland's negligence and I'd expect them to be pulling out all stops to publicise the BBC's dishonesty in representing this as the fault of Rangers. You could buy a lot of newspaper space for £1m. It would certainly be of more use that fans endlessly repeating to each other how unfair it is ... or inferring the situation is down to Rangers by suggesting we should be pursuing a resolution.

No its not only press privilege! Its the constant attacks upon an institution, a brand, its players, management and executive. I would put it to you that the Rangers brand is far more important than you or my feelings. You are correct the BBC are supposed to be impartial however in this instance they are NOT and there is nothing we (you or I) or Rangers can do about that other than to remove those press privilege from the lead perpetrators of the diatribe. Rangers have done this and BBC Sport Scotland has decided not to enter into negotiation to resolve the matter and to back its man.