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In one week we went through a whole catalogue of emotions. Love, hate, desperation, frustration, anger and sadness. The only one that we seemed to miss out on is happiness. On Sunday the level of expectation was so high against a poor Aberdeen team that most of us never even contemplated a defeat. Well actually we all knew where our weak point is. We knew how Aberdeen would play. It is in fact the way virtually all the Scottish teams with the exception of Celtic, Hearts and possibly Kilmarnock our opponents on Wednesday have played against us. Kilmarnock and Hearts both paid the price both falling to a 3-1 defeat. Recently Livingston snatched victory from us by parking the bus and waiting for that one chance coming from a set play moment. I actually believe it has become a tactic to defend in numbers punt the ball up to the loan forward to do his best to get free kicks around our penalty area. Back in the day an Aberdeen team would have come out and made a game of it but it seems they have dropped down to the role of a diddy team with diddy team tactics. I must admit though it is all about the end result and Aberdeen are in the final and we are left licking our wounds. We can't complain though it is also a tactic Rangers have used in the past and I remember Barcelona filling the papers with the same complaint that we parked the bus and played negative football in a European game. Daniel Cousin played the loan striker role that day and could have snatched victory in the end for us missing a chance in the dying minutes. So now it is time to use that old, no antique, cliché that football managers use. “We will now have to get up, brush ourselves down and go again.” As I mentioned Kilmarnock tried to play football at Rugby park and we beat them 3-1. Steve Clark was sitting in the stand watching the game and will also be well aware of what has been our achilles heel over the last few months. Not being able to break down packed defences. Rangers will play to dominate so Clark has a decision to make in parking the bus hoping for a breakaway goal or try to come out and play football. For Killie there is a danger in parking the bus as it is not their normal game so they will have to adopt to a whole different style as they are used to. Do they have the disciplined defenders to do it? Well we all know Kirk Broadfoot is willing to use all devious methods to stop anyone. One thing about them over the last few weeks is that they have been giving away the first goal. If they park the bus and lose a goal then they would need to completely change their whole game plan. I don't believe Killie will come and park the bus. Yes they will try and keep it tight at the back as every team should do but it is not their style and I think it would be suicide for them to try it. They also have good players in Jordon Jones Greg Stewart and you can never give Kris Boyd get a yard in the box. Kris may talk a better game than he can play these days but I suppose that is open to argument from both sides. Well we all know Rangers won't be the same team as Thursday night. The hugely obvious change will be the return of Alfredo Morelos. We saw TV pictures of him in the stand with his grumpy face on and I really hope he was thinking that a part of that defeat against Aberdeen lay in his hands for getting a stupid yellow card. We really did miss him on Sunday. Not only is he our highest scorer but his link up play is also a huge part of everything that is good in this Rangers team. Apart from that the team will not be much different. McGregor will play in goals, with a back line of Tavernier. Goldsen Worrel and Flanagan. Flanagan for me is a slightly better defender than Hodson was but offers totally nothing going forward and is part of our problem on playing sideways to Goldson or Worrel. I doubt Wallace will ever return so we really need another good full-back who can play forward in my eyes. I would play Halliday in place of Flanagan. Rangers were at their best when Coulibaly and Jack played together in a 4-2-3-1 set-up so hopefully our manager will go off the 4-3-3 and move back to our best tactical positions. I would like to see Ejaria, Arfield and Kent in the midfield with Morelos leading the line. I love Candeias but he is so predictable and his final ball is poor. My team is: McGregor Tavenier Goldson Worrel Halliday Coulibaly Jack Ejaria Arfield Kent Morelos

He has gone off the boil somewhat but at the same time I think we need to keep the lid on our own expectations and ultimately our assessment of players. He had a few decent games before his injury and people were being a bit hyperbolic about how good he was. IMO he was decent, no more, no less. These days form is almost judged on a game by game basis instead of more balanced appraisal over 12/13 games. For example, Katic was being harshly judged on his performance V Hamilton whereas a few weeks ago he was the best CB we have had at the club for years.

My report on today's game https://rfcyouths.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/reserves-win-at-balmoral-stadium/

By my reckoning we haven't "won" a semi final/final (without needing pens) in the last 8 attempts going back to the SF v Dundee Utd at Ibrox under Ally. Cant even remember what was before that one so it might be more. It might not be a hoodoo, but its absolutely disgusting for the biggest and best club in the country. Players, managers, coaches, have all come and gone but the sound of bottles crashing is the one thing that seems to follow us this decade. All you can do is get to the next SF and ensure you win it.

#Leadership

Does this mean we progress to the League Cup final, 3-1 on aggregate?

Because Tav is so attacking, Flanagan is almost always going to tuck in when that happens. Tav is one of our primary attacking outlets so even when Barisic plays I wouldn't expect him to be gung ho either on the other flank. Flanagan is limited in attacking sense (mainly due to be on the opposite side) but he's twice the defender Hodson ever was.

https://iainduff.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/when-the-rangers-came-to-wolverhampton-town/ When The Rangers came to iWolverhampton Town APRIL 19, 2012 / IAIN DUFF From all over Scotland they came with their Union Flags and Scottish standards. Soaked to the bone from the torrential rain, 10,000 of them paraded through the streets of Wolverhampton. Despite the weather, many were without coats, but they didn’t care. All they wanted to do was enjoy their day away from home and see their team win. Their red, white and blue flags and banners that brightened the grey skies protected them from the elements anyway. The locals – bemused and amused in equal measure – may not have recognised the songs and chants, but they would surely have appreciated the passion with which they were delivered. The battle cry of ‘We are the people’ echoed off the red-brick buildings as the procession wound its way through the town centre. It had started early in the morning as the first trains rumbled into the station. By lunchtime, office workers were abandoning their desks and lining the streets to watch the show. In return, the Scots bellowed their anthems: ‘There’s not a team like the Glasgow Rangers’ and ‘We will follow on’. They broke into The National Anthem, and were met with spontaneous applause from the bystanders. It may have resembled an army, but there was nothing hostile about this invading force. There was alcohol consumed of course, and plenty were in high spirits, but no-one embarrassed themselves or their compadres. It was simply a display of passion and devotion to a football team that was then, and remains to this day, more than a just a club. On the streets of this industrial Midlands town, they were celebrating a way of life. ‘The supporters were parading up the streets about ten abreast, waving flags and banners,’ Rangers defender Harold Davis recalled. ‘It was fantastic. They stopped the whole city; there were thousands of people there.’ April 19th 1961. That was the day The Rangers came to Wolverhampton town. Three weeks earlier, Wolves had visited Glasgow for the first leg of the battle for a place in the European Cup Winners Cup final.......https://iainduff.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/when-the-rangers-came-to-wolverhampton-town/

On Saturday, Off the Ball had, 'Adam Old Firm Facts' on as a guest after the completion of the day's play. He has been the show's guest before, the Producer allows folks with dodgy monikors on, only if they are specifically on message. It reminds Rangers supporters of DrStu' interviewing, 'Gordon the Jambo from Glasgow' after a Championship fixture which Hearts won 2-0. Gordon the Jambo from Glasgow or the show's Producer who could not be trusted to do an Edinburgh accent, telephoned the studio to provide insight into that day's game. Well, he talked about songs sung and the hypocrisy of Super Sally. DrStu' is a graduate in Drama, and Gordon's contribution sounded well scripted. Adam Miller or, 'Adam Old Firm Facts' had read the approved script too. In a discussion about mispronunciation, DrStu' stuck it on Gordon Ramsay for the umteenth time, McCoist got it for variations on Morelos, and Adam delivered the well rehearsed coup de grace, "on social media most people pronounce Rangers as Sevco". In the week where PQ apologises for presenting a picture of Aberdeen supporters holding a banner depicting Graham Shinnie holding aloft the decapitated head of Ryan Jack, Adam Old Firm Facts provides the depth of sincerity to the apology. Sunday was partizan. The Murrayfield game had Pat Bonner, Tom English, and Peter Houston in ra green'n'grey corner. Alan Preston was marooned on an ocean of Sellik sentiment. Al Lamont provided commentary. At Hampden, it was Big Dick, Wullie Miller, and Liam McLeod pushing against the open door that is Billy (I no longer consider myself to be a Rangers supporter)Dodds and his EBT.Big Dick was cockahoop over the Dandies victory, and citing McGregor's throwing an elbow at Gary McKay-Steven for Compliance Officer consideration was just an added bonus. It was a good few hours for PQ, but we knew that when Big Dick began, "from an Aberdeen point of view ........".

Of course they do ! The finance that this seasons European run provides actually makes it more probable that we'll stop Celtic getting 10IAR. Only it won't be this season.

It's not just Sunday. We've been running out of steam for a while now. Rapid Vienna was the high water mark.

I wouldn't blame Sunday's defeat on our European involvement.

Unfortunately it's not looking promising. It severely limits your options in turning around a game imo when you can't switch to it. Especially in games like our last few when we can't get players forward to do anything like threaten the opposition goal.

I don't see why not. I think it is a great thing for any team to be able to switch between 1 up front and 2 up front comfortably depending on your opposition or as an in-game change in response to how things are going. We're not there yet because we've only tried 2 up front for part of the Motherwell game I think. I think 1 striker with 3 attacking midfielders not far behind can and should work too but we need to start giving Middleton and Grezda game time, there hasn't been anywhere near enough rotation.

It's going to take steady improvement and good recruitment over at least another couple of transfer windows for us to have a realistic chance over 38 games.

Can't agree tbh. League Cup offered an opportunity of a trophy whilst it's fairly clear that we aren't ready to win the league this season.

I'm kind of hoping Grezda starts as we really need to get him fit and sharp. I think Halliday might also play left back.

It's not that bad Mac, but he maybe just needs to take a breath, the thing that's been good about our right side is the partnership between tav and candias, candias has been a bit off the last few games as well, I think the international break came at the wrong time for us, so we maybe need to mix it up a bit to get folk back on their toes again. The free kicks and corners need to be shared around if the primary taker is having an off day. The deadball has been a curse for us for a fair number of years I couldn't tell you the last time we had a deadball specialist.

We won comfortably at Rugby Park. We created numerous opportunities, took four of them, the officials awarded three. However, I imagine most Gersnetters are aware of the calendar year statistic, Killie have secured more League points than every other team. Their last Ibrox appearance was a hard fought, deserved 1-0 victory for the good guys. I think it was a late goal by David Bates. Further, they have gained a reputation as the comeback kings. If we score first, the effort must endure until we secure a second and third. A victory and three points takes us above Killie. There has got to be give in Edinburgh too. Let's grab the chance presented to improve our League position, the immediate games should allow us to secure that improvement too.

Excellent pod guys and gal, thanks to all involved. Mention in dispatches for Stevie and most of his analysis and for that matter, Ross for anchoring it so smoothly.

Ha!Ha! we have SG the manager but we will never have anyone that is remotely close to SG the player!

I think the interesting aspect of King's statement is the fact that previous agreements have not been adhered to by SDI. What significance that may have on further actions will be interesting to see. Also, and I only caught up on SonsofStuth's facebook last night but there was another action in front of the beaks on Friday as SD were not happy with the injunction handed down given that the judge has not been able to prevent Elite continuing to sell strips. Clearly there is more to come. I'm all in favour of ramping up protests outside SD shops. Newcastle fans are getting their act together in that regard, and I think if we can get back to that too, the noise around this toxic prick will escalate and further harm their bottom line.

Point 1 - the law in theory doesn't allow it. Those mentioned should be sued for their actions. However there's a big difference between knowing something and proving it, plus there's a big degree of subjectivity when it comes to decisions, and I guess it must be too difficult, plus there's may be agreements in place that they can't be sued. Point 2 - the problem is that SDI are just enforcing agreements that Rangers have entered into. I was involved in a court case recently where the judge stated that a commercial agreement didn't need to be fair if both sides freely entered into it. Point 3 - that's standard, given normal commercial confidentiality.

Without knowing or being able to understand the finer details, this has the appearence of working out just how Ashley wanted. - Ashley using SDI as his plaything and being able to hang-on and continue it's vexatious intentions against Rangers - Continuous legal battles for which generally he seems to have better advice and a stronger base - Increasing Rangers costs and limiting its revenue I would say that the law is an ass when it so obviously allows: - officers of the club (Green, Somers, Lambias, etc) to act against it's best interests - an ongoing line in vexatious actions by SDI and over the piece, to blatantly not be a "normal commercial partner" - SDI an injunction to prevent any kind of transparency for supporters/customers, beyond the annual accounts which are made-up by SDI Are other shareholders of SDI fully aware of the nature of the 'Ashley campaign' against Rangers and do they agree with it ?

One day, hopefully not too far away, we’ll have a team that’s good enough for us not to have to demean ourselves by talking utter bollocks about a hoodoo, Hampden or otherwise.

Only one winner that the lawyers .

This was widely reported in the Scottish press a few months ago - it's old news. Spare a thought for me - my kid has Kevin Thomson as his private coach... and when he runs camps my kid both attends and assists KT in setting up the drills and "demonstrating" for the younger kids.... and almost invariably KT has Scott Brown show up to present their participation certificates. My Mrs always sends me a picture of my kid smiling beside Scott Brown - it's enough to make you puke. But, it gets worse.... my kid says "Scott Brown's a really nice guy - don't be calling him nasty names" - my kid hasn't realized yet that he has been cut out of the will

Well done Jonny Hayes.