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?? That was the first thing of said to my niece when he scored “they will be waiting for me on Gersnet”. Humble pie for tea tonight! Gladly?

When Mark Allen left Rangers last Friday it's fair to say there was some interesting comments about how well he'd done in the job. Some 'chief sportswriters' decided to concentrate on the poor player signings made during his two years at the club whilst others felt his legacy was the capture of Steven Gerrard. The more pragmatic amongst us felt the analysis had to be more general and perhaps even empirical. Have Rangers improved in the last two years? The answer is yes, of course. Yet, at the same time, without any tangible success by way of trophies, just how is such improvement measured? Well, in an era of four qualifiers just to reach the group stage of European football's consolation competition, one way of defining 'success' is by examining progress in an environment Scottish clubs (and certainly their national team) have struggled to do well in. And, given Rangers have traversed these qualifiers for two seasons in a row now, I think Mark Allen and Steven Gerrard, deserve credit. There has been no silverware as yet but the money and prestige banked from two years in the Europa League Group Stage have to be considered laudable achievements in themselves as Rangers attempt to bridge the huge financial gulf between them and Celtic. Feyenoord For our Dutch opponents, their recent story is fairly similar. Financial problems ten years ago lasted for several seasons and included transfer bans and historic 10-0 defeats to rivals such as PSV. It was a difficult period for the club and only around the time Rangers themselves were thrown down the Scottish leagues after administration did they start to recover. Finally, after eight years without any silverware and 18 years after their last Eredivisie, Feyenoord again become Dutch champions in 2016/17. Their recovery period was long and fans impatient for success but via hard work, once again their showed their quality as one of Holland's best clubs. The last two seasons has seen PSV and Ajax take the respective titles but the early signs this term suggest Feyenoord will challenge again, even if they're a few points behind Ajax and PSV in the table for now. The Rotterdam side remain unbeaten though and, as a seeded team, have cruised through two tricky Europa League qualifiers against Dinamo Tbilisi and Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Suffice to say the challenge Rangers face tonight is another step up to that we've faced this season. If fit, attacking players such as Nicolai Jørgensen and Steven Berghuis will be a threat to our defence but we'll be hoping to cause the Dutch back-line problems too given they conceded two late own goals at the weekend to Den Haag. Rangers Onto the Rangers team then and, despite a disappointing injury to Ryan Kent, once again Steven Gerrard has plenty of options available to him. And, once more, the questions are fairly to similar of recent games. Does he stick by Connor Goldson and Niko Katic in central defence despite some uncertainty between the pair in the last two league games? That seems most likely with neither Helander or Edmundson able to break into the team properly as of yet. Of course a back three is possible at some point as well but improbable for such a big game. Who gets the nod at left back? Andy Halliday started on Saturday and, as usual, did OK without being spectacular. Barisic may offer more attacking balance and defensive protection against the pace of Feyenoord wingers Luciano Narsingh and Sam Larsson so the Croat should be favoured. Does he opt for width in attack or go for the compact formation we seen in games such as the Celtic match? If it's the latter then we may see Glen Kamara start with either the Finnish midfielder or Nigerian international Joe Aribo alongside Scott Arfield in the attacking half-space roles with the width provided by the full backs. That would support a start for Barisic given the same system with Jon Flanagan failed in the Old Firm game. However, it's more likely a deeper three of Davis, Aribo and the returning Ryan Jack is deployed with any two from Barker, Arfield and Ojo behind Morelos in the attacking positions. Barker in particular showed up well at the weekend and can stretch the game more if required. However, he's inexperienced at this level so Ojo may again be preferred. Summer signing Andy King from Leicester City may be Gerrard's trump card should he fancy something unexpected. Conclusion All things considered it's very hard to separate the teams and a very close, though possibly very open, game is on the cards tonight. With home advantage Rangers may be considered slight favourites and the possibility Feyenoord won't sit in might favour us given we often do our best European work on the counter and when given space to operate. For their part, Jaap Stam's men will fancy their chances of causing us problems too and despite some recent injuries carry plenty threat in attacking areas. That will mean plenty of scrutiny on our back-line and we'll need to be at our best defensively to avoid conceding. With that in mind, I suspect Allan McGregor may be an important figure tonight and a lot will again be asked of Alfredo Morelos up front: not only to help us maintain possession in attacking areas but to take any good chances that he can forage. However, if we're to take three important points and make a good start we'll need the kind of team performances and strength of character that has seen Rangers improve under the guidance of Steven Gerrard. It's very tough to call but I'm confident of a home win to add some light to what has been a dark 24 hours after the untimely passing of Fernando Ricksen. Possible team (4-3-2-1)

My nerves are shot , I started clock watching at 70 mins

A well deserved win. Yes, we lived dangerously at times but we were the better team, were stronger on the ball and created the bulk of the chances. If only we had some composure in attacking areas in these games because, as we seen in Denmark, we're capable of really putting teams to the sword with our high tempo football.

More goals would have been nice given the chances they created but at the end of the night the most important thing is the 3 points are in the bag and we're sharing top spot in the group. Plus a €570,000 bonus for a win.

Missed the first 20mins but made it home in time for the opening goal. Just frustrating we're not up by more and we have to hope our profligacy doesn't back to bite us. However, the 25mins I've seen we've done well, pressed at the right times and created chances time after time. More of the same in the second half and we win but we cannot let up.

That was a great game of European football tonight. They're a good team but I thought we were on it ever since we got the penalty in particular. Alfie will get his move next summer if he keeps performing like that. I know he misses a few but he'd be my first pick in every game. The wee man is brilliant. I really enjoyed seeing Helander and Barisic perform like that tonight. Who would have thought that our left side would be so much stronger than our right? Tav is really struggling for form this season and tonight's was yet another example. I don't know if he needs a break, or a cuddle, or a kick up the backside, but whatever it is our management team need to sort him out asap. Jack once again though shows what a class player he has become. I'm sure there are 3 Ryan jacks on the pitch sometimes. He just seems to be just where we need him at the right times. I'd have taken 1-0 before the game, as would most of us so that's a great result and sets us up for an important weekend - again.

Little boost for the coefficient too.

That was a mammoth performance tonight. Yes, our attacking play, especially 2md half, wasn't that great but the players battled their way through the game and must've been exhausted at the end. At one point around the 91st minute, Morelos was bent over in their penalty box with his hands on his knees. Special mentions to Helander and Barisic. Both were fantastic, as was Jack and Morleos. Lots to learn from and improve on but the players put in a huge effort tonight. Another performance like that, intensity wise, on Sunday and we'll run over the top of St Johnstone.

I thought Arfield was excellent tonight, he put in an excellent shift and was very unlucky when his shot hit the bar in the 1st half. In fact I thought Jack, who was also excellent, should have at least hit the target late 2nd half when he ballooned the ball over the bar.

I said in my match preview that Allan McGregor would be important and that proved to be the case with possibly his busiest game of the season. Pleased with Helander and Barisic as well who came into the team and showed their quality. Job done!!!

Great result, this could actually set us on another wee winning run. Well deserved but again we never took our chances.

He was given 18 months to live when diagnosed and hung on for 6 years. Read he feared his daughter who was only 2 at the time would have no memory of him. Fought like the scrapper he was to give her something.

One thing I wish is that goalkeepers had less time on the ball and had to take a goal-kick within a certain time. sometimes more than a minute is lost. Cut 6 seconds to 4 seconds and start actually giving free-kicks for holding the ball too long.

Interview on Dutch TV. Went to the Feyenoord supporters and was screamed extremities and given the middle finger. Since then his family have been threatened via social media. He pleaded emotionally that the fans should look to him with their anger but leave his family alone. He is the boo boy due to Barisic beating him to the ball at the Rangers goal.

You’ve got me in stitches

Sofa so good...

Jack for me, he was immense, not good enough for Scotland but is for Rangers. Morelos was brilliant leading the line tonight, just never had his shooting boots on and was a wee bit sloppy in his ball retention/passing. Arfield was a warrior tonight and was very unlucky when he hit the bar/post, he kept grafting all night.

As usual there are a few contenders. Allan McGregor made several solid stops - nothing spectacular but important saves nonetheless. The central defence played well and Felip Helander showed his experience time after time and Katic wasn't really missed (other than I felt we lacked a wee bit of pace around the back). In midfield I thought Jack stood out again whilst Davis was effective before possibly tiring a wee bit late on. Up front, Morelos was again immense at leading the line but arguably wasteful and his finishing not as reliable as it usually is. I'll go for Jack once more who is such an important player in these kind of games.

Well I thought we were superb back to front

Just for the Dutch commentator. A penalty doesn't have to be deliberate these days. If your hand is in an unnatural position it is a penalty. I think we can agree holding the Rangers players head was pretty unnatural.

We are a great team when we are setting the high tempo high press game, we are not good enough to sit back too often, same tempo as the 2nd half and we will score more goals

How could anything else even claim to be close.

Great 1st half from Ranger, should be 3-0 up, we need to keep the tempo up as there are more goals for us in this match. Fantastic strike by Ojo, SCREAMER! was going mental when he never scored another, I was screaming how the fuck did you miss that! however it was an excellent block on the line from their player right at the post, still should be scoring though but forgiven when I seen the replay. I just really hope we keep up the tempo. The fans have been magnificent.

My, my ... hope all these glorious chances that we missed don`t bite us later on. This game clearly shows what sort of quality players we have, if they not have to run down Scottish duns and brochs and walls ...

I really don’t rate OJO BD?

no consideration for nostalgia? You used to go there to see Sidney Devine back in the day, did you not?

Did Rangers go into administration? Most people would say yes to that because the company went into administration. Would you say to someone who says it that they are spouting "stereotypical rubbish"? If Rangers get a bank loan do you differentiate between the club and the company? When Rangers' accounts are produced, is it wrong to say that, or do you differentiate between Rangers the club and Rangers the company? The company went into liquidation. It's part of our history, but it factually happened. If you want to start differentiating between the club and the company because it suits the narrative then fine but it's not unreasonable for others to do so and it's not "stereotypical rubbish". It/we went into liquidation but that's all. it didn't mean the end of it or that we're a new club. We were still a club before 1899 when oldco was formed and we're still the same club after oldco went into liquidation and it doesn't take away from the fact that Rangers went into liquidation.

He's been training so I'd be surprised if he didn't start.

Perhaps we should surprise Feyenoord and start with Defoe and Morelos up front ... would probably be regarded as a revolutionary idea though ...

As of Tuesday ... ID 10 a.k.a. Stevie_4lads I would assume that if he's fit, Jack will play. Kamara or King are the options ... the Finn had a bit of a sub-standard start to our campaign, while King remains an unknown property to this Bear. You do wonder who will make up the central attacking midfield, Arfield or Aribo ... or whether we'll actually see Arfield, Aribo and Ojo line up behind Morelos (or, IMHO less likely, Defoe).

Forsyth should be ashamed of himself after that.

The battle of Beverwijk. About 100 strong each Ajax and Feyenoord supporters fought with knives, axes, hammers in a field by Beverwijk. The Feyenoord supporters managed to close a group of Ajax supporters in by out flanking the Ajax supporters. Most of the Ajax supporters ran for their lives leaving a few diehards who fought to the end. Carlo Picornie an Ajax hooligan leader was hit with a hammer 3 times and stabbed in the back which punctured his lung. The Police knew it it was on but not the exact place so they turned up late. The ordinary cops could only look on until the riot police arrived. While I did check up on the guy's name it is a well known happening and I knew the story well.

Thanks to @Gizmo231 for putting together a succinct, but well-written, obituary on behalf of the site. https://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/news-category/current-affairs/1063-fernando-ricksen-1976-2019

BBC Scotland and the Daily Record are both equally disgusting as each other for what they have printed/said today. A matter of hours after Ricksen passed away they're publishing that shit? Disgusting scumbags.

And some people still think that the BBC is a relationship we should be working on? They are disgusting scum. I can't believe they think this is appropriate today. Just when you think they can't stoop any lower they come up with this. The BBC up here is a cancer we can do without.

It was being run relatively successfully under Ian Armstrong and Sylvia but when Armstrong 'left', the new guy just wasn't as good at getting a crowd in and I think people's tastes were changing and the use of the club fell away.