Tannochsidebear

Zonal defence is an abhorrance. Anytime we have come up against an opponent with zonal marking over the last few years I feel we can score from set plays. The same is true when we defend, its like a penalty to the opponent. It seems to have been dreamed up by the Playstation generation, (or even Subbuteo for older bears!) where we just plop defenders into zones and ask them to win the ball if it comes into their zone. The issue is that we only have one proper tall defensive player in Goldson, who hides when a cross comes in and couldn't outjump a midget from a standing start. Go back and watch our defending at corners this season and see how many come into Goldsons "zone" and he is caught under the ball. He clearly doesnt feel comfortable in that system, and it should have been binned after one or two games when it is blatantly obvious that we dont have the players to play it. Mark your man, win your battle, with players on the posts just in case. Simple.

Bheasts 1 Bears 2 fgs Colak

That is absolutely fair enough, it just looks like a complete waste of cash to this observer from the other end of the ground when you see what they come up with time after time for huge sums of money. But if they are happy with it thats nice for them. Now if only they would actually put their feckin flags down during the action so anyone unlucky enough to be within several rows of them can see the game instead of the back of a UB flag that would be wonderful. Not that it matters to most of them as from my experience they rarely watch much of the game anyway.

Arfield easily, closely followed by Davis. I wouldnt have given either a new deal, but they have both contributed this season when called upon.

Job done, through to the next round which is what it is all about. The fact we made 11 changes, resting every one of our starting 11 for the OF game, was an added bonus. I have long since given up on thinking games like last night will be entertaining or enlightening, they just never are, so I prefer to focus on getting a glimpse of the young guns getting some competitive action, and I thought most of them did pretty well without looking outstanding. Perhaps this is why we have such a bloated first team squad, the next level down is a very long way down? Unfair on any of the young ones to judge on one game, so I hope they all got to take something out the game to push onwards and upwards to see where they need to get to. Of more concern is the performances of the ones who are a big part of our first team squad, on big wages, who didn't look out of place in a game against 3rd tier opposition. Time to move Sakala on for definite, and Matondo had a stinker but I think is a better player than on show last night. I exclude Davis and Arfield from that comment as they both performed well. As for our £3.4M left back, I think he looks completely lost most of the time, but what an absolutely sublime touch he showed to set up the second goal. I could watch that all day, beautiful, and that is more like the player our scouts must have been thinking we were buying. Clearly going to be in the "takes time to settle" category. Ross County at ibrox next round please!

So glad I gave up funding them a few months ago. What a waste of supporters hard-earned, although as I am no longer a contributor it is nothing to do with me. Also, the sentence above I have put in bold is utter tosh. They are mostly a complete waste of money and add nothing to the atmosphere. In faact it could be argued it takes away from the atmospehere as some fans stop singing to get their phones out and take photos of the display. It is nothing more than chest-thumping from a very small section of the support. Thinking about it, these two groups are pretty much made for each other. Both believe themselves to be more important and influential than they are, and both waste fans cash on extravagant nonsense.

Rangers 4 queens 0 fgs Sakala

Just 2 or 3 days left in this window now. Are we thinking Alfie will be away after his falling out with Gio? Will we get rid of any of the surplus to requirements players (Katic, Helander, Sakala to name but 3). I dont really see any new additions that go straight into our starting 11, although we could certainly do with improving a couple of positions. Perhaps some more squad rotation players if we can clear a space (wage) for them. I dont believe any speculation I see until I see the player in a Rangers top on the official site, but what are we thinking guys?

The non-stop money grab from our club these days would give David Murray a red neck. £150-£180 for season ticket holders is obscene. It looks like the "journey" has just brought us back to what we had before, give us your cash, sit down, shut up, and dont expect us to say thanks. For all the money raised in the last 12 months you would think a little humility and a reduced price as a thanks for our loyal support over the last decade especially wouldn't have been beyond them. Not that long ago we all paid around £500 to watch a full season on a dodgy RTV internet feed. Now waiting on CTM Sport offering a first class price for a 3rd class service to go to Holland. After their two previous failed attempts at extortion (£700 for Belgium and £675 to Eindhoven) what price for Amsterdam, one of the worlds biggest and cheapest airports to fly into?

Rangers 4 County 0 fgs Colak

Very unusual to have the same opponent in first and last game. It was always 1&5, 2&6, 3&4. Still we can dream that we still have a chance of 3rd place going into the last game at home, that for me would be a fantastic achievement and I’d take it just now.

Well where to start with that! Absolutely incredible. I was pretty sure we were going to come up short, as I could not see our defence and our god-awful zonal defending from corners (feels like conceding penalties) keeping them out. And although Goldson gift-wrapped them at least 3 very good first half chances, they fluffed their finishes and we escaped that very difficult last 10 mins before halftime. Second half was tremendous, and as soon as we scored they were broken. It still required excellent game management, good defending (if only Goldson could defend like he did for the last half hour for a full game every week) and that 5-6 minute period in the 80-90 min timescale where we pinned them into their own corner was an absolute joy to watch. A stunning performance from young Sands, reminding me a bit of his fellow American Bocanegra, showing you dont have to be the tallest or strongest to be a bloody good defender. Take a bow young man. In these coin flip games it usually comes down to a piece of brilliance or a mistake, and thankfully we made them pay from their one mistake, whereas they let us off the hook when we made ours. There really are some groups of death to be unveiled tonight given the pots. I hope our fortune continues and we get a group we can at least have some hope of 3rd place in, and I wish the very worst of fortunes to those who cheated their way into these group stages.

PSV 1 Rangers 2 fgs Colak

Hibs 1 Rangers 2 fgs Tav

I can see what your saying but would, say, a Gough/Weir have been cowering down at the first goal or have gone and made sure he won it? A fair point on the second, why o why does any side play zonal defence? Anytime I see a zonal defence in our opponents I know we will have chances to score from corners, and that takes into account just how bad we are at corners! I know I give Goldson a hard time but it seems every soft goal we concede he is right at the heart of the error, plus his very slow distribution, poor positioning etc. I can’t not see it now!

Havent had a chance to comment on the game yet, but I thought the first half was one of the bests halves of football I have witnessed for a long time. Both teas playing at a pace and intensity you just dont see very often, with skillful players on show on both sides. Really enjoyed it apart from being so nervous and us conceding a really poor goal, thought we deserved to be in front at HT. Second half our legs went after the first half exertions, and Gio, who got it spot on tactically (zonal defence apart) which RVN admitted, couldnt change when we saw PSV changed their approach in the 2nd half, and as a consequence PSV were certainly the better side in the 2nd half. Our subs were not right, we needed legs and we bring on Kamara to stroll around, when it should have been Arfield and Alfie should certainly have had the last 10 mins or so as Colak tired after a great shift. Anyone else want to see them together, I think the two styles would lead to tons of goals? Ok, the elephant in the room continues to be Goldson. Both goals are his fault, no doubt about it. The first goal he actually ducks down, a feeble header right into the danger zone then turns away on the net-bound shot. This despite him not having a man to mark (awful zonal system to blame for that). The second he gets outjumped by a midfielder. H simply MUST win those headers, or do enough to ensure it is not a goal-bound effort. I will say that i agree this system dictates that others must be blocking off these runs to add some protection, and they failed also, but he is our main centre half and is positioned accordingly at the most dangerous zone and it is his job to ensure that if the ball comes into his zone, he wins it. He failed. Again. Sick of it but he aint going anywhere or ever getting injured or dropped so I am left with hoping he can improve, and that his mistakes go unpunished.

One Goldson error or Ramsay penalty away from Tav overtaking Greig as greatest Ranger? Statue at least!

Ranger 2 PSV 1 fgs Tav

2 assists for Matondo and a good performance all round gets the nod from me. Didn’t think there was an obvious standout again, Borna, Lundstrum, Tillman, Colak all had good games also.

Rangers 3 St Johnstone 0 fgs Colak

Really difficult one, don’t think anyone stood out over the 90 mins, Lundstrum Lawrence Tillman all good for parts of the game but were MIA for other parts so for me the much maligned Borna put in some shift last night, especially with Kent clearly not fit and offering the usual out balls for him. Put in the crosses for 1st and 3rd goals as well.

He just doesn’t look like a goal threat, seems a lovely lad but for £3M cheerio thanks and good luck. ps can you take Roofe with you?

What position would you spend it on (or even some of it as we definitely wont spend it all) as your first priority?

This humble pie is absolutely delicious, I just didn’t see that as being possible with how we’ve started the season but we made the bang average Belgians look, well, bang average. We took some of our chances and got away with our sloppy defensive errors and giving the ball away in dangerous areas this time, but will need to be a lot sharper to get through the next round, especially with the first leg at home. But anyway, just going to enjoy soaking this one up, the unexpected victories taste all the sweeter!

Rangers 2 USG 0 fgs Tav