buster.

Groin injury Must have been that boot in the haw maws yesterday

I get the feeling our central defenders need some training ground drilling before they'll be at all comfortable playing the system. I look at McAuley and wonder if he could be an experienced head within the three. I don't know if he's played the system much in his career or indeed, how he's shaping up in training. Tav and Barisic were born to play the 3-5-2 and I still think a Lafferty/Morelos would create havoc with decent supply.

The International break is perhaps an opportunity to deeply drill the team into being able to effectively use a 3-5-2 of occasion.

He's let several go already. Mexican pundits talked of a chance to re-establish himself when he first came to Scotland (saw a clip on FF) Wasn't long and they would have been on the 'last chance' narrative when he went back to Mexico on loan, then the team he was on loan to, lent him to another, where he's now been sent back to Glasgow from. If I were a bookie, I'd give you very generous odds if you think he'll turn it round now.

When we were keeping things tight at the back in earlier European away games, I think our approach was different. We tended to camp in, park a bus or two when necessary and concentrate on a clean sheet. (Quality obviously comes into to it and Group Stage opponents will have more but....) Last night (didn't see it all ) but by all accounts we were much more ambitious wrt scoring goals and were prepared to go toe to toe. We aren't yet good enough to go for have your cake and eat it tactics at this level. In other words, we can't expect an Iron Curtain at the back and free flowing attacking football.

Much better squads than this one have started groups well and fell away (plus we still have a chance). I saw very little of the game last night but a couple of positives - Middleton can take a corner (we have been lacking the hard whipped ball in) and it was his delivery that forced the first goal. - Candeias is very capable of magic moments from his backheeled assist against Rapid to last nights incredible touch to set himself up for an excellent finish and suggest that he is at least capable of intending to score goala like he did at St.Mirren.

Moscow seems to have something in the air. Villareal led twice and couldn't win (FT:3-3) Looks like we need 4 points from the two remaining games to qualify. As it stands, odds against unless we can put together a couple of complete performances.

Jim Torbett victims' lawyer has 'evidence' Celtic knew about child abuse before the 90s ............Patrick McGuire, whose Glasgow firm are representing 10 former Celtic Boys’ Club players, questioned Celtic FC’s claims about when they learned of the allegations. He said: “When was it that Celtic Football Club knew, or ought to have known, about what was going on and when should that club have taken action? Was it in the 90s? I have evidence to the contrary.”............ https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/solicitor-jim-torbett-victims-evidence-13559823

Sometimes you see what you want to see. I opened Rangers Chat this morning and read the name of this thread as..... Carlos Pena retiring with immediate effect. Took me about 2 seconds to focus properly and realise nothing had changed

If this guy is genuine and can get his voice heard, alongside a potential legal action being brought against CFC you have a developing story of real significance. Unfortunately, the wheels of justice tend to be very slow and the guy making this tweet already knows of the difficulty of this type of angle against CFC being properly covered by the mainstream media.

For the record....... European Sportsound podcast (2 Scottish clubs playing)................duration 53 minutes One match received approximately 40 minutes of content, the other got approximately 5 minutes. I'll leave you to guess which match got what. The other 8 minutes covered other things, including our statement about Collum. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06r6wt8

Said prior to KO that there is too much chopping and changing with the central defence and those midfielders in front of them. Is there physical issues with some of the players ? Is Jack at less than 100% and unable to play 2 games a week at the moment ? Is it because of a rotation policy ? Is it an obligation/policy wrt giving loan players gametime ? Is it that the manager picks his players thinking about individual games ? Is it a combination of the above ? ---------------- Over the years, I've seen that consistency of positive results often runs parallel to consistency of selection. It's impossible to play the same XI twice a week, for weeks on end but I think it's better to try and get as close to it as possible in certain areas of the pitch. We are about to go on another International break and when the action resumes we'll be going into a month or so of an extremely heavy glut of difficult fixtures that will go a long way to shaping this season. It will be a real drain on the squad and rotation will definately come into play but I'd like to see a settled central defence with Jack playing in front of them in as near to all the games, as possible.

Well said Rab ! #Patience&Realism

# Team MP W D L F A D P Last 5 H2H 1 Villarreal 4 1 3 0 10 5 +5 6 DWDD 2 Spartak Moskva 4 1 2 1 7 8 -1 5 WDDL 3 Rangers 4 1 2 1 8 7 +1 5 LDWD 4 Rapid Wien 4 1 1 2 3 8 -5 4

Two managers Only one team can win

No suspension. That's his second booking in the group stage.

Last time we scored 3 away from home in the first half of a UEFA CUP/Europa League match was in.............Moscow Dynamo Moscow 1 Rangers 4, 2001 Thu 01/11/01 UEL Dinamo Moskva 1 - 4 Rangers More info Thu 06/12/01 UEL PSG 0 - 0P Rangers More info Thu 28/02/02 UEL Feyenoord 3 - 2 Rangers More info Thu 19/09/02 UEL Viktoria Žižkov 2 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 16/09/04 UEL Marítimo 1 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 21/10/04 UEL Amica 0 - 5 Rangers More info Thu 02/12/04 UEL AZ 1 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 14/09/06 UEL Molde 0 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 19/10/06 UEL Livorno 2 - 3 Rangers More info Thu 23/11/06 UEL Auxerre 2 - 2 Rangers More info Wed 14/02/07 UEL Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 - 1 Rangers More info Wed 14/03/07 UEL Osasuna 1 - 0 Rangers View events More info Thu 21/02/08 UEL Panathinaikos 1 - 1 Rangers View events More info Thu 13/03/08 UEL Werder Bremen 1 - 0 Rangers View events More info Thu 10/04/08 UEL Sporting CP 0 - 2 Rangers View events More info Thu 01/05/08 UEL Fiorentina 0 - 0P Rangers View events More info Wed 14/05/08 UEL Zenit 2 - 0 Rangers View events More info Thu 24/02/11 UEL Sporting CP 2 - 2 Rangers View events More info Thu 10/03/11 UEL PSV 0 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 18/08/11 UEL Maribor 2 - 1 Rangers View events More info Tue 04/07/17 UEL Progrès Niederkorn 2 - 0 Rangers View events More info Tue 17/07/18 UEL Shkupi 0 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 26/07/18 UEL Osijek 0 - 1 Rangers View events More info Thu 16/08/18 UEL Maribor 0 - 0 Rangers More info Thu 30/08/18 UEL Ufa 1 - 1 Rangers View events More info Thu 20/09/18 UEL Villarreal 2 - 2 Rangers

Same for me, sod's law !

As SG requested

Today's bench has a dearth of offensive options, much more than usual. Injuries to Kent and Lafferty.

Too much chopping and changing in central defence and Jack IMO although there may well be issues we don't know about. Opportunity for Middleton, let's hope he takes it !

There is an arguement to be made that we'd be better off securing a mutual deal on him leaving and having a little more cash for the wagebill. Given we couldn't do it previously, that may be wishful thinking.

It's a political narrative that they want to run even if there is no conviction wrt sectarianism. I'm pretty sure the CPS wouldn't want to go for a charge where you had to prove sectarianism was involved in the motive. They've already been burned at the same ground with the same victim on the same issue. ps. I have no view on the political part until next week (if I'm still here )