buster.

It was the management teams reaction to going down to ten men at Aberdeen that gives me confidence that they can find an effective way of getting over the the lack of a centre forward. Probably more important is keeping our general momentum flowing.

Given he's got a nose for goals (3 goals in 215 minutes), not a bad shout. SG's 10 man Rangers have already went nearly 80 minutes against Aberdeen without a centre-forward, Murphy and Windass were left up front.

It was revealing when SG said a week or two back that the more he talked about keeping discipline, the more red cards etc. seemed to come. Whilst slightly tongue in cheek, I think there was a degree of understandable frustration in that comment. Stupidity is the appropriate word and I think it's clear that Morelos isn't for learning this lesson anytime soon. It's a balance, because he can be a cracking player and the manager doesn't have many options to work with, he's pretty much got to fully back him and cross his fingers.

If that is the preferred solution, shouldn't provisional permission already have been sought prior to the draw.

With respect, those levels of paranoia help no-one.

Roddy Forsyth is no bigot and is one of the very few semi-decent journalists within Scottish fitbaw.

One positive is that we have a management team who I have confidence in to come up with the best alternative available. Another is that the sheep won't know what to expect.

Again, it's not an either or and in the real world you have to deal with reality rather than go on about injustice. Excuse Morelos, fine but you can expect more of the same reactions from both European and Scottish referees to his style of dismissive physical gestures. When I saw his reaction in Ufa, it was clear he had given the ref a decision to make and as the camera panned elsewhere, the crowd noise confirmed the inevitable. Had the rest of the team not dug in that night, the reaction to him would probably be very different now. I saw the clip of the arm gesture in front of the ref. last night and I just shook my head. Regardless of what went before, the reality of that unnecessary gesture was that we'd be without decent centre-forward options for a semi-final. I've went on about not being able to trust Morelos from prior to the Aberdeen game when I said the players needed told not to do anything stupid / react because it was the type of game that often sees a red card and the sheep players would be dangling bait. It's not important the card was rescinded, the reality was that the damage was done because he took the bait. Since then it was a stupid red in our most important match of the season thus far.....and in most games I've watched he's been very much on the edge of further action with some of his antics. Yes, he is a marked man, that's reality and if he doesn't adapt, reality is that he'll continue to cost us.

Sorry but it doesn't exuse ill-discplined stupidity when consequences for team going forward were clear. It's not about either or,.......... Madden can have a poor match and Morelos can be stupid at the sametime.

In his post-match interview Gerrard speaks of not having any other option but to play Morelos last night, so unless Sadiq git injured against Motherwell reserves/in training that wouldn't paint an optimistic picture. Prior to the semi-final we have.......... Sun 30/09/18 PRE Livingston 14 : 30 Rangers More info Thu 04/10/18 UEL Rangers 21 : 00 Rapid Wien More info Sun 07/10/18 PRE Rangers 16 : 00 Hearts More info Sun 21/10/18 PRE Hamilton Acade… 14 : 30 Rangers More info Thu 25/10/18 UEL Rangers 21 : 00 Spartak Moskva I can't see him getting many first team minutes. More like Reserve games.

But it wasn't just verbal, it was the dismissive arm gesture that made the difference. Whether in European competition or domestic, we've seen what happens. It was Stupid with a capital S. A booking within play happens, suspensions happen but the predictable nature of the Morelos booking and what the suspension means,... sticks in the craw.

I put a thread up weeks ago about this and thought the easiest way around it was....if OF both got through and were kept apart in draw, then the first semi-final out the hat plays on the Saturday. TV schedules and location issues (including finance) would surely much prefer the Saturday/Sunday split.

It was the fault of Morelos, period. 1. Goes into the game knowing a booking puts him out of semi-final (would have been made clear to him) 2. Has already had the experience of letting the team down at a crucial point of a crucial match when ball was dead via dissent, does he take on board lessons ?...In the games since then it is obvious he hasn't. 3. Ayr Utd: Ball is dead, what does he do...he openly shows dissent to the ref with a physical gesture and gives the referee an easy out and Rangers without a decent centre-forward option for the semi-final. Morelos can be a very good player but he can't be trusted and his stupidity could have cost us a EL group stage place, probably did cost us a level of energy going into the Celtic match and now will very much undermine our efforts to get the first trophy of the season. ---------- Verbally questioning decisions is quite another thing and when a group of players 'go after' the ref., they do so together knowing it more difficult for the ref to take action against an individual. ------------------------------- Pete This suspension doesn't free Morelos up for the final as all bookings are now wiped from the slate going into the semi-finals. Only suspensions carry forward. @pete

I just saw a clip and he gives it the dismissive hand gesture that a ref can take as dissent. He doesn't learn.

You simply can't trust him. For all the good he has done and that includes a hat-trick at Rugby Park, he plays the stupid Hunt and leaves us without a centre-forward for the semi-final.

What did he get booked for tonight ?

Yes, he was booked at Kilmarnock.

By my calculations, Morelos booking means we are without a decent centre forward for the semi-final......unless Sadiq suddenly comes good. Youngster, different formation ??

If booked, we will probably see the landing of Umar Sadiq at Hampden.

I'm usually fairly worried about that type of angle but this management team have given even me belief and confidence going into this evenings match.

That is basically a wind-up and today, they tend to help individuals bottom line. See Sutton for a louder example.

Naming tonights team is nearly as difficult as the old newspaper competition, 'Spot the Ball'. Arfield, Candeias and Morelos are all on a yellow card and would miss a potential semi-final if booked. Given Lafferty is cup-tied, if Morelos starts, he should be told in no uncertain terms not to attract the referees attention. Foderingham Flanagan.........Worral......Katic.........Wallace Ejaria...........Halliday Dorrans Grezda......Morelos.........Middleton Edit Just made my 8th change from Sunday to the line-up There will be few chances to be so bold so take advantage.

Why not replace the laughter with observations fae the dug ?

It would be an option that wouldn't excuse or solve the issue at hand, ie. the national and publicly financed broadcaster not fullfilling it's obligations to licence payers. Simply put, we have a right to get proportionate independent coverage and that is over and above the 'ongoing issue' stemming from McLaughlin and the withdrawal of his press privilages. It seems clear that PQ are now adopting an increasingly in your face 'f**k you' approach with decisions around recent coverage.

Thanks Lads and lass, another good listen ! Colin shouldn't give Pete any more stick for his patter after that intro that culminated in the line about trying his hand with the Mrs that night......... was met by stoney silence from Christine #ProminentClubChairman #ResearchReid