CammyF

Are we really though? What are you basing this on? Wins against Kilmarnock and Ross County? I think the difference is that the manager changed his formation. Will he be brave enough to stick with this formation against Celtic? Only time will tell. If he gets it wrong, I'd suggest he won't last until Christmas (and rightly so).

I said we can win the game, I just don't think we will. That's not doomsday (point out my doomsday predictions please, or have you just made that up), or surrender monkeyness it's reality. If Celtic turn up on Sunday (as they usually do) they'll win 9 times out of 10. Answer me these questions ; 1. When was the last time we kept a clean sheet against them? 2. When was the last time we beat them? 3. Which team has the better players? 4. Which team has scored more goals this season? 5. Which team has goal threat right through their team? 6. Which team is better coached? 7. What gives you confidence that we, and I quote you, have a realistic chance of winning on Sunday? 8. If you were a betting man, who would you back to win the game? We need a lot of things to go our way on Sunday if we're going to win the game. But as recent form and recent OF games show, Celtic are firm favourites and firm favourites for a reason. Glad to hear that surrending the title before a ball is kicked is realism but accepting that Celtic are better than us at the moment and are favourites to win the cup is being a surrender monkey.

What doesn't make sense? You claimed those predicting a Rangers loss on Sunday are surrender monkies in the same post where you admitted surrendering the league before the start of the season. So are you one of these surrender monkies? You've also spent months telling us that Rangers fans are impatient and unrealistic, yet when they are realistic about our chances on Sunday, they're suddenly surrender monkies. Make your mind up. It's you that's not making much sense here.

Hahaha - surrender monkies - you surrendered the league before a ball was kicked. We don't have a reasonable chance on Sunday. We do have a chance but if Celtic turn up, they win. That's not surrendering, it's just the reality of where we are as a team. After all, your the one who bangs on about being realistic.

But the replacement for Tav is arguably as inconsistent as Tav and doesn't carry a threat. We will have to score to win on Sunday, when was our last clean sheet in an OF game? They will score, so we'll need to score at least 2 goals to win. As for Dessers, he has 34 goals and 13 assists from the equivalent of 55 games. A goal every 146 mins and a goal involvement every 105 mins. That's our main goal threat right there. The issue we have is they have consistent goal threat right through their team we don't so we are over reliant on 2 or 3 players.

But we'll have to score goals to win the game. As I said it's a conundrum. Tav creates and scores, that is undeniable. However, he gets exposed defensively against Celtic (he's not the only one by the way). Sterling is the only option to replace Tav. He has struggled with injuries and consistency this season (and last if we're honest with ourselves). Cerny has done well recently as have Danilo and Igamane but in my opinion, currently, our best option for goals and assists are Tav and Dessers. Doesn't mean both or either will play on Sunday but Clement needs to find a ballance of defensive stability and attacking threat to give us the best change of winning on Sunday. Not picking your best (IMO) attacking options is a gamble especially when the result could determine if he's still the manager when Santa comes calling.

Dessers and Tav have also scored 2 in 2. Dessers is our top scorer and has scored more goals this season than any of Celtic's front 3. IIRC he is our only player who's scored in every competition this season (as he did last season). Tav has historically been our best offensive threat both scoring and assisting and has came onto a game in last few weeks. He also scored the winner in last seasons final. Sterling has struggled for fitness and consistency and offers nothing going forward. I'll stick to my opinion that they are our most consistent goal threat and along with Souttar only players to have netted against Celtic (playing for Rangers) that are likely to feature on Sunday. Said above, can't see Dessers starting but think Tav might.

But by doing that, we are not starting our 2 main goal threats in a cup final. That's a gamble for any manager, especially one under pressure from the fans. For what it's worth, I think he might start Tav but won't start Dessers. For me the critical area is midfield so Hagi will probably drop to tbe bench and we'll start with 3 in midfield.

That's the conundrum. We have to score goals to beat them. Dessers is our top scorer and outscores their front 3 (if I have my stats right). Tav has now scored 2 from 2 as well as having 3 or 4 assists. We replace Tav with Sterling who (arguably) is better defensively but offers nothing going forward. Danilo and Igamane have both started to contribute but are untested against them (that could be a positive or a negative). Also, I think the only players in our squad who'll likely feature on Suanday to have scored against Celtic (for Rangers) are Souttar, Dessers and Tav.

I really wish I could see a way for us to win this game, but I can't. Said previously I can't stomach yet another defeat / meek surrender but that's what I'm fearing / expecting.

Obviously you can't.

If only it was that simple. As well as taking our chances, we must negate their forward threats, remain vigilant at set-pieces and not allow them time and space in midfield. Whilst we've improved in recent weeks, the DUFC game is a reminder of how poor we can be. As I said my heart says we can beat them, but head tells me otherwise.

Like Scottish referees, another honest mistake 😉😀

Quite simple to check rather than deliberately misquoting.

AGAIN NOT WHAT I SAID - STOP DELIBERATELY MISQUOTING ME

Nope, never said that. I think it's unrealistic to expect Rangers NOT to be challenging for titles and trophies. If others think otherwise, fine but it's a demand and expectation that the players and manager need to understand.

Whilst I thought it was a decent enough team performance, nobody really stuck out for me. Credit to the 3 goal scorers and Butland for a great instinctive save at 2-0. Gone for Butland for that save as if they had scored then, the complexion of the game changes.

Away from home so will be travelling Wednesday one would expect.

For the final time, it doesn't matter who I have any list. If it's unrealistic to expect to challenge in the SPL and win trophies, you shouldn't be supporting Rangers.

Doesn't matter who's on my list though does it? We lose on Sunday and Clement is done.

But by beating the rest, you remain competitive and have momentum, confidence, belief and cohesion going into OF games which gives you an opportunity.

Who ever we go for has to understand Scottish football (that's not saying I want McInnes). I've said previously, if we beat the "rest" on a regular basis, we remaining in touching distance of them. Then if we get our act together in OF games, we have a chance of competing. As it stands, we can't do either.

I just can't see how we can. My heart says yes, but my head says their better than us all over the pitch, especially in the forward areas If they score first, we are in for a long, long afternoon.

That's why we've brought in a new CEO and looking (still) for a new Chairperson.

Yeah I get that, but we are in a decent place in EL. Sunday is far more important. I for one can't stomach another defeat against them especially in a cup final.