DMAA

Phew, dodged Man Utd and AC Milan

A lot of big teams gone

Oh wow, I didn’t realise you got £500k just for participating last night, I thought that was for winning. Great news, that’s another 1.1m in the bag then.

Didn't get a chance to post after the game last night, but as I said before the game, what a time to be a Rangers fan. Love a European draw Friday. There were so many big performances last night. Totally agree with Ally McCoist and our manager that it was the best the front three have played all season. Kent and Morelos were outstanding, what a confidence boost that is for both and they have put themselves in the shop window in Europe again. Hagi's performance wasn't at that level but he still carried out an important role that is different to Kent. He was actually involved in all 3 goals scored while he was on the pitch, albeit in a secondary role. The first he applied the initial pressed which led to the inside pass, the second he made a clever interception and managed to direct the ball to Morelos, the third he was in the hole to receive the ball, turn and play a smart pass to Morelos. I thought the midfielders were very good too. At times I was just amazed that whoever had the ball I was on the edge of my seat. Kamara would get it and I'm thinking what's he going to do here, then it goes to Aribo and I'm thinking the same and so on. What a talented team we have. My only concern against better opposition is that without Jack we lack a bit of defensive discipline and aggression. Last but not least what a difference Patterson made when he came on. As much as Balogun deserved all the praise he got for last week, I'm just not a fan of a centre back playing rightback. They don't have the agility to defend against dribbling players in wide areas and you lose a lot going forward. Patterson's goal was outstanding, his run was so clever in the way he run across the back line inside before receiving it and his finish shouldn't be underrated. Many players would have just fired it at the keeper in that position and won a corner. He really does seem to have the potential to be the next Alan Hutton. Massive congratulations is due to the management and the team. Reputations are being built, player values are rising, the coffers are being filled (£500k for last night I think) and the increasingly important co-efficient is being topped up at club and national level.

Poor man’s Calvin Bassey

I don’t know how you can coach those passes out of Morelos

Very strange because it was definitely played forward. We’ll see at half time I suppose, commentators were sure he was on so must be missing something.

Balogun is looking like a centre back at right back tbh.

That’s what we get for being so wasteful. Defending is shocking again there.

Brilliant. Kent’s pressing is so good.

With Roofe and Jack out we are back to the team pretty much picking itself, at least while Arfield is still regaining fitness.

I've just had a look and Abdoulaye Seck (suspended) has played 100 minutes more than anyone else for them this season, almost never misses a game. I thought his physicality caused us some problems last week and I think he'll be a big miss for them.

Yeh I didn’t mean mathematically.

What a time to be a Rangers fan. Another European night, in a great position to progress to the last 16 of the Europa League and the league wrapped up in February. We have to enjoy this because things can change so fast in football.

The guard of honour thing is a load of nonsense. I don't expect one from them and I certainly wouldn't expect us to ever give them one.

I’ve been tipping Aribo to emerge as our best player for a long time and it hasn’t happened. He started the season brilliantly and seemed to take a very long time to get back to that level of fitness and form after 10 games out. But displays like yesterday are exactly what I was hoping to see from him, but on a consistent basis. For so long we lacked a real creative force in our midfield 3 and Aribo has almost all the attributes to carry out that role to a very high level. If he could continue to bulk up but also add a Kent-like aggression to his play and a bit of arrogance too he could be unplayable more often than not rather than on the odd occasion. On another note, it is a sign of champions that we have such variance in the man of the match polls week by week.

Don’t think anyone is saying that. He has been judged good enough to be back-up. Ideally there would be a transition period where he could get a run of games so we can see how he does. He obviously hasn’t proved himself at that level yet.

It really didn’t sound like it in the press conference though. I thought Gerrard dodged addressing the Patterson issue and indicated Balogun would play for now.

Keeper was trying to wind him up to put him off so Barisic gave him some back.

I wonder if he would get a penalty if he went down like a sack of potatoes every time someone touched him in the penalty box like that guy last night ?

That was as selfless as I have ever seen Alfie too. I used to be frustrated as his tendency to take on hopeless shots and dribbles and to be just little bit too slow playing a pass. There was none of that last night, everything was sharp and instant and he had a really good awareness of his teammates around him. Maybe it helped that he had more support.

A good few players have a very good shout. I thought Barisic was immense. His constant running provided us with an outlet which was probably our primary danger for spells in the game. He was running beyond their defence and his delivery was fantastic more often than not. Morelos, he had a great game. Involved in all the goals in some way, it was good to see him at his best and enjoying the game. His link up play was really good and I hope he carries that hunger into the domestic fixtures, especially with Roofe out. Kent, this game really suited him and he rose to the occasion with his best goal at Rangers for me. That equaliser was huge and we may have lose the game without it. I’ve given it to Kamara, partly because he didn’t have any votes. I thought he was immense. He was again providing lung busting runs from midfield which stretched the game and caused them all sorts of problems. He genuinely looks a cut above at times with his mastery of the ball and he always saves his best performances for Europe.

I’m a pragmatist and if it looks like it will damage Rangers I would give him a route back. There are other ways you can punish him. He is 19 and the first player in a very long time who like he can make the transition from academy to first team. If he achieves this he becomes an asset worth good money too whereas we would be giving away a huge bargain if we let him go now. Not a very principled opinion but that’s where I am with it.

I thought Morelos was very good bar the missed chance and a couple of bad passes, one which led to the counter attack out of nowhere which they scored from. His link up play was really good. He really seems to enjoy playing away from home in Europe. I don’t know what it is but his touch and passing are much more consistent than in some domestic games.

Seriously, he is actually saying that?