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Rangers' International Round Up

Super_Ally

By Super_Ally
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Super_Ally

Super_Ally 0

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It was a mixed bag of results for the bears away on international duty this weekend. The senior players in the dark blue of Scotland, Ferguson and McGregor making the starting XI, suffered a disappointing if not entirely unexpected defeat at the hands of the resurgent Dutch. More on the National team elsewhere.

 

There was, however, better news for the youngsters of the under 21 squad. Rory Loy and John Fleck as substitutes, along with Andrew Shinnie, contributed to a 1-0 away victory as they defeated their Albanian counterparts to secure a vital 3 points in their opening u21 Championship Qualifier. The youngsters will be looking for a similar result when they complete the second part of a double header against Albania at the Falkirk stadium in an early kick off on Wednesday. Saturday�s match will have passed by largely unnoticed, with the majority engrossed in the full national team�s match with the Oranje superstars. However it was a big afternoon for Fleck, making his bow at this level when he came on as a late substitute and he will be looking to add to his caps at this level on Wednesday.

 

Another Rangers youngster enjoyed an even bigger occasion on Saturday. With the Northern Ireland squad depleted through injuries and suspensions, Rangers youngster Andy Little received a call up to the national squad despite never having played in the Rangers First team. Little again appeared as a late substitute as the Northern Ireland secured a valuable 3-2 victory over a Poland side inspired by the calamitous Artur Boruc.

 

Most of the people reading this will be familiar with Scottish football and the Boruc blunders that are so regularly you can set your watch by them. So it was no surprise to see him coming charging out of his goal and getting nowhere near a cross allowing Feeney to nod into the gaping goal. Worse was to come for the bungling Pole as a 30 yard backpass managed to evade the outrushing keeper and trundled into the back of his net sealing defeat for Poland. Yet another inept performance has seen the struggling keeper dropped for a clash against the mighty San Marino. A real vote of no confidence in the (donâ��t snigger) �£10 million rated keeper.

 

Up next for Northern Ireland is another home tie against Slovenia. Nigel Worthington will be looking for his troops to collect another three points and reach his target of 6 from 6 this international week. Their hopes will be boosted by the returning Steven Davis, absent against Poland through Injury. The Ulsterman will be looking to put in a good display ahead of the title run in with Rangers, whilst Little may find it more difficult to add to his caps this time out.

 

Perhaps the best news from Saturday�s World Cup Qualifiers came from Africa. Despite only managing a goal-less stalemate with Rwanda, Walter Smith will be pleased that Madjid Bougherra came through the match unscathed. Having been missing in recent weeks due to a bit of a freak injury, the Rangers backline has look far from his stingy best and POTY front-runner Bougherra will be essential to maintaining the title push. Algeria are not in action Wednesday night so I expect to see Madjid back marshalling the defence at Falkirk this weekend.

 

Damarcus Beasley, recently returned to the Rangers first team with an improved display in the disappointing draw with Hearts, played the full 90-minutes as the USA came from 2 down to draw in El Salvador and ensure their qualification campaign remained on track. Maurice Edu, with appearances hard to come by in his debut season in the SPL, will have been pleased to get a late run out for the national team and will look to build on that over the remainder of the season.

 

Wednesday�s Hampden tie with Iceland is a huge fixture for George Burley if we are to secure second spot behind the Dutch and give ourselves a chance of a ply off spot. Further slip up such as Macedonia away and Norway at home cannot be tolerated if we are to have any chance of success. Keep an eye on this site for fuller analysis of the upcoming match.

 

With many of our key performers in action again this week; Ferguson, McGregor with Scotland and Davis with Northern Ireland, Walter Smith, Ally McCoist, and Kenny McDowall will be hoping they come through these games unscathed. Lafferty is already sidelined for the rest of the season and the coaching staff will not want to see the squad further depleted.

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Super_Ally

Super_Ally 0

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Couple of pointers, Davis was suspended and you forgot to mention a third Rangers player playing for Scotland. Someone who when put clean in on goal failed to even get a shot away!!

 

Perhaps it was intentional and if so, even better!

 

I realised when I wrote the Scotland preview/review, after this one, that I'd neglected to mention Miller here, in the round-up. :o Was not intentional. Whilst I wish he wasn't here, he is. :devil: I just plain forgot somehow.

 

I did mention Steven Davis.

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