Emirates Tournament thread

[Gers4Life 0]

if that was half arsenal side out today? id hate to think what could have happened if a full strength side had been fielded! wilshere different class for 17 years old and has he come through the arsenal academy and if so then wow!!!

[Zappa 0]

Here's the text:-

 

Lindsay Herron reports from Emirates Stadium

 

WALTER SMITH reckons today's tough test against Arsenal can prepare his side for the challenges of the Champions League.

 

Rangers were well beaten 3-0 by a slick Gunners side and Smith knows that this is the kind of level his players will face in Europe's top tournament.

 

He said: "It was a game that we knew would be a tough test and that proved to be the case."Arsenal are an exceptional team in terms of their passing and their movement and it's not only Rangers that will have problems against. I think the majority of teams will have problems against them.

 

"We missed out on Europe last year and I think this game will bring back a realisation of what we need to do when we go into the Champions League.

 

"You are hoping to get off to a good start but we lost a goal in Arsenal's first attack so we ended up chasing the game.

 

"We don't come across a team like Arsenal very often and it was a long day in the dugout.

 

"On the positive side we had a couple of chances in the second half and we were a little bit steadier in that period.

 

"Overall it was a good exercise in the sense that it gave us more game time and it was a good workout in terms if match fitness.

 

"Our two remaining fixtures against Man City and Portsmouth are going to be difficult too but we will be ready after that."

 

Meanwhile Charlie Adam is close to make a permanent switch to Blackpool after spending the second half of last season there on loan.

 

Smith said: "Adam is talking to Blackpool at the moment. The clubs have agreed a fee so it will be up to Charlie and his representatives."

[johnnyk 158]

The movement up front was superb and they could've had more TBO.

 

I was looking forward to the CL but now

[ian1964 10,720]

I never seen the gaame,again,however losing 3-0 to Arsenal can't be looked upon as a downer for the season ahead,we won't be the only team to lose 3-0 to them. As for the CL I think we all know we won't do much in that competition, it was just crucial to win the league and qualify for the CL for the money.I am looking forward to the season ahead and as long as we don't get humped in every CL game we can then get into the Europa competition and maybe have a wee run in that,but again winning the SPL is hwat is all about

[calscot 0]

I thought 3-0 was a bit flattering to Arsenal especially after that second half performance and the fact we had a perfectly good goal disallowed. I think something like 5-3 would have been a far more accurate reflection of the play.

 

But apart from the linesman we only have ourselves to blame with Naismith missing an absolute sitter that could have been put away with his eyes shut and Arsenal getting some lucky and desperate defending to keep the ball out at least another three times which would have been in the back of the net with slightly more clinical finishing. Did anyone miss Boyd today?

 

I totally agree with others that Beasley was shit as he was the only one I was effing and blinding at and I was shouting for him to be subbed after about 25 minutes. I've rarely been so pleased to see a player not appear for the second half. I was also pleased that Lafferty was subbed because he did a good turn as the invisible man.

 

Thomson showed some good bits of play but half the time he just wasn't up for it and had quite a few concentration lapses couple with what looked like laziness or at least lack of gumption about him. I remember one god awful pass in our own half when he had plenty of time that went straight to an Arsenal player but instead of trying to win it back he just left it when he could have broken up the play a couple of seconds later if only he had come back a few yards.

 

So when he was subbed I wasn't too bothered and to be honest I was actually impressed with the application from McCulloch even if he did lack even the slightest bit of finesse.

 

He may not be too bad a back up in midfield after all and Thomson could take a leaf out of his book for getting stuck in - even if it's "only" a friendly. When there's a chance of humiliation, the players for a club like Rangers backed by 10,000 fans, should start playing like it's a cup final.

 

I thought apart from the "not quite but not that far away from Van Vossen" miss, he wasn't too bad and showed some good stuff - but like most of the team, lacked that extra bit of effort and tenacity.

 

Arsenal had a monopoly on it and went that extra yard and stretch so many times, that our players looked like they were incredibly naive and that includes Boogie. Some teams don't leave you with possession without a fight for a second so you should never be complacent, a ball is never out till it crosses the line, and a ball is never won till you're about ten yards away from your rival.

 

Harsh lessons but hopefully now learned.

 

However, there were a lot of positives to take from our play which the football snobs must be especially happy about. We lost 3-0 but we played good football don't you know and their long nary a long ball to be seen - even from Weir! It's obvious the manager has told them to mostly play the ball on the deck.

 

Hopefully losing 3-0 while playing decent football won't come too often for us while playing lesser opposition - and that includes at least 2 of our CL opponents.

 

We do, however, really have to take our chances, and by god our luck with the officials has to change sometime.

 

When you take away a couple of bad mistakes by Boogie, I thought he had a great game and definitely looked like he could have got in the Arsenal team.

 

Kenny Miller also made a big difference in the second half and could play a big part for us next season.

 

Whittaker was also not bad and most the rest were passable but that's about it.

 

An embarrassing result but hopefully it will stand us in good stead.

[fraser54 0]

Spot on Cal

When you play the big teams they will punish your mistakes and you have to take your own chances.

Last season we got beat 4-0 off Liverpool at Ibrox, where a poor McGregor save let Torres in for the first then Novo missed a sitter, although we then we went onto a great season.

[Super_Ally 0]

Agree with Ian, Calscot and Fraser above.

 

Perhaps a touch critical on Thommo considering how long he;s been out. However, taken as an isolated game all comments on him are entirely merited and I know Cal wont be writing him off after today's game and it is just a comment on the 45mins displayed today.

[Norris Cole 0]

On 9 days out of 10 Naismith's sitter would find the net and the 'offside' goal would be given, so on another day that's two goals against a top European outfit. I have to say I'm pretty pleased with what I've seen so far from pre-season - we actually look like a side who want to play football, surely it won't last. The above said, you never can take much from non-competitive action.

 

As an aside, given the quality of his performances over the past two or three games it looks to me like Bougherra is playing his way towards an imminent move.

[ian1964 10,720]

On 9 days out of 10 Naismith's sitter would find the net and the 'offside' goal would be given, so on another day that's two goals against a top European outfit. I have to say I'm pretty pleased with what I've seen so far from pre-season - we actually look like a side who want to play football, surely it won't last. The above said, you never can take much from non-competitive action.

 

As an aside, given the quality of his performances over the past two or three games it looks to me like Bougherra is playing his way towards an imminent move.

 

I love positive posts , as I said I am looking forward to this season with a bit of confidence in retaining the SPL :spl:,but I have to agree with you about Bougherra,it is a big worry

[Gazza_8 233]

Outplayed by an Arsenal side who never really got out of 2nd gear. They raped us in the 1st half and took their foot off the gas at HT. They let us back into the game, we never looked like doing that ourselves.

 

It was to be expected. Arsenal are 100 times better than us so I'm not to downhearted. Infact, I'm not downhearted at all.