match thread (image) [FT] Rangers 4 - 0 Ayr Utd (Aberdeen v Rangers in semi-final)

[JFK-1 1,693]

Preview by 26th of foot in third post below!

 

I suppose they may as well have a go since though it might get them a real hiding no one expects anything else anyway. Back in February this year we beat them 6-1 on their own ground and it's hard to see this going any other way but something similar to that.

 

We have home advantage this time, we're playing well at home this time and have a far more formidable team this time.

 

Quote

Ayr United won't change their attacking style and will "have a go" at Rangers in their League Cup quarter-final on Wednesday, says manager Ian McCall.

 

The Honest Men will head to Ibrox in buoyant mood as Championship leaders after Saturday's 2-0 win at Alloa.

 

"Rangers are a different animal now under Steven Gerrard," said McCall.

 

"But I won't change the way my team play. I will play with two strikers and have a go at them. It will be a great experience in front of a big crowd."

 

Rangers will face one of Scotland's in-form strikers in Lawrence Shankland, whose brace against Alloa took his tally to 15 goals in 13 games this season.

 

The 22-year-old scored twice in the previous round in a 3-0 win at Dundee, who had an offer for Shankland turned down last month.

 

Gerrard's side negotiated Sunday's Premiership game against St Johnstone with some ease, three days after securing an encouraging 2-2 draw in their opening Europa League group game against Villarreal last Thursday.

 

"I don't expect European adventures to affect Rangers - they're pretty fit," McCall, who spent two years at Ibrox as a player in the late 1980s, told BBC Scotland.

 

"My worry is that my players will be tired next Saturday against Morton. At times a midweek game can take it out of players, but we will be wary of that.

 

"We have two or three boys champing at the bit to play so if we need to, we can freshen things up a touch.

 

"It will be a great experience for our players. They're all really looking forward to it and hopefully they can show how good they are."

 

McCall believes Gerrard's arrival at Rangers, with former Scotland captain Gary McAllister as his assistant, has been "great for Scotish football".

 

"I know Steven and I know Gary really well - they're building Rangers a certain way," he added.

 

"He's got so much work to do but it looks like he's the man to do it. It's a very different Rangers now. A different vibe."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45616120

[JFK-1 1,693]

I wouldn't mind winning this cup just for Stevie and the team to capture some silverware but it is a bit of a paper cup these days. I really want anyone but the yahoos to win it ending their treble treble raving right from the start.

[26th of foot 6,082]

Tomorrow evening's League Cup quarter-final against the Honest Men is an opportunity for Steven Gerrard to lay down part of a big marker. There is a similarity to Souness's first season, league draws and defeats had seen Rangers off the pace. Progress in Europe and in the then Skol Cup had fueled optimism. We were paired with Dundee at Ibrox in the last eight, the previous dozen years had seen the dark blues end our cups' involvement on three occasions. There was considerable relief to see Rangers run out 4-1 winners in front of a packed Stadium. We knew we were two games and a calendar month away from securing the first silverware of the season, and so it transpired, defeating ra Sellik 2-1 in the Hampden final on the 26th of October. It was the beginning of a quarter of a century of success.

 

Momentum is everything in football, and Ayr United are on a roll. They were crowned League one champions at the conclusion of last season's final game, and they climbed to the top of the Championship on Saturday last, after recovering from a 2-nil deficit to run-out 3-2 winners. Their top scorer is Lawrence Shankland, currently boasting 21 goals, including three hat-tricks. The centre forward began at Rangers, leaving as a teenager to join Aberdeen. He scored regularly at youth/reserve level, was loaned to a number of clubs, arriving at St Mirren where the perceived wisdom was he carried a dozen extra pounds and lacked the necessary determination to make the top grade. His arrival at Somerset Park changed everything, he became a personal trainer, lost the timber, and honed a real sharpness. There are a number of well kent faces supporting Shankland, Andy Murdoch is no stranger to the Bears, Alan Forrest notched against us in February, and Michael Moffat's intention to fund more Bookies' children through private schooling, are all deserving of a mention.

 

Their manager, Ian McCall is another former Ranger. His playing career saw him start at Fir Park, move to Queens Park, pin balled to East End Park, before arriving at Rangers for £200,000. His debur was at Sellik Park, his first touch a defensive header at an opposition corner, he hit the bar. In the next three seasons, he made 24 appearances, scored 2 goals, including a spectacular winner against Hibs. The Doonhamer resided in the city's west end and tales of his bohemian lifestyle quickly circulated. He missed a couple of training sessions and was transferred to Bradford City for the same amount involved in his arrival. A few years later, he was celebrated in song, "he's white, he's blue, he shat in Simon's shoe". Stainrod had big shoes to fill.

 

McCall's managerial career has been long and varied. Began at Clydebank when the then owners were attempting to transfer the club to a Dublin base. He moved to Airdrie, Morton, Falkirk, Dundee United, Queen of the South, Partick Thistle, before washing up at Ayr. His tenure at Tannadice saw him face Rangers in a League Cup semi-final. Barry Ferguson returned from down south that very day, he was put on as a sub', Rangers running out 7-1 victors. McCall's honesty was refreshing, "it's all my fault, at 2-1 down I decided to go kamikaze"! Bohemians from Dumfries, what are they like? The decades do not change Ian, according to today's press; he is determined to attack Rangers and stick by his preferred two up front.

 

I suspect the game will be entertaining and hopefully McCall will be walking back to Ayr in Simon's shoes. I think Gerrard will ring the changes : Foderingham, Flanagan, Goldson, Worrall, Wallace, Halliday, McCrorie, Grezda, Arfield, Middleton, and Morelos. I take the Bears to go through on the back of a 4-1 victory.

 

In 1986, a month after securing the League Cup, we sat fourth in the Premiership. We exited Europe on December 10th, and went on a 19 league match unbeaten run that brought our first title in nine years. Win this trophy and the momentum will be ours.

[pete 2,499]

Great as always mate. thanks.

[Gonzo79 15,294]

A very enjoyable preview.  My first Rangers match was a pre-season friendly vs Bayern Munich in '86, so it stands out.

 

Nothing much to add to the comments on tomorrow's game (as it's all spot on).  

 

I do hope the similarities continue (although staying in Europe longer would be nice).

[buster. 5,196]

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.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2018 by buster.

[ian1964 10,724]

Rangers match preview

September 26, 2018/in Main Slider /by commercial

Match Preview
Rangers vs. Ayr United
Betfred Cup Quarter-Final
Wednesday 26th September 2018. Kick-off 7.45pm

Tonight (Wednesday), sees Ayr United travel to Glasgow to take on Rangers in the quarter-finals of the Betfred Cup. The high flying Honest Men returned to the top of the Championship on Saturday with a 2-0 at Alloa and are the division’s last remaining representatives in the competition.

 

The clean-sheet at the Indodrill Stadium was our eighth of the season and sixth away from home in just seven games while at the opposite end of the park, Lawrence Shankland took his tally to 15 goals in 12 games, nine of them coming in the league cup.

 

Opponents:
Rangers resurrection under Steven Gerrard has seen them qualify for the group stages of the Europa League, having overcoming clubs from Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia and Russia in qualifying. Last Thursday, they held Villarreal to a credible draw in Spain, before brushing aside St. Johnstone 5-1 at Ibrox on Sunday to climb to second place in the Premiership table.

 

They have lost just once in all competitions this season, at Celtic Park at the start of the month, and only Croatians Osijek have avoided defeat in Govan.

 

The Light Blues reached this stage of the Betfred Cup with a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos scored a hat-trick against Steve Clarke’s side last month and Rangers will see the competition – which they have won more than any other side – as a great opportunity to lift their first national cup competition since 2011.

 

Morelos – who earned his first cap for the Colombian national team in an international against Venezuela last month – leads the way as Rangers top goalscorer this season with seven goals, and captain James Tavernier has weighed in with five from right-back.

Team News: Daniel Harvie comes back into the squad after suspension.

Ian says: “We are well aware of the size of tonight’s task however we have good players and we have been encouraging them to go out and show how good they are. It will be a great occasion, one for everyone to enjoy and although we know how hard it will be we are going there to try and cause them problems and win the game. We know we have goals in this team and right now they are all enjoying their football. The playing surface will be superb and our fans will make plenty of noise.”

Head to head (at Ibrox):
Ayr United wins – 2
Draws – 6
Alloa Athletic wins – 38

 

The Honest Men’s only wins at Ibrox came in 1915 and 1959.

Ayr and Rangers have met 11 times in the League Cup, most recently in the final of the competition in 2002, a match Rangers won 4-0 at Hampden Park. United’s only win came in a quarter-final second-leg tie at Somerset Park in 1953, a 3-2 win not enough to overcome the first leg deficit.

Last Meeting: The sides last met seven months ago in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup at a snowy Somerset Park. Alan Forrest put United ahead in the 11th minute after ‘keeper Wes Foderingham’s error. Alfredo Morelos equalised 20 minutes later and it was level at half-time but Graeme Murty’s side ran away with it after the hour mark, scoring five goals without reply.

 

Forrest was also on the scoresheet when the Honest Men last met at Ibrox, in April 2014. Bilel Mohsni opened the scoring in the 54th minutes before Forrest scored an equaliser in the League 1 encounter only for the Tunisian defender Mohsni to grab the winner with 8 minutes to go in the game.

Match Officials:
Referee – Bobby Madden
Assistant Referee 1 – Graham Chambers
Assistant Referee 2 – Daniel McFarlane
Fourth Official – Nick Walsh

We thank you for travelling to support the team.  Your support is vital.  However, we all need to be able to enjoy watching games in a safe and considerate environment. 

We ask that you support the players and team without resorting to unacceptable behaviour that can lead either Club or individuals facing charges.

All Scottish grounds have a searching policy as a condition of entry. 

Possessing or using any pyro device and anyone detected will be liable to prosecution and a lifetime ban from football stadiums.

 Copies of Ayr United’s Unacceptable Conduct Policy can be found on our website.  http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/unacceptable-conduct-policy/

Thank you and enjoy the game.

http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/rangers-match-preview-2/

[Bill 13,717]

I don't always read these things through to the end but that was great preview, very entertaining. ?

[compo 7,044]

It won't be an easy ninety minutes Ayr will be out to make a name for themselves. 

[der Berliner 3,744]

Methinks during the transfer window, there was talk that Shankland was at Auchehowie and having talks, with a view to a pre-contract and/or sign-and-loan-back-to-Ayr deal. Not much more was said at the time ... and we will see him in person tonight and see what he is made of.

 

You'd hope we don't take this all too easy (which won't be SG's way) and trial a new look defence.