match thread (image) [FT] BSC Young Boys 2 - 1 Rangers (Morelos 44)

[Briton 314]

37 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

IMHO, and I reckon not many will echo that, our main target in Europe was achieved by reaching the Group stage and the set amount of financial gains that comes with it. Any point is a bonus, every win or draw will add to our stature - no doubt. Why that point of view? Because UEFA has messed up the European competitions and any level and decent competition goes out of the window, as all is geared for money ... and primarily money for the "big" nations like Germany, France, England, Spain and Italy, where mid-table teams enter the EL at later stages and 1-3 or 4 enter the "Champions" League at later stages too, while the "also-rans" have to qualify for the money-spinning stuff somewhere in midseason.

 

As probably any other Bear. I live by the motto Sir Walter gave a decade or so ago: "Rangers have never gone into any game with any other objective than winning it."

 

Yet, the reality in the here and now is that Europe is a fine bonus, but national silverware is more important. From that perspective, we did not only lose the game, but also Ryan Jack, who has been in the running for every MotM for months. Hopefully it ain't that bad.

 

 

As for the game, my biggest point of bother - as with quite a few games before - is the unwillingness to change things (WHAT a surprise was Stewart's inclusion last Sunday and what an impact he had!). MW still gets it into the neck with his Plan A sentence, yet time and again we go the very same route (and did so last season, BTW) and oftentimes FAIL to do Plan A better. Two names pop up here and essentially all about them has been said: Ojo and Tavernier. And here, right now, one has to say the bucket stops with SG.

The target changed once we got to the group stages; now it is to qualify for the knock-out stage.  If we achieve that, and we still can, the target will change to progressing to the next round.

 

BTW...Stewart was pants when he came on.  Several bad passes, running into opponents when there was a simple option, and being unnecessarily offside when we had a good opening.  

[der Berliner 3,744]

1 hour ago, Briton said:

The target changed once we got to the group stages; now it is to qualify for the knock-out stage.  If we achieve that, and we still can, the target will change to progressing to the next round.

 

BTW...Stewart was pants when he came on.  Several bad passes, running into opponents when there was a simple option, and being unnecessarily offside when we had a good opening.  

Ahem ... no. Correct with the offside, but he was far more direct than Ojo, who ran all over the park and did exactly what you described for Stewart, but for 90 mins ...

 

But all about opinions. 

[Bill 13,717]

Domestic competition is far more important to us than the Europa League. I just hope the injury to Ryan Jack doesn't end up costing us where it really matters.

[ian1964 10,723]

6 hours ago, Rousseau said:

Going forward, I think Kent will replace Ojo in the team. We're almost 'forced' to play him at the moment. 

 

Jones is still missing too -- which completely slipped my mind until now. 

 

 

I think Ojo is more effective playing on the right, which is where I expect him to play when Kent is back. You also add Murphy to the list of LW type

[rbr 1,256]

We played ok last night , the fact Young boys tried to play at a higher tempo than they usually do is testimony to how they rated us , first half was very patchy , second half was unfortunate , yes Tav was to blame for the first , however the ref made several really pooor decisions , definite sending off and penalty , as for the winner Tav slipped end off , it was happening to all the players all night , these things happen but some of the drivel I’ve read is as per usual way way way over the top .

[T-1000 174]

2 minutes ago, rbr said:

We played ok last night , the fact Young boys tried to play at a higher tempo than they usually do is testimony to how they rated us , first half was very patchy , second half was unfortunate , yes Tav was to blame for the first , however the ref made several really pooor decisions , definite sending off and penalty , as for the winner Tav slipped end off , it was happening to all the players all night , these things happen but some of the drivel I’ve read is as per usual way way way over the top .

Not defending Tav but there was an element of back luck with the first goal we conceded.  Yes, Tav should have been quicker and kicked for touch, instead he cannoned it off the Young Boys player and the ball goes behind Tav and ends up at the feet of the Young Boys player who then crosses it for the goal.

[ian1964 10,723]

2 minutes ago, T-1000 said:

Not defending Tav but there was an element of back luck with the first goal we conceded.  Yes, Tav should have been quicker and kicked for touch, instead he cannoned it off the Young Boys player and the ball goes behind Tav and ends up at the feet of the Young Boys player who then crosses it for the goal.

And could be argued Goldson failed to cut out the cross & Helander failed to get a foot on it as well?

[JFK-1 1,693]

4 hours ago, der Berliner said:

IMHO, and I reckon not many will echo that, our main target in Europe was achieved by reaching the Group stage and the set amount of financial gains that comes with it.

That's been my view of it since we qualified and still is. Would anyone given a choice really prefer this happened at any ground in the league or in this game?

 

I will take a league win anywhere rather than a win in this group. That's what get's us a chance at CL groups where there is as much money on offer in a single year as we could earn across 4 years in the EL groups.

And I still think we can qualify from the group but if that doesn't happen it's not a big deal.  Losing at St Mirren, Motherwell etc would be a big deal but this isn't.

[craig 5,199]

5 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

That's been my view of it since we qualified and still is. Would anyone given a choice really prefer this happened at any ground in the league or in this game?

 

I will take a league win anywhere rather than a win in this group. That's what get's us a chance at CL groups where there is as much money on offer in a single year as we could earn across 4 years in the EL groups.

And I still think we can qualify from the group but if that doesn't happen it's not a big deal.  Losing at St Mirren, Motherwell etc would be a big deal but this isn't.

Winning the league doesn't only give us a chance at the CL groups.  It guarantees that Celtic will NOT get that same chance, which will result in cost cutting again from them.

[ian1964 10,723]