match thread (image) [FT] Lech Poznan 0 - 2 Rangers (Itten 31; Hagi 72)

[ian1964 10,724]

 

[Ted McMinnime 356]

Interesting Press Conference. Unusual for our manager to give much away but clearly there will be a number of changes for tomorrow's game. Zungu is a starter. Be interested in others views on what other changes there they may be? My thoughts are, could be starts for McLaughlin, Bassey, Hagi, Barker and Itten? Could he also be thinking of young Patterson at right full back? ?

Edited December 9, 2020 by Ted McMinnime
player mispelling

[Gonzo79 15,294]

Zungu, Hagi and Itten definitely need game time.

 

A win would be good though, so I'm hoping we don't see wholesale changes. 

[Tannochsidebear 2,420]

I can’t see any way Goldson & Tav don’t start, because they always do! 
 

McLaughlin,

Tav, Goldson, Balogun, Barasic (as he was rested on Sunday)

Hagi Zungu Arfield 

Itten Morelos Kent

 

That would be 4 changes from our normal side with McGregor Davis Kamara Roofe all getting ready for Tannadice but available for the bench if required. 
 

It is rumoured Poznań will not be playing a full strength side either so it should balance out.

 

For me this is as much a must win as any. The extra cash, the coefficient point, the seeding and just the prestige of topping a tough group ahead of Benfica are all huge for us and we should be doing everything in our power to ensure a victory. I would only be happy with a draw if Benfica match it.

 

Poznan were an organised but stuffy side that we should have beaten more comfortably at Ibrox and we should certainly be looking to beat them again tomorrow.

[buster. 5,200]

List of CL teams that will be in next weeks draw for the last 32 is now finalized.

 

Disregarding the seeding for a moment, I would like any of the three English teams.

Big Game / Easy Travel / Great Test 

 

 

Champions League group stage third-placed teams[edit]

Seed	Grp	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Seeding
1	H	Manchester United	6	3	0	3	15	10	+5	9	Seeded in round of 32 draw
2	F	Club Brugge	6	2	2	2	8	10	−2	8
3	B	Shakhtar Donetsk	6	2	2	2	5	12	−7	8
4	D	Ajax	6	2	1	3	7	7	0	7
5	E	Krasnodar	6	1	2	3	6	11	−5	5	Unseeded in round of 32 draw
6	A	Red Bull Salzburg	6	1	1	4	10	17	−7	4
7	G	Dynamo Kyiv	6	1	1	4	4	13	−9	4
8	C	Olympiacos	6	1	0	5	2	10	−8	3

 

Europa League group stage winners and runners-up[edit]

Group	Winners (seeded in round of 32 draw)	Runners-up (unseeded in round of 32 draw)	Qualified (position TBD)
A	Roma
B	Arsenal
C			Slavia Prague  Bayer Leverkusen
D			Rangers  Benfica
E			Granada  PSV Eindhoven
F
G			Leicester City  Braga
H			Lille  Milan
I	Villarreal
J			Tottenham Hotspur  Antwerp
K	Dinamo Zagreb
L	1899 Hoffenheim	Red Star Belgrade

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by buster.

[buster. 5,200]

7 hours ago, Tannochsidebear said:

I can’t see any way Goldson & Tav don’t start, because they always do! 
 

McLaughlin,

Tav, Goldson, Balogun, Barasic (as he was rested on Sunday)

Hagi Zungu Arfield 

Itten Morelos Kent

 

That would be 4 changes from our normal side with McGregor Davis Kamara Roofe all getting ready for Tannadice but available for the bench if required.  

I said a few days ago that Tav shoud get a night off. He's not a robot and we really need to do all we can to prevent overload/injury given his importance to our good form. 

 

The general narrative around why our form disappeared in January surrounds Dubai and Morelos but don't forget Tavernier missed games at that point as well, including the loss at Tynecastle.

 

Giving Bassey the game against Ross County suggests to me that Barisic will be back tonight and the right side (Paterson) will be more than due a 90 minute change.

 

All the other potential changes (other than Goldson, who will most probably play) are relatively regular occurances that SG&Co tend to get right.

 

[Devil's advocaat 1,541]

I'd agree buster, Man U all day long, just a shame we can't be there to see them wilt at a packed Ibrox.

[buster. 5,200]

2 minutes ago, Devil's advocaat said:

I'd agree buster, Man U all day long, just a shame we can't be there to see them wilt at a packed Ibrox.

Absolutel, although I might choose Arsenal.

 

The usual and somewhat tired Battle of Britain tag would be largely replaced by the SG against ManUtd narrative but that would be in the context of being our manager. 

 

Thinking about it, if we were to go down, play well and put one of the English teams out .... you wonder if it might hasten offers to take SG&Co down south.

 

#IfsButs_x2Many

[DMAA 3,658]

Great to hear Helander is aiming to be back for the weekend. If he had been affected by COVID I don't think he would be in contention yet so that is very good news.

 

It will be a big boost to have him back because we are in a bit of a precarious situation potentially having to ask Bassey to play there until he is. 

[DMAA 3,658]

31 minutes ago, buster. said:

The usual and somewhat tired Battle of Britain tag would be largely replaced by the SG against ManUtd narrative but that would be in the context of being our manager. 

I think that narrative would actually work against us because I think they would normally be totally complacent, but Gerrard being in the other dugout would mean they would take the game very seriously to avoid the embarrassment of losing to him.