Rangers FC Thread

[Jaffa]

As long as it says Fiorentina nil then I will be happy enough.

Rangers team tonight

Alexander, Broadfoot, Cuellar, Weir, Papac, Dailly, Whittaker, Davis, Hemdani, Novo, Darcheville.

[allycoops]

would love it to be 2-0 but I think we'll concede tonight and will be lucky to get a win. 2-1 Rangers, we never do things the easy way.

Little Davis has to play his heart out tonight.

[rangers71]

a think we will struggle to score tonight guys but we do need to score cause a dont think we will over ther the itialians defence is always ther strongest part of ther game but hopefully we get a bit of luck its about time rangers or celtic got a bit a luck in europe

[rangers71]

As u know I'm not a Rangers fan, but I reckon this will be a great thread and I hope I'm allowed to make the occaisional post.

How do you all feel after Sundays match?

Pretty poor, infact it was shameful.

Opinions guys?

its good to see a celtic man like your self m8 being honest a wish every rangers and celtic fan was like that and yes feel free to post your views anytime bud
and as for sundays match we wer rotten simple as that but lets hope they get the finger out for sundays game

[spatton]

Agree, Buffel is a quality play and needs a run in the team.

I am really impressed by how Walter and Coisty have engrained that winning spirit again. will all the great young players coming throught the ranks, the prospects look great going forward. Murry Park has produced some great players!!

[allycoops]

Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura is expected to shrug off an ankle injury picked up in training to face Rangers in Sunday's top-of-the-table clash.

Defender Gary Caldwell and midfielder Scott Brown are both available again after suspension.

Carlos Cuellar and Kevin Thomson are suspended for Rangers, although Barry Ferguson is available after being banned from midweek Uefa Cup action.

Six members of the first-team squad are missing through injury.

Goalkeeper Allan McGregor, midfielders Charlie Adam, Lee McCulloch, DaMarcus ~~~~~~~ and Chris Burke, plus striker Steven Naismith, are ruled out.

The reigning champions Celtic go into the game two points ahead of Rangers, but the visitors have three games in hand.




Celtic (from): Boruc, Hinkel, Wilson, McManus, Caldwell, Balde, Naylor, S Brown, Nakamura, Hartley, McGeady, Robson, Donati, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Samaras, Caddis, M Brown.

Rangers (from): Alexander, Broadfoot, Weir, Papac, Dailly, Whittaker, Ferguson, Davis, Hemdani, Novo, Darcheville, G Smith, Buffel, Cousin, Boyd, S Smith, Gow, Furman.

[allycoops]

Walter Smith has criticised Celtic's Peter Lawwell over his claims that the integrity of the SPL would be harmed by an extension to the season.

"Peter Lawwell appears to be the chairman of the sporting integrity committee for the SPL," said the Rangers manager of the chief executive.

"Peter would be better coming out and saying he wants Rangers to play four games in a week.

"It suits his team and helps their quest to retain the championship."

The Ibrox club will have to play four games in eight days in the chase for the title.

If Rangers manage a score draw or better against Fiorentina on Thursday in the second-leg of the Uefa Cup semi-final, they will reach the final to be held in Manchester on 14 May.


In this case, the SPL season would be extended from Sunday 18 May to Thursday 22 May.

If Rangers do not reach the Uefa Cup final, they must still contest four league games within eight days, with two extra league games being squeezed into the vacated Uefa Cup final week.

The four matches in that run are Saturday 10 May Dundee United (H), Tuesday 15 May St Mirren (A), Thursday 17 May Motherwell (A) and Sunday 18 May Aberdeen (A).

Having defeated St Johnstone after extra-time and penalties in the Scottish Cup semi-final, Rangers will face Queen of the South on Saturday 24 May, less than 48 hours after their last league match, at Pittodrie.

It is this hectic run and Lawwell's remarks that have riled Smith.

"If it was the other way about, I would be hoping that Celtic had to play four games in a week," said Smith.

"So he should be honest about it instead of trying to hide behind what he is calling sporting integrity.

"He's doing what he feels is the right for his club by saying the season shouldn't be extended, but he's doing it for his own reasons.

"The thing that bothers me most is that the SPL have this season acceded to every request Celtic have made."



Smith suggests that the league administrators would have known that "one of the biggest games of the season" was being scheduled between two semi-finals involving his side.

"I don't mind playing four games in a week," he said. "Celtic are using that situation to their advantage, but that's what it's all about.

"We have got to overcome that if we are to win the championship.

"The most galling aspect is that they have given Celtic everything they asked for and Peter is still complaining."

The Rangers manager added that more should be made of the benefits to be enjoyed by Scottish football by his team's run in the Uefa Cup.

"If Rangers are helping raise the profile of Scottish football, helping raise the co-efficient and giving us extra European places, then surely we should be getting a little bit of help," he added.

"If the SPL think that's the way to treat their teams then that's fine. But, over the piece, I think my own club has been treated unfairly."

[merchant22]

geers

well lads all the geers need is to score 1 goal and i tink thats game over

[toto67]

Hey,WTF happened to my post G?

[cgy]

Going by your badge probably just as well your post was removed... at the wind up were you??

[Jaffa]

Injury boost for Gers

Rangers manager Walter Smith says David Weir has an outside chance of playing against Hibernian on Sunday.
The player misses the Uefa Cup semi-final in Florence, but scans showed his injury is not as bad as first feared.
Lee McCulloch and Charlie Adam could also return to the side for the visit of Motherwell to Ibrox on 7 May.
And Chris Burke is nearly over the ankle knock he received against St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup.
Weir became an injury worry after pulling up during Rangers' match at Celtic Park on Sunday.
The club's medical experts had feared that a torn adductor muscle in his thigh would bring a premature end to his season.
And Smith is relieved that one of his top performers will not have an extended spell on the sidelines.
"Davie won't make Thursday night, which is a blow considering how important a player he is for us," he told the Rangers website. "But he does have a chance for Sunday."

Midfielders McCulloch and Adam were expected to sit out the remainder of the campaign.
However, Adam has started light training again, while McCulloch's foot injury is recovering quickly.
Smith's squad will have to dig deep with a potential four matches in six days should they make the Uefa Cup final.
"We hope to have some of them back soon, as the injury list is obviously a concern with the schedule we have," said the Rangers boss. "If we can get the likes of Chris, Lee, and Charlie back into the squad it will increase our options."

BBC Sport

[davieboy.rfc]

the poss of davie weir back in the defence with carlos would give everybody attached 2 the club a boost he trained today and showed no pain so i hope he will play tomoro as i dont want 2 c amdy faye in a gers shirt again.

davieboy...

[davidharvey75]

Just thought i'd say good luck to the Gers on thursday. Not a gers fan (nor celtic) but you got to support any scottish team in europe. On the Gers.

[Jaffa]

I dont know whether to laugh or cry...I just feel so happy about this. Its one of those things that people say it was always going to be Zenith St Petersburg with Dicko V the bears. Cuellar proved to me why he is (imho) the best player of the year...an excellent performance by him. It wasn't a pretty performance by us but we are there.

[allycoops]

I cant believe it Jaffa, we were under so much pressure and with just 1 or 2 chances at goal all night, the defence was superb adn culler in particular was amazing, best in scotland yes defo.

get in, now the hunt begins for tickets, two please if anyone gets any,