Bounce game v Standard Liege today

Some amazing takes reading through this.

Firstly, we beat Roma 5-2 in a friendly then had a wretched season.

We actually beat them 4-0 but I agree the season thereafter was shambolic.


Secondly, we beat Chelsea when Sebo scored then had a terrible season.

Reality, we got to the UEFA Final and would have won the domestic treble if not for a mythical tour of Japan by another team and us playing about 14 games in 15 days or something ridiculous.


Thirdly, the game we lost against Tranmere proceeded another terrible season.

Again, we got to a European final, and, while being gutted about our league form, I think we'd all have accepted it had we just won that final.

In summary, this is all the fault of Tavernier and Goldson as per.
 
BlueArmada said:
Hopefully that Cortes substitution was pre-planned.
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sammy1872 said:
Please tell me Cortes wasn’t taken off after 30 with a injury
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Four players got 30 minutes - Cortes, Matondo, Fraser and Curtis. Lowry got 15 minutes. The rest who featured got 45 minutes, apart from Butland in goal.

Its just a managing of minutes.
 
Coplandbear said:
First-Half Team: Butland, King, Souttar, Davies, Ridvan, Diomande, Barron, Lawrence, McCausland, Dessers, Cortes (Fraser, 30)

Second-Half Team: Butland, Balogun, Goldson, Nsiala, Jefte, Raskin, McKinnon, Dowell, Wright, Curtis (Lowry, 75), Fraser (Matondo, 60)

https://www.rangers.co.uk/article/match-summary-gers-draw-with-standard-liege/1OnL3Vprt40nOaZ3MPye8i
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So players who didn't get minutes are:

Kelly (not with the team?)
Tav
Sterling
Devine (did he travel?)
Cantwell
Danilo
Lammers (not with the team)
Igamane (not with the team yet)
 
From Rangers Review:

Rangers continued their preparations for the new campaign with a goalless draw against Standard Liege in Holland.

Philippe Clement’s side travelled to the continent on Sunday after beginning their pre-season schedule at Auchenhowie last month and have spent recent days being put through their paces.
This bounce game was played behind closed doors at the training base. Clement utilised most of his squad but there were some notable absentees as valuable match minutes were banked and new recruits were seen for the first time.

A friendly with Ajax is next on the agenda before Rangers return to Glasgow. At a time when supporters have many questions about matters off the pitch, they now have reason to be discuss and debate issues on the park.

Clement hands out debuts and gives kids a chance​

Connor Barron was the only new recruit that started against Liege. Hamza Igamane was not part of the squad that travelled to Holland, while keeper Liam Kelly only arrived at the team base on Wednesday afternoon. He joined the group on the sidelines as Nils Koppen, the director of football recruitment, also cast his eye over events as he continues to work to strengthen the squad ahead of the new campaign.

Barron started alongside Mohamed Diomande as a pairing that could be the foundation of the midfield was given an early chance to get acquainted. The sight of Diomande pulling up when under no pressure just before the break was a brief concern, but the Ivorian walked back across the pitch and to the dressing room unaided.

In the second half, Jefte, the Brazilian left-back, and former AC Milan defender Clinton Nsiala got some minutes in their legs. There were also outings for some of the youngsters. Robbie Fraser was introduced after 30 minutes, and Cole McKinnon and Findlay Curtis started at the break as Clement changed every outfield player.

Familiar faces also get a run-out​

Clement spoke about last season being the end of a cycle. That process started with the departure of five players – Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe – and Robby McCrorie became the latest man out of the door when he completed his move to Kilmarnock on Wednesday. Supporters have been expecting more of an overhaul, though.

It is, of course, easier said than done to get players in and out. It is understood that there is nothing imminent in terms of new recruits and Rangers do not expect to add to the squad in the coming days. Suggestions that Cagliari are closing in on Cyriel Dessers have also been downplayed.

Dessers was one of those who featured in the first half. He was supported by Ross McCausland, Tom Lawrence and Oscar Cortes. Jack Butland started in goal with a back four of Leon King, who featured at right-back, John Souttar, Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz.

Leon Balogun was the stand-in at right-back for the second period. Connor Goldson partnered Nsiala and the likes of Nicolas Raskin and Scott Wright were also involved. Clement is not short of depth. The strength of the squad remains the key question.

Don’t read anything into the result​

The caveats that come with every pre-season fixture certainly applied to this one. This was not a match for supporters to read too much, if anything, into. It was a box ticking exercise for Clement and his staff as Rangers trained in the morning and then pulled on their boots once again in the afternoon.

The first 45 minutes was, as expected, a low-key affair. Jack Butland palmed away an Isaac Price effort before Cortes came close with an effort from distance and Lawrence fired over. Late in the half, Butland made a terrific block to deny Marlon Fossey after Liege worked the ball well inside the area and the American got a strike away from a tight angle.

At the same end after the interval, McKinnon came close to the breakthrough. His drive from the edge of the area was deflected and keeper Matthieu Epolo did well to turn it to safety. A meandering run from Fraser resulted in Epolo being forced into action minutes later. Price should have opened the scoring with a header from close range and Rabbi Matondo thought he had earned a corner when cutting in and seeing his strike deflected wide.

Rangers finished in the ascendancy. They were denied a winner when a lovely Lowry strike came back off Epolo’s right-hand post and the keeper blocked a Dowell effort after the midfielder found space inside the area.

Clean bill of health important​

There was not a subject that Clement discussed more last season than the injury situation at Ibrox. The crisis undermined his chances of success and the Belgian knows better than anyone that a repeat this season is unsustainable in football and financial terms.

At this stage of the campaign, it is all about fitness and sharpness. The sight of Cortes back on the pitch would have been a pleasing one for Clement as the Colombian appeared for the first time in public since sustaining a season-ending injury at Rugby Park. He was replaced by Fraser after half an hour as his workload was carefully managed and minutes were also given to Alex Lowry as he returned to the first team fold after missing the second half of the season.

Two of the other long-term absentees last term – Danilo and Zak Lovelace – watched the entire outing from the seats at the side of the park. Captain James Tavernier joined them throughout, as did Dujon Sterling. There was no place in either half for Todd Cantwell. This was a reminder of how many players Clement has at his disposal.

Ajax test to come on Saturday​

This fixture was a means to an end for Clement. The next outing will be bigger test for Rangers and give supporters a chance to see their side in action as Rangers head north to face Ajax. Over the next fortnight, they will also be on the road to face Manchester United at Murrayfield and take on Birmingham City and Union Berlin ahead of the big kick-off against Hearts.

Suggestions online that the trip to St Andrews was in doubt were dismissed by club sources and the friendly fixture will go ahead as scheduled. Those outings will ask different questions of the side and Clement will expect to see physical, technical and tactical levels steadily increase as the minutes are banked and matches are ticked off.

In terms of the approach, this was as expected from Clement’s side. Rangers set up in the same 4-2-3-1 formation that became so familiar following his appointment in October. The performance and the result were immaterial. Rangers are off and running this term.
 
New York Bear said:
So players who didn't get minutes are:

Kelly (not with the team?)
Tav
Sterling
Devine (did he travel?)
Cantwell
Danilo
Lammers (not with the team)
Igamane (not with the team yet)
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Kelly arrived at the training camp this afternoon.

Devine didn't travel, captained the B-team yesterday.
 
sammy1872 said:
If we played a competitive game tomorrow what’s the team if everyone fit

Butland
Tav goldson balogun yilmaz
Dio Sterling Barron/cantwell/lawrence
Mccausland Danilo Cortés

So the only change from last year is Barron and he might not even get in the 11
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Yep.

As we've been saying all along - we need starters to come into the team and make a significant impact/difference.

Right now there is no real sign of that and it's just the same old, same old from last year.

And the clock is ticking.
 
The reason some of those January friendlies were so bad is because big Phil made sure the players played whilst they were knackered.

It's all about fitness at this stage, and load management.

The friendlies we're expecting to put performances in whole come later down the line.
 
the_ref said:
I know it's a pre-season friendly. I couldn't care less about the result.

The point is the when you actually see on paper where the squad is at the moment, it's shite.

"It's not that big of a deal." - a clueless board, a tired, thin squad severly lacking in quality, and the CL qualifiers are less than a month away.

When does it become a big deal?
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When the window closes.
 
sammy1872 said:
If we played a competitive game tomorrow what’s the team if everyone fit

Butland
Tav goldson balogun yilmaz
Dio Sterling Barron/cantwell/lawrence
Mccausland Danilo Cortés

So the only change from last year is Barron and he might not even get in the 11
Click to expand...
When will we see Danilo back, is he not still in a leg brace?
 
ricicles said:
Some amazing takes reading through this.

Firstly, we beat Roma 5-2 in a friendly then had a wretched season.

We actually beat them 4-0 but I agree the season thereafter was shambolic.


Secondly, we beat Chelsea when Sebo scored then had a terrible season.

Reality, we got to the UEFA Final and would have won the domestic treble if not for a mythical tour of Japan by another team and us playing about 14 games in 15 days or something ridiculous.


Thirdly, the game we lost against Tranmere proceeded another terrible season.

Again, we got to a European final, and, while being gutted about our league form, I think we'd all have accepted it had we just won that final.

In summary, this is all the fault of Tavernier and Goldson as per.
Click to expand...

The pre season we beat Roma 4-0 was Helicopter Sunday season was it not?
 
First shot at trying to watch something on RTV this season. That's been a year now when I can't watch anything on RTV because of the "Help" bar. Games are okay but I can't watch anything - interviews etc.

Sadly I've sent many requests but am going to have to unsubscribe. For two years now my MyGers stuff has also been sent to an old address despite repeated attempts to update, so I won't be renewing this year either.

Very poor. I always get the Marketing eMails too.
 
Garrison Defender said:
First shot at trying to watch something on RTV this season. That's been a year now when I can't watch anything on RTV because of the "Help" bar. Games are okay but I can't watch anything - interviews etc.

Sadly I've sent many requests but am going to have to unsubscribe. For two years now my MyGers stuff has also been sent to an old address despite repeated attempts to update, so I won't be renewing this year either.

Very poor. I always get the Marketing eMails too.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you are trying to watch using a FireTV Stick using Silk browser. It’s a ball-ache. Best sticking to pc/laptop. As per the ‘bumper’ RangersTV thread:


If you use a Fire TV Stick and Silk browser you may find you cannot scroll down enough to hit the play button on video content and various other issues. It may help to download and use TVBro browser. See instructions in post #310 in this thread:

https://www.followfollow.com/forum/threads/rangers-tv-on-amazon-firestick.140309/page-7
 
Valley Bluenose said:
Sounds like you are trying to watch using a FireTV Stick using Silk browser. It’s a ball-ache. Best sticking to pc/laptop. As per the ‘bumper’ RangersTV thread:


If you use a Fire TV Stick and Silk browser you may find you cannot scroll down enough to hit the play button on video content and various other issues. It may help to download and use TVBro browser. See instructions in post #310 in this thread:

https://www.followfollow.com/forum/threads/rangers-tv-on-amazon-firestick.140309/page-7
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. Am using a pc. I can hit the play button and "unmute" but only see the top of the heads and have a big white "Help" band which stops me scrolling down.

I don't have a firestick unfortunately.
 
Garrison Defender said:
Thanks for that. Am using a pc. I can hit the play button and "unmute" but only see the top of the heads and have a big white "Help" band which stops me scrolling down.

I don't have a firestick unfortunately.
Click to expand...
That’s odd. A Windows pc, Mac or a Chromebook mate? And do you use some sort of odd resolution? And, obvious one I know, have you tried using the scroll bar on the extreme right of the screen?

I use a Windows pc or laptop myself and am on there every day without any issue whatsoever using Edge browser.

Something is not right.
 
sammy1872 said:
If we played a competitive game tomorrow what’s the team if everyone fit

Butland
Tav goldson balogun yilmaz
Dio Sterling Barron/cantwell/lawrence
Mccausland Danilo Cortés

So the only change from last year is Barron and he might not even get in the 11
Click to expand...
But we are not playing tomorrow
 
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