Rangers v Cambridge Utd closed doors Tuesday 16th July

Really early days, but is this the year we can expect our Reserve/Colts team to go far in the Challenge Cup? I think it's a necessity for us to force the issue of a team in the lower divisions. I know the loan boys can come back and play Reserve fixtures for Rangers but doubt very much they can play competitive fixtures. I wonder if there's a season where we have to take a hit on the players progress to help the long term success of our youths playing League football
 
Hot scoop from one of the THTC groundstaff. We did indeed switch the game to 'closed doors' because of the 3 Trialists. One is Helander, who's international clearance isn't through yet, the other two are Skrtel and Sturridge whom we wanted to take a closer look at.

We also have an active interest in Tierney as back-up to Borna and asked if we could field him as a trialist to assess his fitness. Lemon refused, saying the only way he'd do a deal for Tierney was if Halliday went to the DhimDome as part of the deal. My source didn't reveal how much cash we would be getting out of it if the deal is revived though.;)


Very very very glad I started to read the 2nd paragraph before I literally sent a msg to my full phone
 
There is indeed - John (or Joao) Balde and the new lad Umaro Balde (if we ever confirm his signing). And it was John/Joao Balde who was the sub today so Umaro may have been listed as a Trialist.

Bit weird as a Balde has been listed as sub vs Dundee Utd U19s kicking off just now.
 
Next the u-18s are playing Dundee Utd at the HTC.

y38sphlj


@RFC_Youth
 
Think we will see Dapo Mebude involved in Thursdays game seeing as he wasn’t involved with the youth team games today.
 
Think we will see Dapo Mebude involved in Thursdays game seeing as he wasn’t involved with the youth team games today.

I'd always considered Atakayi ahead of Mebude in the pecking order but you could be correct.

Anyone know why we've seen so little of Zak Rudden - if any - in the pre-season? Is he injured?
 
A goal in each half from Rangers XI saw Cambridge United beaten 2-0 in the U’s first game on their pre-season Scotland Tour.

United competed well in another high quality test, but goals from Andrew Dallas and Jamie Barjonas saw the Gers come out on top.

The U’s found themselves behind after nine minutes when Andrew Dallas fired past Mitov across the Bulgarian’s goal on the end of Serge Atakayi’s through ball.


The hosts then came close to doubling their advantage five minutes later on the counter attack, which saw Jamie Barjonas open his body up for a shot from 20 yards that skidded off the slick surface and wide of the U’s target.

Jabo Ibehre wrestled in the Rangers area but couldn’t get his head to an in-swinging cross from the left wing to force a save from Rangers keeper Firth. The hosts managed to escape unscathed when Ben Worman’s cross rattled around the 18 yard box soon after, before counter attacking and were only denied by a great hard working run back from Liam O’Neil who ensured united stayed strong too.

Colin Calderwood’s men grew into the half from there and after Dallas missed a guilt edged opportunity from close range to double his and Rangers tally for the first half, it was the U’s who finished the half the stronger. Albeit George Taft’s header wide of the mark and Luke Hannant’s shot which forced a save by Firth was as close as they came to scoring.

The U’s returned with eight changes after the break, including Wes Hoolahan who was quick to look lively in the final third of the pitch, twisting and turning on the ball before his shot was blocked. The Irishman’s quick free kick almost set up an equaliser too, when Kyle Knoyle wrapped a cross into the feet of Harry Darling but the centre back’s firmly struck effort was blocked by the legs of Firth in the Gers’ goal.

Just as United looked to have a good foothold in the game, Jamie Barjonas thundered in a second goal for the hosts on 58 minute, as the midfielder powered a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

A stunning save from Mitov ensured the scoreline was not extended further when he threw his top hand at a dipping strike to tip over the bar.

And it was United who with the arrival of Joe Neal from the bench for the final 20 minutes of the game laid siege to the Rangers’ 18 yard box. Their creativity for the closing stages of the match probably warranted a goal but Firth was well placed on both occasions that Neal and Knowles found the target as Rangers held out.

CAMBRIDGE UNITED STARTING XI | Mitov, Davies, John, Taft, Trialist, Knowles, Lewis, O’Neil, Hannant, Worman, Ibehre

CAMBRIDGE UNITED XI SECOND HALF | Mitov, Knoyle, Taylor, Darling, Dunk, Norville-Williams, Lambe, Hannant (Knowles, 70 mins), Hoolahan, Trialist, Ibehre (Neal, 70 mins)


https://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/news/2019/july/rangers-xi-match-report/
 
I'd always considered Atakayi ahead of Mebude in the pecking order but you could be correct.

Anyone know why we've seen so little of Zak Rudden - if any - in the pre-season? Is he injured?


Rudden did get injured mate.

Mebude seems to have overtaken a few in the pecking order.

Happens all the time with young athletes.

The best ones at 16 are very rarely the best at 23.

Apart from Derek Johnstone and Willie Henderson obviously.
 
Rudden did get injured mate.

Mebude seems to have overtaken a few in the pecking order.

Happens all the time with young athletes.

The best ones at 16 are very rarely the best at 23.

Apart from Derek Johnstone and Willie Henderson obviously.
I never had my best win until I was 42 mate so your right about the best at 16 isn’t always the best years later
 
@rfcyouthupdates
Adam Devine, Lewis MacKinnon Leon King, Matthew Henderson, Ross McCausland & Trialist have been replaced by Ryan Muir, Kyle McClelland, Harris O'Connor Robbie Fraser, Kane Ritchie-Hosler & Umaro Balde.
 
Hot scoop from one of the THTC groundstaff. We did indeed switch the game to 'closed doors' because of the 3 Trialists. One is Helander, who's international clearance isn't through yet, the other two are Skrtel and Sturridge whom we wanted to take a closer look at.

We also have an active interest in Tierney as back-up to Borna and asked if we could field him as a trialist to assess his fitness. Lemon refused, saying the only way he'd do a deal for Tierney was if Halliday went to the DhimDome as part of the deal. My source didn't reveal how much cash we would be getting out of it if the deal is revived though.;)
You had me sweating bullets that first paragraph
 
Cambridge United boss Colin Calderwood has challenged his side to find another level after their 2-0 defeat to a Rangers XI.

The Gers took the lead with just nines minutes on the clock when Serge Atakayi’s through ball found Andrew Dallas, who fired past Dimi Mitov in the U’s goal.

Jamie Barjonas doubled the lead for the Scottish Premiership side with 58 minutes gone, finding the bottom corner from the edge of the area after being picked out by Glenn Middleton.

And head coach Calderwood believes that the young Rangers side were the best team they have faced so far this pre-season.

“We came up against an opposition that were more in sync than the other ones, with a mixture of senior pros and younger players, and it was an excellent test and a good examination of all sorts of things,” he said.

“We’ve lost the games, and we weren’t as good as in the other games and that’s probably why.



“But the level of opposition, the standard that they played at, was better than the other two games we’ve had.”

He added: “There’s any number of excuses you can level at it.

“In all probability, it’s just a different level, an improving level of opposition we played against who were really good.

“Similar to Nottingham Forest, their young ones had great rotation, and we never found a team that could maintain a real tempo in the game.”

United made eight changes to the side at half time, including bringing on Wes Hoolahan, while a further two trialists were used through the 90 minutes.

After the game the U’s took part in a second training session back at their base in Largs, and Calderwood was satisfied that he saw enough throughout the day to build upon as the season approaches.

“There’s areas we need to improve, but what I see from the players that we have, if you take the ones you know are improving and you take the ones you think can do better, there’s a group there that we’ve really mixed and matched again and given them [Rangers] two [competitive] halves.

“You take it, there’s no use winning every pre-season game and it certainly shows us we’ve got a good two, three weeks to get to another level.”

The U’s are back in action on Saturday and on that game, Calderwood said: “It’ll be no different against Hearts, and maybe a few more senior players will play, but whatever the young ones there will be as bright as Rangers have produced.”

Cambridge United first half: Mitov, Davies, John, Taft, Trialist, Knowles, Lewis, O’Neil, Hannant, Worman, Ibehre
 
That's us done for both Oxford and Cambridge.
It stated that it was a Rangers eleven, but looking at the lads available in the Rangers team, you couldn't call it a second eleven, perhaps more like a youth team?
Surely?
 
That's us done for both Oxford and Cambridge.
It stated that it was a Rangers eleven, but looking at the lads available in the Rangers team, you couldn't call it a second eleven, perhaps more like a youth team?
Surely?

More like a Reserves (u20) team to be honest, supplemented with a couple of older guys, including Murphy - who got a decent 78 minute run out as part of his rehabilitation.
 
Hot scoop from one of the THTC groundstaff. We did indeed switch the game to 'closed doors' because of the 3 Trialists. One is Helander, who's international clearance isn't through yet, the other two are Skrtel and Sturridge whom we wanted to take a closer look at.

We also have an active interest in Tierney as back-up to Borna and asked if we could field him as a trialist to assess his fitness. Lemon refused, saying the only way he'd do a deal for Tierney was if Halliday went to the DhimDome as part of the deal. My source didn't reveal how much cash we would be getting out of it if the deal is revived though.;)
First paragraph I questions but, well, the second was believable by comparison.
 
Trialist in the development game were 2 Nigerians & a lad from England, just babies

I listen to H&H daily update and someone recommended scouting Nigerian league, 24hrs later we’ve got two Nigerians on trial MA loving the daily pods
 
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