Rangers home in on Champions League nights again
Title could be clinched in a week
Alongside the majesty of Messi and the madness of Manchester United, the might of Rangers took another massive step to rejoining the top teams in the Champions League at Ibrox last night.
On paper, Aberdeen weren’t expected to put up too much of a fight against the Champions but given that they had not lost a goal to Rangers in two matches this season, Rangers fans were right to be cautious.
That and the fact that Rangers fans think Aberdeen only try against Rangers and not versus Celtic. A handful of victories at Celtic Park in recent years against 0 victories at Ibrox since the 1990s were in short trousers (the decade or the band, both work) would suggest that is not true. But hey, damn us for trying to use stats and results to make a point, that’ll never catch on!
For all the talk of Mark McGhee stating that relegation remains a possibility for the Dons, it does but realistically, the only thing either team had to fight for at Ibrox was three points to push Rangers closer to the title.
The deadlock was broken by an excellent long range effort from Steven Davis, the midfielder has been on a decent run of scoring of late, adding to his impressive haul of assists.
At 1-0, a lead is never certain and this is where the magic of WeKnowSFA kicked in again. It was only on Monday that Kyle Lafferty came in for some heavy criticism on the site but he offered some response to us.
The Northern Irish international ran from deep and played a controlled finish from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
It is easy to criticise but you have to be able to give praise so Lafferty gets the nod for a goal which gave Rangers some breathing space. His celebration was terrible though and probably deserving of a booking if Gordon Smith wants to revolutionise the disciplinary processes.
Darren Mackie quickly got a goal back for the Dons but just when it looked as though there could be a grandstand finish, Kenny Miller finished the game as a contest and left Rangers two results away from the title.
If Celtic lose on Tuesday versus Motherwell, Rangers could win the title at Tannadice. Failing that, five games after the split will provide more than ample opportunity for the Gers to make it 2 in a row.
A major talking point of the night was Kris Boyd failing to earn a place in the starting line-up but given his run of form and speculation about his future, this can’t be a huge surprise.
For the first time in a good while, certainly as long as our memory allows, Rangers have a blank week to prepare for their next game. Opponents Dundee United are at Hampden on Sunday as Rangers look to avenge the Cup defeat that killed their treble dreams.
Who knows, they could even be clinching silverware come Wednesday night!
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Here’s that awful goal celebration. Maybe the video review panel should step in and give him a ban.
Can anyone clarify the fact that, upon winning the league, Rangers are NOT guaranteed automatic qualification for the CL just yet?
I think this is due to the fact that Bayern and Lyon are by no means certs to win their domestic leagues and would take up one of their respective countries automatic CL spots. Like I say I need confirmation.
Taking aside the financial rewards (the most important and vital aspect from a Rangers point of view) would any of their fans want to view a repeat of this season’s humiliations? Quintessentially, the WORST record by a British side in the CL ever.
This is true Billy, Rangers automatic entry into the CL group stages is dependent on the winners qualifying from their domestic league.
Bayern will likely still finish in a CL placing, as will Inter and Barca so Lyon are the big threat to Rangers…but it is very likely they will gain automatic entry.
Isnt it great to see Celtic fans worrying about us in the Champions league?
Marvellous
the wigs right, we dont know yet and we wont know till after the final and the end of the european leagues if we make it straight through to the group stages. so there should be no getting carried away………yet.
of course we want direct entry, who on earth would back a Walter Smith team in qualifiers for anything????!!!
it will be good being in amongst the big boys where we belong i just hope the club take it seriously unlike this year and give the manager a team to put on the park who can compete. thats all we want just now, to be able to compete. it didnt happen this year, looking forward to a massive improvement next year.
good luck gers, do us proud.
the celebration is a cringer, i disappeared into my seat with embarassment at the big man, but he did play well, very well.
i think Rangers should play the kids in the 2 games versus dundee Utd, just a wee gift to septic who done the same a few years back against another team.
i would love to see utd get a crack at the champions league next year, they deserve it. no team will fancy tannadice in a wednesday evening with utd flying at them.
On recent evidence, only Inter stand between Barcelona retaining their Champions League crown this year. You never know in football though, but class normally rises to the top. Which is where Rangers find themselves domestically at present.
Sadly the way Scottish football is at the moment, gaining the £10M bounty from being in the Champions League, is viewed as success for Scottish clubs. It was also interesting that Rangers played their best European football this year when they were away from home, Smith does have a knack of how to set teams up to defend. Sadly when they opened up this year at home, they were dealt a very harsh lesson in attacking football.
Still better to be at the top table than in the Europa League looking on eh Billy?
Oh and remind me if you will, how many games have Celtic actually won on their away trips in the Champions League?
passports out fellow bears, At least celtic will get a lengthy trip away from home as inverness look favourites to get promoted
Scooter,
I wouldn’t say worried was the term. Of course I don’t want to see Rangers gaining a vital windfall. Should they do so at least we have the consolation of many nights of hilarious calamity to look forward to. Laughter & medicine and all that.
Quagz,
I will post details of Celtic’s home record as soon as you remind us all of uncle Watty’s OVERALL record in the CL as manager of Rangers.
both old firm clubs record ‘over-all’ in european football is embarrassing, BOTH clubs.
huge, massive underachievers.
they both claim to be world wide, big clubs, millions of fans bla bla bla
yet they cant put 11 men on the park to beat pub teams from some of the world poorest nations.
quagy and his blue tinted specs, Walter Smith has no defense when it comes to his European record at all, its ridiculously pathetic. and the news today that mr johnston wants to keep the management team in place is a boot in the haw maws to me, the lack of ambition shown by the Rangers board is pathetic.
every man and their dog knows septic dont/cant win away, so what?, it has a direct affect on us. the co-efficient, only a monkey would ignore this FACT.
Scotland NEEDS 4/5 STRONG teams competing in Europe. right now, we have NONE.
the saddest of old firm fans are the ones who cannot bring themselves to at least respect and praise any good work done by the other club.
heres to another embarrassment in europe next year, thanks to Sir Walter. of course i want all Scottish entrants to reach the latter stages, but i would also like world peace!
Hapoel Tel Aviv, Aalborg, Hamburg, Dinamo Moscow,Copenhagen,Artmedia
Worst away record of any team in european history
Is this what you meant by Laughter and medicine
Quote- “Worst away record of any team in european history”.
Did you get that fact from years of meticulous study or did you simply make it up on the spot. I think we all know the answer to that!
Incidentally Celtic won in Moscow so thanks for the reminder!
James makes some very valid points. its a fact if you dont have a decent product domestically you have know chance in europe.
53 titles
james we havent got a buyer so how can the board be generous you defo are an evo stick sniffer.
James, you really are a phud. Billy’s wig jibes and remarks i can handle as he is a Celtic man who will back his team and in turn have a go at the Rangers, that’s healthy rivalry.
But the pish that you spout on here is laughable. Walter Smit’s record in Europe, let me think. In the innaugural year of the Champions League, Walter Smiths Rangers team were undefeated and came within a goal of reaching the final against AC Milan, later we found out that Marseille were match fixing and cheated Rangers of a final in the worlds biggest club fixture. He was later to be hamstrung by the three foreigner rule although I cannot excuse poor performances against Swiss and Swedish opposition which simply wasn’t good enough. Since coming back he has steered Rangers to the final of the Uefa Cup and sadly was badly exposed this year in the Champions League. It’s a mixed bag in Europe for Walter, but not the picture of abject embrassment that you say.
Walter has his crtics, but one thing he does know is how to win domestically. Without doing so, you cannot reach the Champions League. Without Walter in the last two and a half seasons, Celtic would be looking at 5IAR just now, be careful what you wish for, Celtic and Tony Mowbray have shown that this year already.