Rangers play it smart for Champions League win
Big win in the Champions League for Gers
In a six game group, three points for a win can make a huge difference which makes any victory crucial. Which is why Rangers and their fans can be elated about the 1-0 home win over Bursaspor of Turkey which takes them up to 4 points in their Champions League group.
Rangers have progressed to the last 16 with 7 points before and whilst that tally is unlikely to do the job in this group, Rangers went a long way to guaranteeing Europa League football in the New Year with this win.
Rangers were intent on grabbing a lead to play with and the Turkish goalkeeper was looking weak on cross balls which drove the home side on. The goal was coming and the breakthrough came when Steven Naismith was on hand to stab home Kirk Broadfoot’s flick to give Rangers the advantage.
When Rangers grab the lead, you fancy them to hold onto it, especially when their tactics are so well set-up to hit on the break and the rest of the first half saw the Ibrox side look to be in control of the flow of the game.
Rangers did ride their luck on occasions, most notably when Lee McCulloch appeared to use his arms to stop a goal-bound effort but on the whole, Rangers never looked like relinquishing their lead which sees them on the same points as Manchester United after two games in the group.
The double header against Valencia will see Rangers employ the same tactics that served them well at Old Trafford and who knows, it could pay dividends once again. However, that can wait for a few weeks.
Rangers failed to get a win in last seasons Champions campaign so the 4 points picked up already this season sees them having doubled their total tally of the 2009/10 season. In that regard, Rangers have already improved on their tally, which is pleasing on a football and financial level. With four games to go, there is still the potential to improve on this tally and guarantee European football after Christmas.
Where do you think Rangers will finish in the group?
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Delighted with the endeavour and performance last night, Naismith is finally living up to his hype after a few injury interrupted seasons and looks like a brand new signing. Any win in the Champions League is a big feather in the cap, it will give the fans and the players a huge shot in the arm after last seasons disasters at home. The group is now set up for Rangers to secure a minimum 3rd place, especially given that Man Utd have a double header against the Turks and I fully expect them to win both these games and secure their place in the last 16. This would leave Bursaspor on 0 point with two games left Valencia away and Rangers at home. If Rangers can collect another point in their double header against Valencia, then as I say, minimum of 3rd place secure. After that who knows? Having said all that, the champions league is an unforgiving battleground and the best plans can easily be torn to shreds in 90 minutes.
With direct entry gone for next year, it’s important now to build up the co-efficient points as much as possible, for the benefit of both the Glasgow giants, let’s be honest I don’t expect Celtic fans to want Rangers to win, I myself take great pleasure in Celtic’s away games in Europe, but in actual fact, we’re killing each others financial hopes by getting defeated in Europe. Another reason for Rangers to build up the points is money. Something like 1.6M Euro’s have now been collected over and above the standard CL riches, something the banks will be licking their lips at no doubt!
Another huge game on Saturday away to the Hearts, good thing is that we have Weiss and Jelavic to come back in fresh and hopefully their inclusion will see us pick up another vital 3 points in the SPL race.
Can’t see anything less than 3rd place for Rangers. Would take a big shock for the Turks to take anything from United and Valencia away so even if they beat Rangers in Turkey, they would still fall short….and of course, you would still think Rangers could be a good for a point somewhere against Valencia or even home to Utd.
An unforgiving battleground? Haha, you’ll be getting a job in the Sun next Quagmire. Mind you, you’ll have some way to go to beat the comments of Robert Grieve today.
Making light reference of Kirk Broadfoot “snapping Antonio Valencia’s leg in Manchester”, claiming one of the Bursaspor players was signed for £5m, even though he came through the youth ranks and stating the winning goal was worthy of Xavi, Iniesta and Villa.
We fully agree with Rangers getting praise for their Champions League win…its not as easy as some would suggest so all CL wins should be heralded…but well, Mr Grieve reconfirmed that we exist on a different planet from Sun readers.
But yes, great win for Rangers on a football and financial front and with changes to make at the weekend, they should still have enough in the tank to get past an out of sorts Hearts side.
Regarding Grieve, if I was Broadfoot then I would be suing. It’s crass indecency and lazy journalism something that we have to put up with on a daily basis up here.
Agreed and for 2 big reasons:
It was the impact with the ground rather than any contact from Broadfoot that caused the fracture suffered by Valencia.
And its unlikely you would see a more genuine and honest reaction than the one Broadfoot had at Old Trafford – upset would be an understatement.