Beam me up, Scotty - Rangers & Scotland CM Story
Forum Discussion
3-0 loss against Bayern seems bad, but during these big games it would help to give some stats or tell us about the flow of the game. Obviously Bayern was the better side, but did you get a shot at goal; what was the possession and passing rate; were there things that you thought might work against Galatasaray; is there anything you could build upon?
Next two games are at home against the 'lesser' teams - that's where you need to get your majority of the points: tough cookie...
@Danimal5981 wrote:3-0 loss against Bayern seems bad, but during these big games it would help to give some stats or tell us about the flow of the game. Obviously Bayern was the better side, but did you get a shot at goal; what was the possession and passing rate; were there things that you thought might work against Galatasaray; is there anything you could build upon?
Next two games are at home against the 'lesser' teams - that's where you need to get your majority of the points: tough cookie...
I didn't make any specific notes about stats, but there was a time, 2-0 down after 11 minutes, where it looked like it could become quite nasty. So it was pretty much damage control from that point, then conceding a third just before half time, before things generally improved after the break. I could perhaps have scored one in the second half, but I wasn't THAT close, really. 3-1 would have been a more fair result than 4-0 though, if we would have seen a 4th goal in the game.
I don't know if I can take anything and use for the Galatasaray fixture. The last three league games have been pretty awful, so improvements must come across both competitions. And my next league game is played at Celtic Park.
- @JustinCase0110
Sancho at Bayern. I wonder if something like that might happen IRL in January? He has to find a way out of Old Trafford somehow...
At the moment, it seems like the Rangrs fans were right to be unhappy at the summer transfer business, but there's plenty of time to turn things round. Having said that, still second, still unbeaten, second highest scorers, joint best defence in the league is not to be sniffed at.
@CO88LER5 wrote:
Sancho at Bayern. I wonder if something like that might happen IRL in January? He has to find a way out of Old Trafford somehow...
At the moment, it seems like the Rangrs fans were right to be unhappy at the summer transfer business, but there's plenty of time to turn things round. Having said that, still second, still unbeaten, second highest scorers, joint best defence in the league is not to be sniffed at.Sancho moving is certainly likely, but not to Bayern IMO. I honestly can't see anyone else than the Saudi clubs being able to afford his wages and take the risk to bring him in.
That 2-2 draw at Celtic Park means Aberdeen can sneak up on the two of you and potentially make it a three way fight (like the early 1980s).
That 3-2 against Galatasaray is brilliant and opens up a road towards surviving European winter: I do not know about your playing style, but you might consider 'not losing' to Chelsea twice. That would get you to 5 points without Chelsea running away. Assuming Galatasaray gets a point against Bayern at best, you're nearly there in such scenario.
@Danimal5981 wrote:That 2-2 draw at Celtic Park means Aberdeen can sneak up on the two of you and potentially make it a three way fight (like the early 1980s).
That 3-2 against Galatasaray is brilliant and opens up a road towards surviving European winter: I do not know about your playing style, but you might consider 'not losing' to Chelsea twice. That would get you to 5 points without Chelsea running away. Assuming Galatasaray gets a point against Bayern at best, you're nearly there in such scenario.
That's true with Aberdeen. But as I recall it, they were also close at this point a season ago. I don't expect them to be able to keep it up, if the two Glasgow's make another run for the 95-100 points or so.
Avoiding defeat in the two Chelsea games would be a great feat. Or winning one, losing one, that would be even better. It is a big ask though, given the difference in class in the two squads.
A draw secures you third place in the group and I do not think you could've done any better.
@Danimal5981 wrote:A draw secures you third place in the group and I do not think you could've done any better.
Yes, realistically a 3rd place was the best I could have hoped for. So even though I would have enjoyed better results vs Chelsea, I do also appreciate a realistic outcome of the group. But I need to avoid defeat in Istanbul, otherwise they'll be ahead before the final game.
As Head-to-Head results are leading you're at least certain of Europa League and there is the theoretical chance of proceeding in Champions League if you could cause the greatest upset so far in the story... highly unlikely to defeat Bayern, but [...fill in football cliché here...]
Celtic having an edge in goals scored and goal difference. Some attacking reinforcements in the winter transfer window?
You did okay against Chelsea in the end. A draw at home and a narrow scoreline at th Bridge is very creditable.
Looks like Europa League, so continued interest in Europe in the second half of the year.
Isn't is ridiculous that a draw in the league can be seen as a big slip-up? Just goes to show how Scotland is such a two-horse fiefdom, really, and just how narrow the margins are. But then, quite a few leagues have become just that in recent years; not good for football long-term, I think.
@Danimal5981 wrote:As Head-to-Head results are leading you're at least certain of Europa League and there is the theoretical chance of proceeding in Champions League if you could cause the greatest upset so far in the story... highly unlikely to defeat Bayern, but [...fill in football cliché here...]
Celtic having an edge in goals scored and goal difference. Some attacking reinforcements in the winter transfer window?
Yes, last day of the group would require something extra. A win vs Bayern, and for Galatasaray to beat Chelsea. Not impossible, but not that likely either. In the end I actually came pretty close though. Galatasaray was one up against Chelsea, when it was still 0-0 for me against Bayern, who were down to 10 men. But I failed to take advantage of it, whilst Chelsea also came back to get a result that would still have been enough to count me out.
Attacking reinforcements, perhaps. I need a second South American signing, so that could be the plan. A winger, perhaps, with Adams doing so well centrally. We'll see...
@CO88LER5 wrote:You did okay against Chelsea in the end. A draw at home and a narrow scoreline at th Bridge is very creditable.
Looks like Europa League, so continued interest in Europe in the second half of the year.
Isn't is ridiculous that a draw in the league can be seen as a big slip-up? Just goes to show how Scotland is such a two-horse fiefdom, really, and just how narrow the margins are. But then, quite a few leagues have become just that in recent years; not good for football long-term, I think.
Yes, it's actually ridiculous. But also quite fun! Now that I'm winning so frequently in the league, I really need Celtic to do the same, more or less, to keep me on my toes and keep the season being interesting. Europe can't hold the fort on its own.
But I agree. Rangers and Celtic will also suffer from having such a weak league compared to other countries. There is a reason why the clubs need to target Championship-level players often, not really being able to compete with the Premier League clubs anymore.
Reasonable draw: Bodø / Glimt are a tough team to play against. However, if you look what you could've gotten (Frankfurt, Fener, Hammers, Spurs, Lazio) then it's not so bad after all.
- @JustinCase0110
Looking at that draw, it's one of the best you could hope for.
Can't see Rangers getting too far in the competition, though, with the other names even in this preliminary round.
Looks like the league continues to be a stroll, though.
@Danimal5981 wrote:Reasonable draw: Bodø / Glimt are a tough team to play against. However, if you look what you could've gotten (Frankfurt, Fener, Hammers, Spurs, Lazio) then it's not so bad after all.
Agreed. They're undefeated so far in the competition, so I shouldn't underestimated them. But I could have gotten worse, no doubt about that.
@CO88LER5 wrote:
Looking at that draw, it's one of the best you could hope for.
Can't see Rangers getting too far in the competition, though, with the other names even in this preliminary round.
Looks like the league continues to be a stroll, though.Yes, it's a pretty hard group of teams. So from my current point of view, I'd say that anything beyond the Round of 16 will be a bonus.
First time you're not in the chase, but actually up front. That's progress...
@Danimal5981 wrote:First time you're not in the chase, but actually up front. That's progress...
Haha, just played next game, a draw in Aberdeen, while Celtic comfortably won 3-0 in theirs. A short stay on the top for me, but at least there's an Old Firm next with the chance to reclaim it.
