Beam me up, Scotty - Rangers & Scotland CM Story
Forum Discussion
- @JustinCase0110
Rutter has got off to a good start, it seems. Interesting buy.
I used to buy Max Aarons, quite a few years ago, when he was a kid. In those days he developed really quite well, but I've not paid him much attention in recent years.
I see you've broken the Dundee curse...
@CO88LER5 wrote:
Rutter has got off to a good start, it seems. Interesting buy.
I used to buy Max Aarons, quite a few years ago, when he was a kid. In those days he developed really quite well, but I've not paid him much attention in recent years.
I see you've broken the Dundee curse...Thanks, yeah Rutter is one I looked at some time ago in a save in FIFA23, I think. He played for Galatasaray there. I've watched him a few times for Leeds since, and he strikes me more as a winger than a natural goalscorer. So he actually didn't match my search criteria for this window, as I started looking for a more proper number 9. But with 6 goals and 3 assists in his first three games, I suppose he's on the right path to prove me wrong...
Max Aarons, the same here. I looked him up a few times, when he was younger and had just got a scanned face in the game. I'm not sure I've ever signed him, but he seemed like a good option now, continuing the approach with "failed talents" from the Football League; James Tavernier, Todd Cantwell etc. And I suppose there's a Bournemouth link too, with Lewis Cook, Marcus Tavernier and now Max Aarons arriving at Rangers.
Big turnaround in the derbies this season. You had the upper hand for most of last season, but not this. Interesting development.
Some big scores recently in the Cinch Prem. It underlines how two-sided the league really is. As you predicted, it is really down to a two-horse race again.
Close call against Viktoria in the first leg but a comfortable return match. Given the 'names' left in the competition, Stade Rennais isn't a bad draw. The Milan-United draw iooks to be quite tasty.
@CO88LER5 wrote:Big turnaround in the derbies this season. You had the upper hand for most of last season, but not this. Interesting development.
Some big scores recently in the Cinch Prem. It underlines how two-sided the league really is. As you predicted, it is really down to a two-horse race again.
Close call against Viktoria in the first leg but a comfortable return match. Given the 'names' left in the competition, Stade Rennais isn't a bad draw. The Milan-United draw iooks to be quite tasty.
Yes I agree. It's the third consecitive season with Rennes in the Europa League knockouts, so they shouldn't be taken lightly. But with a number of usual Champions League teams in the mix, I'm sure we could have done much worse.
The derby development IS quite funny actually. I was on some upgoing curve in the derbies, winning back to back domestic doubles and outperforming Celtic in Europe too. But last season they beat me in the semi final in the Europa League, and now it seems the tables have turned with them reaching the Champions League knockouts and having the upper hand in the derbies. It does make my overall experience from this game better though, not just going from strength to strength, but also encountering a bump on the road along the way.
LINEUP FOR RETURN LEG IN FRANCE (BEST 11):
Celtic pulling free, and now with no European distraction. Not looking good.
A good recovery against Rennes and the draw for the next round was fairly kind, from the looks of it.
@CO88LER5 wrote:Celtic pulling free, and now with no European distraction. Not looking good.
A good recovery against Rennes and the draw for the next round was fairly kind, from the looks of it.
True, Celtic just don't drop enough points. And with me unable to beat them in the derbies so far, I am starting to realize that they might win it this season. After two back to back doubles for my club. But hey, that does provide a new goal for me, trying to get it back next season. But then again, Celtic only won 1 game in the last 5 last season, so if they make a similarly disastrous end this time, maybe it's still too early to call it.
- @JustinCase0110
8 points clear with 15 to win. Celtic really are going to have to collapse, but as you suggested, that's not impossible.
Benfica late winner. Still very possible to overturn it, though, just like the previous round. Last time I responded, we were in March 2026. Meanwhile, I missed a painful loss to Celtic on the European stage though you did claim another league title. A 3rd place for Scotland. Currently well behind Celtic and at a disadvantage against Benfica in UEFA Europa League. So, that big breakthrough on Champions League level did not occur yet in the first four seasons; nice to see realism holds out for so long into the future.
@CO88LER5 wrote:
8 points clear with 15 to win. Celtic really are going to have to collapse, but as you suggested, that's not impossible.
Benfica late winner. Still very possible to overturn it, though, just like the previous round.Yes, I've been building quite the pattern through these knockouts. First game a real stinker. Second game a great turnaround.
@Danimal5981 wrote:Last time I responded, we were in March 2026. Meanwhile, I missed a painful loss to Celtic on the European stage though you did claim another league title. A 3rd place for Scotland. Currently well behind Celtic and at a disadvantage against Benfica in UEFA Europa League. So, that big breakthrough on Champions League level did not occur yet in the first four seasons; nice to see realism holds out for so long into the future.
Yes, a lot has happened since. Welcome back, and thanks for making such a thorough readup, bringing you up to speed for the present. I hope everything is all right at home with your daughter.
I agree with the realism part, I usually have this constant upgoing curve making me a Champions League winner in season 7 or 8 or something, with the form only going up until then. Even when a played with Vejle two years ago! But this season with Rangers, and perhaps also the one before, I've been stalling a bit, after reaching 101 points in the 2024/25 season.
Usually I would have taken another step by now, and that is actually why I was also a bit reluctant to take a club like Rangers in the first place, maybe being a bit too close to the top to begin with. But the current development seems to hold something back, so I still have things left to explore, before I (maybe) reach that summit. Celtic's incredible form is also helpful in that regard, I might add. I remember I few years ago, playing in the Premier League, I could end the season with 75 points and be crowned champion. I believe that my current two-horse race with Celtic is incredibly realistic, so I'm thoroughly enjoying the development so far.
- @JustinCase0110
Second leg recovery again. Becoming a real pattern.
Going to be interesting to see how you do against Petrol Sain-Germain. Do they still have Mbappe, I wonder?
@CO88LER5 wrote:
Second leg recovery again. Becoming a real pattern.
Going to be interesting to see how you do against Petrol Sain-Germain. Do they still have Mbappe, I wonder?Yes, they do. Both him and Ousmane Dembélé, with Jack Grealish completing their front three. Pedri, in midfield, has apparently continued the tradition of PSG signing players from Barcelona (after Neymar, Messi, Dembélé). Which is actually something I've seen through various saves.
- @JustinCase0110
I had a feeling the title race would end up being Celtic's. Too big a gap, really.
@JustinCase0110 wrote:Yes, a lot has happened since. Welcome back, and thanks for making such a thorough readup, bringing you up to speed for the present. I hope everything is all right at home with your daughter.
I agree with the realism part, I usually have this constant upgoing curve making me a Champions League winner in season 7 or 8 or something, with the form only going up until then. Even when a played with Vejle two years ago! But this season with Rangers, and perhaps also the one before, I've been stalling a bit, after reaching 101 points in the 2024/25 season.
Thanks, daughter is alright for now (knock on wood)...
Well I think it's brill really, 2024 Celtic, 2025 Rangers, 2026 Rangers, 2027 Celtic..., seldomly have I seen the AI 'bounce back'. Most of the times, once one has the winning team or formula, one just keeps on winning. I think this motivates to get that league title back to the Gers; one more season!
