A Glasgow Rangers blog where the seeds of Darnel are sown.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
I'm a Rangers Fan Get Me out of Here
Imagine the scene Rangers have just beaten a top European team at home and they come back to SPL business against a Dundee United team how have conceded 16 goals in their last four games. There has to be an easy win in there surely. Well this is Paul Le Guin's Rangers and they do not seem to be up for the SPL.
Some serious questions must now be asked of a manager who does not seemed to have grasped the basics of the SPL. Maybe Rangers should have a manager for the SPL, Billy Davies, and one for Europe, Paul Le Guen.
Only one change from the European sucess, Papac in for the error prone Svensson. No arguements from me here.
Again Rangers started well when Novo ran onto a Barry Ferguson free kick, but his chip was over the bar. That was it for the next half an hour. Again Novo it was through on goal but he could only shoot wide.
To be fair Ranger had all the ball but could not find a way through to goal. Then on 39 minutes United almost were given the lead when Papac's mis-kick of a Colin Samuel cross went just wide.
Ranger did have a chance with Adam's low drive from a Prso pass but no goal and than was the end of a poor first half.
Ranger took the lead in the second half when Adam shot home from a Novo cutback on 49 minutes.
Both teams went close, McCracken clearing off the line from an Adam chip.
United seemed to want to impress their new manager a kept banging away at Rangers. Craig Conway’s had a close effort following a mistake by Jeremy Clement.
Both Novo and Adam had good efforts but still no second goal.
By this time Buffel had been taken off and yes the inevitable happened, United equalised.
A Robson corner was picked up by Garry Kenneth at the back post and he headed home. Poor defending from a team deviod of creativity.
Then on 81 minutes a free-kick from Conway was headed in by Lee Mair.
That was it, no way back, and there was jeers around the ground at full time with le Guen looking lost in thought.
After the game Le Guen said:
“Results suggest the players are not good enough.”
Not so sure mate, wins in Europe do not come cheap and it is time he learned what it takes to win in the SPL.
If Rangers played in a European league then they would win it with games to spare. This is proof if it was needed that Paul Le Guen is an excellent manager for Europe and clueless in Scotland. Maybe he is still learning.
An impressive 2-0 win against Maccabi Haifa was the perfect tonic after a less than satisfactory draw in the SPL.
This win leaves Rangers three points clear of the Israelis in the group and with Partizan Belgrade and Livorno drawing 1-1 this was a good night for Scottish football and for Rangers.
Rangers made the perfect start with a goal in four minutes. Alan Hutton played the ball to Boyd who flicked it to Nacho Novo. The Spaniard to outpace Alon Harazi and shot the ball home.
It was almost 2-0 three minutes later when Boyd had a header touched over from a Prso pass.
Maccabi are a good team and Gustavo Boccoli tested McGregor in nineteen minutes after an error by Svensson.
After 30 minutes Adam's shot was just wide but another error by Rangers, this time it was Hutton, gave Boccoli a chance on goal, but his low drive went across the goal.
1-0 at half time, with both sides having chances. Immediately after the restart Rangers had a penalty when Xavier was judged to have fowled Prso. Byod took the spot kick but it was saved by the goalie, Davidovich.
This gave Maccabi some heart and if Novo did not make a last gasp tackle then it woul have been all square when Colautti broke through.
Barry Ferguson had a shot pushed with by Davidovich in 55 minutes.
At last Le Guen brough on Buffel, allong with Sebo, they replaced Prso and Boyd.
Adam then had a header that almost made it 2-0, but he did manage this from the penalty spot after Ferguson was fouled by Xavir.
After the game Paul Le Guen confirmed everyones belief:
After two good wins it is back to square one again. Can Rangers play in Europe rather than Scotland as the SPL seems to be too hard.
The poor SPL campaign continued with a draw against a fairly mediocre Motherwell team.
Rangers actually took the lead in this game through a header, what else, from Kris Boyd, only to lose it in the second half.
Both teams also had strong penalty claims turned down, incompetant refereeing rather than biased.
Novo started well for Rangers with a good run and shot that went just wide. Then wee Barry Ferguson had a shot blocked by Jamie Paterson andCharlie Adam's free-kick was saved by the Motherwell keeper.
Novo again showed good skill down the wing that lead to the corner that lead to Rangers taking the lead.
My man Buffel played it short to Ferguson before crossing to the back post where Boyd scored from a header, as ever. That was it for the first half, good play and a lead
Then came the second half and it was back the business as usual for this season. Foran had a header that went close before Motherwell equalised.
McDonald ran into the box and his crossed, it was cleared properly and it fell to Kerr on the edge of the box. He smashed a shot at goal that was deflected in.
Rangers did attempt a comeback when Novo's shot from a Boyd flick was saved by Meldrum.
Then both Sebofor Rangers and Motherwell's McDonald where both denied penalties.
Mr Perfect Thomas Buffel brought out a brilliant save from the Motherwell goal. But even he could to keep Rangers in the title hunt.
Well at least the three points keeps Rangers in the title hunt, even if they are ten points behind Celtic.
It took a late goal from Novo to give secure a victory over St. Mirren. Even thought They had looked down and out at half-time, they fought back well.
Rangers started well with lots of good movement and passing, but nothing to show for it. Then in their first atteck the Saints scored. Simon Lappin sent in a cross cross that reached John Sutton who headed past Lionel Letizi.
Charlie Adm was still on fire and his thunderous shot from a free-kick went in past Tony Bullock.
Rangers took the lead when Thomas Buffel slipped the ball past Bullock after slicing through the St Mirren defence. I love this guy, class in a glass.
Rangers where well on top and the Saint's goalie Bullock made a stop from Boyd. All the good Rangers work was from Thomase Buffel, Barry Ferguson and Brahim Hemdani.
On the hour, Bullock again saved from Boyd, who then had a penalty claim waved away getting in a tangle with David van Zanten.
Saints started to gain some confidence and Sutton had a header then tested Letizi. But then the referee awarded St Mirren a penalty when Rodriguez was adjudged to have pushed Mark Corcoran. Sutton took the penalty and score down low
Rangers came back and Ferguson had a header straight at Bullock. Then Novo netted the winner with five minutes to go. He smacked the ball into the net after Bullock had blocked an Adam shot.
As poor as Rangers are is Scotland they seem to be as good in Europe. This was the first ever Scottish club side to win in Italy and it was all wrapped up in the first half.
Paul Le Guen's as yet unseen tactical genius came to the fore and goals from Charlie Adam, Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo had Rangers weel on their way to victoryl.
It didn't start very well and in the heavy rain Lionel Letizi did not look the part in goal.
But my favourite guy, Buffel, worked the ball well to reach Boyd who headed wide. Then Adam's shot was blocked.
The goal came after 27 minutes when Boyd's headed to Adam from a Steven Smith cross. Adam smacked it past Amelia, 1-0. But before you could say 'Up to your knees' it was 2-0 from the penalty spot. Novo was pulled down in the box and Boyd made no mistake.
The referee must have felt sorry for the Italians when three minutes later he awared a very soft penalty against Rodriguez on Cristiano Lucarelli. Lucarelli took the resulting penalty and put the ball past Letizi.
Amazingly Rangers scored again moments later. Boyd played another brilliant header to Novo who shot in from the edge of the area.
Rangers' confidence was still high in the second half and Adam had a left-foot shot just over.
Letizi was on the ball to get his hand to a header from Tomas Danilevicius keeping Rangers two-goals up.
The every brilliant Buffel was unlucky not to score in 64 minutes with a ten-yard shot that Amelia managed to block.
Livorno brought on substitute Stefano Morrone who tested Letizi again with a good shot that was pushed away for a corner.
The Italian side go desperate and threw everyone forward as the came came to an end. It worked when Lucarelli pulled a goal back with a shot in the last minute.
Rangers' substitute Sebo hit the crossbar in injury-time as the Gers looked for another goal.
