Ive got a bit of a semi....(Uefa Cup)

Eirebear

Yep, its hard to believe but tonight my beloved Rangers go up against Fiorentina in their first european semi final in 36 years.
We certainly dont have our problems to seek going into it mind you, with McGregor, McCulloch, Burke and Naismith all ruled out through injury and Thomson and Ferguson suspended we really could be looking at a very different team from the one ive been watching all season.

In all honesty, im not massivly confident given the players missing and our awful record against Italian teams, but this is completely unchartered territory for me and i am determined to enjoy every second of it.
At least untill kick off!

Bayern play Zenit in the other game, oh how nice a final against wee dick and fernando would be.........:rolleyes:

Im not even going to attempt a prediction tonight, ill leave that to you guys

Rangers V Fiorentina
Bayern V Zenit

Mr Alan

Fiorentina and Bayern.

guinnessdrinker

I'm gonna say Rangers and Bayern to make the final.

invincibleirish

I read today that Zenit have that Arshamvin chap but play counter attacking football and are somewhat languishing in their league after winning it last year so Bayern have to be favourites

this is Rangers hardest tie so far in the UEFA cup but Fiorentina have Mutu & Vieri and have injuries to key players, but its the S/F maybe there's some magic to happen.

Either way lets hope for Goals after the low scoring C/L Semi finals.

_blank_

Gwan The Gers.

Eirebear

invincibleirish wrote: »

I read today that Zenit have that Arshamvin chap but play counter attacking football and are somewhat languishing in their league after winning it last year so Bayern have to be favourites

this is Rangers hardest tie so far in the UEFA cup but Fiorentina have Mutu & Vieri and have injuries to key players, but its the S/F maybe there's some magic to happen.

Either way lets hope for Goals after the low scoring C/L Semi finals.

If your wanting goals i would suggest you watch the Bayern game and not the Rangers game going by our record this season!

cruiserweight

Eirebear wrote: »

If your wanting goals i would suggest you watch the Bayern game and not the Rangers game going by our record this season!

True enough, even though you guys have a lot of injuries, you still have 11 players to sit in front of your own goal Fair play though it has gotten you this far.

Roar

hoping rangers do it, they've been superb this season

Eirebear

cruiserweight wrote: »

True enough, even though you guys have a lot of injuries, you still have 11 players to sit in front of your own goal Fair play though it has gotten you this far.

Anti-Football at its finest!

Its weird, should the unthinkable happen and we do actually go on to win all 4guys like Broadfoot and Dailly will go down in history with some of the greatest Rangers players in history...... :eek::eek:

invincibleirish

i'll watch if it isnt blocked on STV on Irish Sky. And to see how good this Cuellar guy is.

Eirebear

invincibleirish wrote: »

i'll watch if it isnt blocked on STV on Irish Sky.

Its on ITV4 also, coverage actually starts earlier on ITV4 due to the lack of soaps to get in the way.

invincibleirish

Eirebear wrote: »

Its on ITV4 also, coverage actually starts earlier on ITV4 due to the lack of soaps to get in the way.

Is ITV4 on Sky? cant find it

Eirebear

invincibleirish wrote: »

Is ITV4 on Sky? cant find it

Not sure mate, im sure my old man gets it through his....possibly need to tune it in though?

CountingCrows

Hope the dark side make the final to push up the Scottish European rating. However it will be interesting to see how they do in a competition not governed by there "friends" in Scotland.

Eirebear

CountingCrows wrote: »

Hope the dark side make the final to push up the Scottish European rating. However it will be interesting to see how they do in a competition not governed by there "friends" in Scotland.

Well it seems we have done ok so far....:rolleyes:

CountingCrows

Yep and fair dues. Of course you had the Gretna game moved to help you along...

Eirebear

CountingCrows wrote: »

Yep and fair dues. Of course you had the Gretna game moved to help you along...

Nope, we had the Gretna game moved in order to help us lose 3-0 to Lyon in a completely different competition.
But hey!
Why let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory eh?

CountingCrows

Eirebear wrote: »

Nope, we had the Gretna game moved in order to help us lose 3-0 to Lyon in a completely different competition.
But hey!
Why let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory eh?

The only reason your in the UEFA cup is because of that "completely different competition" so easy there tiger.

cruiserweight

Eirebear wrote: »

Nope, we had the Gretna game moved in order to help us lose 3-0 to Lyon in a completely different competition.
But hey!
Why let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory eh?

Well if you hadn't lost 3-0 to Lyon you wouldn't be in the UEFA Cup semi-final would you

Eirebear

CountingCrows wrote: »

The only reason your in the UEFA cup is because of that "completely different competition" so easy there tiger.

cruiserweight wrote: »

Well if you hadn't lost 3-0 to Lyon you wouldn't be in the UEFA Cup semi-final would you

Considering that before that game we had already qualified for at least the UEFA cup, its impossible to say that getting the Gretna game moved has helped us progress in any way whatsoever.

And dont worry CountingCrows, im perfectly relaxed about this as ive said, im determined to enjoy the build up to this.

CountingCrows

On a serious note if you had to choose between the League and the UEFA cup - which would you take?

Eirebear

CountingCrows wrote: »

On a serious note if you had to choose between the League and the UEFA cup - which would you take?

Ive said the league all along, because all along ive never really believed we could win the UEFA cup.

But the closer we get to the final, the more im unsure because i honestly believe that it could be a "once in a lifetime" occasion.

The league however is our bread and butter, and after a seriously painful couple of years it would be hugely gratifying to win it this year.

At the start of the season the only thing i wanted was to challenge Celtic this season, by that i mean to still be involved in the league at this stage. Everything else was a bonus.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

invincibleirish

CountingCrows wrote: »

Hope the dark side make the final to push up the Scottish European rating. However it will be interesting to see how they do in a competition not governed by there "friends" in Scotland.

What are you suggesting? that Darth Vader supports Rangers?

Got ITV4 on other channels, await tonights epic.

Nalz

Eirebear wrote: »

Not sure mate, im sure my old man gets it through his....possibly need to tune it in though?

yep then accessed tru "other channels"

DerekD Goldfish

invincibleirish wrote: »

What are you suggesting? that Darth Vader supports Rangers?

Why do you think he wears that breathing apparatus ?
His throat was slit by a celtic fan as he tried to help a kitten down from a tree

Bubs101

Think that Rangers will get through to the final by the skin of their teeth. 1-0 tonight

Jazzy

gonna be up for rangers if not only for the brilliant thread title

cruiserweight

Rangers have announced their line up early, they name two strikers, but I guess Novo will play out wide

Rangers: Alexander, Broadfoot, Cuellar, Weir, Papac, Dailly, Whittaker, Davis, Hemdani, Novo, Darcheville.

A Dub in Glasgo

Hopefully Rangers will get skelped and add a couple more to that injury list

PauloMN

invincibleirish wrote: »

And to see how good this Cuellar guy is.

Smith should have stuck Cuellar in goals while McGregor is out. Going on last week's game, he'd make a better keeper than Alexander.

I'll watch the game in Mordor tonight, if only to see the rare sight that is a Rangers player getting a yellow card.

dobsdave

Bayern 1-0 at half time.
Ribery scored rebound from his own missed pen.

KdjaCL

rangers getting dominated but feck all chances really.


kdjac

Guy:Incognito

What are the commentators on Setanta on about ? (Macari & ?) saying if Fiorentina had Toni tonight it could all be so different, they sold him ffs, it's not like he's injured. In that case if the had Batistuta they would probably have scored too :rolleyes:.

Fionn MacCool

They introduced the game as "Scottish league leaders Rangers up against...". Great work there Setanta *thumbs up*

If there's any justice in football then Fiorentina will win this, and hopefully some of this evil bunch get injured. Wouldn't mind seeing Novo get his jaw broken.

dobsdave

Bayern 1-1, og Lucio

Guy:Incognito

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

They introduced the game as "Scottish league leaders Rangers up against...". Great work there Setanta *thumbs up*

If there's any justice in football then Fiorentina will win this, and hopefully some of this evil bunch get injured. Wouldn't mind seeing Novo get his jaw broken.

A big giant :rolleyes: to you.

invincibleirish

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

They introduced the game as "Scottish league leaders Rangers up against...". Great work there Setanta *thumbs up*

If there's any justice in football then Fiorentina will win this, and hopefully some of this evil bunch get injured. Wouldn't mind seeing Novo get his jaw broken.

There is always one, back to the barstool with you!

if the first leg was in Tuscany i'd be more confident of Rangers getting to Manchester

Fionn MacCool

What's your problem sonshine? Nacho Novo is a scumbag, I wouldn't mind seeing him injured because he's a nasty little man, not very complex logic there.

Guy:Incognito

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

Nacho Novo is a scumbag,.

Not sure if standard rules apply to Novo, but thats a bannable offence for anyone else.

estebancambias

Co-sign Fionn.

Unearthly

Stekelly wrote: »

Not sure if standard rules apply to Novo, but thats a bannable offence for anyone else.

back seat moderating ftw!

Fionn MacCool

Stekelly wrote: »

Not sure if standard rules apply to Novo, but thats a bannable offence for anyone else.

You must be joking? If that really is a bannable offence here then I won't even bother posting on these boards again anyway.

Guy:Incognito

Unearthly wrote: »

back seat moderating ftw!

Yep. It's the best place to do it from.

Just because this is Ireland and Rangers is the subject doesnt mean anything goes.

A Dub in Glasgo

Another fantastic advert for eh... anti-football

KdjaCL

Fionn MacCool wrote: »

You must be joking? If that really is a bannable offence here then I won't even bother posting on these boards again anyway.

Just made it easier for you, banned.


kdjac

invincibleirish

another 0-0 in Tuscany and penalty win for Rangers methinks!

Guy:Incognito

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Another fantastic advert for eh... anti-football

Maybe Celtic should try it. They might be still in Europe then.:p

A Dub in Glasgo

Stekelly wrote: »

Maybe Celtic should try it. They might be still in Europe then.:p

Nah, would not go down well playing 8-1-1

KdjaCL

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Nah, would not go down well playing 8-1-1

yeah cos playing a 118 really wins the fans over, strachan is a legend for his football eh?


kdjac

PauloMN

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Another fantastic advert for eh... anti-football

Have to admit, I'd been inclined to defend how Rangers had played in this competition up to now, but that was awful crap tonight. They should have well beaten Fiorentina who looked more like Gretna than a Serie A side.

Ugly Betty deserved MOTM. The rest were poor, aside from Alexander who was pretty good.