[Wittmann 44]

Lionel Messi dubbed the football Rangers played in Europe “anti-football” and having watched last night’s travesty most neutrals would probably agree. AFU mentioned (I’m paraphrasing slightly) recently in the context of Chelsea that Grant’s job was to win things and that playing attractive football was secondary. I would reluctantly agree with that assessment but Chelsea are like Brazil 1970 when you compare to what Rangers served up last night and in previous legs. It should be pointed out that Fiorentina despite 60% possession only managed 4 shots on target and the Rangers rearguard did a fantastic job but 45 minutes in I found myself cheering the Italians. At ½ time I told the missus that Rangers would win on penalties which seemed the most likely way for the match to go.

Rangers fans won’t care and those who think football pragmatism is all can argue that Smith’s first duty is to win trophies but I for one will be cheering the Russians on. The thought of probably the most negative and least progressive team in the last 16 winning it is too horrible to contemplate.
If Petersburg get a goal its hard to see any way back for Rangers given the mindset they have played with here.

Well done Rangers in getting there – now I hope you get stuffed.

[Betfly]

The more things change the more things stay the same.

10+ years ago Rangers had the same "winning" formula which even their fans got fed up with.

It is meant to be entertainment!

But Smith's job is to win no matter how ugly.

But it is ironic that Dick Advocaat who replaced Smith as the guy to bring Euro success will face his former club in the final.

[all_funkt_up]

Its rich for the bloody Italians to come on and start moaning about teams stifling the game, shutting up shop and playing for a draw. The Italians have done it for years!

Well played Rangers IMO. Walter Smith has made the most of what was available to him - he's taken a team of very average players and got to a European final by hook or by crook. Highly commendable IMO - not everyone has the set up to go out and woo the crowds with awesome football.

Well done Rangers!

[crowie]

I hear what you are saying Wittmann but surely a team has to play to its strengths? And thats exactly what Rangers are doing. Should they not play to their strengths simply because its not pretty to watch?


2 goals conceded over 8 games v Pana, Werder, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina suggests they are doing a good job of what they do.


You called last nights result a travesty but as you yourself point out, Fiorentina only had 4 shots on target in 120 so what made them so deserving of going through?


Otto Renghal was labelled a tactical mastermind for winning Euro 2004 with Greece but built his team the exact same way that Smith has built Rangers in Europe...strong defensively and set out well tactically, then taking the limited chances that come their way.


A good manager gets the best out of the players he has available and makes the best use of them tactically.


Hell I can't believe me off all people is defending Rangers but all this "anti football" stuff is just sour grapes IMO. Mutu made comments after the first leg about Rangers playing an "ugly game"....well son if you were that pissed off with it and you team was soo much better at football then go out and prove it. He tried to do that last night........and failed

[all_funkt_up]

Here here that man, well said Crowie.

Football is about winning trophies or doing as well as you can with the resources available to you.

Walter has done a great job in taking a team of misfits and odd jobs to the UEFA cup final. Great stuff.

[bluemal]

we are the people .
italians did this sort of play for years winning euro cups world cups in this style of play ,
would you like to winning nothing like arsenal or would you like to be going to four parties ,
with one of these parties coming to manchester hope there plenty of beer for the 80,000rangers fans for a street party ,
get the red white and blue banners up with scotland and union jacks flying

god bless the queen .... mickey boruc

[Winrew]

If you ask any football fan what they want from their club .
Lovely football or trophies , i would imagine they would say both.
Unfortunately its not often that a team supplies both of these qualitys.

On another note that muppet that got sent off should never wear a Rangers jersey again , smart move getting sent off at that point in the game !!!

[Wittmann 44]

I’m not criticising Smith or Rangers for playing to their strengths. I’m speaking as a neutral who would like to see an entertaining game. It’s a great achievement for Smith but its brutal and ugly to watch. Rangers fans obviously have a different perspective.

Like Crowie says Fiornetina were poor as well and should have killed the game off with the possession they have. For me they deserved to go through because they at least tried to play with some sort of attacking intent. Thats not the way its works however.

The point about Italians playing this way for years is a red herring. If Fiorentina had won playing this way I’d be making the exact same points. Italian teams have played ugly boring football for years so I can’t feel too sorry for them when the shoe is on the other foot. They were out Italianed in effect.

I’ve no axe whatsoever to grind with Rangers but I’m calling the game as I saw it last night – a gutsy limited team playing horribly negative football beating another limited team who at least tried to play with some intent. If this stuff was served up week in and week out in Europe we’d all be watching badminton. When Italian teams and eastern European teams did this they were (rightly) castigated so why should Rangers be exempt?

Regarding Greece 2004 I’d make the same comments about their horrible win. Hell I’ll make the same comments if Ireland play this way under Trappatoni although I’d be a hypocrite and say that if we get to SA playing crap like last night I would be very happy. That’s with my neutral hat off .

For the record I think they will get beaten in the final. The Russians look to have a cutting edge that was sorely missing from last night’s game and for all the spirit and passion they’ve shown so far Ranger’s have ridden their luck.

[Yen_Sid]

If it pains you so much Wittmann why the hell watch? That would seem the most sensible thing surely. As AFU (I think) said, all these moaners are just sour grape merchants. Walter has done a tremendous job and should be congratulated, but no, all we hear is how the opposition were rubbish or under performed or whatever. Would have nothing to do with how well Walters tactics have worked out then?

Sour grapes all the way but who gives a toss really. Rangers are in the final on merit, simple as that.

No surrender!!

[Yen_Sid]

Rangers have asked for the season to be extended to the end of July - so they can win the Olympics, The Open, and Wimbledon as well ..

[Yen_Sid]

6 shots on target to The Italians 8 on target, yes we waste the game and don't try to win ..

Get over it sour grapers.

[andeeeee]

maybe the fa/sfa/uefa and fifa should get there heads together and make sure every game is entertaining .somethings i`d like to change. 1- make the pitch 50% bigger . 2 -get rid of goalies . 3 -no team has more than 4 players defending :~)

[WeegieDave]

Aaaah, anti-football. A wonderful new buzz-word in todays game for when teams and players that are supposedly better than there opponents realise they're fucked when someone actually tries to mark them out the game.

Messi was my favourite example after the Ibrox game. Supposedly world class but falls apart like a little child, greetin' when players don't actually give him time to run at them. . Too many people these days think football is simply about attacking and putting the ball in the net and things like actually defending and goalkeepers are just there to spoil everyone elses fun. Sad because theyre missing out on a better appreciation of the whole game of football, not just the fancy la-di-da-ness of scoring. But I would say that, Ive been watching Rangers defend all f*cking season

I agree with Crowie and AFU. Ive been watching this team play all year and its f*cking mind-numbingly boring at times and frustrating, after craning your neck to catch the 24th high ball played by Kirk Broadfoot 56 yards wide of where Darcheville is actually standing, but in the end (after many, many, maaaaaaaaaaany sweary words at last nights tv) i still screamed like a f*cking moron when Novo bagged the winning penalty.

Teams like Fiorentina and Werder, Lisbon and others always come out and tell us theyre the better team before matches and how theyre going to hump us. If they were that f*cking good, they would have coasted bye us last night, but they failed to break down our defence and create anything that really bothered us. If we can just add a hint more attacking to our overall play, we could well be onto something special.

In conclusion, Scottish = anti-football, Italian = catennaccio (or however it's spelled)


Bring on Manchester!!!!!!!

By the way..................


Anybody got any spare Uefa cup finals tickets they need to get rid of? Reasonable and unreasonable prices considered .

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Yup, anti football and an absolute nitemare to watch their games as they are absolutely terrible to watch in terms of football being played.

Celtic fan here and all i can do is take my hat off to Rangers [players and management. I have knocked them every round expecting them to fall but they keep pulling through. Absolutely unbelievable and shows just how vital keeping your shape in football is.

They have rode their luck, Bremen for example, but what team doesnt ride their luck.

Carlos Cueller is possibly the most consistent and best centre half i have ever seen in football. I have watched him 20+ times this season and I don't think i have seen him have a poor game yet. The absolute stand out every game and Rangers will do well to hold onto him come the end of the season.

Tell you, i would swap the supposadly great football we play in exchange for Rangers style and to be in there competiting on all fronts

[crowie]

Sorry Wittmann, going to have to disagree a lot.

Originally Posted by Wittmann 44

I’m speaking as a neutral who would like to see an entertaining game. It’s a great achievement for Smith but its brutal and ugly to watch.

Yes, we would all like to see entertaining games but while last nights game might not exactly have been entertaining, it was certainly gripping, well for anyone with an interest in it, either for or against Rangers it was.

And if its ugly to watch and you don't like it, don't watch it. The way Rangers played was hardly a big surprise was it, you knew what you would get beforehand.

Originally Posted by Wittmann 44

I’ve no axe whatsoever to grind with Rangers but I’m calling the game as I saw it last night – a gutsy limited team playing horribly negative football beating another limited team who at least tried to play with some intent.

Sorry, but I disagree that Fiorentina are a limited side. Their record over the last 2 or 3 seasons in Italy, especially at home, would suggest otherwise. They simply came up against a side on the night who had their measure tactically.

Originally Posted by Wittmann 44

For the record I think they will get beaten in the final. The Russians look to have a cutting edge that was sorely missing from last night’s game and for all the spirit and passion they’ve shown so far Ranger’s have ridden their luck.

Again, 2 goals conceded in 8 games against sides who while not Europes elite are certainly not poor sides. I would suggest there is more to it than riding their luck to get where they have.

Originally Posted by Yen_Sid

No surrender!!

WTF is the point of that you erse? If your wanting to spout pish like that then your looking for bigotsrus.com

Originally Posted by Yen_Sid

Rangers have asked for the season to be extended to the end of July - so they can win the Olympics, The Open, and Wimbledon as well ..

Going on your previous post will all the Rangers fans not have something else to attend in July

Originally Posted by bluemal

god bless the queen .... mickey boruc