Sporting-Rangers

When they say "epic" or "heroic", ok, I can accept that because they had to park their bus and cling on to it to go through. But for me words like "brilliant" express something totally different, and give people totally a wrong impression about their performances. But ok, I see I'm getting a bit too pedantic picking on individual words

The Quiet Earth wrote:That's a great result for Rangers. They countered Sporting perfectly. Rangers' squad is, technically, limited. But Walter Smith's tactics, i.e. 451, and his ability to instil a winning mentality in his charges means that they punch way above their weight.

I thought the second leg, poised as it was at 0-0, suited Walter Smith's tactics, enabling the victory to come to fruition.

I think Fiorentina will defeat them, however.

Still, LRD and my friend will be deliriously happy that they've progressed to their first European semi-final in 26 years.

Congratulations

Of course some of the football is not great. But Rangers deserve to be where they are.
It's really just a case of going there and playing the game to win the scottish cup, and the league is basically wrapped up. So a domestic treble is in the bag. And to be in the uefa cup semi final at the same time is incredible. Even a great great team would struggle to do this, simply because of the amount of games.

How can you win 0-2 away from home and be anti football? at home it wasnt pretty but in Portugal they played very well. It's not like Sporting played well either in any of the matches. People can no longer give off this impression they are just an average side with no skill. You cant win 0-3 in Lyon 0-2 In Portugal etc etc just by luck and no skill. I don't think it was outrageous to suggest they could well beat Sporting and it proved that way, they're not having a great season at all in the league, while Rangers are doing superb. If it were Porto then maybe another story.


The best thing in that game due to Sporting identical colours. Was when the second went in, the chants of ''Are you Celtic in disguise''

I agree about victories over good European opposition away from home not being lucky.

Rangers did deserve their victories because they played clever, counterattacking football. Even the best teams play like this away from home in Europe from time to time.

I think it is imperative that Rangers score at least once at Ibrox against Fiorentina, because away from home I think Fiorentina will score at least once.

The difference between Fiorentina and some of the other good European teams Rangers have played this season is that, unlike Barcelona or Lyon (with Vercoutre in goals), they have a truly world-class goalkeeper in Seb Frey.

Panathinakos = no WC GK

Lyon = Only if Coupet plays

Barca = no WC GK

Werder = decent GK

Sporting = no WC GK

In addition, I think Fiorentina have some good man-markers in their team.

Their main weakness is, assuming Vieri doesn't play, their inability to play high balls to a targetman.

Wee, skilful strikers haven't coped that well against Cuellar - a brilliant defender - and Weir.

For my friend's sake, and because it is nice for the underdog to win, I hope Rangers win the competition.

Although it is going to be tough, no doubt about it, we have already played Werder Bremen in this tournament who in my opinion are a better side than Fiorentina.

The thing is, no one knows what is going to happen. Rangers have proven that they can go to some difficult places and get a result. Red Star, Lyon, Panathinaikos and Sporting are all decent teams so although it's going to be tough, it's by no means a forgone conclusion.

If, as has been the case in Europe mostly, we can avoid conceding at Ibrox then we will have a good chance over in Florence.

The Quiet Earth wrote:I agree about victories over good European opposition away from home not being lucky.

Rangers did deserve their victories because they played clever, counterattacking football. Even the best teams play like this away from home in Europe from time to time.

I think it is imperative that Rangers score at least once at Ibrox against Fiorentina, because away from home I think Fiorentina will score at least once.

The difference between Fiorentina and some of the other good European teams Rangers have played this season is that, unlike Barcelona or Lyon (with Vercoutre in goals), they have a truly world-class goalkeeper in Seb Frey.

Panathinakos = no WC GK

Lyon = Only if Coupet plays

Barca = no WC GK

Werder = decent GK

Sporting = no WC GK

In addition, I think Fiorentina have some good man-markers in their team.

Their main weakness is, assuming Vieri doesn't play, their inability to play high balls to a targetman.

Wee, skilful strikers haven't coped that well against Cuellar - a brilliant defender - and Weir.

For my friend's sake, and because it is nice for the underdog to win, I hope Rangers win the competition.

Rangers are not going to get here again i doubt for a long time. So this is the big chance to win the uefa cup. No doubt the Rangers fans will be more up for it than Fiorentina's, you gotta hope that plays a part in some way.
Cuellar has been outstanding, he has even been a ball playing centre back against weaker spl teams. Very impressd by him this year.

I get the feeling with this game like i did with Celtic - Villarreal 3 or so years ago. They had just beat Barca and then Villarreal seemed easier, but i knew they would lose that. And i think Rangers will just fall short maybe choke a little because of the occasion. And Fiorentina are good enough to take advantage especially in Italy. Also i would compare it to when Scotland went to Geogia and lost 2-0, i had a feeling they would lose that after winning away in france.

Still hope for the best you never know. Im sure Walter will play the same tactics.

Ferguson and thomson banned for the 1st leg makes it very difficult even at home.

McGregor is just as good as Frey and I'm a fan of Frey. McGregor will go on to become a WC keeper imo.

Shame we didn't go through. I'm still pretty upset we let Rangers take us out. We had plenty of chances in that second match to score, a couple of balls of the posts and a few just missing... but football usually punishes you when that happens... and that's just what happened.

It wasn't a great match and credit to Rangers they go through without any bad calls aiding them, but they didn't play at a level the score suggests. Had Liedson scored that first instead of smashing it off the post things would have been different...